十几年前,第一次听到“The Sound of Silence"这首歌时,我不仅被其音乐所吸引,更被其歌词所打动。曾尝试过把歌词翻译成中文,几易其稿,心力交竭,均未能传达原创所具有的震撼力及其深邃的意境。
我对音乐知之甚少,对文字却比较敏感,也喜欢“咬文嚼字”。近日,《影视》论坛里贴了这首歌的几个不同版本的视频。趁着热度,今再易其稿,贻笑大方,以祈高人赐教,妙手回春。
顺祝各位节日开心,新年愉快!
但有时候,译得太直接也许显得突兀,比如把darkness译成“黑暗”,读起来就有些坎儿的感觉。因为整首歌曲,唱的是夜色,夜幕下的所见所闻所为,所以译成“夜色”,也许比较合适。
另外,翻译歌词有其特殊之处,要讲究韵律,句子长短要适宜,便于翻唱。这里有点填词的味道,译句与原文,在音节与长短上,不宜相差太多。
我再次走来与你促膝谈心 (I've come to talk with you again)
因为有一种幻觉在轻柔潜行 (Because a vision softly creeping)
悄然在我梦里留下福音 (Left its seeds while I was sleeping)
这种幻觉扎根在我的脑海 (And the vision that was planted in my brain)
总是挥之不去 (Still remains)
在寂之声中产生共鸣 (Within the sound of silence)
在狭窄的石街上我独自漫行 (In restless dreams I walked alone)
街灯下的光晕飘忽不定 ('Neath the halo of a street lamp)
霓虹灯散发着寒光刺着我的眼睛 (When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light)
寒光划破夜空 (That split the night)
与寂之声交相辉映 (And touched the sound of silence)
举目所见是浮光掠影 (And in the naked light I saw)
“愚昧呀,” 我说, “你们哪晓真情” ("Fools" said I, "you do not know")
“那寂静正像恶疾流行” ("Silence like a cancer grows")
“听我说, 我愿趋前引领” ("Hear my words that I might teach you")
“牵我手, 我愿传播福音” ("Take my arms that I might reach you")
可惜我的话像点点雨滴 (But my words like silent raindrops)
无声无息地飘零 (Fell and echoed)
众生百姓俯首祷告虔诚万分 (And the people bowed and prayed)
“写在公寓大厅 ” ("And tenement halls")
在寂之声中耳语低吟 (And whispered in the sounds of silence)