Thus I could avoid all trade and barter, so far as my food was concerned, and having a shelter already, it would only remain to get clothing and fuel. The pantaloons which I now wear were woven in a farmer's family, -- thank Heaven there is so much virtue still in man; for I think the fall from the farmer to the operative as great and memorable as that from the man to the farmer; -- and in a new country, fuel is an encumbrance. As for a habitat, if I were not permitted still to squat, I might purchase one acre at the same price for which the land I cultivated was sold -- namely, eight dollars and eight cents. But as it was, I considered that I enhanced the value of the land by squatting on it.
(徐迟译)这样,我避免了一切的经营与物物交换,至少在食物这一点上是如此,而且房子已经有了,剩下来只是衣服和燃料的问题。我现在所穿的一条裤子是在一个农民的家里织成的——谢谢天,人还有这么多的美德哩;我认为一个农民降为技工,其伟大和值得纪念,正如一个人降为农民一样;——而新到一个乡村去,燃料可是一个大拖累。至于栖息之地呢,如果不让我再居住在这个无人居住的地方,我可以用我耕耘过的土地价格,——就是说,八元八角,来买下一英亩地了。可是,事实是我认为我居住在这里已经使地价大大增加了。
1)Thus I could avoid all trade and barter, so far as my food was concerned是“就我的食物而言”,徐译戴译都加了“至少”一词。“Thus”是过渡词。徐译“这样”,戴译漏掉了。
“could avoid”的时态也当注意,徐译“我避免了”像是译的“avoided”;戴译“我已避免了”似乎是译“have avoided”。“could”里的“能”“可”的意义应该译出来。
2)I think the fall from the farmer to the operative as great and memorable as that from the man to the farmer
梭罗在前面曾经说过,初民寄居大自然,行动自由,饿了摘野果充饥,到后来为了多得果实,而以种植为业,把自己束缚在土地上,成了现在的农夫。他把从自由人变成农夫看作是“fall(变成,堕落)”。从农夫变成技工是另一次堕落。两次变化同样巨大,同样令人注目。
徐译戴译把“great and memorable”译成“伟大”“值得纪念”把梭罗的意思理解反了。“堕落”如何伟大而值得纪念?
3)and in a new country, fuel is an encumbrance.
“country”前面已经碰到几次,可从“国度”“乡村”“地区”几个义项里选。“新到一个乡村”言外之意是说“到一城市则不同了”。到城镇也有燃料问题,因此,这里应该没有城乡的对照。可译成“新到一地”。
(戴欢译)至少就我的食物而言,我已避免了所有的买卖和以货易货的举动。我的住房已经有了,剩下的问题就是获取衣物和燃料了。我现在身穿的一条马裤还是在一个农夫的家里织成的——谢天谢地,人的身上还会有如此之多的美德呢,因为我认为一个农夫降格而去做一个技工,与一个人降格去做一个农夫,同样都不失之于伟大,也同样值得纪念——而新去一个陌生的乡村,燃料可是一个大麻烦。至于栖身之所呢,如果不允许我在此地继续居留下去,我仍然可以照我当年租下这片土地的地价——也就是说,在花上8.8美元,去购买一英亩土地。可是,我认为由于我在此地居住的缘故,这里的土地已大大升值了,事实正是如此。
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