參考譯文:
Though the little grass has never been said to be Herculean, the power it shows is matchless in the world. It is an invisible force of life. So long as there is life, the force will show itself. The rock above it is not heavy enough to prevent the seed from growing, because it is a force that keeps growing over a period of time, because it is an elastic force that can shrink and expand, because it is a tenacious force that will not stop growing until it is grown.The seed does not choose to fall on fertile land but in debris, instead. The seed with life is never pessimistic or sad, for it has undergone resistance and pressure. The grass that begins to fight its way out right after its birth is strong and tenacious, and only that grass has the right to smile with pride at the potted plants in glassed green houses.
翻譯點評:
Herculean:大力神,古希臘神話人物,如果想不到的話可以用比較口語的beefcake或者masculined guy。不過大家還是要注意,多積累一些這樣的文化、文學類知識儲備,以便在翻譯時能做到信手拈來,傳神出彩。
matchless一句:這句話的翻譯使用了逆向思維,這在英語中很常見,比如:
這事決不可能是他干的。
應(yīng)譯成He is the last person to do such a thing.
elastic force:彈力,不會的同學亦可譯成spring force/bounce,實在不會,可以換成strength,當然這就要失分了。
tenacious:持久的,也可換成ever-lasting或者long-lasting。一般像這樣簡單的合成詞在翻譯中往往能派上大用場。
debris:注意,末尾的s是不發(fā)音的,但是拼寫的時候千萬不要漏掉。
potted plants:盆栽。一些普通的日常生活中的名詞,大家可能會忽略,翻譯中遇到時才恍然發(fā)現(xiàn)不會表達。這一類詞語要多加注意,不要只將注意力集中在專業(yè)名詞上面。