2016年5月29日星期日

論語筆記(里仁4.4)

子曰:「富與貴,是人之所欲也,不以其道得之,不處也。貧與賤,是人之所惡也,不以其道得之,不去也。君子去仁,惡乎成名?君子無終食之間違仁,造次必於是,顛沛必於是。」(里仁第四)

世界浩大、萬物紛陳,有東西是我們所喜歡的,自然也有東西是我們所厭惡的。孔子肯定了人有能力去獲取和擺脫我們所喜歡的和厭惡的,但當中重要的是,我們去達到自己的目的時,用的是「正道」(或「正途」、「正當的方法」)嗎?(在英譯中分別譯為proper way及right way)

然後,孔子從「人」談到「君子」:「君子去仁,惡乎成名」,這是孔子對「君子」意義的其中一條界定:沒有了「仁」的君子,並不能說是真正的君子;「成名」可以解作「變得有名」,但我較傾向「成全了『君子』這個稱號」的意思。

最後一段相當簡單,就是無論時間有多短也好,都不能違背「仁」,與本節開首也可呼應,無論環境際遇理想也好、不理想也好;時間長也好、短也好,仁是做人的根本、第一原則、以至人生在世的終極目標——孔子是這麼認為的。

英譯方面,理雅各把全文分成三小節,分得清晰準確。文句亦譯得工整,尤其把「造次必於是,顛沛必於是」譯成In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it.,當中的 cleave to it 相當到位,“cleave to”即continue to believe in or be loyal to something,相反劉殿爵的英譯則較難理解,其譯句可解成:「假如他勿忙或顛簸,別人可肯定他當時仍心存仁愛。」句意稍為迂迴,稍欠了原文語氣中的肯定(「必」於是)。

The Master said, "Riches and honors are what men desire. If it cannot be obtained in the proper way, they should not be held. Poverty and meanness are what men dislike. If it cannot be avoided in the proper way, they should not be avoided.

If a superior man abandon virtue, how can he fulfill the requirements of that name?

"The superior man does not, even for the space of a single meal, act contrary to virtue. In moments of haste, he cleaves to it. In seasons of danger, he cleaves to it."

Translated by James Legge

The Master said, 'Wealth and high station are what men desire but unless I got them in the right way I would not remain in them. Poverty and low station are what men dislike, but even if I did not get them in the right way I would not try to escape from them. 'If the gentleman forsakes benevolence, in what way can he make a name for himself? The gentleman never deserts benevolence, not even for as long as it takes to eat a meal. If he hurries and stumbles, one may be sure that it is in benevolence that he does so.'

Translated by D.C. Lau

2016年5月28日星期六

論語筆記(里仁4.2)

子曰:「不仁者,不可以久處約,不可以長處樂。仁者安仁,知者利仁。」
(里仁;4.2)

孔子思想的核心是「仁」。孔子認為「仁」是做人之本,「本」就是「根本」的意思,即是說做人最起碼要備有這種條件、質素(或說「德行」也可)。沒有了這個「根本」,我們就無法長久身處於「約」或「樂」的狀態中。

所謂「約」,可以解釋為受制約、受約束,例如說受外在環境的限制,如家境貧窮、身有殘疾;又或者不一定指物質上的缺乏,例如說心裏總是長期不快樂,或者覺得自己在日常生活中無法獲得滿足感等等。

從這句「不可以久處約,不可以長處樂」,可看到孔子並不主張必須靠苦行、去欲來達至「仁」的境界(儘管他會相當欣賞這些身處困境而仍抱持「仁」的人)。要知道,約也好、樂也好,都是一剎那的事情,時刻保存着仁心,無論順逆,我們才能安然面對不同的環境(自然,面對不等於解決)。

最後,孔子提出了「仁者」和「智者」怎樣處理(handle)「仁」這東西:我們可以說,仁者是略為被動的,他只要有着仁,就安心地以「仁」心、仁的方法去面對自己的心境與外在的世界,「仁」能帶給他安穩與平安,這心態對亂世中沒權勢的大眾相當重要。

至於「智者利仁」一句,「利」字可解釋為「把『仁』這概念得到更充實的發揮」:智者思考「仁」的本質,對仁的概念加以解讀和演繹,畢竟「仁」是抽象概念(不同於「蘋果」、「椅子」等實物),智者有助令知識分子和不識字的大眾(在古代,識字不是必須、或必然)更明白「仁」是什麼,以及如何實行「仁」。

「仁者安仁,智者利仁」在劉殿爵(D.C. Lau)的英譯中有 ‘is attracted to’,這特別值得留意,譯文表現了仁者、智者在看待仁之前,本身是基於不同原因而受仁所「吸引」,這個“is attracted”,換成“is attached to”或許亦能貼近句意,至於理雅各(James Legge)的英譯“The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue”, 則相當簡潔,但把「利」譯成desire,則稍有偏差。潘富恩、溫少霞的英譯則較為冗贅,“it pays to do so”中的pay表現了「利」字中「功利、惠及」的意思,前面“in the belief that”則可圈可點,譯者嘗試解讀「智者利仁」的出發點,表現了「智者」機心略重於「仁者」的一面。我們不妨也可以說,從這句略顯斧鑿的譯文中,我們也能見譯者思考模式有着「智者」的痕跡。

The Master said, 'One who is not benevolent cannot remain long straitened circumstances, nor can he remain long in easy circumstances. "The benevolent man is attracted to benevolence because he feels at home in it. The wise man is attracted to benevolence because he finds it to his advantage.'

Translated by D.C. Lau

The Master said, "Those who are without virtue cannot abide long either in a condition of poverty and hardship, or in a condition of enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue; the wise desire virtue."

Translated by James Legge

The Master said, “Those who are without virtue cannot for long endure poverty and hardship, nor can they for long abide prosperity and enjoyment. The virtuous rest in virtue, whereas the wise pursue virtue in the belief that it pays to do so.

Translated by Pan Fu'en & Wen Shaoxia