本文轉自：北極光翻譯
逍遙遊
A Happy Excursion
北冥有魚，其名曰鲲。鲲之大，不知其幾千裡也。化而為鳥，其名而鵬，鵬之背，不知其幾千裡也；怒而飛，其翼若垂天之雲。
In the northern ocean there is a fish, called the k’un, I do not know how many thousand li in size. This k’un changes into a bird, called the p’eng. Its back is I do not know how many thousand li in breadth. When it is moved, it flies, its wings obscuring the sky like clouds.
是鳥也，海運則将徙於南冥；南冥者，天池也。《齊諧》者，志怪者也。《諧》之言曰：“鵬之徙於南冥也，水擊三千裡，抟扶搖而上者九萬裡，去以六月息者也。”
When on a voyage, this bird prepares to start for the Southern Ocean, the Celestial Lake. And in the Records of Marvels we read that when the peng flies southwards, the water is smitten for a space of three thousand li around, while the bird itself mounts upon a great wind to a height of ninety thousand li, for a flight of six months' duration.
野馬也，塵埃也，生物之以息相吹也。天之蒼蒼，其正色邪？其遠而無所至極邪？其視下也，亦若是則已矣。
There mounting aloft, the bird saw the moving white mists of spring, the dust-clouds, and the living things blowing their breaths among them. It wondered whether the blue of the sky was its real color, or only the result of distance without end, and saw that the things on earth appeared the same to it.
且夫水之積也不厚，則其負大舟也無力；覆杯水於坳堂之上，則芥為之舟，置杯焉則膠，水淺而舟大也。
If there is not sufficient depth, water will not float large ships. Upset a cupful into a hole in the yard, and a mustard-seed will be your boat. Try to float the cup, and it will be grounded, due to the disproportion between water and vessel.
風之積也不厚，則其負大翼也無力；故九萬裡，則風斯在下矣，而後乃今培風；背負青天，而莫之夭阏者，而後乃今将圖南。
So with air. If there is not sufficient a depth, it cannot support large wings. And for this bird, a depth of ninety thousand li is necessary to bear it up. Then, gliding upon the wind, with nothing save the clear sky above, and no obstacles in the way, it starts upon its journey to the south.
蜩與學鸠笑之曰：我決起而飛，槍榆枋而止，時則不至，而控於地而已矣。奚以之九萬裡而南為？”适莽蒼者，三餐而反，腹猶果然；适百裡者，宿舂糧；适千裡者，三月聚糧；之二蟲，又何知？
A cicada and a young dove laughed, saying, "Now, when I fly with all my might, 'tis as much as I can do to get from tree to tree. And sometimes I do not reach, but fall to the ground midway. What then can be the use of going up ninety thousand li to start for the south?" He who goes to the countryside taking three meals with him comes back with his stomach as full as when he started. But he who travels a hundred li must take ground rice enough for an overnight stay. And he who travels a thousand li must supply himself with provisions for three months. Those two little creatures, what should they know?
小知不及大知，小年不及大年。奚以知其然也？朝菌不知晦朔，蟪蛄不知春秋，此小年也。楚之南有冥靈者，以五百歲為春，五百歲為秋；上古有大椿者，以八千歲為春，八千歲為秋。此大年也。而彭祖乃今以久特聞，衆人匹之，不亦悲？
Small knowledge has not the compass of great knowledge any more than a short year has the length of a long year. How can we tell that this is so? The fungus plant of a morning knows not the alternation of day and night. The cicada knows not the alternation of spring and autumn. Theirs are short years. But in the south of Chu there is a mingling (tree) whose spring and autumn are each of five hundred years' duration. And in former days there was a large tree which had a spring and autumn each of eight thousand years. Yet, Peng Tsu is known for reaching a great age and is still, alas! An object of envy to all!
湯之問棘也是已。“窮發之北，有冥海者，天池也。有魚焉，其廣數千裡，未有知其修者，其名為鲲。有鳥焉，其名為鵬，背若泰山，翼若垂天之雲，抟扶搖羊角而上者九萬裡，絕雲氣，負青天，然後圖南，且适南冥也。”
It was on this very subject that the Emperor Tang spoke to Chi, as follows: "At the north of Chiungta, there is a Dark Sea, the Celestial Lake. In it there is a fish several thousand li in breadth, and I know not how many in length. It is called the k’un. There is also a bird, called the p’eng, with a back like Mount Tai, and wings like clouds across the sky. It soars up upon a whirlwind to a height of ninety thousand li, far above the region of the clouds, with only the clear sky above it. And then it directs its flight towards the Southern Ocean. "
斥鷃笑之曰：“彼且奚适也？我騰躍而上，不過數仞而下，翺翔蓬蒿之間，此亦飛之至也。而彼且奚适也？”此小大之辯也。
And a lake sparrow laughed, and said: Pray, what may that creature be going to do? I rise but a few yards in the air and settle down again, after flying around among the reeds. That is as much as any one would want to fly. Now, wherever can this creature be going to?" Such, indeed, is the difference between small and great.
故夫知效一官，行比一鄉，德合一君，而征一國者，其自視也，亦若此矣。而宋榮子猶然笑之。且舉世譽之而不加勸，舉世非之而不加沮，定乎内外之分，辯乎榮辱之境，斯已矣。彼其於世，未數數然也；雖然，猶有未樹也。
Take, for instance, a man who creditably fills some small office, or whose influence spreads over a village, or whose character pleases a certain prince. His opinion of himself will be much the same as that lake sparrow's. The philosopher Yung of Sung would laugh at such a one. If the whole world flattered him, he would not be affected thereby, nor if the whole world blamed him would he be dissuaded from what he was doing. For Yung can distinguish between essence and superficialities, and understand what is true honor and shame. Such men are rare in their generation. But even he has not established himself.
夫列子禦風而行，泠然善也，旬有五日而後反，彼於緻福者，未數數然也；此雖免乎行，猶有所待者也。
Now Liehtse could ride upon the wind. Sailing happily in the cool breeze, he would go on for fifteen days before his return. Among mortals who attain happiness, such a man is rare. Yet although Liehtse could dispense with walking, he would still have to depend upon something.
若夫乘天地之正，而禦六氣之辯，以遊無窮者，彼且惡乎待哉？
As for one who is charioted upon the eternal fitness of Heaven and Earth, driving before him the changing elements as his team to roam through the realms of the Infinite, upon what, then, would such a one have need to depend?
故曰：“至人無己，神人無功，聖人無名。”
Thus it is said, "The perfect man ignores self; the divine man ignores achievement; the true Sage ignores reputation."
堯讓天下於許由，曰：“日月出矣，而爝火不息，其於光也，不亦難乎？時雨降矣，而猶浸灌，其於澤也，不亦勞乎？夫子立而天下治，而我猶屍之，吾自視缺然，請緻天下。”
The Emperor Yao wished to abdicate in favor of Hsu Yu, saying, "If, when the sun and moon are shining, the torch is still lighted, would it be not difficult for the latter to shine? If, when the rain has fallen, one should still continue to water the fields, would this not be a waste of labor? Now if you would assume the reins of government, the empire would be well governed, and yet I am filling this office. I am conscious of my own deficiencies, and I beg to offer you the Empire."
許由曰：“子治天下，天下既已治也，而我猶代子，吾将為名乎？名者，實之賓也，吾将為賓乎？鹪鹩巢於深林，不過一枝，偃鼠飲河，不過滿腹。歸休乎君！予無所用天下為，庖人雖不治庖，屍祝不越樽俎而代之矣。”
"You are ruling the Empire, and the Empire is already well ruled," replied Hsu Yu. "Why should I take your place? Should I do this for the sake of a name? A name is but the shadow of reality, and should I trouble myself about the shadow? The tit, building its nest in the mighty forest, occupies but a single twig. The beaver slakes its thirst from the river, but drinks enough only to fill its belly. I would rather go back: I have no use for the empire! If the cook is unable to prepare the funeral sacrifices, the representative of the worshipped spirit and the officer of prayer may not step over the wines and meats and do it for him."
肩吾問於連叔曰：“吾聞言於接輿，大而無當，往而不返，吾驚怖其言，猶河漢而無極也！大有迳庭，不近人情焉。”
Chien Wu said to Lien Shu, "I heard Chieh Yu: talk on high and fine subjects endlessly. I was greatly startled at what he said, for his words seemed interminable as the Milky Way, but they are quite detached from our common human experience."
連叔曰：“其言謂何哉？”
"What was it?" asked Lien Shu.
曰：“藐姑射之山，有神人居焉。肌膚若冰雪，淖約若處子。不食五谷， 吸風飲露，乘雲氣，禦飛龍，而遊乎四海之外；其神凝，使物不疵疠，而年谷熟，吾以是狂而不信也。”
"He declared," replied Chien Wu, "that on the Miao-ku-yi mountain there lives a divine one, whose skin is white like ice or snow, whose grace and elegance are like those of a virgin, who eats no grain, but lives on air and dew, and who, riding on clouds with flying dragons for his team, roams beyond the limit's of the mortal regions. When his spirit gravitates, he can ward off corruption from all things, and bring good crops. That is why I call it nonsense, and do not believe it."
連叔曰：“然，瞽者無以與乎文章之觀，聾者無以與乎锺鼓之聲，豈唯形骸有聾盲哉？夫知亦有之；是其言也，猶時女也。之人也，之德也，将旁礴萬物以為一，世蕲乎亂，孰弊弊焉以天下為事！之人也，物莫之傷；大浸稽天而不溺，大旱金石流，土山焦而不熱。是其塵垢秕糠，将猶陶鑄堯舜者也，孰肯以物為事？”
"Well," answered Lien Shu, "you don't ask a blind man's opinion of beautiful designs, nor do you invite a deaf man to a concert. And blindness and deafness are not physical only. There is blindness and deafness of the mind. His words are like the unspoiled virgin. The good influence of such a man with such a character fills all creation. Yet because a paltry generation cries for reform, you would have him busy himself about the details of an empire! "Objective existences cannot harm. In a flood which reach