本文转自：北极光翻译
逍遥游
A Happy Excursion
北冥有鱼，其名曰鲲。鲲之大，不知其几千里也。化而为鸟，其名而鹏，鹏之背，不知其几千里也；怒而飞，其翼若垂天之云。
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.
是鸟也，海运则将徙於南冥；南冥者，天池也。《齐谐》者，志怪者也。《谐》之言曰：“鹏之徙於南冥也，水击三千里，抟扶摇而上者九万里，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.
野马也，尘埃也，生物之以息相吹也。天之苍苍，其正色邪？其远而无所至极邪？其视下也，亦若是则已矣。
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.
且夫水之积也不厚，则其负大舟也无力；覆杯水於坳堂之上，则芥为之舟，置杯焉则胶，水浅而舟大也。
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.
风之积也不厚，则其负大翼也无力；故九万里，则风斯在下矣，而后乃今培风；背负青天，而莫之夭阏者，而后乃今将图南。
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.
蜩与学鸠笑之曰：我决起而飞，枪榆枋而止，时则不至，而控於地而已矣。奚以之九万里而南为？”适莽苍者，三餐而反，腹犹果然；适百里者，宿舂粮；适千里者，三月聚粮；之二虫，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。楚之南有冥灵者，以五百岁为春，五百岁为秋；上古有大椿者，以八千岁为春，八千岁为秋。此大年也。而彭祖乃今以久特闻，众人匹之，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!
汤之问棘也是已。“穷发之北，有冥海者，天池也。有鱼焉，其广数千里，未有知其修者，其名为鲲。有鸟焉，其名为鹏，背若泰山，翼若垂天之云，抟扶摇羊角而上者九万里，绝云气，负青天，然后图南，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？我腾跃而上，不过数仞而下，翱翔蓬蒿之间，此亦飞之至也。而彼且奚适也？”此小大之辩也。
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，行比一乡，德合一君，而征一国者，其自视也，亦若此矣。而宋荣子犹然笑之。且举世誉之而不加劝，举世非之而不加沮，定乎内外之分，辩乎荣辱之境，斯已矣。彼其於世，未数数然也；虽然，犹有未树也。
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.
夫列子御风而行，泠然善也，旬有五日而后反，彼於致福者，未数数然也；此虽免乎行，犹有所待者也。
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，而御六气之辩，以游无穷者，彼且恶乎待哉？
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：“至人无己，神人无功，圣人无名。”
Thus it is said, "The perfect man ignores self; the divine man ignores achievement; the true Sage ignores reputation."
尧让天下於许由，曰：“日月出矣，而爝火不息，其於光也，不亦难乎？时雨降矣，而犹浸灌，其於泽也，不亦劳乎？夫子立而天下治，而我犹尸之，吾自视缺然，请致天下。”
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."
许由曰：“子治天下，天下既已治也，而我犹代子，吾将为名乎？名者，实之宾也，吾将为宾乎？鹪鹩巢於深林，不过一枝，偃鼠饮河，不过满腹。归休乎君！予无所用天下为，庖人虽不治庖，尸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."
肩吾问於连叔曰：“吾闻言於接舆，大而无当，往而不返，吾惊怖其言，犹河汉而无极也！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."
连叔曰：“其言谓何哉？”
"What was it?" asked Lien Shu.
曰：“藐姑射之山，有神人居焉。肌肤若冰雪，淖约若处子。不食五谷， 吸风饮露，乘云气，御飞龙，而游乎四海之外；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."
连叔曰：“然，瞽者无以与乎文章之观，聋者无以与乎锺鼓之声，岂唯形骸有聋盲哉？夫知亦有之；是其言也，犹时女也。之人也，之德也，将旁礴万物以为一，世蕲乎乱，孰弊弊焉以天下为事！之人也，物莫之伤；大浸稽天而不溺，大旱金石流，土山焦而不热。是其尘垢秕糠，将犹陶铸尧舜者也，孰肯以物为事？”
"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