艱難的國運與雄健的國民
李大釗
歷史的道路，不會是坦平的，有時走到艱難險阻的境界。這是全靠雄健的精神才能衝過去的(1)。
一條浩浩蕩蕩的長江大河，有時流到很寬闊的境界(2)，平原無際，一瀉萬里(3)。有時流到很逼狹的境界，兩岸叢山迭嶺，絕壁斷崖，江河流於期間，迴環曲折，極其險峻(4)。民族生命的進展，其經歷亦復如是。
人類在歷史上的生活正如旅行一樣。旅途上的徵人(5)所經過的地方，有時是坦蕩平原，有時是崎嶇險路(6)。志於旅途的人，走到平坦的地方，因是高高興興地向前走，走到崎嶇的境界，俞是奇趣橫生(7)，覺得在此奇絕壯絕(8)的境界，俞能感到一種冒險的美趣(9)。
中華民族現在所逢的史路，是一段崎嶇險阻的道路。在這段道路上，實在亦有一種奇絕壯絕的境至，使我們經過此段道路的人，感得一種壯美的趣味，是非有雄健的精神的，不能夠感覺到的。
我們的揚子江、黃河，可以代表我們的民族精神，揚子江及黃河遇見沙漠、遇見山峽都是浩浩蕩蕩的往前流過去，以成其濁流滾滾，一瀉萬里的魄勢(10)。目前的艱難境界，那能阻抑我們民族生命的前進。我們應該拿出雄健的精神，高唱著進行的曲調，在這悲壯歌聲中，走過這崎嶇險阻的道路。要知(11)在艱難的國運中建造國家，亦是人生最有趣味的事……。
National Crisis vs Heroic Nation
Li Dazhao
The course of history is never smooth. It is sometimes beset with difficulties and obstacles and nothing short of a heroic spirit can help surmount them.
A mighty long river sometimes flows through a broad section with plains lying boundless on either side, its waters rolling on non-stop for thousands upon thousands of miles. Sometimes it comes up against a narrow section flanked by high mountains and steep cliffs, winding through a course with many a perilous twist and turn. A nation, in the course of its development, fares likewise.
The historical course of man’s life is just like a journey. A traveler on a long journey passes through now a broad, level plain, now a rugged, hazardous road. While a determined traveler cheerfully continues his journey upon reaching a safe and smooth place, he finds it still more fascinating to come to a rugged place, the enormously magnificent spectacle of which, he feels, is better able to generate in him a wonderful sensation of adventure.
The Chinese nation is now confronted with a rugged and dangerous section of its historical course. Nevertheless, there is also in this section a spectacle of enormous magnificence that inspires in us passers-by a delightful sensation of splendor. And this delightful sensation, however, can only be shared by those with a heroic spirit.
The Yangtse River and the Yellow River are both symbolic of our national spirit the two mighty rivers negotiate deserts and gorges until their turbid torrents surge forward with irresistible force. The present national crisis can never obstruct the advance of our national life. Let us brace up our spirits and march through this rugged, dangerous road to the tune of our solemn, stirring songs. The greatest joy of life, mind you, is to build up our country during its most difficult days.
註釋:
李大釗此文載於1923年12月20日《新國民》第一卷第2號上，短小雋永，堪稱一首詩意盎然的抒情散文詩。作者用象徵，比喻等手法，說明歷史發展的必然規律以及中國革命面臨的艱難險阻。
(1) “這是全靠雄健的精神才能衝過去的”譯為nothing short of a heroic spirit can help surmount them，其中nothing short of 相當於nothing less than 或only。
(2)“寬闊的境界”須按上下文譯為a broad section。“境界”在這裡不宜譯為realm、place、area等。
(3)“一瀉萬里”譯為rolling on non-stop for thousands upon thousands of miles，但也可譯為rolling on vigorously for tens of thousands of miles或rolling on for thousands of miles at a stretch。
(4)“迴環曲折，極其險峻”譯為winding through a course with many a perilous twist and turn，其中twist and turn來自成語twists and turns。此句亦可譯為following a dangerous tortuous course。
(5)“徵人”即“遠行之人”，故譯“旅途上的徵人”為a traveler on a long journey。
(6)“有時……，有時……”譯為now……now……（＝sometimes……and sometimes……）。
(7)“奇趣橫生”意即“極度吸引人”，故譯為fascinating。
(8)“奇絕壯絕”意即“無限壯觀”，故譯為the enormously magnificent spectacle。
(9)“感到一種冒險的美趣”意即“一種敢於冒險的美妙感覺”，原譯為a wonderful sensation of adventure。
(10)“遇見沙漠，遇見山峽都是浩浩蕩蕩的往前流過去，以成其濁流滾滾，一瀉萬里的魄勢”譯為negotiate deserts and gorges until their turbid torrents surge forward with irresistible force, 其中動詞to negotiate 的意思是“順利通過”（to succeed in getting past something difficult）。又，注意until在這裡的用法。它在此不作“直到……為止”解，而是so that finally（“以至於……”或“最後”）的意思。
(11)“要知”譯為mind you，插入句中。成語mind you的意思是mind what I say 或however,
相當於漢語的“請注意”或“說真的”。
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