Aquatarkus Posted December 23, 2012 at 08:25 PM Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 at 08:25 PM I'm trying to translate this little story with a moral in it, but I can't get the meaning of some pieces. Please, take a look and point out the most obvious mistakes. If you could propose some better variants, I'd really appreciate it -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 有些朋友你不必深交 It is better not to make friends with some people 朋友多了路好走，但是朋友并非越多越好，有一些人，还是与他保持距离好。 The more friends you have, the better is your way, but it's not always so, and sometimes you'd better keep distance from some people. 不孝父母的人 People who don't care for their parents 一个人如果连生养自己的父母都不孝顺，其对感情的态度可见一斑，这种朋友随时会出卖你，不交也罢。 If a person does not respect his own parents, you can easily conclude how he usually builds a personal relationship, such person can betray you at any time, so don't keep company with such people, that's all. 城府太深的人 Too reticent people 有些朋友韬光养晦，把自己包得很紧，相处几十年从不讲自己的想法，也很难挑出他的毛病。与这样的人相处，使人怀疑他的真意何在。 There are friends who always keep dark and conceal their real intentions, wrap themselves up in firm jacket; such a friend can live along with you for a decade and never share his thoughts with you, more than that, it's very difficult to cure him of this problem. When you live together with such a person, you doubt about what are his real intentions all the time. 喜欢奉承献媚的人 Flatteres 这样的朋友表面上十分热情，处处投你所好，骨子里另有所图，必须看清这类人的真面目。 Such friend seems very warm on the surface, always does completely agree with you, but has another thoughts inside, and you should clearly see the outer guise and inner self of this person. 唯利是图的人 Greedy people 这类朋友是“万能胶”，黏上很麻烦。 这种人占便宜没够，吃亏难受，占不到便宜就立马不理你。 Such friend is like a barnacle, that sticks to you very hauntingly. He never loses an opportunity to take advantage of you, does not tolerate any harm to himself, and if he can't get a benefit, he soon gets tired of you. 搬弄是非的人 Telltale people 有些人本事不大，搬弄是非的能力很大，好传闲言，甚至无中生有。一个团队中如果有一两个这样人物，很难保持团结。 Some people don't have any special skills except the ability to telltale, they spread someone else's gossips and scandals, sometimes even fabricates them. The team with some such people in it will have a lot of trouble to keep itself united. 口蜜腹剑的人 Double dealers 这比搬弄是非更可怕。这种人当面把你当作挚友，但只要有损于他的一根毫发，马上翻脸。 These people are more frightful than telltales. When meeting face to face, such person calls you the best friend, but if you put him to slightest inconvenience, he instantly start a quarrel with you. 轻诺寡信的人 Quick to promise people 有些人当面大包大揽，过后啥事不办，毫无诚信，对这种人不可托付办事。 Some people saddle themselves with a lot of duties and then cannot manage the matter, suh person does not have a tiniest ethics of work, and you cannot assign any business to him. 信口开河的人 Chatterboxes 这类朋友兴之所至，高谈阔论，东拉西扯，言不及义，与这种人相处，毫无进益可言。 Such a friend talks and discourses upon lofty matters all the time, he constantly chatters and twaddles; if you live with such man you won't have any progress in any field. 人走茶凉的人 People who think it is your place that graces you 这种人常常是，你在职时，会百般奉承你； 你一旦退休，立马不认账，又去找新的靠山。 Such person often flatters you when you hold the rank, but if once you resign, he'll immediately refuse to recognize you and begin to look for a new patron. 过分亲密的人 Hob-a-nob people 有些朋友好奇心簋盛，对别人的事情总要问个底朝天，隐私也不放过，与这种朋友相处，感觉很累。 There are some friends who are too curious, they always want to get into personal and private life of other people, and living along with such people you get tired. (簋盛 -?) 过分冷淡的人 Indifferent people 有些人生性孤僻，不愿与人交际，常常你热情相交，他爱理不理，对这样的朋友还是相忘于江湖吧！ Such people are quite withdrawn, they don't like to communicate with others; you may often want to converse with enthusiasm, but he stands off indifferently; do not forget to travel te rivers and lakes with such a friend! (???) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 24, 2012 at 05:08 PM Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 at 05:08 PM Some people you needn't get close to. Having a lot of friends can make life better, but friends are not always 'the more the better'. Some people are better to keep at a distance. Those who do not respect their parents: If someone does not take care of (the filial piety concept is hard for me to translate as just "respect") even the people who raised them, their attitude towards their relationships is plain to see. This is a friend who could betray you at any time, and one who you can go without making. Those who are too reticent: Some friends will withold much of themselves, keeping theirs feelings wrapped up so tightly you could spend decades together and they would never share their thoughts with you. It is also hard to criticize them. Being friends with this type of person, you may find yourself doubting where their true intentions lie. Those who use flattery to win you over: These friends are perfectly warm on the surface and always humor you, but underneath are hiding ulterior motives. You need to see these people for who they really are. Those who are self-seeking: These friends are like gum stuck to the bottom of your shoe (original says 'glue', but I figure gum stuck on your shoe is really annoying and hard to get off). They take and take without ever being satisfied, hate losing, and will drop you the minute you stop being of use to them. Those who thrive on gossip: Some people are good at few things besides telling tales and spreading rumours, even going so far as to fabricate stories. A group with one or two of this type of person will have a lot of trouble keeping itself together. Those who are two-faced: These people are more frightening than gossipers. When they are with you they will treat you as a best friend, but you need only to upset even the tiniest hair on their head for them to have a complete about-face. Those who make promises lightly: Some people will have you believe they will try their best to get things done, only to find later that they've done nothing. These people lack sincerity and cannot be relied on. == Wow, there sure are a lot of types of people you shouldn't be friends with... I'm sorry I didn't get through all of them, but if nobody stops by to work on the rest of this I'll be back again later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatarkus Posted December 25, 2012 at 11:35 PM Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2012 at 11:35 PM Thank you for the comments! It really helped me to clarify some obscure phrases in the translation. The last question I'd like to ask is the meaning of the phrase 对这样的朋友还是相忘于江湖吧 - what did the author mean by these "rivers and lakes"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 26, 2012 at 01:27 AM Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 at 01:27 AM The last question I'd like to ask is the meaning of the phrase 对这样的朋友还是相忘于江湖吧 - what did the author mean by these "rivers and lakes"? 江湖 does not really mean rivers and lakes. It is a metaphor meaning community/society/circles of people (you can use it quite generally referring to the society or specifically referring to triads or the wuxia world etc). Take a look -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianghu As to 相忘於江湖, it means to part ways with each other. Take a look at chapter 2 of The Great Master in Zhuangzi -> http://ctext.org/zhuangzi/great-and-most-honoured-master It is quite commonly used/quoted. 泉涸，魚相與處於陸，相呴以溼，相濡以沫，不如相忘於江湖。When the springs are dried up, the fishes collect together on the land. Than that they should moisten one another there by the damp about them, and keep one another wet by their slime, it would be better for them to forget one another in the rivers and lakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 26, 2012 at 02:41 AM Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 at 02:41 AM I like the back story provided at http://www.baike.com/wiki/%E7%9B%B8%E5%BF%98%E4%BA%8E%E6%B1%9F%E6%B9%96 the most Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatarkus Posted December 26, 2012 at 10:14 PM Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 at 10:14 PM Every time I start to translate some piece of Chinese text, I wonder how much cultural heritage I should be aware of to properly understand the meaning of the text. In this case, I could not even suspect that Zhuangzi will suddenly pop up Just a couple more questions: 挑出他的毛病 - you suggested "criticize him". How about "point at his problems" or even "eradicate his shortcomings"? Can it have such connotations? 占便宜 - how to understand it literally? I heard it means "to take advantage of...", is it right? 有些朋友好奇心簋盛 - I have no idea of what 簋盛 can be... maybe it's a misprint? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
陳德聰 Posted December 27, 2012 at 11:10 AM Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 at 11:10 AM For 挑毛病 my understanding is pretty much as http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/newDict/dict.sh?idx=dict.idx&cond=%ACD%A4%F2%AFf&pieceLen=50&fld=1&cat=&imgFont=1 but I would say "point out his problems" before I would say "point at his problems", but I don't have any sort of feeling of "eradicate" or anything that would suggest solving those problems... To understand it literally... Check out #2 here http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/newDict/dict.sh?cond=+%ABK%A9y&pieceLen=50&fld=1&cat=&ukey=-1304622225&serial=4&recNo=8&op=f&imgFont=1 And then for the last one... It's not a misprint as far as I know, but I honestly didn't know what a 簋 was until I read this... http://dict.baidu.com/s?wd=%E7%B0%8B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skylee Posted December 27, 2012 at 03:03 PM Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 at 03:03 PM I could not even suspect that Zhuangzi will suddenly pop up And don't just learn 相忘於江湖, also learn 相濡以沫. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and select your username and password later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.