噫,吁嚱,危乎高哉!噫,吁嚱1,危乎高哉!啊,好兇!這麼樣可怕,這麼地高!
Oh, but it is high and very dangerous!
蜀道之難難於上青天!蜀道之難難於上青天!蜀道的艱險,直賽過要爬上青天!
Such travelling is harder than scaling the blue sky.
蠶叢及魚鳧,開國何茫然!蠶叢及魚鳧2,開國何茫然!據說蜀王的遠祖有蠶叢,還有魚鳧,開國的紀元是那樣微茫悠遠!
...Until two rulers of this region
Pushed their way through in the misty ages,
爾來四萬八千歲,不與秦塞通人煙。爾來3四萬八千歲,不4與秦塞5通人煙。這一下來──四萬八千載光陰,都不曾與秦國土地互通往還。
Forty-eight thousand years had passed
With nobody arriving across the Qin border.
西當太白有鳥道,可以橫絕峨眉巔。西當太白有鳥道6,可以橫絕峨眉巔7。看!太白西面,那重重壘壘,只通飛鳥的荒山,橫此過去,準超越了峨眉的絕頂之巔。
And the Great White Mountain, westward, still has only a bird's path
Up to the summit of Emei Peak --
地崩山摧壯士死,然後天梯石棧方鉤連。地崩山摧壯士死8,然後天梯石棧方鉤連9。想那次慘烈的開山:大地崩陷、長峰摧塌。壯士犧牲──然後登雲的懸梯與鑿山的飛棧,這才能委迤鉤連。
Which was broken once by an earthquake and there were brave men lost,
Just finishing the stone rungs of their ladder toward heaven.
上有六龍回日之高標,下有衝波逆折之回川,上有六龍回日之高標10,下有衝波逆折之回川11,上面是絕對擋回太陽的高峰,下面是一片急流倒湧的兇湍,
...High, as on a tall flag, six dragons drive the sun,
While the river, far below, lashes its twisted course.
黃鶴之飛尚不得過,猿猱欲度愁攀緣。黃鶴之飛尚不得過12,猿猱欲度愁攀緣13。黃鶴奮飛都無法越過,猿猴要想嘗試──苦呵,這,那能攀緣!
Such height would be hard going for even a yellow crane,
So pity the poor monkeys who have only paws to use.
青泥何盤盤,百步九折縈巖巒。青泥何盤盤14,百步九折縈巖巒15。青泥嶺如此曲折蜿蜒,百步九轉身,繞過去,乃是懸巖危巒。
The Mountain of Green Clay is formed of many circles-
Each hundred steps, we have to turn nine turns among its mound--
捫參歷井仰脅息,以手撫膺坐長歎!捫參歷井仰脅息16,以手撫膺17坐長歎!抓着了參星,爬過了井宿,仰頭──呼吸停止了!摸摸胸口,頹然坐下,深深地長歎……
Panting, we brush Orion and pass the Well Star,
Then, holding our chests with our hands and sinking to the ground with a groan,
問君西遊何時還?畏途巉巖不可攀。問君西遊何時還?畏途巉18巖不可攀。──喂,想去四川的先生,你幾時才能活着回轉?那可怖的路途,那險巇的巖峽,看你如何爬攀!
We wonder if this westward trail will never have an end.
The formidable path ahead grows darker, darker still,
但見悲鳥號古木,雄飛雌從繞林間;但見悲鳥號古木,雄飛雌從繞林間;只見淒涼的鳥傍着老樹長號,雄的飛,雌的跟,在空林裏倉皇打圈;
With nothing heard but the call of birds hemmed in by the ancient forest,
Male birds smoothly wheeling, following the females;
又聞子規啼夜月,愁空山。又聞子規19啼夜月,愁空山。又聽得子規向夜月悲啼,莽莽荒山應和着回聲,一片愴然。
And there come to us the melancholy voices of the cuckoos
Out on the empty mountain, under the lonely moon…
蜀道之難難於上青天,使人聽此凋朱顏!蜀道之難難於上青天,使人聽此凋朱顏20!蜀道的艱險真勝似要爬上青天,只聽說就夠了!看,一張張發青的臉!
Such travelling is harder than scaling the blue sky.
Even to hear of it turns the cheek pale,
連峰去天不盈尺,枯松倒挂倚絕壁,連峰去天不盈尺21,枯松倒挂22倚絕壁,──山峰套着山峰,去天還不到一尺,枯松倒挂下來,松旁便是絕壁。
With the highest crag barely a foot below heaven.
Dry pines hang, head down, from the face of the cliffs,
飛湍瀑流爭喧豗,砯崖轉石萬壑雷。飛湍瀑流爭喧豗23,砯24崖轉石萬壑雷。飛騰的湍水與奔瀉的瀑布在爭着發威,湍巖滾落的大石轟動了萬山,響吼如雷。
And a thousand plunging cataracts outroar one another
And send through ten thousand valleys a thunder of spinning stones.
其險也若此,嗟爾遠道之人胡為乎來哉!其險也若此,嗟爾遠道之人胡為乎來哉!兇險到這般地步,遠方的老鄉,你豈不是前來自尋倒霉?
With all this danger upon danger,
Why do people come here who live at a safe distance?
劍閣崢嶸而崔嵬,一夫當關,萬夫莫開。劍閣崢嶸而崔嵬25,一夫當關,萬夫莫開。劍閣群山沖霄,棧道在雲間起伏,一人把住關口,千萬人也無法衝鋒,無法迂迴。
...Though Dagger-Tower Pass be firm and grim,
And while one man guards it
Ten thousand cannot force it,
所守或匪親,化為狼與豺,所守或匪26親,化為狼與豺,守關者如非忠實的心腹,轉眼便是無情的叛逆,絕不慈悲!
What if he be not loyal,
But a wolf toward his fellows?
朝避猛虎,夕避長蛇,磨牙吮血,殺人如麻。朝避猛虎,夕避長蛇,磨牙吮27血,殺人如麻。艱險──早晨才躲過猛虎,晚上又得留意長蛇,看這批盤踞城市的畜牲,磨牙吮血,殺人如麻!
...There are ravenous tigers to fear in the day
And venomous reptiles in the night
With their teeth and their fangs ready
To cut people down like hemp.
錦城雖云樂,不如早還家。錦城28雖云樂,不如早還家。成都誠然有趣,那樣繁華,但最好仍是:早點回家。
Though the City of Silk be delectable,
I would rather turn home quickly.
蜀道之難難於上青天!側身西望長咨嗟。蜀道之難難於上青天!側身西望長咨嗟29。──蜀道的艱險,直賽過要爬上青天。偏着身子望向西邊──噯呀!……
Such travelling is harder than scaling the blue sky...
But I still face westward with a dreary moan.