论语原文选段之六 三人行必有我师

论文选段英文翻译

【 论语原文选段之六 】 三人行必有我师

子曰：“三人行 1 ，必有我师焉 2 。择其善者而从之 3 ，其不善者而改之 4 。”

【 概述 】

这是《论语》“述而篇第七”中的第二十一篇。此篇表明，孔子谦虚好学，不放过任何机会向别人学习。本篇中的关键词是“师”、“择”、“善者”、“从之”、“改之”。在对原文的理解上，一般不会有大的出入。只是在对“善者”的诠释上稍有深浅之分，有人理解为“优点” merits; 有人理解为“善的品德”、“长处” good qualities ，本质上没有大的区别。

本段今译： 孔子说：“三个人同行，其中便一定有值得我学习的人。我选取他的优点而学习，用他的那些缺点而反躬自问，如果自己有同样的缺点就改正。”

【 翻译要点评析 】

1. “三人行”：三人同行；三人在一起走路 walk along with two others; three are walking together 。也有人理解为“几个人在一起走路” walking in the company of other men 。

2. “必有我师焉”，“师”：老师 teacher 。“焉”：是兼词，相当于“于之”，意即“在那里”，即“他们”。全句理解为“其中一定有我值得学习的人”。有人译为 I am sure to find teachers among them; 有人译为 I can always be certain of learning from those I am with 。

3. “ 择其善者而从之”，“择”：选择；选取：找出来 select; pick out; find out 。“善者”：优点；长处；善的品德 good qualities; merits 。“而”：此篇中的两个“而”都是连词，所连接的后一部分（“从之”和“改之”），是前一部分（“择其善者”和“择其不善者”）的目的，相当于“以便”。“从”：学习；效仿 follow; learn from; for imitation 。“之”：此篇中的两个“之”都是代词，第一个“之”指“善者”，第二个“之”指“不善者”。全句译为 I will find out their merits so as to follow them. 或 I will select their good qualities and follow them 。

4. “其不善者而改之”，“不善者”：缺点，有人译为 bad qualities 或 faults, 与 good qualities 相对应；有人译为 demerits 或 shortcomings, 与 merits 相对应。“改”：改正；避免。译法有 correct, overcome 和 avoid ，笔者认为 avoid 较好。全句译作 I'll select their demerits so as to avoid them 。

【 六种不同的译文 】

1. 理译： The Master said, “When I walk along with two others, they may serve me as my teachers. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them.”

2. 威译： The Master said, Even when walking in a party of no more than three I can always be certain of learning from those I am with. There will be good qualities that I can select for imitation and bad ones that will teach me what requires correction in myself.

3. 王译： Confucius said, “When I walk together with two others, they can surely serve as my teachers. I'll find out their merits so as to follow them and their demerits so as to avoid them.”

4. 赖译： Confucius said, “When walking in the company of other men, there must be one I can learn something from. I shall pick out his merits to follow and his shortcomings for reference to overcome my own.”

论文选段英文翻译

5. 潘译： The Master said, “When three are walking together, I am sure to find teachers among them. I will select their good qualities and follow them, their bad qualities and avoid them.”

6. 丁译： Confucius said, “Whenever I walk with two other men, I can always find teachers in them. I can lean from their good qualities, and correct those faults in me which are like theirs.”

【 六种译本对关键词译法之比较 】

译本

理译 威译 王译 赖译 潘译

原文

“三Walk along Walking in a Walk Walking in the Three are

人with two party of no more together with company of other walking

行” others than three two others men together

“师” Teachers Learning from teachers One I can learn teachers

those I am with something from

“择” select select Find out Pick out S elect

“善Good Good qualities Merits Merits Good

者” qualities qualities

“从” Follow For imitation Follow Follow Follow

“不Bad qualities Bad qualities Demerits shortcomings Bad

善qualities

者”

“改” Avoid Requires Avoid Overcome Avoid

correction

丁译 Walk with two other men teachers find Good qualities Learn from faults Correct