翻译远非把一种语言的词换成另一种语言的词那么简单；它是在两种文化之间架起桥梁的艺术。
Translation is far from a simple matter of swapping the words of one language for those of another; it is the art of building a bridge between two cultures.
西方有句名言：“翻译即背叛”，因为任何译文都无法完全忠实于原文。
In the West there is a famous saying — "to translate is to betray" — because no translation can ever be completely faithful to the original.
以“缘分”一词为例：英语里找不到现成的对应词，译者只能用一整句话去解释这种妙不可言的联系。
Take the word yuanfen: English has no ready-made equivalent, so the translator can only spend a whole sentence explaining this connection too wonderful for words.
同样，把英语的幽默直译成汉语，笑点往往荡然无存；高明的译者会另起炉灶，用汉语自身的方式逗笑读者。
Likewise, translate English humor literally into Chinese and the joke usually vanishes without a trace; a masterly translator will start from scratch and make readers laugh in Chinese's own way.
翻译界有三个字的标准：信、达、雅，即忠实原意、通顺流畅、保留原文的神韵。
The translation world has a three-character standard — xin, da, ya: be faithful to the original meaning, read smoothly and fluently, and preserve the spirit of the original.
这三者常常互相冲突，译者不得不在忠实与优美之间做出艰难的取舍。
The three often conflict with one another, and the translator is forced to make painful trade-offs between faithfulness and beauty.
之所以说翻译是艺术而非技术，是因为它没有唯一的标准答案，每一次翻译都是一次再创作。
The reason we call translation an art rather than a technique is that it has no single correct answer: every translation is an act of re-creation.
一旦你尝试把母语里最喜欢的一句诗译成汉语，就会立刻体会到译者的甘苦。
The moment you try translating your favorite line of poetry from your mother tongue into Chinese, you will immediately taste the translator's joys and hardships.
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Key words 生词
背叛bèipànbetrayal; to betray
现成xiànchéngready-made; off the shelf
荡然无存dàng rán wú cúnto vanish without a trace
神韵shényùnspirit; charm (of a work)
取舍qǔshětrade-off; choosing what to keep and what to drop
甘苦gānkǔjoys and hardships
Grammar note 语法点
以…为例
A formal way to introduce an illustration: 'taking … as an example'. Common in expository writing before a concrete case. 例：以北京为例，房价十年翻了一倍。
以“缘分”一词为例：英语里找不到现成的对应词。 — Take the word yuanfen as an example: English has no ready-made equivalent.
之所以…，是因为…
States a result first, then its cause: 'the reason why A is that B'. Fronting the result gives the explanation extra weight. 例：他之所以迟到，是因为路上堵车。
之所以说翻译是艺术而非技术，是因为它没有唯一的标准答案。 — The reason we call translation an art rather than a technique is that it has no single correct answer.
一旦…，就…
'Once/as soon as A happens, B follows' — presents B as the immediate, almost automatic consequence of A. 例：一旦养成习惯，就很难改掉。
一旦你尝试把母语里最喜欢的一句诗译成汉语，就会立刻体会到译者的甘苦。 — The moment you try translating your favorite line of poetry into Chinese, you will immediately taste the translator's joys and hardships.
Check yourself 小测验
1. Why is the word 缘分 hard to translate, according to the text?
2. What is the three-character standard of the Chinese translation world?
3. Why does the text call translation an art rather than a technique?
More HSK 6 reading practice
集体与个人Collective and Individual科幻的黄金时代A Golden Age of Sci-Fi算法与偶然性Algorithms and Serendipity考古新发现A New Archaeological Discovery汉语的模糊之美The Beauty of Vagueness in Chinese大城市病Big City Disease
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