大观园试才题对额（节选）

Literary Talent is Tested by Composing Inscriptions in Grand View Garden (Excerpt)

文/曹雪芹

译/杨宪益、戴乃迭

贾政与诸人上了亭子，倚栏坐了，因问：“诸公以何题此？”

“What would you call this, gentlemen?” asked Chia Cheng.

诸人都道：“当日欧阳公《醉翁亭记》有云：‘有亭翼然。’就名‘翼然’。”

One volunteered, “Ouyang Hsiu’s Pavilion of the Old Drunkard has the line, ‘A winged pavilion hovers above.’ Why not call this Winged Pavilion?”

贾政笑道：“‘翼然’虽佳，但此亭压水而成，还须偏于水题方称。依我拙裁，欧阳公之‘泻出于两峰之间’，竟用他这一个‘泻’字。” 

“A delightful name,” rejoined Chia Cheng. “But as this pavilion is built over the pool there should be some allusion to the water. Ouyang Hsiu also speaks of a fountain ‘spilling between two peaks.’ Could we not use the word ‘spilling’?”

有一客道：“是极，是极。竟是‘泻玉’二字妙。”

“Capital!” cried one gentelman. “’Spilling Jade’ would be an excellent name.”

贾政拈髯寻思，因抬头见宝玉侍侧，便笑命他也拟一个来。

Chia Cheng tugging thoughtfully at his beard turned with a smile to ask Pao-yu for his suggestion.

宝玉听说，连忙回道：“老爷方才所议已是。但是如今追究了去，似乎当日欧阳公题酿泉用一‘泻’字则妥，今日此泉若亦用‘泻’字，则觉不妥。况此处虽为省亲驻跸别墅，亦当入于应制之例，用此等字眼，亦觉粗陋不雅。求再拟较此蕴藉含蓄者。”

“I agree with what you just said, sir,”( replied his son. “But if we go into this a little deeper, although ‘spilling’ was not an apt epithet for Ouyang Hsiu’s fountain, which was called the Brewer’s Spring, it would be unsuitable here. Then again, this is designed as a residence for the Imperial Consort we should use more courtly language instead of coarse, inelegant expressions like this. Could you not think of something more subtle?”

贾政笑道：“诸公听此论若如？方才众人编新，你又说不如述古；如今我们述古，你又说粗陋不妥。你且说你的来我听。”

“Do you hear that, gentlemen?" Chia Cheng chucked. “When we suggest something original he is all in favour of an old quotation; but now that we are using an old quotation, he finds it too coarse. Well, what do you propose?”

宝玉道：“有用‘泻玉’二字，则莫若‘沁芳’二字，岂不新雅？”

“Wouldn’t ‘Seeping Fragrance’ be more original and tasteful than 'Spilling Jade’?"

贾政拈髯点头不语。众人都忙迎合，赞宝玉才情不凡。

Chia Cheng stroked his beard again and nodded in silence while the others, eager to please him, hastened to comment Pao-yu’s remarkable talent.