去秋,白零大學教授法蘭居士遊秣陵,會衲於秪桓精舍,譚及英人近譯《大乘起信論》,以為破碎過甚,衲喟然歎曰:“譯事固難;況譯以英文,首尾負竭,不稱其意,滋無論矣。又其卷端,謂馬鳴此論,同符景教。嗚呼,是烏足以語大乘者哉!”居士屬衲為購《法苑珠林》,版久蠹蝕,無以應其求也。衲語居士:“震旦萬事蘦墜,豈複如昔時所稱天國(CelestialEmpire),亦將為印度巴比倫埃及希臘之繼耳!”此語思之,常有餘恫。比自秣陵遄歸將母,病起匈膈,檽筆譯拜輪《去國行》,《大海》,《哀希臘》三篇。善哉,拜輪以詩人去國之憂,寄之吟詠,謀人家國,功成不居,雖與日月爭光,可也!嘗謂詩歌之美,在乎氣體;然其情思幼眇,抑亦十方同感,如衲舊譯《熲熲赤牆靡》,《去燕》,《冬日》,《答美人贈束髮帶詩》數章,可為證已。古詩“思君令人老”,英譯作“Tothinkofyoumakesmeold”,辭氣相副,正難再得。若《小雅》“昔我往矣,楊柳依依;今我來思,雨雪霏霏。行道遲遲,載渴載饑,我心傷悲,莫知我哀。”譯如,——
“Atfirst,whenWesetout,
Thewillowswerefreshandgreen;
Now,whenweshallbereturning,
Thesnowwillbefallinginclouds.
Longandlediouswillbeourmarching;
Weshallhunger;weshallthirst.
Ourheartsarewoundedwithgrief,
Andnooneknowsoursadness.”
又陳陶《隴西行》,“誓掃匈奴不顧身,五千貂錦喪胡塵;可憐無定河邊骨,猶是春閨夢裡人!”
"TheysworetheHunsshouldperish:
theywoulddieifneedstheymust,
Andnowfivethousand,sable-clad,
havebittheTartardust.
Alongtheriverbanktheirboneslie
scatteredwheretheymay,
Butstilltheirformsindreamsarise
tofaironesfaraway.”
顧視元文,猶不相及。自餘譯者,澆淳散樸,損益任情,寧足以勝鞮寄之任!今譯是篇,按文切理,語無增飾;陳義悱惻,事辭相稱。世有作者,亦將有感乎斯文?光緒三十二年,佛從“多羅夜登陵奢”天下還日,曼殊序於太平洋舟中。