Shakespeare Quotes

2025-03-13 13:40

这个月读完了Everyday Shakespeare: Lines for Life, 这本书看起来挺厚实, 不过大概一天就翻完了. 往不好听一点说, 这算是dumbed down版的莎翁名言录. 不过考虑到几百年的差距让那个时候的很多词的意思和现在都有了很大的区别, 不通俗化一点的确不太好读. 除了那些字面上的thee, thy, thou, hath/doth之类的, 有些不是那么明显, 但是会给阅读造成障碍. 一个典型例子比如:

A little fire is quickly trodden out; which, being suffered, rivers cannot quench

这儿suffer的意思是”to allow”而不是”to endure”. 但是如果你按照忍受的去理解, 就会觉得殊不可解了.

说回这本书, 组织形式大概是按日期每天一页介绍一句名言, 除了讲解这句话的出处外, 还贴心地解释, 在什么情况下引用这句话比较合适. 整体来说阅读难度很低, 我自己是一边陪着Claude Code写代码一边翻完的. 边写边记笔记, 把这些名言记下来, 现在来回顾一遍.

Unbidden guests are often welcomest when they are gone

这句和汉语里的”请神容易送神难”有点类似. 现代英语会说most welcome, 但是如果说welcomest, 一下子就古意盎然了.

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late

汉语里面有宁停三分不抢一秒的说法. 两个说法都是拿一个长时间和一个短时间做对照来强调. 当然这两句一为守时一为守则, 有所不同.

It gives me wonder, great as my content, to see you here before me

这句是用来打招呼的, 读起来音韵感挺好, 像在唱歌一样.

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none

书里面介绍, 这句话除了用来自勉以外, 也合适用来送给即将分别的友人. 汉语里有”害人之心不可有”的说法, 但是整个句子就和这儿莎翁的句子大相径庭了.

Fortune brings in some boats that are not steered

这句话的意思更多是说总有人非常幸运, 不靠努力也能成功. 有点像”站在风口上，猪都可以飞”. 但是两句话又有细微的区别, 莎翁这句更是强调偶然性和不可控性. 汉语这句更像是和自我奋斗vs历史进程关联更大.

Make not your thoughts your prisons

这句话实际上是在说要think out of the box, 不过换成这样的祈使句, 读起来更有力量感. 有点master yoda的感觉了吧?

There’s no art to find the mind’s construction in the face

这句话是在说人心难测, 对应汉语里的”画龙画虎难画骨, 知人知面不知心”. 相比之下, 我更喜欢汉语里这样的表达方式, 不谈这个对仗, 单论汉语里后一句, 三个字重复使用, 节奏感很强.

He that will have a cake out of the wheat must needs tarry the grinding.

有点像汉语里的梅花香自苦寒来. 也有点像莎翁另外一句uneasy lies the head that wears a crown, 当然原句说的是辛劳, 而后面这句说的是risk management.

Your worship was the last man in our mouths

汉语里对应的说法是”说曹操曹操到”. 英语里类似的还有”talk of the devil”这个说法. 个人觉得talk of the devil还更有表现力一些.

Abide the change of time, quake in the present winter’s state, and wish that warmer days would come.

这句记下来单纯因为它很应景, 现在不仅仅是一个国家/地区的动荡, 而更像是整个世界范围的动荡. 汉语里的表达类似”守得云开见月明”.

All days are nights to see till I see thee, and nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.

这让我想起莎翁情史里女主朗诵的这段:

What light is light if Sylvia be not seen? What joy is joy if Sylvia be not by— Unless it be to think that she is by And feed upon the shadow of perfection? Except I be by Sylvia in the night, There is no music in the nightingale. Unless I look on Sylvia in the day, There is no day for me to look upon. She is my essence, and I leave to be If I be not by her fair influence

这段朗诵的台词仍是莎翁的作品.

Grief makes one hour ten.

汉语里对应了”度日如年”, 相比之下, 我觉得英语版中的数字对比更直接更强烈一些.

Let us not burden our remembrances with a heaviness that’s gone

这句真美! 成功地将抽象的压力/回忆具像化成重量, 然后又轻轻抽掉. 汉语中类似的表达可能不少, 但是能够这么形象传神的应该没有.

Your present kindness makes my past miseries sports.

这句用来在被雪中送炭后感谢对方的善意. 让我联想到了”良言一句三冬暖”. 当然, 出自戏剧的这句有点太直白了些, 太像对话了所以记忆点不够足.

Thou hast no more brain than I have in mine elbows.

这句骂人的话适合送我家那只橘猫, 英语世界里有另外一句”All orange cats share the same brain cell”

I understand a fury in your words, but not the words.

这句是说对方只是在情绪输出, 但是没有什么条理讲不清楚事情. 这句话听起来就让人感觉很舒服, 首先给了understand, 表达了同理心, 但是也直接地指出了问题, 同时并没有对对方有任何的指责, 只是说自己没understand.

But since all is well, keep it so: wake not a sleeping wolf

这句让我想起本行, 一个系统能跑就不要动.

Now this ill-wresting world is grown so bad, Mad slanderers by mad ears believed be

‘Tis the time’s plague when madmen lead the blind

这两句在书里面靠的很近. 虽然来自不同的作品, 但是表达的意思都是一致的. 当然, 仍然很应景.

Nothing will come of nothing

这句话可以用来在起床时激励自己, 一分耕耘才有一分收获.

The task he undertakes is numbering sands and drinking oceans dry.

这句话真形象, 抽象的任务的艰巨程度被描绘成了数砂和饮尽海水.

All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity.

人生的意义是什么?

To me, fair friend, you never can be old, for as you were when first your eye I eyed, such seems your beauty still.

同样让我想起莎翁情史里的台词, “you will never age for me nor fade nor die”, 不过后面这句不出于莎翁的著作.

I love and honour him, but must not break my back to heal his finger

这句强调不要为了别人的小事而牺牲自己的大事. 自己的一味付出总该有个限度.

I must hear from thee every day in the hour, for in a minute there are many days.

这句来自不朽的罗密欧与朱丽叶, 算是”一日不见如隔三秋”的英语版. 后半句把等待消息的期待写得很形象.