爱莲说

爱莲说【1】

水陆草木之花，可爱者甚蕃【2】。晋陶渊明独爱菊【3】。自李唐来【4】，世人盛爱牡丹。予独爱莲之出淤泥【5】而不染【6】，濯清涟而不妖【7】，中通外直，不蔓不枝【8】，香远益清【9】，亭亭净植【10】，可远观而不可亵玩【11】焉。

予谓菊，花之隐逸者【12】也；牡丹【13】，花之富贵者也；莲，花之君子【14】者也。噫【15】！菊之爱【16】，陶后鲜有闻【17】。莲之爱，同予者何人【18】？牡丹之爱，宜乎【19】众矣！

 

 

注释

【1】爱莲说：选自《周公元集》。著有《太极图说》《通书》等“说”，是古代论说文的一种体裁，可以说明事物，也可以论述道理。

【2】蕃（fán）：多。

【3】晋陶渊明独爱菊：陶渊明(365-427)，一名潜，字元亮，东晋浔阳(现在江西省九江县)人，东晋著名诗人。他独爱菊花，常在诗里咏菊，如《饮酒》诗里的“采菊东篱下，悠然见南山”，向来称为名句。

【4】自李唐来，世人盛爱牡丹：唐朝以来，人们很爱牡丹。李唐，指唐朝。唐朝的皇帝姓李，所以 称为“李唐”。世人，社会上的一般人。唐人爱牡丹，古书里有不少记载，如唐朝李肇的《唐国史补》里说：“京城贵游，尚牡丹……每春暮，车马若狂……种以求 利，一本(一株)有直(同“值”)数万(指钱)者。”

【5】淤泥：河沟或池塘里积存的污泥。

【6】染：沾染（污秽）。

【7】濯(zhuó)清涟而不妖：在清水里洗涤过，而不显得妖媚。濯，洗涤。清涟，水清而有微波，这里指清水。妖，美丽而不端庄。

【8】不蔓(ｍàn)不枝：不生枝蔓，不长枝节。

【9】香远益清：香气越远越清。益，更，更加。

【10】亭亭净植，笔直的洁净的立在那里。亭亭：耸立的样子。植，立。

【11】亵(xiè)玩：玩弄。亵，亲近而不庄重。焉：助词。

【12】隐逸：隐居的人。封建社会里，有些人不愿意跟统治者同流合污，便隐居避世。者：~~的花。

【13】牡丹，花之富贵者也：牡丹是花中富贵的（花）。因为牡丹看起来十分浓艳，所以这样说。

【14】君子：指道德高尚的人。

【15】噫(yī)：叹词，相当于现代汉语的“唉”。

【16】菊之爱：对菊花的喜爱。

【17】鲜(xiǎn)有闻：很少听到。鲜，少。

【18】同予者何人：像我一样的还有什么人呢？

【19】宜乎：宜，应当，这里和“乎”连用，有“当然”的意思。

 

 

译文

水中、陆地上的各种花草树木，值得喜爱的花很多。晋朝的陶渊明惟独喜爱菊花。自从唐代以来，世上的人们大多喜爱牡丹。唯独我只喜爱莲花 从淤泥中生长出来，不沾染污秽；在清水里洗涤，而不显妖媚。花柄中间通达，外面是直的，不生枝蔓，不长枝节，不牵不连，香气离开越远就越显得幽香；笔直地 洁净地挺立在那里，只可以远远地观看它却不可以把玩它。

我认为菊花，是花中的隐士；牡丹，是花中的富贵者；莲花，是花中的君子。唉！对于菊花的喜爱，自从陶渊明之后就很少听到了；对于莲花的喜爱，像我一样的还有什么人呢？对于牡丹的喜爱，当然是很多了。

 

 

 

英文译本
Version 1: Thoughts on the Lover of a Lotus.

There are many loveable flowers of grasses and trees both upon the water and on the land. In the Jin Dynasty, Tao Yuanming loved only the chrysanthemum.
    From Li Tang Dynasty on, people of the world loved the peony very much. I especially love the lotus which grows out of the dirty mud but yet is clean, cleansed by the pure waters but not seductive; its center is void, the stem is straight; and has no creeping vines and branches; its fragrance is milder in the distance, its stem is erect, slim and clean; it is to be enjoyed from a distance but not too intimately. I say the chrysanthemum is like a recluse; while the peony is like a person of high position and wealth; whereas the lotus is like a gentleman. Alas! The love of chrysanthemum is seldom heard except for Tao Yuanming; where are the people who, like me, love the lotus? as for those who love peony, of course there are many!

Version 2: A Tale of Lotus Lover

There are too many lovely flowers in the world.
Tao Yuanming in Jin Dynasty loved chrysanthemum only.
People have been interested in peony since Tang Dynasty.
But I do like lotus that is clean even growing in the muddy pond.
It is so pure, delicate and bright.
The lotus is consistent, continuous and coherent deep inside.
It appears to be straight, proper and honest.
It gives a fantastically good smell and people could even sense its excellent smell far away.
It has no unnecessary branches.
It can be only appreciated distantly but not touched blasphemously.
I am convinced that the chrysanthemum is a recluse while the peony is a rich and the lotus is undoubtedly the sovereign.
We seldom find someone loves chrysanthemum like Tao.
Who show the enthusiasm in the lotus in the same way as I do?
Then who likes peony? Almost everybody!

Version 3: Ode to A Lotus Flower

Flowers grow on land, water, trees and gresses (probably: grass), to love just a few.Tau Yuan Ming in Jin Dynasty loved chrysanthemum only.
From Tang on, people were so fascinated with peony.I just love lotus because it grows in mud, yet never contaminated with it.It stands erect in water, fair and graceful.Its stem is hollow inside but straight outside and is ?? branchless. its light fragrance reaches farIt can only be appreciated afar and cannot be played arbitrarily
    I call chrysanthemum the hermitpeony the richand lotus the gentleman of all flowers.Ouch, fondness of chrysanthemum was rare seem after Taufondness of lotus was (copied as is. Don’t know if the author missed something.)and fondness of peony.

Version 4: Lotus, why do I love thee?

A good many flowers thriving on land and water are adorable. Tao Yuanming in the Jin Dynasty loved none but the chrysanthemum.

Since the Tang Dynasty, our people have showered their love on the peony. But I singly favour the lotus for having grown out of muck without being defiled.

Cleansed by water, pure and not hussy.Hollow within; upright without; not branching or clinging.Exuding a subtle fragrance to far and wide, it stands there quietly and elegantly, to be admired at a distance, but not to be abused.

To me, the chrysanthemum is a recluse, the peony is the embodiment of wealth and prosperity, but the lotus is a person of noble character.Alas! After Tao Yuanming,rare is there someone who loves the chrysanthemum. For the peony, the affection is from just about anyone. But who, except me would fall head over heel for the lotus?

 

Version 5: Song of Lotus

In this world there are many kinds of flowering plants and shrubs, whether on water or land, that appeal to one’s liking. Tao Qian in the Jin dynasty alone devoted himself to the chrysanthemum. Since the early days of the Tang dynasty it has been fashionable to admire the peony; but my favorite is the lotus flower. How stainless it rises from its slimy bed! How modestly it reposes on the clear pool?an emblem of purity and truth! Symmetrically perfect, its subtle perfume is wafted far and wide, while it rests in spotless state, something to be regarded reverently from a distance, and not to be profaned by familiar approach.
In my opinion, the chrysanthemum is the flower of retirement and culture; the peony the flower of rank and wealth; the lotus flower, the Lady Virtue sans pareil.
    Alas! Few have loved the chrysanthemum since Tao Qian, and who would share my fondness of lotus? However, there is a simple reason for the popularity of peony. (adapted version, originally translated by the Youngs)