沦为法国作家梅纳日所批评的 "不忠的美人"——即语言优美但不忠于原文。(参见2005年08月26日《济南日报》: 艾临文章《不忠的美人与忠实的美人——写在〈每天幽它一默〉出版后》)严复在翻译《天演论》时偶 有为"雅"而不"信" (见陈廷佑《英文汉译技巧》)。译文要力求其"信",尽可能契合汉语原来句子的气势、情绪和结构。
例如,元朝人王实甫写下了《西厢记》,张雪静改编后并作了翻译——
掏出张生那封信,回头环视见梳妆台上的梳妆盒,眼睛一转,心里说有了,将信放了进去,合上盖时故意压了一角露在外面。
Rose took out Zhang’s letter, she thought, "It would be better to put it in her make-up case, and letter find it herself。" So she put the letter in the case, leaving a corner of it sticking out, so that it would be quickly noticed。
不难看出,译文与原文相去甚远,互不吻合,成了"两张皮"。
China hates to see Sino-US relations damaged by this incident。
用China hates to比"We don’t hope"贴切。
吾十五有志于学,三十而立,四十而不惑,五十而知天命,六十而耳顺,七十而从心所欲不愈矩。
At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning truth; at thirty, my words deeds were appropriate; at forty, I perceived truth and doubts ceased; at fifty, I understood what heaven had mandated for mankind; at sixty, I could comply with the appointments of heaven; at seventy, I could do as my heart desired, and never swerved from the path of right。
Have you perished in this deep rancor and bitterness?
Death? No, no. I’m still alive。
Please give me a light, give me a light!