<h2>美国人最早的《关雎》英译</h2>
最近翻阅19世纪美国人在广州创办的英文刊物《中国丛报》（The Chinese Repository， 1832—1851），发现其中有一篇《关雎》的英译和简要的解说，刊登在第16卷第9期（1847年9月）上。译介者是美国传教士娄理华（Walter M.Lowrie，1819—1847），他是美国北长老会第一位派往中国的传教士。查阅目前国内出版的中国典籍外译史论著和《诗经》英译史论文，发现均未提及这篇译文。据我初步判断，此本应该是美国人最早的《关雎》英译。
为了便于分析，现将原文和译文对照抄录如下：
关关雎鸠，在河之洲。窈窕淑女，君子好逑。
The harmonious voices of the sacred water-birds,
Are heard from their river island home.
This excellent damsel, retiring and mild,
Is a lovely mate for our virtuous prince.
参差荇菜，左右流之。窈窕淑女，寤寐求之。
求之不得，寤寐思服。悠哉悠哉，辗转反侧。
On the waves of the river's running stream,
The Hang plant's stalks uneven stems,
Are swaying to and fro.
This excellent damsel retiring and mild,
When waking and sleeping, our prince was seeking.
While seeking, but not having found,
His troubled thoughts waking and sleeping exclaimed,
How long! Oh how long!
He turns him around on his bed, and turns back,
He turns him all around, and returns.
参差荇菜，左右采之。窈窕淑女，琴瑟友之。
参差荇菜，左右芼之。窈窕淑女，钟鼓乐之。
The Hang plant's stalks uneven stems,
Are swaying to and fro, he gathers them now.
This excellent damsel retiring and mild,
With lutes and guitars he welcomes her home.
The Hang plant's stalks uneven stems,
Are swaying to and fro, they are fit for offering now.
This excellent damsel retiring and mild,
With music of bells and of drums come welcome her home.
总体来说，译文传达了原文的意思。但由于是初次尝试，误解也在所难免。先看两个名词。在第一章中娄理华将“雎鸠”翻译成water-