Check my translation

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Englishsz  #319608  Thu, 25 Jan 07 04:13 AM

Forget honor or disgrace, they're none other than the overblown and withered flowers in the garden. Abnegate the idea of gain or loss, they're as elusive as the changing clouds. Neither to become dizzy with success, nor to lose balance with failure.

 

Do the sentences read OK?

  
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Philip  #319621  Thu, 25 Jan 07 05:07 AM
 Englishsz wrote:

Forget honor or disgrace, they're none other than the overblown and withered flowers in the garden. Abnegate the idea of gain or loss, they're as elusive as the changing clouds. Neither to become dizzy with success, nor to lose balance with failure.

 

Do the sentences read OK?

Pretty heavy stuff.  Not knowing the original, I think this might be just fine.
  
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Englishsz  #319661  Thu, 25 Jan 07 07:11 AM
The original text is in ancient Chinese. I just want to know whether my English translation is readable or not. Thanks anyway!
  
Englishsz  #319662  Thu, 25 Jan 07 07:18 AM
The original text is a piece from a prose written by Su Shi, a senior official and a very famous litterateur in Song Dynasty.
  
Marius Hancu  #319681  Thu, 25 Jan 07 09:40 AM

Forget honor or disgrace, they're nothing but overblown and withered flowers in the garden. Neglect/slight the idea of gain or loss, they're as elusive as the changing clouds. Avoid becoming  dizzy with success, or losing balance with failure.

  
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Englishsz  #319686  Thu, 25 Jan 07 09:57 AM
Thank you so much!
  
NewPhilologist  #319847  Thu, 25 Jan 07 04:16 PM
Englishz, if you have a copy of The Columbia Anthology of Traditional Chinese Literature there, turn to page 320 for a translation of some of Su Shih's songs. I think your translation style resembles the one adopted by James Hightower Smile [:)]
  
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Englishsz  #322248  Wed, 31 Jan 07 04:28 AM

Another version of mine:

Flowers in my garden bloom and wither,
So do the emperor's favor and disfavor;
Clouds keep changing in the sky,
Good fortune comes and then hides.
Detached as I am,
whether or not my destiny is fame.

  
CalifJim  #322297  Wed, 31 Jan 07 09:07 AM
These sentences read fairly well, yes.  I would make a few minor changes.

Forget honor or disgrace.  They are spent and withered flowers in a garden. Renounce gain or loss, elusive as the changing clouds.  Neither take pride in success, nor lose balance in failure.

Note, however, that this is not a check on translation.  I have no idea what the original text was in the original language, and  I would not even understand the original language.  Only someone who understands both languages thoroughly can check a translation, and then only with both texts available.

CJ

  
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