鲁迅：《呐喊》自序2英译
所以我们的第一要著，是在改变他们的精神，而善于改变精神的是，我那时以为当然要推文艺，于是想提倡文艺运动了。
The most important thing, therefore, was to change their spirit, and since at that time I felt that literature was the best means to this end, I determined to promote a literary movement.
在东京的留学生很有学法政理化以至警察工业的，但没有人治文学和美术；
There were many Chinese students in Tokyo studying law, political science, physics and chemistry, even police work and engineering, but not one studying literature or art.
可是在冷淡的空气中，也幸而寻到几个同志了，
However, even in this uncongenial atmosphere I was fortunate enough to find some kindred spirits.
此外又邀集了必须的几个人，商量之后，第一步当然是出杂志，名目是取“新的生命”的意思，
We gathered the few others we needed, and after discussion our first step, of course, was to publish a magazine, the title of which denoted that this was a new birth.
因为我们那时大抵带些复古的倾向，所以只谓之《新生》。
As we were then rather classically inclined, we called it Xin Sheng (New Life).
《新生》的出版之期接近了，但最先就隐去了若干担当文字的人，接着又逃走了资本，结果只剩下不名一钱的三个人。
When the time for publication drew near, some of our contributors dropped out, and then our funds were withdrawn, until finally there were only three of us left, and we were penniless.
创始时候既己背时，失败时候当然无可告语，
Since we had started our magazine at an unlucky hour, there was naturally no one to whom we could complain when we failed;
而其后却连这三个人也都为各自的运命所驱策，不能在一处纵谈将来的好梦了，
but later even we three were destined to part, and our discussions of a dream future had to cease.
这就是我们的并未产生的《新生》的结局。
So ended this abortive New Life.
我感到未尝经验的无聊，是自此以后的事。
Only later did I feel the futility of it all; at that time I did not really understand anything.
我当初是不知其所以然的；后来想，凡有一人的主张，得了赞和，是促其前进的，得了反对，是促其奋斗的，独有叫喊于生人中，而生人并无反应，既非赞同，也无反对，如置身毫无边际的荒原，无可措手的了，这是怎样的悲哀呵，
Later I felt if a man’s proposals met with approval, it should encourage him; if they met with opposition, it should make him fight back; but the real tragedy for him was to lift up his voice among the living and meet with no response, neither approval nor opposition, just as if he were left helpless in a boundless desert.
我于是以我所感到者为寂寞。
So I began to feel lonely.
这寂寞又一天一天的长大起来，如大毒蛇，缠住了我的灵魂了。
And this feeling of loneliness grew day by day, coiling about my soul like a huge poisonous snake.
然而我虽然自有无端的悲哀，却也并不愤懑，因为这经验使我反省，看见自己了：就是我决不是一个振臂一呼应者云集的英雄。
Yet in spite of my unaccountable sadness, I felt no indignation; for this experience had made me reflect and see that I was definitely not the heroic type who could rally multitudes at his call.
只是我自己的寂寞是不可不驱除的，因为这于我太痛苦。
However, my loneliness had to be dispelled, for it was causing me agony.
我于是用了种种法，来麻醉自己的灵魂，使我沉入于国民中，使我回到古代去，
So I used various means to dull my senses, both by conforming to the spirit of the time and turning to the past.
后来也亲历或旁观过几样更寂寞更悲哀的事，都为我所不愿追怀，甘心使他们和我的脑一同消灭在泥土里的，
Later I experienced or witnessed even greater loneliness and sadness, which I do not like to recall, preferring that it should perish with me.
但我的麻醉法却也似乎已经奏了功，再没有青年时候的慷慨激昂的意思了。
Still my attempt to deaden my senses was not unsuccessful—I had lost the enthusiasm and fervour of my youth.
S会馆里有三间屋，相传是往昔曾在院子里的槐树上缢死过一个女人的，
In S—— Hostel there were three rooms where it was said a woman had lived who hanged herself on the locust tree in the courtyard.
现在槐树已经高不可攀了，而这屋还没有人住；
Although the tree had grown so tall that its branches could no longer be reached, the rooms remained deserted.
许多年，我便寓在这屋里钞古碑。
For some years I stayed here, copying ancient inscriptions.
客中少有人来，古碑中也遇不到什么问题和主义，而我的生命却居然暗暗的消去了，这也就是我惟一的愿望。
I had few visitors, there were no political problems or issues in those inscriptions, and my only desire was that my life should slip quietly away like this.
夏夜，蚊子多了，便摇着蒲扇坐在槐树下，从密叶缝里看那一点一点的青天，晚出的槐蚕又每每冰冷的落在头颈上。
On summer nights, when there were too many mosquitoes, I would sit under the locust tree, waving my fan and looking at the specks of sky through the thick leaves, while the caterpillars which came out in the evening would fall, icy-cold, on to my neck.
那时偶或来谈的是一个老朋友金心异，
The only visitor to come for an occasional talk was my old friend Chin Hsin-yi.
将手提的大皮夹放在破桌上，脱下长衫，对面坐下了，因为怕狗，似乎心房还在怦怦的跳动。
He would put his big portfolio down on the broken table, take off his long gown, and sit facing me, looking as if his heart was still beating fast after braving the dogs.
“你钞了这些有什么用？”有一夜，他翻着我那古碑的钞本，发了研究的质问了。
“What is the use of copying these?” he demanded inquisitively one night, after looking through the inscriptions I had copied.
“没有什么用。”
“No use at all.”
“那么，你钞他是什么意思呢？”
“Then why copy them?”
“没有什么意思。”
“For no particular reason.”
“我想，你可以做点文章……”
“I think you might write something….”
我懂得他的意思了，
I understood.
他们正办《新青年》，然而那时仿佛不特没有人来赞同，并且也还没有人来反对，我想，他们许是感到寂寞了，
They were editing the magazine New Youth,3 but hitherto there seemed to have been no reaction, favourable or otherwise, and I guessed they must be feeling lonely.
但是说：
However I said:
“假如一间铁屋子，是绝无窗户而万难破毁的，里面有许多熟睡的人们，不久都要闷死了，
“Imagine an iron house without windows, absolutely indestructible, with many people fast asleep inside who will soon die of suffocation.
然而是从昏睡入死灭，并不感到就死的悲哀。
But you know since they will die in their sleep, they will not feel the pain of death.
现在你大嚷起来，惊起了较为清醒的几个人，使这不幸的少数者来受无可挽救的临终的苦楚，你倒以为对得起他们么？”
Now if you cry aloud to wake a few of the lighter sleepers, making those unfortunate few suffer the agony of irrevocable death, do you think you are doing them a good turn?”
“然而几个人既然起来，你不能说决没有毁坏这铁屋的希望。”
“But if a few awake, you can’t say there is no hope of destroying the iron house.”
是的，我虽然自有我的确信，然而说到希望，却是不能抹杀的，因为希望是在于将来，
True, in spite of my own conviction, I could not blot out hope, for hope lies in the future.
决不能以我之必无的证明，来折服了他之所谓可有，
I could not use my own evidence to refute his assertion that it might exist.
于是我终于答应他也做文章了，这便是最初的一篇《狂人日记》。
So I agreed to write, and the result was my first story, A Madman’s Diary.
从此以后，便一发而不可收，每写些小说模样的文章，以敷衍朋友们的嘱托，积久了就有了十余篇。
From that time onwards, I could not stop writing, and would write some sort of short story from time to time at the request of friends, until I had more than a dozen of them.
在我自己，本以为现在是已经并非一个切迫而不能已于言的人了，但或者也还未能忘怀于当日自己的寂寞的悲哀罢，
As for myself, I no longer feel any great urge to express myself; yet, perhaps because I have not entirely forgotten the grief of my past loneliness.
所以有时候仍不免呐喊几声，聊以慰藉那在寂寞里奔驰的猛士，使他不惮于前驱。
I sometimes call out, to encourage those fighters who are galloping on in loneliness, so that they do not lose heart.
至于我的喊声是勇猛或是悲哀，是可憎或是可笑，那倒是不暇顾及的；
Whether my cry is brave or sad, repellent or ridiculous, I do not care.
但既然是呐喊，则当然须听将令的了，
However, since it is a call to arms, I must naturally obey my general’s orders.
所以我往往不恤用了曲笔，在《药》的瑜儿的坟上平空添上一个花环，在《明天》里也不叙单四嫂子竟没有做到看见儿子的梦，
This is why I often resort to innuendoes, as when I made a wreath appear from nowhere at the son’s grave in Medicine, while in Tomorrow I did not say that Fourth Shan’s Wife had no dreams of her little boy.
因为那时的主将是不主张消极的。
For our chiefs then were against pessimism.
至于自己，却也并不愿将自以为苦的寂寞，再来传染给也如我那年青时候似的正做着好梦的青年。
And I, for my part, did not want to infect with the loneliness I had found so bitter those young people who were still dreaming pleasant dreams, just as I had done when young.
这样说来，我的小说和艺术的距离之远，也就可想而知了，然而到今日还能蒙着小说的名，甚而至于且有成集的机会，无论如何总不能不说是一件侥幸的事，
It is clear, then, that my short stories fall far short of being works of art; hence I count myself fortunate that they are still known as stories, and are even being compiled in one book.
但侥幸虽使我不安于心，而悬揣人间暂时还有读者，则究竟也仍然是高兴的。
Although such good fortune makes me uneasy, I am nevertheless pleased to think they have readers in the world of men, for the time being at least.
所以我竟将我的短篇小说结集起来，而且付印了，又因为上面所说的缘由，便称之为《呐喊》。
Since these short stories of mine are being reprinted in one collection, owing to the reasons given above, I have chosen the title Na Han (Call to Arms).
一九二二年十二月三日，鲁迅记于北京。
December 3, 1922, Peking
来源：译路通 日期：2018年12月5日
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