海明威的諾貝爾獎(jiǎng)獲獎(jiǎng)演說

Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

獲諾貝爾文學(xué)獎(jiǎng)致辭

Delivered on Dec. 10, 1954

發(fā)表于1954年12月10日

No writer who knows the great writers who did not receive the Prize can accept it other than with humility. There is no need to list these writers. Everyone here may make his own list according to his knowledge and his conscience.

沒有一個(gè)作家，當(dāng)他知道在他以前不少偉大的作家并沒有獲得此項(xiàng)獎(jiǎng)金的時(shí)候，能夠心安理得地領(lǐng)獎(jiǎng)而不感到受之有愧。這里無須一一列舉這些作家的名字。在座的每一個(gè)人，都可以根據(jù)他的學(xué)識(shí)和良心提出自己名單來。

It would be impossible for me to ask the Ambassador of my country to read a speech in which a writer said all of the things which are in his heart. Things may not be immediately discernible in what a man writes, and in this sometimes he is fortunate; but eventually they are quite clear and by these and the degree of alchemy that he possesses he will endure or be forgotten.

要求我國(guó)的大使在這兒宣讀一篇演說，把一個(gè)作家心中所有感受說出來那是不可能的。一個(gè)人作品中的一些東西可能不會(huì)馬上被人理解，在這點(diǎn)上，他有時(shí)是幸運(yùn)的;但是這一切終究會(huì)十分清晰起來，通過它們以及作家所具有的點(diǎn)石成金的本領(lǐng)之大小，他將青史留名或被人遺忘。

Writing at its best is a lonely life. Organizations for writers palliate the writer's loneliness, but I doubt if they improve his writing. He grows in public stature as he sheds his loneliness and often his work deteriorates. For he does his work alone, and if he is a good enough writer, he must face eternity or the lack of it each day.

很多時(shí)候，寫作是一種孤寂的生活。作家組織固然可以排遣他們的孤獨(dú)，但是我懷疑它們是否能夠促進(jìn)作家的創(chuàng)作。一個(gè)在稠人廣眾之中成長(zhǎng)起來的作家，自然可以免除孤苦寂寥之慮，但他的作品往往流于平庸。而一個(gè)在孤寂中工作的作家，如果他又確實(shí)不同凡響，那他就必須面對(duì)永恒或者面對(duì)缺乏永恒的每一天。

For a true writer, each book should be a new beginning where he tries again for something that is beyond attainment. He should always try for something that has never been done or that others have tried and failed. Then sometimes, with good luck, he will succeed.

對(duì)于一個(gè)真正的作家來說，每一本書都應(yīng)該成為他繼續(xù)探索那些尚未涉及的領(lǐng)域的一個(gè)新起點(diǎn)。他應(yīng)該永遠(yuǎn)嘗試去做那些從來沒有人做過或者他人做過但卻已經(jīng)失敗的事。這樣他就會(huì)有幸獲得成功。

How simple the writing of literature would be if it were only necessary to write in another way what has been well written. It is because we have had such great writers in the past that a writer is driven far out past where he can go, out to where no one can help him.

如果僅僅是將已經(jīng)寫好的作品換一種方式來重新詮釋，那么文學(xué)創(chuàng)作就顯得太輕而易舉了。我們的前輩大師們留下了偉大的業(yè)績(jī)，正因?yàn)槿绱?，一個(gè)普通作家常被他們逼人的光輝驅(qū)趕到遠(yuǎn)離他可能到達(dá)的地方，陷于孤立無援的境地。

I have spoken too long for a writer. A writer should write what he has to say and not speak it.

作為一個(gè)作家，我講的已經(jīng)太多了。作家應(yīng)當(dāng)把自己要說的話寫下來，而不是說出來。

Again I thank you.

再一次謝謝大家。

海明威