双语诗歌翻译|《古代寓言·猫头鹰搬家》

《说苑》是汉代刘向所著的小说集，又名《新苑》。原二十卷，后仅存五卷，大部分已经散佚，后经宋曾巩搜辑，复为二十卷，每卷各有标目。

《古代寓言·猫头鹰搬家》

枭逢鸠。鸠曰：“子将安之？”枭曰：“我将东徙。”鸠曰：“何帮？”枭曰：“乡人皆恶我鸣，以帮东徙。”鸠曰：“子能更鸣可矣；不能更鸣，东徙，犹恶子之声。”

——《说苑》

The Owl Moves House

On the day the owl met the turtle-dove.

“Where are you going?” inquired the dove.

“I am moving east,” said the owl.

“Why is that?” asked the dove.

“All the people here dislike my hoot,” replied the owl. “That is why I want to move east.”

“If you can change your voice,” said the dove, “then it will be all right. But if you can't, even if you move east, the people there will dislike you just the same.”

--The Garden of Anecdotes (Shuo Yuan)