第602期：天涯若比邻 的翻译 及How to say goodbye to a leaving colleague?
We need to say goodbye a lot, don’t we?
人的一生就是一个不断告别的过程。即使某天没有人离开我们，每天其实我们都在跟昨天告别，不是吗？
今天我们来聊聊how to say goodbye to a colleague that’s leaving the company. 怎样与离开公司的同事告别。
那天有个外国老板要走了，一位会书法的同事很用心地写了副字：海内存知己，天涯若比邻。
外国人不懂欣赏中国书法，就问这句话什么意思。
大家七嘴八舌，没人能解释得很好。但基本意思都传达到了——Our friendship won’t be affected by the distance between us.
但如何准确地翻译这句诗的确是个难题。
许渊冲先生译作：
If you have a friend who knows your heart.
Distance cannot keep you two apart.
（参见许渊冲《任尔东西南北风》）
两句最后一字押了韵，但窃以为牺牲了对原诗意象的传译。原诗中的“海内”、“天涯”、“比邻”这些词都没有照顾到，直接做了意译。
许渊冲先生对这首诗的翻译全文如下：
送杜少府之任蜀州 Farewell to Prefect Du
王勃 Wang Bo
许渊冲 译 Translated by Pr. Xu Yuanchong
城阙辅三秦，风烟望五津。
You’ll leave the town walled far and wide; For mist-veiled land by riverside.
（佛老 注：采用了wide和riverside押尾韵）
与君离别意，同是宦游人。
I feel on parting sad and drear; For both of us are strangers here.
海内存知己，天涯若比邻。
If you have friends who know your hearts. Distance cannot keep you apart.
无为在歧路，儿女共沾巾。
At crossroads where we bid adieu; Do not shed tears as women do!
如果抛开诗歌翻译的韵律考虑，只是直白地把这首诗的意思讲清楚的话，也可以参考下面这段翻译（非韵文翻译）：
城阙辅三秦，风烟望五津。
The watch towers are protected by the three Qin states, I can make out the land of the five crossings in the distance.
与君离别意，同是宦游人。
My mood (is somber) as I part from you, We are both officials traveling (far from home).
海内存知己，天涯若比邻。
When one has a close friend in this world, the far ends of heaven are like next door.
无为在歧路，儿女共沾巾。
(Therefore, when we reach the) fork in the road (where we must part), let us not exchange kerchiefs moistened (with tears like) women and children.
在外企办公室的语境中，大家更常见的是有同事离开公司前（通常是the last working day），会给很多人发一封farewell email，告诉大家ta要走了。
不知道大家收到这种邮件后是怎么处理的，直接删掉了吗？
佛老每次都会认真地给发信人一个回复，通常直接回复到ta的私人邮箱中，并祝福ta未来好运。
同事一场，好歹人家走之前还能想到你，这也算一份情谊吧。
下面是我在一个网站上看到的一个回复这类告别邮件的模板，供大家参考。
Email structure and phrases for saying goodbye
1. Congratulate them (when appropriate)
• Congratulations on…
• Well done….
• I hear congratulations are in order.
2. Tell them you’ve enjoyed working with them / that you’re going to miss them
• It’s been great / nice / a pleasure working with you.
• We’re going to miss you around here.
• The place won’t be the same without you.
3. Say you hope it goes well for them
• I’d like to wish you all the best for…
• Good luck with…
• I hope everything goes well with…
4. Ask them to remain in contact
• Keep /stay in touch.
• You know where I am if you need anything.
• Don’t be a stranger.
*摘自：https://www.targettraining.eu/saying-goodbye-email-phrases/
我这几年收到过不少这种告别信，很多年轻的同事会写一封很动情的邮件，回忆自己在公司几年里的记忆和好时光，表达对公司的感谢。最后会留下自己的私人邮件地址、微信号二维码，现在还有很多年轻同事会告诉你他的facebook，Twitter和Instagram账号。
每个告别都是值得纪念的，每个goodbye都值得一句 Take care. Stay in touch. Give me a shout whenever you need me. （这是佛老最常说的三句结语）
参考资源
*这个网站不错，有各类英语贺卡致辞的参考文本和句式，值得学习。
