法律文書翻譯“三步曲”__上海譯境翻譯

    上海譯境翻譯一直專注于文件翻譯，為眾多企業(yè)的法律文書，法律法規(guī)提供高端專業(yè)的文字解決方案。  

    中國加入WTO 之后，各地都有大批法律法規(guī)需要翻譯成英語，以使外國投資者享受國民待遇。于是法律文書的翻譯一下子變得熱門起來。翻譯法律文書，說難也難，說容易也容易。從來沒有接觸過法律文書翻譯的生手頭一回翻譯，會(huì)感到很難，用詞造句完全說的是另外一套話，像是地球人說著火星人的話，一下子會(huì)很不適應(yīng)。比如，“應(yīng)該”不能翻譯成should，而在大部分時(shí)候應(yīng)該轉(zhuǎn)換成shall，if，when一般情況下要說where；說容易也容易，因?yàn)榉晌臅幸欢ǖ某淌?，詞匯句型雖然“怪異”，但是也是有一定之規(guī)可以遵循，掌握了這些詞匯句型，掌握了這些程式規(guī)則，翻譯法律文書一下子會(huì)變的容易起來。

    我翻譯文書完全是半路出家。中國入世后，當(dāng)?shù)囟嗄攴e累的涉外法規(guī)需要翻譯，時(shí)間緊，任務(wù)重。在這種形勢下，我不想成了被趕上了架子的“笨鴨”。當(dāng)?shù)卣Y聘本人為“專家”，并暗中組織了熟諳英漢雙語的境外真正的法律專家審查本人譯文之后，我才真正開始干起了這一行。幾年下來，有了一點(diǎn)體會(huì)，下面做一個(gè)簡單的介紹，與大家交流。我的所謂“三步曲”指的是“開場白”、“結(jié)束語”以及“規(guī)定與罰則”。這是每一部法律必不可少的內(nèi)容。我的體會(huì)是，掌握了這三步曲，法律文書的翻譯會(huì)變的簡單、容易的多。

    先來看“開場白”。下面便是一部典型的地方法規(guī)的卷首語：

    第一條  為加強(qiáng)市容和環(huán)境衛(wèi)生管理，創(chuàng)造和維護(hù)整潔、優(yōu)美的市容環(huán)境，保障人民身體健康，促進(jìn)經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展和社會(huì)文明進(jìn)步，根據(jù)有關(guān)法律、法規(guī)，結(jié)合本市實(shí)際情況，制定本條例。（摘自天津市市容和環(huán)境衛(wèi)生管理?xiàng)l例）

    開場白一般有四個(gè)雷打不動(dòng)的組成部分。即“為了”、“根據(jù)”、“結(jié)合”、“制定”。根據(jù)英語行文特點(diǎn)，應(yīng)該先翻“制定”，These Regulations are enacted （formulated），一般formulate用的多些，從英語詞義分析，enact似乎更加準(zhǔn)確些。有學(xué)者主張把enact與formulate一起用上。準(zhǔn)確是準(zhǔn)確了，但是畢竟顯得有點(diǎn)兒累贅。下面是譯文：

    Article 1  These Regulations are enacted in accordance with pertinent laws and regulations and in light of the concrete conditions of this Municipality, with the purpose of strengthening the administration of cityscape and environmental sanitation, creating and maintaining a clean, beautiful cityscape and environment, protecting people’s health, promoting economic growth, civilization and progress of society.

    還有兩處小地方需要說明一下。條例也可以用單數(shù)。“條例”與“本市”大寫的目的是為了醒目、突出，并與本條例中提到的另外一些條例加以區(qū)別。With the purpose of 或者with the aim to 后邊都應(yīng)該用動(dòng)詞+ing的形式。

    在開場白中，往往還有一些關(guān)鍵名詞的解釋，實(shí)施本法的范圍以及負(fù)責(zé)單位的任命等項(xiàng)內(nèi)容?，F(xiàn)分別說明如下：

    關(guān)鍵名詞解釋：

    第三條  本條例所稱的勞動(dòng)和社會(huì)保障（以下簡稱勞動(dòng)保障）監(jiān)察，是指勞動(dòng)保障行政部門依法對用人單位和勞動(dòng)者、就業(yè)服務(wù)機(jī)構(gòu)、醫(yī)療服務(wù)機(jī)構(gòu)遵守勞動(dòng)保障法律、法規(guī)的情況進(jìn)行監(jiān)督檢查，對違反勞動(dòng)保障法律、法規(guī)的行為依法進(jìn)行處理的行政執(zhí)法活動(dòng)。（摘自《天津市勞動(dòng)和社會(huì)保障監(jiān)察條例》）

    Article 3 The labour and social security (hereinafter abbreviated as labour security) supervision mentioned in this Regulation refers to the activities of the administrative department for labour security, in supervising and checking, according to law, employing units and labourers ,employment intermediary agencies, and medical facilities of their observation of the laws and regulations on labour security and, in handling, according to law, acts breaching laws and regulations on labour security.

    實(shí)施本法范圍：

    第二條  在本市行政區(qū)域內(nèi)從事建設(shè)工程的新建、擴(kuò)建、改建等有關(guān)活動(dòng)，以及對建設(shè)工程質(zhì)量實(shí)施監(jiān)督管理的，必須遵守本規(guī)定。（摘自《天津市建設(shè)工程質(zhì)量管理規(guī)定》）

    Article 2  These Regulations apply to the newly-built, expanded and renovated construction projects carried out in this Municipality and the quality control thereof.

    負(fù)責(zé)單位：

    第六條　天津經(jīng)濟(jì)技術(shù)開發(fā)區(qū)管理委員會(huì)（以下簡稱開發(fā)區(qū)管委會(huì)）是天津市人民政府（以下簡稱市人民政府）的派出機(jī)構(gòu)，代表市人民政府對開發(fā)區(qū)實(shí)行統(tǒng)一管理。（摘自《天津經(jīng)濟(jì)技術(shù)開發(fā)區(qū)條例》）

    Article 6 The Administrative Committee of the Tianjin Economic—Technological Development Area (hereinafter referred to as TEDAAC) is delegated by the Tianjin Municipal People’s Government (hereinafter referred to as the Municipal People’s Government), and shall exercise a uniform administration of TEDA on behalf of the Municipal People’s Government.

    既然在中文法律文書行文中，開場白的上述內(nèi)容是必不可少的，翻譯起來，也有一些比較固定的譯法，不妨一記。“所稱”……“是指”，有幾種常見的譯法。一是如上面的譯文所示“mentioned……refers to ”，也可以翻譯成“be referred……shall be”；“必須遵守本規(guī)定”或者“適用本規(guī)定”，可以一律翻譯成“apply to”，似沒不要把前者翻譯成“must abide by”。。 

    再看一下“結(jié)束語”的翻譯。結(jié)束語首先要說，本條例從何時(shí)起生效，有的時(shí)候還要說明以前制定的某某條例同時(shí)廢止。請看上述有關(guān)市容條例的結(jié)束語以及譯文：

    第五十九條  本條例自公布之日起施行。1998年2月25目天津市第十二屆人民代表大會(huì)常務(wù)委員會(huì)第四十次會(huì)議通過的《天津市環(huán)境衛(wèi)生管理?xiàng)l例》同時(shí)廢止。

    Article .59  These Regulations shall become effective as from the date of promulgation. The Regulations of Tianjin Municipality on Environmental Sanitation that was adopted at the 40th Session of the Standing Committee of the Twelfth Tianjin Municipal People’s Congress on February 25, 1998 shall be abrogated simultaneously.

    “生效”譯法不一而足。經(jīng)常選用的有：take effect，come into effect，become effective 等等。 如果原文是從某日起實(shí)施，要用as of 這個(gè)詞組，比如從2003年12月20日起實(shí)施，要說These Regulations shall take effect as of December 20，2003，而不要說成as from December 20，2003。“同時(shí)廢止”則比較簡單，譯成be abrogated simultaneously 即可。

    三部曲的第三部是“規(guī)定與罰則”。這兩部分是孿生兄弟，相輔相成。一般情況下，翻譯罰則只要在規(guī)定前邊加一個(gè)“不”字即可。在數(shù)碼時(shí)代，更是不費(fèi)吹灰之力，將規(guī)定中的有關(guān)內(nèi)容復(fù)制，粘貼過來，先行否定，然后再稍加整理即可。請看《天津市收購廢舊金屬和信托寄賣業(yè)治安管理辦法》里的例子：

    第三條 經(jīng)營收購生產(chǎn)性廢舊金屬的單位，須經(jīng)經(jīng)營所在地的公安分局、縣公安局審查，符合規(guī)定的，由市公安局核發(fā)特種行業(yè)許可證。

    經(jīng)營收購非生產(chǎn)性廢舊金屬和信托寄賣業(yè)的單位和個(gè)人，須到經(jīng)營所在地的公安分局備案。

    禁止無證經(jīng)營。

    第十一條 違反本辦法第三條第一款規(guī)定， 非法收購生產(chǎn)性廢舊金屬的，予以取締，沒收非法收購的物品及違法所得；對單位或直接責(zé)任者可并處5000元以上１萬元以下罰款。

    違反本辦法第三條第二款規(guī)定，非法收購非生產(chǎn)性廢舊金屬的，對單位或直接責(zé)任者給予警告或處500元以下罰款。

    違反本辦法第三條第二款規(guī)定，非法經(jīng)營信托寄賣業(yè)的，予以查封，對單位或直接責(zé)任者處１萬元以下罰款，有違法所得的，處３萬元以下罰款。（摘自《天津市收購廢舊金屬和信托寄賣業(yè)治安管理辦法》）

    Article 3 The units that engage in purchasing the industrial waste and used metals shall apply to the public security sub-bureau or county bureau of their location of business for examination, pass the examination, and obtain the permit for special business issued by the Municipal Public Security Bureau.

    Units and individuals that engage in purchasing non-industrial waste and used metals and in running secondhand businesses shall file a report for record with the public security bureau of their location of business..

    It is prohibited to run, without permits, businesses in the above- mentioned fields.

    Article 11 Where a unit or individual, in violation of paragraph 1 of Article 3 of these Measures, illegally purchases waste and used industrial metals, the authorities concerned shall stop its business and confiscate the illegally purchased articles，and the illegally obtained profits; It may also impose a fine of not less than Renminbi 5,000 yuan but not more than Renminbi 10,000 yuan on the unit or the person directly responsible..

    Where a unit or individual, in violation of paragraph 2 of Article 3 of these Measures, illegally purchases waste or used non-industrial metals, the relevant authorities shall give the unit or the person directly responsible a warning or impose a fine of not more than Renminbi 500 yuan.

    Where a unit or individual, in violation of paragraph 2 of Article 3 of these Measures, illegally runs secondhand businesses, the  authorities concerned shall close the shop and impose on the unit or the individual directly responsible a fine of not more than Renminbi 10,000 yuan; In case there is illegally obtained profit, the fine shall be not more than Renminbi 30,000 yuan。

    當(dāng)然，規(guī)定與罰則的寫法有各種不同的安排。有前后分列的，如上例，有的甚至還專門列出一章，謂之曰“獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)與處罰”或“法律責(zé)任”；也有的則把規(guī)定與罰則寫在同一條款當(dāng)中，這樣，倒也顯得更加緊湊一些。下面是一個(gè)規(guī)定與罰則并列的例子。選自《天津市市容和環(huán)境衛(wèi)生管理?xiàng)l例》。

    第三十一條  禁止下列影響環(huán)境衛(wèi)生清潔的行為:

    〈一〉隨地吐痰、吐口香糖、便溺,亂倒糞便;

    〈二〉亂扔煙蒂、紙屑、瓜果皮核以及各類包裝廢棄物等;

    〈三〉亂倒、亂堆渣土、污泥或者其他廢棄物,向道路、河道、公共場地上拋撒雜物、廢棄物,由建筑物或者車輛向外拋擲雜物、廢棄物。

    違反前款第〈一〉項(xiàng)規(guī)定的,責(zé)令即時(shí)清除,并處五十元以上一百元以下罰款;違反第〈二〉項(xiàng)規(guī)定的,責(zé)令即時(shí)清除,并處十元以上五十元以下罰款;違反第(三〉項(xiàng)規(guī)定的,責(zé)令限期清除,逾期不清除的,處五十元以上五百元以下罰款,其中單位違反此項(xiàng)規(guī)定的,處五百元以上五千元以下罰款。

    Article 31  The following acts that affect environmental sanitation are prohibited:

    (1)Spitting, throwing chewing gums, urinating and moving bowels at inappropriate places or dumping human wastes,

    (2)Littering, throwing cigarette butts, the core and shell of fruits and melons, and all kinds of packages;

    (3)Dumping or piling construction waste, dirt or other waste, dumping odds and bits, throwaways or throwing odds and bits or waste from buildings or vehicles;

    Anyone that violates paragraph (1) of the preceding article shall be ordered to clean the litter immediately and shall be imposed a fine of not less than Renminbi 50 yuan but not more than Renminbi 100 yuan; Anyone that violates paragraph (2) of the preceding article shall be ordered to clean the litter immediately and shall be imposed a fine of not less than Renminbi 10 yuan but not more than Renminbi 50 yuan; Anyone that violates paragraph (3) of the preceding article shall be ordered to clean the litter within a definite time limit; anyone that fails to do the cleaning when the period of validity expires, the department concerned shall imposed on him a fine of not less than Renminbi 50 yuan but not more than Renminbi  100 yuan. Where the violator is a unit, it shall be imposed a fine of not less than RMB 500 yuan but not more than RMB 5,000 yuan

    這兒也有幾點(diǎn)值得注意的地方需要講一講。罰則中“xx至xx元”，有人簡單地翻譯成from xx to xx，似乎顯得不那么正式。我們用not less than xx ---but not more than xx，文字上就比較莊重，嚴(yán)肅。Where的用法也值得注意。表示“如果”的地方，法律文書不用if ，而一般用where 去翻譯。除此以外，有些固定詞組也值得記憶，比如：impose a fine of xx on somebody；be ordered to do；the period of validity expires；fail to do等等，這兒就不一一詳細(xì)闡述了。其實(shí)， 在翻譯法律文書之前，認(rèn)真讀一下有關(guān)法律條文的譯文，記住一些關(guān)鍵的表達(dá)法，在自己翻譯過程中會(huì)十分有用的。

    以上是譯境給大家介紹的法律文書的基本框架，即“開場白”、“結(jié)束語”以及“規(guī)定與罰則”。掌握了這三部分的基本翻譯方法，可以說法律文書翻譯就入了門，剩下的就是“修行在個(gè)人”了。只要在此基礎(chǔ)上，不斷實(shí)踐，不斷積累，不斷學(xué)習(xí)，就一定能使自己的翻譯水平日長月進(jìn)，漸臻完美。