在结束本文之前，让我再来举一个关于书面汉语的例子，说明我所讲的纯朴而深沉的感情即使在低级古典汉语、那种正式的通行汉语文学中，也随处可见。这个例子是一首四行诗，一个现代诗人作于新年除夕之夜的诗。该诗的汉文是这样的：
示内这是辜鸿铭自作的给妻子看的诗。
莫道家贫卒岁难，
北风曾过几番寒；
明年桃柳堂前树，
还汝春光满眼看。
就字面意，译成英文是——
Don’t say home poor pass year hard,
North wind has blown many times cold,
Next year peach willow hall front trees,
Pay—back you spring light full eyes see.
自由一点，可以译成如下的东西：
Fret not，——though poor we yet can pass the year:
Let the north wind blow ne’er so chill and drear,
Next year when peach and willow are in bloom,
You’ll yet see Spring and sunlight in our home.
在此，我还可举一个更长、流传最久远的作品，他是中国的华兹华斯、唐代诗人杜甫的一首诗。下面，我首先给出我的英语译文，它的内容是：
MEETING WITH AN OLD FRIEND
In life，friends seldom are brought near；
Like stars，each one shines in its sphere.
To—night，—oh！What a happy night！
We sit beneath the same lamplight.
Our youth and strength last but a day.
You and I—ah！Our hairs are grey.
Friends！Half are in a better land
With tears we grasp each other’s hand.
Twenty more years，—short，after all，
I once again ascend your hall.
When we met，you had not a wife；
Now you have children，—such is life!
Beaming,They greet their father’s chum ；
They ask me from where I have come.
Before our say，we each have said，
The table is already laid.
Fresh salads from the garden near，
Rice mixed with millet，—frugal cheer.
When shall we meet?‘tis hard to know.
And so let the wine freely flow.
This wine，I know，will do no harm.
My old friend’s welcome is so warm.
To—morrow I go，—to be whirled
Again into the wide，wide world.
上述译文，我承认几乎是拙劣的，它仅仅译出了汉文诗的大意而已，原作决非如此水平。然而，该诗——它那接近于口语的诗意的简洁，依然带着一种不可言状的优雅、庄重、悲怆哀婉和高贵，而这一切，我无法用英语表达在同样简单的语言中，或许那是不可能做得到的。
人生不相见，动如参与商，
今夕复何夕，共此灯烛光。
少壮能几时，鬓发各已苍，
访旧半为鬼，惊呼热中肠。
焉知二十载，重上君子堂，
昔别君未婚，儿女忽成行。
怡然敬父执，问我来何方，
问答乃未已，儿女罗酒浆。
夜雨剪春韭，新炊间黄粱，
主称会面难，一举累十觞。
十觞亦不醉，感子故意长，
明日隔山岳，世事两茫茫。此诗题为《赠卫八处士》。