因為手痕，做了一些翻譯練習。關於翻譯和這篇練習的種種小事情，以後再細說吧。
譯文：梵蒂岡議和是新開始 (南華早報，07年7月2日，A12版)
在當選之後不久，教宗本篤十六世宣稱他的首要任務之一，是修復梵蒂岡和北京的關係，同時重新整合內地教會和估計一千萬天主教教徒。他在周末給中國天主教教徒發表牧函，是歷來梵蒂岡向北京提出的最嚴肅的議和。牧函被翻譯成五種語言，包括繁體及簡體普通話，又少有地附上解釋重點的註釋，歷盡艱辛確保人們能夠廣泛地傳閱和理解它。
梵蒂岡堅持教宗應有主教的任命權，這項分歧在信中未有消除。不過，其和解語調及捐棄前嫌的姿態象徵，開啟了新的開始。可望它有助解釋要求更有效對話的教宗禱文。外交部已回覆，重申北京在中梵關係上的一貫立場。一名內地官方教會的領導說，教宗的牧函傳遞了良好的意圖。現時耐人尋味的是，北京會否以哪些行動作出回應。
梵蒂岡癈除了阻止忠於教宗的地下教會成員接觸官方認可教會的神職人員這一條規例，這是前所未有的。但是她確認了雙方逐漸地互相靠近的事實。教宗呼籲拒絕加入官方教會而受害的人寛恕及和解，俾能團結一致；這些呼籲理應會加強。不過，寛恕及和解，對於往昔鎮壓中受害最深的人，是在考驗他們的襟量。
香港樞機主教陳日君說，牧函是對話的共同起始點；我們希望他是對的。障礙仍然存在，梵蒂岡堅持教宗有權任命主教是宗教自由的基礎，北京卻認為這等如干預內政。為了表示她相信共識可以達成，梵蒂岡有意和共產主義國家越南協商，由她建議數名人選，再讓政府從中挑選。
解決這些紛爭，對於內地宗教自由將是一場勝利。亦不會損害中國形象。
(字數：譯文606字，原文381字)
Original Text： Vatican’s peace overture breaks new ground (S.C.M.P., 2 Jul 07, A12)
Soon after his election, Pope Benedict declared restoration of the Vatican’s ties with Beijing one of his priorities, along with reunification of the church on the mainland and the estimated 10 million Catholics there. His open letter to China’s Catholics at the weekend is the Vatican’s most serious overture to Beijing yet. It has gone to a lot of trouble to ensure the letter is widely circulated and understood, translating it into five languages including traditional and simplified Putonghua, and providing unusual notes explaining the main points.
The letter do nothing to bridge the gulf over the Vatican’s insistence on the Pope’s prerogative to appoint Bishops. But its conciliatory tone and gestures symbolic of wiping the slate clean breaks new ground. Hopefully it will help answer the Pope’s prayer for more productive dialogue. The foreign ministry has reacted by reiterating Beijing’s well established position on Sino-Vatican relations. A leader of the official church on the mainland has said that the Pope’s letter is well intentioned. It will now be interesting to see whether Beijing responds with any action.
The Vatican’s scrapping of a regulation that discouraged members of the underground church loyal to the Pope from contract with clergy of the officially approved church is unprecedented. But it recognizes the reality that the two have been moving closer together. The Pope’s call for those who have suffered for refusing to join the official church to forgive and reconcile for the sake of unity should add momentum. Forgiveness and reconciliation, however, will test the charity of those who suffered the most from the past repression.
It is to be hoped that Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun is right when he says the letter is a common starting point for dialogue. The Sticking point remains the Vatican’s insistence that the Pope’s right to appoint bishops is fundamental to religious freedom and Beijing’s view that this is tantamount to meddling in domestic affairs. In expressing trust that an agreement can be reached, the Vatican has in mind the arrangement in communist Vietnam, where it proposes a few names and the government chooses.
Resolution of the dispute would be a victory for religious freedom on the mainland. It would do China’s image no harm either.
凝望 