我的灵魂悚然一惊，丑陋的泥土，卑微的泥土，朴素的泥土，因为玫瑰，露出了惊艳一笑。
因为这一笑，让人爱惜非常。
江南的紫砂壶玲珑剔透，泥人张的彩塑令人拍案叫绝，它们不都是泥土的微笑吗？弥足珍贵。即使曾丑陋，即使曾卑微，即使曾朴素，同样让人肃然起敬。
我懂得了，即使再平凡的人，也没有理由被埋没，只要努力活出色彩，一定叫人刮目相看。
背景介绍
这篇散文语言朴素，比较生活化，却不庸俗。我们都是平凡的人，平凡得如随处可见的泥土。但所有的农作物都要种在土里，再美丽的花也要扎根在土里。那些丰硕的果实，那些美丽的花，都是泥土的成果，泥土的分身。所以，努力地活着，活出属于自己的色彩，就不再是平凡的泥土，平凡的人！翻译时，也应当把握住这一点，原文朴素，却不庸俗，应从语言上体现其特点。
难点解析
1. 千万不能剪啊 ，玫瑰是泥土的微笑 ，谁忍心杀戮美得醉人的微笑 ：这一句要注意句子的拆分，译文应当分成两句 ，从意思上来看，“千万不能剪啊”有语气词“啊”在末尾，语气较重，单独处理为一句话。后面的两个“微笑”相互呼应 ，放到一起译为第二句话 。故译为 “She told me that by no means should they be cut. Roses are the smiling face of the earth, and who could be so iron-hearted as to destroy a smile so exhilarating?”。
2. 灵魂悚然一惊： “悚然”意为“由于惊觉、害怕而犹疑”，boggle意为 “to overwhelm with wonder or bewilderment”，故译为 “My mind was thoroughly boggled”。
3. 丑陋的泥土，卑微的泥土，朴素的泥土，因为玫瑰，露出了惊艳一笑：在这句话中，三个“……的泥土”并列为 “露 出了惊艳一笑”的主语 ，故译为“the ugly earth, the humble earth, the plain earth—it is only because of the roses that it reveals an amazing and bright smile.”。
4. 因为……因为……：此处使用了两个强调句。故第二句译为 “it is for the sake of that smile that it wins the care and pity of men.”。
5. 紫砂壶：the boccaro teapots。
6. 令人拍案叫绝的泥塑：the shockingly beautiful sculptures。
7. 弥足珍贵：中文可 以接着上文说 “弥足珍贵”，但英文则必须有主语，且意思上应与后面的句子连在一起，可用such ...that结构译出。全句译为：“They are such exquisite treasures that—even if...”。
8. “无论是谁，都不应 当……” ，英文中习惯用否定代词no-one...表示，“即使再平凡的人”可译为“however ordinary”。
9. 活出色彩：anyone who adds a dash of colour to life。
10. 刮目相看：意为 “用新 的眼光看待”，故意译为deserve our respect 。
参考译文
To cut such beautiful roses would hurt one, she said. With her hands clutching at my sleeves, she told me that by no means should they be cut. Roses are the smiling face of the earth, and who could be so iron-hearted as to destroy a smile so exhilarating? My mind was thoroughly boggled: the ugly earth, the humble earth, the plain earth—it is only because of the roses that it reveals an amazing and bright smile, and it is for the sake of that smile that it wins the care and pity of men.
Both the exquisiteness of the boccaro teapots made in south China, and the shockingly beautiful sculptures by Clay Sculptor Zhang of Tianj in—aren ’t they all smiles of the earth?
They are such exquisite treasures that—even if they look ugly, humble, plain, or whatever—they no doubt deserve respect and veneration.
Now I understand that no-one, however ordinary, should be condemned to anonymity, and that anyone who adds a dash of colour to life deserves our respect.
（北京外国语大学申雨平教授译 ）
