Abstract The translation of Chinese classics is an important part of propagating traditional Chinese culture as well as an outstanding step to communicate with its counterpart in western countries. Though substantial fruits have been achieved in this aspect,considerable excellent classics are left untouched and only a small number of translators and scholars are devoted to this tough but meaningful task. Therefore, the translation of Chinese classics deserves the attention of every and each person who are determined to devote to this field.42628

The author of this paper, taking Skopos Theory as theoretical basis, compared two English versions of Mozi — The English Version of the Complete Works of Mozi, co-translated by Professor Wang Rongpei and Professor Wang Hong from Suzhou University, and The Complete Works of Motzu, translated by Professor Cyrus Lee from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania— to study the principles, styles and methods in translating Chinese classics under the similar purpose.

A case study by nature, the present research was based on a comparative analysis.. After comparing the tendency of adopting the specific translation methods in these two versions, namely, metaphrase or paraphrase, specification or generalization, omission or addition, the researcher found that the first version is more formal and precise while the latter is more popular and to the point. What’s more, when dealing with the obvious differences in cultures and thinking patterns between China and western countries, these two version resort to respective ways. Through case analysis in this aspect, the researcher concluded that the first version tends to use the expressions which benefit Chinese-culture-fonder, while the second version simplifies some traditional Chinese utterance into generalized concepts to conform to the western way of thinking. Through combining Skopos Theory and a comparative study on Chinese classics, the researcher, hopes that this paper will contribute, if any, to the development of Chinese classic translation.

However, due to personal ability and time constraints, the researcher only selected limited examples from one chapter of Mozi, namely, Esteem of the Virtuous, and based her analysis on just two English versions of Mozi. Secondly,the researcher could only retrieve and make use of sporadic previous studies on the translation of Mozi. As a result, this study is limited in its generalization and depth. On the basis of this paper，future researchers can take more English versions of Mozi, like those of Y. P. Mei, Burton Watson and Joseph Needham, to compare their similarities or differences from the perspective of Skopos Theory for a more in-depth study.

 Key Words:Esteem of the virtuous in Mozi Skopos Theory Comparative study Chinese classics translation

摘要中国古代典籍的外译是弘扬中国传统文化的一个重要组成部分，是沟通中西方文化的一个重要步骤。尽管近几年来我们在典籍外译这一方面取得了长足的进步，但是鉴于尚未投入研究的古籍数量多，献身典籍翻译的专家译者少，目前的研究成果还是远远不够的。因此，中国古代典籍的现状值得每一位有志于投身此领域的学者的关注与重视。

本文立足于目的论的翻译理论基础，试以英译墨子的两个版本——苏州大学的汪榕培与王宏教授的《<墨子>英译全译本》和美国宾夕法尼亚州爱丁堡大学李绍崑教授的《墨子英译全书》——为对象，基于个案采用比较研究的方法，研究相似目标下译者选取的翻译原则、风格与具体翻译方法的差异。其中， 就两译本在直译还是意译、具体化还是模糊化、增译还是减译三个具体翻译方法的选择上利用实例进行对比研究。研究发现,第一译本遣词造句较为正式严谨而后者则更加简要通俗。另外，在处理中西方文化和思维方式上的差异时，两译本亦存在不同。经过深入的个案分析，笔者发现第一译本倾向于采用有利于中国文化爱好者的表达方式，而另一译本则将极具中国传统文化意的用语泛化为常用语，以此来顺应西方读者的思维方式。希望利用这种目的论、比较研究与典籍翻译三位一体的研究策略与方法能够为我国古籍翻译的伟大事业作出力所能及的微薄贡献。 《墨子尚贤》中国古籍翻译研究:http://www.751com.cn/yingyu/lunwen_43122.html