这篇《逍遥游》由庄子所作，是《庄子》一书中的开篇之作，其主题在于探索绝对自由的人生观。庄子通过富有想象力的比喻，描绘了一个追求超越物我之境的理想状态。他运用了一系列极具视觉冲击力的图景，展示了从大到小、从宏伟到微不足道的不同尺度，以此引发对人生、自由以及自我局限的深刻思考。
林语堂的英文翻译将庄子的思想和艺术表现得淋漓尽致，特别是对比了鹏鸟的伟大与小昆虫的局限，巧妙地揭示了知识和经验的差异，以及生活境界的广阔与狭隘之间的差距。以下是对原文的逐段解析和翻译的进一步探讨：
北冥有鱼，其名为鲲。鲲之大，不知其几千里也；化而为鸟，其名为鹏。鹏之背，不知其几千里也；怒而飞，其翼若垂天之云。
"In the northern ocean there is a fish, called the k’un, I do not know how many thousand li in size. This k’un changes into a bird, called the p’eng. Its back is I do not know how many thousand li in breadth. When it is moved, it flies, its wings obscuring the sky like clouds."
这段文字通过对鹏鸟的壮丽描绘，展示了庄子对自然界宏伟景象的独特感知。鹏鸟的翅膀像垂天的云，给人以无限广阔的视觉印象，象征着一种超越世俗的广阔视野和自由。
是鸟也，海运则将徙于南冥；南冥者，天池也。《齐谐》者，志怪者也。《谐》之言曰：“鹏之徙于南冥也，水击三千里，抟扶摇而上者九万里，去以六月息者也。”
"When on a voyage, this bird prepares to start for the Southern Ocean, the Celestial Lake. And in the Records of Marvels we read that when the p’eng flies southwards, the water is smitten for a space of three thousand li around, while the bird itself mounts upon a great wind to a height of ninety thousand li, for a flight of six months’ duration."
这里庄子提到鹏鸟南迁的壮丽场景，通过《齐谐》的记载，进一步强调鹏鸟的伟大和远行的艰难，也暗示了超越自我限制的非凡成就。
野马也，尘埃也，生物之以息相吹也。天之苍苍，其正色邪？其远而无所至极邪？其视下也，亦若是则已矣。
"There mounting aloft, the bird saw the moving white mists of spring, the dust-clouds, and the living things blowing their breaths among them. It wondered whether the blue of the sky was its real color, or only the result of distance without end, and saw that the things on earth appeared the same to it."
鹏鸟在高空飞翔时，观察到了下界的一切现象，这种宏大的视角让它产生了对世界本质的深刻怀疑，也进一步体现了庄子对相对主义的思考。
且夫水之积也不厚，则其负大舟也无力。覆杯水于坳堂之上，则芥为之舟，置杯焉则胶，水浅而舟大也。
"If there is not sufficient depth, water will not float large ships. Upset a cupful into a hole in the yard, and a mustard-seed will be your boat. Try to float the cup, and it will be grounded, due to the disproportion between water and vessel."
庄子用水的深浅来比喻能力与条件的匹配，强调了只有在充足的条件下，才能实现宏大的目标。
风之积也不厚，则其负大翼也无力。故九万里则风斯在下矣，而后乃今培风；背负青天而莫之夭阏者，而后乃今将图南。
"So with air. If there is not sufficient a depth, it cannot support large wings. And for this bird, a depth of ninety thousand li is necessary to bear it up. Then, gliding upon the wind, with nothing save the clear sky above, and no obstacles in the way, it starts upon its journey to the south."
风的深度也象征着支持力量的厚度，鹏鸟需要足够的风力才能展翅高飞，这说明了大目标需要大环境的支持。
蜩与学鸠笑之曰: “我决起而飞，抢榆枋而止，时则不至，而控于地而已矣；奚以之九万里而南为！”
"A cicada and a young dove laughed, saying, 'Now, when I fly with all my might, 'tis as much as I can do to get from tree to tree. And sometimes I do not reach, but fall to the ground midway. What then can be the use of going up ninety thousand li to start for the south?'"
蜩与学鸠的笑声揭示了知识和视野的局限性，指出了小见大、短视与长远之间的差距。它们的狭隘视角无法理解鹏鸟的壮丽远行。
小知不及大知，小年不及大年。奚以知其然也？朝菌不知晦朔，蟪蛄不知春秋，此小年也。楚之南有冥灵者，以五百岁为春，五百岁为秋；上古有大椿者，以八千岁为春，八千岁为秋，此大年也。而彭祖乃今以久特闻，众人匹之，不亦悲乎？
"Small knowledge has not the compass of great knowledge any more than a short year has the length of a long year. How can we tell that this is so? The fungus plant of a morning knows not the alternation of day and night. The cicada knows not the alternation of spring and autumn. Theirs are short years. But in the south of Chu there is a mingling (tree) whose spring and autumn are each of five hundred years' duration. And in former days there was a large tree which had a spring and autumn each of eight thousand years. Yet, Peng Tsu is known for reaching a great age and is still, alas! An object of envy to all!"
庄子在这里通过比较不同生物的生命周期，揭示了知识和时间尺度的差异，从而批判了狭隘的视野与短视的人生观。
汤之问棘也是已：“穷发之北，有冥海者，天池也。有鱼焉，其广数千里，未有知其修者，其名为鲲。有鸟焉，其名为鹏，背若泰山，翼若垂天之云；抟扶摇羊角而上者九万里，绝云气，负青天，然后图南，且适南冥也。斥鷃笑之曰: ‘彼且奚适也！我腾跃而上，不过数仞而下，翱翔蓬蒿之间，此亦飞之至也。而彼且奚适也！’”
"It was on this very subject that the Emperor Tang spoke to Chi, as follows: 'At the north of Chiungta, there is a Dark Sea, the Celestial Lake. In it there is a fish several thousand li in breadth, and I know not how many in length. It is called the k’un. There is also a bird, called the p’eng, with a back like Mount Tai, and wings like clouds across the sky. It soars up upon a whirlwind to a height of ninety thousand li, far above the region of the clouds, with only the clear sky above it. And then it directs its flight towards the Southern Ocean. And a lake sparrow laughed, and said: ‘Pray, what may that creature be going to do? I rise but a few yards in the air and settle down again, after flying around among the weeds and the thorns. This is as much as flying can do. And what may that bird be doing?’”
这一段总结了上文讨论的内容，通过皇帝与池的对话，再次强调了对比与理解的相对性，揭示了不同生命形式对自由的不同理解。
通过这些描绘，庄子不仅展现了道家思想中关于“逍遥”的哲学观，也通过丰富的比喻和生动的故事，反映了人们对自由、知识以及人生的深刻思考。