培根經典散文隨筆雙語版

　　弗朗西斯·培根***Francis Bacon，1561一1626年***，第一代聖阿爾本子爵***1st Viscount St Alban***，英國文藝復興時期最重要的散文家、哲學家。下面是小編給大家帶來的雙語版培根經典散文隨筆，供大家欣賞。

　　：Of Ambition 論野心

　　Ambition is like choler; which is an humour, that maketh men active, earnest, full of alacrity, and stirring, if it be not stopped. But if it be stopped, and cannot have his way, it becometh adust, and thereby malign and venomous.

　　野心有如膽汁，它是一種令人積極、認真、敏速、好動的體液——假如它不受到阻止的話，但是假如它受了阻止，不能自由發展的時候，它就要變為焦燥，從而成為惡毒的了。

　　So ambitious men, if they find the way open for their rising, and still get forward, they are rather busy than dangerous; but if they be checked in their desires, they become secretly discontent, and look upon men and matters, with an evil eye; and are best pleased, when things go backward; which is the worst property, in a servant of a prince or state.

　　類此，有野心的人，如果他們覺得升遷有路，並且自己常在前進的話，他們與其說是危險，不如說是忙碌的;但是如果他們底慾望受了阻撓，他們就要變為心懷怨憤，看人看事都用一付凶眼。並且在主上底諸事受挫折的時候最為高興;這在一位帝王底或一個共和國底臣僕方面乃是最惡劣的品性。

　　Therefore it is good for princes, if they use ambitious men, to handle it so, as they be still progressive, and not retrograde: which because it cannot be without inconvenience, it is good not to use such natures at all. For if they rise not with their service, they will take order to make their service fall with them.

　　因此，為君主者，如果用有野心的人，須要排程得使他們常在前進而不後退，方為有益;這種辦法既不能沒有不便之處，因此最好不要用有這種天性的人。因為如果他們本身與他們所從事的職務不同時並進的話，他們定將設法使他們底職務與己身一同墮落的。

　　But since we have said, it were good not to use men of ambitious natures, except it be upon necessity, it is fit we speak in what cases they are of necessity.

　　可是，我們既已說過，頂好是不用天性中有野心的人，除非不得已，那麼我們就應該說一說，在什麼樣的情形中，這樣的人是不得不用的。

　　Of ambitions, it is less harmful, the ambition to prevail in great things, than that other, to appear in everything; for that breeds confusion, and mars business. But yet, it is less danger to have an ambitious man stirring in business, than great in dependencies. He that seeketh to be eminent amongst able men, hath a great task; but that is ever good for the public. But he that plots to be the only figure amongst ciphers, is the decay of an whole age.

　　說到各種的野心，其目的專要在大事上出風頭的那種野心比那要事事顯身手的那種野心為害較小;因為後者滋生混亂，擾害事務也。然而使一個有野心的人忙於事務，比使他擁有廣大的從眾是危險較少的。那要在能幹的人們之中出風頭的人是給自己出難題作的，但是那總是於公眾有利的。但是那圖謀想在一切的零號中為唯一的數目字的人，則是一世人底毀滅者。

　　Honour hath three things in it: the vantage ground to do good: the approach to kings, and principal persons: and the raising of a man's own fortunes. He that hath the best of these intentions, when he aspireth, is an honest man: and that prince that can discern of these intentions in another that aspireth, is a wise prince.

　　崇爵高位，其中有三事;有為善底好機會;能接近帝王與要人;能提高一個人自己底富貴。一個人在希冀之中，若其居心是上述三種中最上的，那麼他就是一個誠實君子;而那能在有所希冀的人底心裡看出他有這種居心的君王，乃是賢主。

　　Generally, let princes and states choose such ministers, as are more sensible of duty, than of rising; and such as love business rather upon conscience, than upon bravery: and let them discern a busy nature, from a willing mind.

　　一般言之，帝王和共和國最好在選擇大臣的時候，選用那些責任之感敏於升擢之感，為良心而愛作事而非為顯揚而愛作事的人們;他們並且還應當把喜事的天性與願意服務的心性辨別出來。

　　：Of Fortune 論幸運

　　It cannot be denied, but outward accidents conduce much to fortune, favour, opportunity, death of others, occasion fitting virtue. But chiefly, tile mould of a man's fortune is in his own hands.***Faber quisque fortunae suae; saith the poet ***

　　一方面，幸運與偶然性有關------例如長相漂亮、機緣湊巧等;但另一方面，人之能否幸運又決定於自身。正如古代詩人所說：“人是自身幸福的設計師。

　　And the most frequent of external causes is, that the folly of one man is the fortune of another. For no man prospers so suddenly, as by others' errors. Serpens nisi serpenterm comederit non fit draco. Overt and apparent virtues bring forth praise; but there be secret and hidden virtues, that bring forth fortune; certain deliveries of a man's self, which have no name. The Spanish name, desemboltura, partly expresseth them: when there be not stonds, nor resdveness in a man's nature; but that the wheels of his mind keep way with the wheels of his fortune. For so Livy ***after he had described Cato Major, in these words; in ilh viro, tanturn robur corporis et animi fiit, ut quocwique loco natus esset ,fortunarus sibi facturs videretur*** falleth upon that, that he had versatile ingenium Therefore, if a man look sharply, and attentively, he shall see fortune: for though she be blind, yet she is not invisible.

　　有的時候，一個人的愚蠢恰是另一個人的幸運，一方的錯誤恰好促成了另一方的成功。正如諺語所說：“蛇吃蛇，能成龍。”炫耀於外表的才幹徒然令人讚羨，而深藏未露的才幹則能帶來幸運。這需要一種難以言傳的自制力。西班牙人把這叫做“潛能”。一個人具有優良的素質，能在必要時發揮這種素質從而推動幸運的車輪轉動，這就叫“潛能”。歷史學家李維曾這樣形容老加圖說：“他的精神與體力都是那樣優美博大，因此無論他出身於什麼家庭，都一定可以為自己開闢出一條道路。”因為加圖具有多方面的才能。這話說明，只要對一個人深入觀察，是可以發現對他是否可以期望幸運的。因為幸運之神雖然是盲目的，卻並非無形的。

　　The way of fortune is like the Milken Way in the sky; which is a meeting or knot of a number of small stars; not seen asunder, but giving light together. So are there a number of little, and scarce discerned virtues, or rather faculties and customs, that make men fortunate.

　　幸運的機會好像銀河，他們作為個體是不顯眼的，但作為整體卻光輝燦爛。同樣，一個人若具備許多細小的優良素質，最終都可能成為帶來幸運的機會。

　　The Italians note some of them, such as a man would little think. When they speak of one that cannot do amiss, they will throw in, into his other conditions, that he hath poco di motto. And certainly, there be not two more fortunate properties; than to have a little of the fool; and not too much of the honest. Therefore, extreme lovers of their country, or masters, were never fortunate, neither can they be. For when a man placeth his thoughts without himself, he goeth not his own way. An hasty fortune maketh an enterpriser, and remover ***the French hath it better, entrepreneur, or remuamt***, but the exercised fortune maketh the able man. Fortune is to be honoured, and respected, and it be but for her daughters, Confidence, and Reputation. For those two felicity hreedeth: the first within a man's self; the latter, in others towards him.

　　義大利人在談論精明的人時，除了誇讚他別的優點，有時會說表面上帶一點“傻氣”。是的，有一點傻氣，但並不是呆氣，再沒有比這對人的更幸運的了。然而迷信愚妄的人是不會幸運的。他們把思考權交付給了他人，就不會走自己的路了。意外的幸運會使人冒失、狂妄，然而經過磨練的幸運卻使人成為偉器。幸運是令人尊敬的，至少這是為了他的兩個女兒，一位叫自信，一位叫名譽。他們都是幸運所產生的。前者產生於人良身的心中，後者產生於他人的心中。

　　All wise men, to decline me envy of their own virtues, use to ascribe them to providence and fortune; for so they may the better assume them: and besides, it is greatness in a man, to be the care of me higher powers. So Caesar said to me pilot in the tempest, Caesarem portas, etfortunam ene. So Sulla chose the name of Felix, and not of Magnus. And it hath been noted, that those that ascribe openly too much to their own wisdom, and policy, end unfortunate. It is written, that

　　古代的智者，為避免招人嫉恨，很少對自己的幸運進行誇耀，他們把一切歸功於“神”。事實上，也只有偉大人物才能得到神的護佑。凱撒對大風浪中的水手說：“鎮靜，有凱撒坐在你的船上!”而蘇拉則不敢自稱為“偉大”，只稱自己為“有幸的”。從歷史可以看到，凡把成功完全歸於自己的人，常常得到不幸的終局。

　　Timotheus the Athenian, after he had, in the account he gave to the state of his government, often interlaced this speech, 'and in mis fortune had no part', never prospered in anything he undertook afterwards. Certainly, mere be, whose fortunes are like Homer's verses, that have a slide, and easiness, more than the verses of other poets: as Plutarch sailh of Timoleon's fortune, in respect of that of Agesilaus, or Epaminondas. And that this should be, no doubt it is much in a man's self.

　　例如，雅典人泰摩索斯總把他在政治上的成就說成：“這決非幸運所賜，而是因為本人高明。”結果他以後再做什麼事卻很少成功了。世間確有一些人，他們的幸運，流暢得有如荷馬的詩句。例如普魯塔克就曾把泰摩列昂的好運氣與阿蓋西勞斯和埃帕米農達的運氣相對比但這種幸運成功的果實，最終也還要到他們的德性中去找原因呵!

　　：Of Studies 談讀書

　　Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment and disposition of business.

　　讀書足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以長才。其怡情也，最見於獨處幽居之時;其傅彩也，最見於高談闊論之中;其長才也，最見於處世判事之際。

　　For expert and execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best form those that are learned.

　　練達之士雖能分別處理細事或一一判別枝節，然縱觀統籌、全域性策劃，則舍好學深思者莫屬。

　　To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgement wholly by their rules, is the humour of a scholar.

　　讀書費時過多易惰，文采藻飾太盛則矯，全憑條文斷事乃學究故態。

　　They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning ***pruning*** by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in/ by experience.

　　讀書補天然之不足，經驗又補讀書之不足，蓋天生才幹猶如自然花草，讀書然後知如何修剪移接;而書中所示，如不以經驗範之，則又大而無當。

　　Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation.

　　有一技之長者鄙讀書，無知者羨讀書，唯明智之士用讀書，然書並不以用處告人，用書之智不在書中，而在書外，全憑觀察得之。

　　Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.

　　讀書時不可存心詰難作者，不可盡信書上所言，亦不可只為尋章摘句，而應推敲細思。

　　Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.

　　書有可淺嘗者，有可吞食者，少數則須咀嚼消化。換言之，有隻須讀其部分者，有隻須大體涉獵者，少數則須全讀，讀時須全神貫注，孜孜不倦。

　　Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are, like common distilled waters, flashy things.

　　書亦可請人代讀，取其所作摘要，但只限題材較次或價值不高者，否則書經提煉猶如水經蒸餾，淡而無味矣。

　　Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.

　　讀書使人充實，討論使人機智，筆記使人準確。因此不常作筆記者須記憶特強，不常討論者須天生聰穎，不常讀書者須欺世有術，始能無知而顯有知。

　　Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in morse. ***Studies go to make up a man’s character.*** Nay there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach ; riding for the head; and the like.

　　讀史使人明智，讀詩使人靈秀，數學使人周密，科學使人深刻，倫理學使人莊重，邏輯修辭使人善辯;凡有所學，皆成性格。人之才智但有滯礙，無不可讀適當之書使之順暢，一如身體百病，皆可借相宜之運動除之。滾球利睪腎，射箭利胸肺，慢步利腸胃，騎術利頭腦，諸如此類。

　　So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations. If his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

　　如智力不集中，可令讀數學，蓋演題須全神貫注，稍有分散即須重演;如不能辨異，可令讀經院哲學，蓋是輩皆吹毛求疵之人;如不善求同，不善以一物闡證另一物，可令讀律師之案卷。如此頭腦中凡有缺陷，皆有特藥可醫。