2.Of Adversity 论困厄-双语名著无障碍阅读丛书——《培根随笔集The Essays of Bacon》

2. OfAdversit)^{①} It was a high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics), that the good things which belong to prosperity{② are to be wished; but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired. (Bona rerum secundarum optabilia; adversarum mirabilia. ) Certainly if miracles③be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his than the other (much too high for a heathen{), It is true greatness to haue in one the frailty③of a man, and the security of a God. (Vere magnum habere fragilitatem hominis, securitatem Dei.) This would have done better in poesy, where transcendences are more allowed. And the poets indeed have been busy with it; for it is in effect the thing which figured in that strange fiction of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to the state of a Christian; that Hercules^{}, when he went to unbind Prometheus{③ (by whom human nature is represented), sailed the length of the great ocean in an earthen pot or pitcher ; lively describing Christian resolution, that saileth in the frail bark of the flesh ·008. 2.论困厄 ① adversity /ad' va:siti/ n. 不幸 “幸运的好处是应当希望的;但是巨运的好处 ② prosperity /pros'periti/ n. 是应当惊奇叹赏的。”这是塞内加斯多葛学派的高 繁荣 ③ miracle /mirakl/ n. 奇读 论。无疑地,如果奇迹的意思是“超越自然”,那 ④ heathen/hi:oan/异教徒 5 frailty /freilti/ n. 脆弱 么奇迹多是在反运中出现的。塞氏还有一句比这更 transcendence 高的话(这话由一个异教徒说出,几乎是太高了); /traen'sendons/卓越,出 类拔萃 “一个人有凡人的脆弱而又有神仙的自在无忧,那 ②Hercules(希腊,罗马神 化)宙斯与阿尔克墨涅之 就是真正的伟大。”这句话如果是一句诗,也许更 子,力大无比的英雄,因 好一点,因为在诗里头,高夸的说法,好像是更为 完成赫拉要求的十二项 任务而获得永生 可许似的。诗人们也真的常说这句话,因为这句话 ⑧ Prometheus(希腊、罗马 神话)普罗米修斯,从奥 实际就是古诗人常述的那个奇谈中所表现的--而 林匹斯俭火给人类的目 这个奇谈又似乎非无深义的;不特如此,它所描写 人,因为这事审斯将他 在一块巨石上,派一只鹰 的还很有点接近基督徒的情形呢-那就是当赫扣 去吃他的肝,而他的肝每 天又重新长上 力斯去解放普罗密修斯的时候(普罗密修斯是象征 人性的),他坐在一个瓦盆或瓦罐里渡过了大海 基督徒以血肉之驱轻舟渡过世间的波涛的决心,这 pitcher /pitfa/n. 水罐 故事很生动地描写出来了。但是用平凡的话来说 幸运所生的德行是节制,厄运所生的德行是坚忍; 从伦理上讲,后者是更为伟大的一种德行 ·009· The Fssays of Bacon through the waves of the world. But to speak in a mean{①}. The virtue{② of prosperity③ is temperance{④; the virtue of adversity is fortitude; which in morals is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament}; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the greater benediction{}, and the clearer revelation of God's favor. Yet even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearse^{}-like airs as carols^{; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath labored more in describing the afflictions of Job than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needleworks^{} and embroideries^{②}, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad} and solenm ground, than to have a dark and melancholy②} work upon a lightsome ground: judge therefore of the pleasure of the heart by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like precious odors^{},most fragrant when they are incensed^{} or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover^{} vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue. .010· 培振随笔集 ①in a mean= in 幸运是《旧约》中的福祉;厄运是《新约》中 moderation适中地 ②virtue /va:tju/ n. 美德 的福祉;而厄运所带来的福祉更大,所诏示的上帝 ③ prosperity /prs'speriti/ n. 的恩惠更为明显。然而即便在《旧约》之中,如谛 幸运 ④ temperance / temporons/ 听大卫的琴音,就一定可以听见与欢颂一般多的哀 n.节制 5 fortitude /fo:titju:d/ n. 刚 歌;并且圣灵的画笔在形容约伯的苦难上比在形容 毅坚忍 所罗门的幸福上致力得多了。幸运并非没有许多的 Old Testament 旧约全 书:New Testament 新约 恐惧与烦恼;厄运也并非没有许多的安慰与希望 全书 benediction /beni'dikfan 在针工与刺绣中,我们常见,在一片阴沉的底子上 n.祝祷 安排一种漂亮的花样,比在一片浅色的底子上安排 ⑧ hearse /ha:s/ n. 柩车 o carol/kaeral/ n. 颂歌 一种暗郁的花样要悦目得多:从这眼中的乐趣上推 o felicity /fa'lisiti/幸福 断心中的乐趣罢。无疑地,美德有如名香,经燃烧 needlework 或压榨而其香愈烈,盖幸运最能显露恶德而厄运最 /ni:d(s)lwa:k/ n. 针线活 embroidery /im'braidari 能显露美德也。 n.刺绣品 sad - dark-colored n melancholy /melonkoli a.忧沉的 odor /audo/ n.名声 o incense /in'sens/ r. 点香 discover - display ·011·