Alexander 英语美文 Sunday, August 01, 2010
serpent which goes basely upon the belly, and not upon the feet. There is no vice that doth so cover a man with shame, as to be found false and perfidious. And therefore Mountaigny said prettily when he enquired the reason why the word of the lie should be such a disgrace and such an odious charge? said he, ?If it be well weighed to lay that a man lies is as much to say, as that he is brave towards God, and a coward towards men.‘ For a lie faces God, and shrinks from man. Surely the wickedness of falsehoods and breach of faith cannot possibly be so highly expressed, as in that it shall be the last peal, to call the judgement of God upon the generations of men, it being foretold that when Christ comes, He shall not find faith upon the earth. （培根当时的语言在英语史上称为―早期现代英语‖（十五、十六世纪），也就是说，基本是现代英语，但还保留中古英语的某些痕迹。比如动词第三人称单数在口语（方言）里多以th结尾，但也已经出现词尾s，但书面语、如培根的论文、以及教会方面的宗教书籍，词尾th仍占统治地位。以本文为例：examineth即现代英语examines ；现代英语does在当时写成doth ；现代英语comes当时写成cometh。再如标点符号与现代英语的书写标准也有差别，更确切说，当时还没形成书写标准，即使同一时代的作家，他们的书写法也不相同。培根的论文里，凡在语调停顿处，他爱用逗号，因此逗号特别多；而别的作家，比如与培根同时代的莎士比亚，冒号与分号就用得多，其中有些分号跟逗号几乎看不出什么差别。他们那里的冒号有时也跟现代英语有所不同，一般并不表示―因果‖关系。比如，But I cannot tell的结尾有的译本用逗号，有的用冒号，我这里用分号（但不知原版用什么符号）。特别要提到的：―早期现代英语‖（十五、十六世纪）、甚至―中期现代英语‖（十七、十八世纪），关系代词that、which、以及引出宾语从句的连接词that，其前面一般都用逗号，这是跟现代英语的书写标准不一致的。因此，以上文本译者按现代英语标准加以改动，主要是在正字法、尤其在标点方面，便于读者阅读。译者注）
论真理
真理是什么？彼拉多提这个问题时带着讥笑，他并不等待答案。的确有人喜欢轻率，他们认为：一个信仰就是一种束缚，影响思想与行动的自由。虽然这一类哲学家作为流派已成过去，但仍然留下来某些机智的论辩家，跟他们祖先一脉相承，他们虽说是强弩之末。人们之所以喜欢谎言，并非仅仅因为人们发现真理的艰难与辛苦，也不是因为真理被发现后要强加于人的头脑，而是因为人们对谎言本身有一种自然的、虽说是腐蚀性的痴情。某晚期学派的一位希腊学者研究了这件事，并且专门思考人们痴情于谎言的内在原因，发现他们既不像诗人那样是为了快乐，也不像商人那样为了利益，而是为了谎言本身。但我说不明白，真理就像是赤裸裸的、毫不掩饰的白昼，它不像烛光那样把世上的假面具舞会、哑剧、庆典展现得半明半暗、半严肃半轻松，神秘莫测，真假难辩。真理也许有珍珠的价值，只在白天光彩夺目（或直译―充分展现‖）；但不会升值到钻石或珠宝，在不同的光照下熠熠生辉，璀璨耀眼（或直译―充分展现‖）。鱼目混珠的谎言总是增添快乐。如果从人的头脑里拿掉虚妄的意见、迷惑人的
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幻想、虚伪的评价、随意的想象、诸如此类，谁会怀疑他们许多人的头脑变得空虚可怜，充满忧虑、无聊寂寞呢？我们父辈中有一位哲人非常严肃地用拉丁文把诗叫做―美酒似的魔鬼‖，因为诗充满想象，尽管诗只带有谎言的影子。但造成危害的并不是从头脑里一闪而过的那种谎言；而是沉淀、落户在心里的、即我们前面讲到的被当成信仰的那种谎言。但无论如何，这些东西之所以如此，是在人们丧失判断力与偏爱的情况下；不过只有真理能够判断自己，真理还教导我们：需要真理（即热爱或追求真理），了解真理（即求知真理的存在），相信真理（即享受真理的乐趣）——这是人类本性的最大优点。上帝在那几天的创造过程中，第一件作品就是感觉之光，最后一件作品就是理智之光，此后安息日的工作就是发出他的精神之光。上帝首先用呼吸把亮光吹到混沌世界的表面，然后吹进人类的脸部，然后吹进自己选民的头脑里。还是那位诗人（他使自己的一派增光，否则它就会逊色与其他派别）说得精彩：―站在海岸看颠簸在海面上的船只是一种快乐，站在城堡的窗口看下面一场冒险的战斗也是一种快乐；但站在占据真理的优势，审视谬误与疑虑，如同站在一个空气始终清新宁静、没有硝烟、而且不会被人占领的山头，看下面山谷里的迷雾与风暴，——这是无以伦比的快乐。‖ 当然你任何时候都应该带着怜悯而不是吹嘘或骄傲；一个人因慈悲而动，顺天意而安，面向真理之巅——这境界肯定是人间天堂！从神学与哲学真理过渡到日常生活的真理，即使没有亲身经验的人们也会承认：光明正大的做法是人性的尊严，而搀假的东西如同加了银的金币，虽然有利于金币的铸造，但贬低了金币的价值。因为这种躲闪扭曲的骗术像蛇的行径，卑鄙的蛇是靠腹部爬行，而不是用足走路的。再没有比被人发现是弄虚作假与背信弃义更感羞耻的恶行了。所以，当蒙田探询谎言这个词为什么如此可耻、如此可恨时，他说得非常好：―说一个人撒谎，就等于说他对上帝勇敢而对人类胆小——这话也许是经过斟酌的。‖因为谎言敢于面对上帝而畏惧人类。固然，弄虚作假与背弃诚信的罪恶怎样表达也不为过，因为那将是召唤上帝裁判人类的最后一次警钟；这钟声警告人类的世代子孙：人间没有诚信之日，就是基督降临之时。
培根-论读书-中英文对照
Of Studies (论读书）
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. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is
affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. 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. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. 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
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read but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. 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.
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. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtitle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. 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. 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. 译文：
读书足以怡情，足以博彩，足以长才。其怡情也，最见于独处幽居之时；其博彩也，最见于高谈阔论之中；其长才也，最见于处世判事之际。练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判别枝节，然纵观统筹、全局策划，则舍好学深思者莫属。读书费时过多易惰，文采藻饰太盛则矫，全凭条文断事乃学究故态。读书补天然之不足，经验又补读书之不足，盖天生才干犹如自然花草，读书然后知如何修剪移接；而书中所示，如不以经验范之，则又大而无当。有一技之长者鄙读书，无知者羡读书，唯明智之士用读书，然书并不以用处告人，用书之智不在书中，而在书外，全凭观察得之。读书时不可存心诘难作者，不可尽信书上所言，亦不可只为寻章摘句，而应推敲细思。书有可浅尝者，有可吞食者，少数则须咀嚼消化。换言之，有只须读其部分者，有只须大体涉猎者，少数则须全读，读时须全神贯注，孜孜不倦。书亦可请人代读，取其所作摘要，但只限题材较次或价值不高者，否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏、淡而无味矣。
读书使人充实，讨论使人机智，笔记使人准确。因此不常作笔记者须记忆特强，不常讨论者须天生聪颖，不常读书者须欺世有术，始能无知而显有知。读史使人明智，读诗使人灵秀，数学使人周密，科学使人深刻，伦理学使人庄重，逻辑修辞之学使人善辩：凡有所学，皆成性格。人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅，一如身体百病，皆可借相宜之运动除之。滚球利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑术利头脑，诸如此类。如智力不集中，可令读数学，盖演题须全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；如不能辨异，可令读经院哲学，盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特药可医。（王佐良先生译）
读书可以作为消遣，可以作为装饰，也可以增长才干。
孤独寂寞时，阅读可以消遣。高谈阔论时，知识可供装饰。处世行事时，知识意味着才
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干。懂得事务因果的人是幸运的。有实际经验的人虽能够处理个别性的事务，但若要综观整体，运筹全局，却唯有学识方能办到。
读书太慢的人驰惰，为装潢而读书是欺人，完全按照书本做事就是呆子。
求知可以改进人性，而经验又可以改进知识本身。人的天性犹如野生的花草，求知学习好比修剪移栽。学问虽能指引方向，但往往流于浅泛，必须依靠经验才能扎下根基。
狡诈者轻鄙学问，愚鲁者羡慕学问，聪明者则运用学问。知识本身并没有告诉人怎样运用它，运用的智慧在于书本之外。这是技艺，不体验就学不到。
读书的目的是为了认识事物原理。为挑剔辩驳去读书是无聊的。但也不可过于迷信书本。求知的目的不是为了吹嘘炫耀，而应该是为了寻找真理，启迪智慧。
书籍好比食品。有些只须浅尝，有些可以吞咽，只有少数需要仔细咀嚼，慢慢品味。所以，有的书只要读其中一部分，有的书只须知其梗概，而对于少数好书，则应当通读，细读，反复读。
有的书可以请人代读，然后看他的笔记摘要就行了。但这只应限于不太重要的议论和质量粗劣的书。否则一本书将像已被蒸馏过的水，变得淡而无味了。 读书使人充实，讨论使人机敏，写作则能使人精确。
因此，如果有人不读书又想冒充博学多知，他就必须很狡黠，才能掩人耳目。如果一个懒于动笔，他的记忆力就必须强而可靠。如果一个人要孤独探索，他的头脑就必须格外锐利。 读史使人明智，读诗使人聪慧，演算使人精密，哲理使人深刻，道德使人高尚，逻辑修辞使人善辩。总之，―知识能塑造人的性格‖。
不仅如此，精神上的各种缺陷，都可以通过求知来改善——正如身体上的缺陷，可能通过适当的运动来改善一样。例如打球有利于腰背，射箭可扩胸利肺，散步则有助于消化，骑术使人反应敏捷，等等。同样道理，一个思维不集中的人，他可以研习数学，因为数学稍不仔细就会出错。缺乏分析判断的人，他可以研习而上学，因为这门学问最讲究细琐的辩证。不善于推理的人，可以研习法律案例。如此等等。这种心灵上的缺陷，都可以通过学习而得到改善。（何新译）
1. You have to be first, best or different.
—— Loretta Lynn
你必须是第一， 或者最好的， 或者与众不同。
——洛莱特·林恩
2.Confidence doesn't need any specific reason. If you're alive , you should feel 100 percent confident.
自信不需要理由,生活应该保持100分的自信
3.There is nothing sexier than being confident and taking care of yourselves. 充满自信，爱护自己，魅力无以过之。--碧昂斯.
4.Be confident, not arrogant. ------PA Teacher Miss Tan 自信 但是别骄傲
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5.I believe I can fly. 我相信我可以飞
6.Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.---Sam Walton 杰出的领导人特例独行不随大流.相信自己,你会惊奇于自己无所不能。
7.Jim Rohn
Whatever good things we build end up building us.
8.Maxwell Maltz
Low self-esteem is like driving through life with your hand-break on. 缺乏自信,就好象没拉手刹地在人生道路上行驶
9.Self-confidence and self-reliance are the mainstays of a strong character.自信和自力更生是坚强品格的柱石。
Where there is great love, there are always miracles. 哪里有真爱存在，哪里就有奇迹。
Love is like a butterfly. It goes where it pleases and it pleases where it goes. 爱情就像一只蝴蝶，它喜欢飞到哪里，就把欢乐带到哪里。
If I had a single flower for every time I think about you, I could walk forever in my garden. 假如每次想起你我都会得到一朵鲜花，那么我将永远在花丛中徜徉。 Within you I lose myself, without you I find myself wanting to be lost again. 有了你，我迷失了自我。失去你，我多么希望自己再度迷失。 At the touch of love everyone becomes a poet. 每一个沐浴在爱河中的人都是诗人。
Look into my eyes - you will see what you mean to me. 看看我的眼睛，你会发现你对我而言意味着什么。 Distance makes the hearts grow fonder. 距离使两颗心靠得更近。
I need him like I need the air to breathe. 我需要他，正如我需要呼吸空气。
If equal affection cannot be, let the more loving be me. 如果没有相等的爱，那就让我爱多一些吧。 Love is a vine that grows into our hearts. 爱是长在我们心里的藤蔓。
If I know what love is, it is because of you. 因为你，我懂得了爱。
Love is the greatest refreshment in life. 爱情是生活最好的提神剂。 Love never dies. 爱情永不死。
The darkness is no darkness with thee.
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