英語美文口袋書：品行篇

2023年9月28日 星期四 祝福早安 天氣多雲 氣溫19℃ 《英語美文》 As for the one who is weak in faith,welcome him,but not to quarrel over opinions.One person believes he may eat anything,while the weak person eats only vegetables.Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains,and let not the one who eats,for God has welcome him.Who are you to pass judgement on the servant of another?It is before his own master that he stands or falls.And he will be upheld,for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another,while another esteems all days alike.Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.The one who observes the day,observes it in honor of the Lord.The one who eats,eats in honor of the Lord,since he gives thanks to God,while the one who abstains,abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.For none of us lives to himself,and none of us dies to himself.For if we live,we live to the Lord,and if we die,we die to the Lord.So then,whether we live or whether we die,we are the Lord’s.For to this end Christ died and lived again,that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. Why do you pass judgement on your brother?Or you,why do you despise your brother?For we will all stand before the judgement seat of God;for it is written,“As Ilive,says the Lord,every knee shall bow to me,and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 中文譯文 不可論斷弟兄 《聖經》 對信德軟弱的人，你們該容納，不要爲意見而爭論。有人以爲什麼都可以喫，但那軟弱的人只喫蔬菜。那喫的，不要輕視不喫的；不喫的，也不要判斷喫的，因爲天主已經接納了他。你是誰，竟敢判斷別人的家僕？他或站立，或跌倒，都由他自己的主人管；但他必站得住，因爲主能夠使他站得住。 有人以爲這日比那日強，但也有人認爲日日都一樣；各人對自己的心思應堅信不疑纔好！那遵守日子的，是爲主而遵守；那喫的，是爲主而喫，因爲他感謝天主；那不喫的，也是爲主而不喫，他也感謝天主。因爲我們中沒有一人是爲自己而生的，也沒有一人是爲自己而死的；因爲我們或者生，是爲主而生，或者死，是爲主而死；所以我們或生或死，都是屬於主。因爲基督死而復生了，正是爲做生者和死者的主。 你爲什麼判斷你的弟兄？或者，你爲什麼輕視你的弟兄？我們衆人都要站在天主的審判臺前，因爲經上記載說：“我指着我自己起誓——上主的誓語：衆膝都要向我跪拜，衆舌都要讚頌天主。” 這樣看起來，我們每人都要向天主交自己的賬。 詞彙速記 abstain　v.　戒除，避免 美句欣賞 As for the one who is weak in faith,welcome him,but not to quarrel over opinions.One person believes he may eat anything,while the weak person eats only vegetables.Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains,and let not the one who eats,for God has welcome him.人的生存具有多種方式，彼此之間只有差異之分，而無差距之說。對於他人方式的妄加評議，不過反襯了自身的無知。 Revenge is akind of wild justice;which the more man’s nature runs to,the more ought law to weed it out.For as for the first wrong,it doth but offend the law;but the revenge of that wrong putteth the law out of office.Certainly,in taking revenge,a man is but even with his enemy;but in passing it over,he is superior;for it is aprince’s part to pardon.And Solomon[1],I am sure,saith,“It is the glory of aman to pass by an offence.”That which is past is gone,and irrevocable;and wise men have enough to do with things present and to come;therefore they do but trifle with themselves,that labor in past matters.There is no man doth awrong for the wrong’s sake;but thereby to purchase himself profit,or pleasure,or honor,or the like.Therefore why should Ibe angry with aman for loving himself better than me?And if any man should do wrong merely out of ill-nature,why,yet it is but like the thorn or briar,which prick and scratch,because they can do no other.The most tolerable sort of revenge is for those wrongs which there is no law to remedy;but then let aman take heed the revenge be such as there is no law to punish;else aman’s enemy is still before hand,and it is two for one. Some,when they take revenge,are desirous the party should know whence it cometh.This is the more generous.For the delight seemeth to be not so much in doing the hurt as in making the party repent.But base and crafty cowards are like the arrow that flieth in the dark.Cosmus,duke of Florence,had adesperate saying against perfidious or neglecting friends,as if those wrongs were unpardonable;You shall read(saith he)that we are commanded to forgive our enemies;but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends.But yet the spirit of Job was in abetter tune:“Shall we(saith he)take good at God’s hands,and not be content to take evil also?”And so of friends in aproportion.This is certain,that aman that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green,which otherwise would heal and do well.Public revenges are for the most part fortunate;as that for the death of Caesar[2];for the death of Pertinax[3];for the death of Henry[4]the Third of France;and many more.But in private revenges it is not so.Nay rather,vindictive persons live the life of witches;who,as they are mischievous,so end they infortunate. 中文譯文 論復仇 弗朗西斯·培根 復仇乃一種原始的公道，人之天性越是愛討這種公道，法律就越是應該將其剷除；因爲首先犯罪者只是觸犯了法律，而對罪犯以牙還牙則使法律失去了效用。無可否認，若一個人對其仇敵施加報復，那他與被報復者不過是半斤八兩；而若是他不念舊惡，寬大爲懷，那他就比對手高出一等，因高抬貴手乃貴人之舉。筆者確信，所羅門曾言：“寬恕他人之過失乃寬恕者之榮耀。”過去的已經過去，且一去不返，而聰明人總是努力着眼於現在和將來的事情，所以對過去耿耿於懷無非是在捉弄自己罷了。世間並無爲作惡而作惡之人，作惡者之所以作惡皆爲要獲得名利享樂或諸如此類的東西。既然如此，我爲何要因人愛己勝過愛我而對其發怒呢？而且即便有人純然是出於惡性而作惡，那也不過像荊棘藜枯一般，刺扎戳鉤皆因其沒別的本事。最可原諒的一類報復是針對那些沒有法律懲治的罪行而施行的報復，但此時報復者須當心，得讓自己的報復行爲也因沒法懲治而逍遙法外，不然報復者的仇敵依然佔便宜，因爲受傷害的比例是二比一。 有人復仇時想要仇敵知曉這復仇來自何方。這樣復仇更爲雍容大度，因爲更痛快的報仇似乎不在於使仇敵皮肉受到傷害，而是要讓其悔不當初；不過卑怯而狡猾的懦夫則往往想要暗中施放的冷箭。佛羅倫薩大公科西莫曾用極其強烈的言辭譴責朋友的背信棄義或忘恩負義，他似乎認爲這類惡行不可饒恕。他說，你可以在《聖經》裏讀到基督要我們寬恕仇敵的教誨，但你絕不會讀到要我們寬恕朋友的訓喻。但迄今爲止還是約伯的精神高一格調，他說：“我們怎能只喜歡上帝賜福而抱怨上帝降禍呢？”將此例推及朋友，亦有此問。毋庸置疑，念念不忘復仇者只會使自己的創傷新鮮如初，而那創傷本來是可以癒合的。報公仇多半會爲復仇者帶來幸運，如爲愷撒大帝之死而復仇，爲珀蒂納克斯之死而復仇，以及爲法王亨利三世之死而復仇等等。但報私仇卻不會有這般幸運；與此相反，欲報私仇者過的是巫師一般的生活，他們活着時於人有害，死去則可嘆可悲。 （曹明倫　譯） 詞彙速記 irrevocable　adj.　不能挽回的 briar　n.　荊棘 perfidious　adj.　背信棄義的 vindictive　adj.　有報仇心的 美句欣賞 ①　In taking revenge,a man is but even with his enemy;but in passing it over,he is superior;for it is aprince’s part to pardon.兩句相比，高下立現。能夠放下復仇，拾起寬恕之心，是品性的昇華。 ②　A man that studieth revenge keeps his own wounds green,which otherwise would heal and do well.固執地生活在仇恨的陰影裏，造成自身不幸的其實不是仇家，而是自己。 - 註釋 [1] 所羅門（1000B.C.—930B.C.），古代以色列王國第三位國王，亦是傳說中以色列最有智慧、最偉大的國王。 [2] 愷撒（102B.C.—44B.C.），羅馬帝國獨裁官，公元前44年遭元老院成員暗殺身亡。 [3] 珀蒂納克斯（126—193），羅馬皇帝，在位僅三個月便被叛亂的士兵殺死。 [4] 亨利·亞歷山大（1551—1589），法國國王，被一名修士刺死。 英文正文 The art of pleasing is avery necessary one to possess;but avery difficult one to acquire.It can hardly be reduced to rules;and your own good sense and observation will teach you more of it than Ican.“Do as you would be done by”is the surest method that Iknow of,and probably the same things in you will please others.If you are pleased with the complaisance and attention of others to your humors,your tastes,or your weaknesses,depend upon it,the same complaisance and attention on your part to theirs will equally please them.Take the tone of the company that you are in,and do not pretend to give it;be serious,gay,or even trifling,as you find the present humor of the company;this is an attention due from every individual to the majority.Do not tell stories in company;there is nothing more tedious and disagreeable;if by chance you know avery short story,and exceedingly applicable to the present subject of conversation,tell it in as few words as possible;and even then,throw out that you do not love to tell stories,but that the shortness of it tempted you. Of all things,banish the egotism out of your conversation,and never think of entertaining people with your own personal concerns or private affairs;though they are interesting to you,they are tedious and impertinent to everybody else;besides that,one cannot keep one’s own private affairs too secret.Whatever you think your own excellencies may be,do not affectedly display them in company;nor labor,as many people do,to give that turn to the conversation,which may supply you with an opportunity of exhibiting them.If they are real,they will infallibly be discovered,without your pointing them out yourself,and with much more advantage.Never maintain an argument with heat and clamor,though you think or know yourself to be in the right;but give your opinions modestly and coolly,which is the only way to convince;and,if that does not do,try to change the conversation,by saying,with good humor,“We shall hardly convince one another;nor is it necessary that we should,so let us talk of something else.” There are little attentions,likewise,which are infinitely engaging,and which sensibly affect that degree of pride and self love,which is inseparable from human nature;as they are unquestionable proofs of the regard and consideration which we have for the persons to whom we pay them.As for example:to observe the little habits,the likings,the antipathies,and the tastes of those whom we would gain;and then take care to provide them with the one,and to secure them from the other;giving them genteelly to understand,that you had observed they liked such adish or such aroom;for which reason you had prepared it:or,on the contrary,that having observed they had an aversion to such adish,a dislike to such aperson,etc.,you had taken care to avoid presenting them.Such attention to such trifles flatters self love much more than greater things,as it makes people think themselves almost the only objects of your thoughts and care. 中文譯文 切斯特菲爾德勳爵致兒子的一封信 切斯特菲爾德勳爵 惹人喜歡很有必要，但這又是一門不易學到的藝術。而且很難將其歸納成規則。你自己的良知與觀察力將比我教授給你的還要多。“你想讓別人怎樣對待你，你就怎樣去對待別人”，這是我所知的取信於人的最可靠的辦法。細心留意別人怎樣做讓你愉快，那麼很可能你做同樣的事也會使別人愉悅。如果別人對你的性情、興趣甚至弱點甚爲關心，讓你滿心喜歡，請相信，你對人施以同樣的熱情和關照，也一定會使他們歡心。與人結伴來往時，需因循其中的氛圍，勿矯揉造作，發現同伴的幽默之處時，就開懷一樂甚至調笑一番，這是每個人對羣體應具備的態度。在人前不要說瞎話，沒有比這更讓人討厭和不悅的事了。如果你恰好有一則很簡短又相當切題的故事，可以用最簡潔明瞭的語言敘述一番。即便如此，也要表示出你並不擅長講述，而僅是因爲它實在太簡短才使你情不自禁地這樣做。 在交談中，首先就要擯棄以自我爲中心的癖好，決不試圖讓別人對自己的私事或者自己關注的事產生興趣。儘管這些事情對你來說興味盎然，但對於別人卻味同嚼蠟，不得要領。再者，個人的私事也不可能永遠隱祕。無論你自以爲有什麼好處，切忌在人前自愛自憐地展示，也不要像許多人那樣，挖空心思地引導談話，以伺機自我表現一番。如果你確有長處，必會被人發現，不必自己點出，何況這樣做最好。當與人有是非之爭時，絕不要激動地大喊大叫，即使你自以爲正確或者知道自己是對的，也要善加控制，冷靜地說出自己的意見，這是說服人的唯一方法。但如果這樣仍不奏效，就試着變個話題，高高興興地說：“我倆誰也說服不了誰，而且也不是非得說服對方不可，我們討論別的吧。” 同樣，從小處着手關注他人會給人留下無限的溫馨，同時這一明智的做法也能增強別人的自尊和自負的心理。這些與人的天性是密不可分的。這樣做無疑證實了我們是尊重和關心別人的。比如，觀察我們所要爭取的人在細小方面的習慣、他們的喜好、他們所反感的東西以及他們的興趣，然後注意投其所好，避免讓他們不快。以某種優雅的方式讓他們知道你注意到他們喜歡這樣的碟子或者這樣的房間，正因爲他們喜歡所以你這樣安排了。或者相反，你注意到他們討厭這種碟子，不喜歡這種類型的人等等，你已經注意加以避免了。這種對瑣事的關注比那些大事更能滿足別人自負的心理，因爲這樣做讓別人覺得他們幾乎是你所考慮和關心的唯一對象。 詞彙速記 complaisance　n.　殷勤，彬彬有禮 humors　n.　體液（humor的複數形式），性情 trifling　adj.　微不足道的；輕浮的 egotism　n.　自負，自我中心 excellency　n.　優點，美德 infallibly　adv.　絕無錯誤地 clamor　n.　喧鬧，叫嚷 antipathy　n.　反感，厭惡，憎惡 美句欣賞 Take the tone of the company that you are in,and do not pretend to give it;be serious,gay,or even trifling,as you find the present humor of the company;this is an attention due from every individual to the majority.在團體中，個人對其他人是負有義務的。這個義務就是恰到好處的讚美和得體適宜的欣賞。這是交流能夠持續、團體保持生氣的根本動力。

The biggest feeling of reading this pure English work is that my horizons have broadened.