目　录

The Coming of the Ship

船的来临

On Love

论　爱

On Marriage

论婚姻

On Children

论孩子

On Giving

论施与

On Eating and Drinking

论饮食

On Work

论工作

On Joy ＆ Sorrow

论哀乐

On Houses

论居室

On Clothes

论衣服

On Buying ＆ Selling

论买卖

On Crime ＆ Punishment

论罪与罚

On Laws

论法律

On Freedom

论自由

On Reason ＆ Passion

论理性与热情

On Pain

论苦痛

On Self-knowledge

论自知

On Teaching

论教授

On Friendship

论友谊

On Talking

论谈话

On Time

论时光

On Good ＆ Evil

论善恶

On Prayer

论祈祷

On Pleasure

论逸乐

On Beauty

论　美

On Religion

论宗教

On Death

论　死

The Farewell

言　别

The Coming of the Ship

Almustafa, the chosen and the beloved, who was a dawn onto his own day, had waited twelve years in the city of Orphalese for his ship that was to return and bear him back to the isle of his birth.

beloved [biˈlʌvid] adj. 深爱的

bear [beə] v.（正式）带走

And in the twelfth year, on the seventh day of lelool, the month of reaping, he climbed the hill without the city walls and looked seaward; and he beheld the ship coming with the mist.

lelool [iˈluːl] n. 叙利亚历中的12月

reap [riːp] v. 收割

behold [biˈhəuld] v. (beheld)看见

Then the gates of his heart were flung open, and his joy flew far over the sea. And he closed his eyes and prayed in the silences of his soul.

fling [fliŋ] v. (flung)打开

But as he descended the hill, a sadness came upon him, and he thought in his heart:

descend [diˈsend] v. 下来

How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city.

Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls, and long were the nights of aloneness; and who can depart from his pain and his aloneness without regret?

Too many fragments of the spirit have I scatterd in these streets, and too many are the children of my longing that walk naked among these hills, and I cannot withdraw from them without a burden and an ache.

scatter [ˈskætə] v. 撒播

long [lɔŋ] v. 喜爱

withdraw [wiðˈdrɔː] v. 离开

It is not a garment I cast off this day, but a skin that I tear with my own hands.

cast [kaːst] v. 抛开

Nor is it a thought I leave behind me, but a heart made sweet with hunger and with thirst.

Yet I cannot tarry longer.

tarry [ˈtæri] v. 延迟

The sea that calls all things unto her calls me, and I must embark.

embark [imˈbaːk] v. 上船

For to stay, though the hours burn in the night, is to freeze and crystallize and be bound in a mould.

crystallize [ˈkristəlaiz] v. 结晶

mould [məuld] n. 模子

Fain would I take with me all that is here. But how shall I?

fain [fein] adj.（旧用法）乐意地

A voice cannot carry the tongue and the lips that give it wings. Alone must it seek the ether.

ether [ˈiːθə] n. 以太（一度被认为充满整个空间的一种物质，可借以传送光和电磁波）

And alone and without his nest shall the eagle fly across the sun.

Now when he reached the foot of the hill, he turned again towards the sea, and he saw his ship approaching the harbour, and upon her prow the mariners, the men of his own land.

prow [prau] n. 船首

mariner [ˈmærinə] n. 水手

And his soul cried out to them, and he said:

Sons of my ancient mother, you riders of the tides,

rider [ˈraidə] n. 骑师

How often have you sailed in my dreams. And now you come in my awakening, which is my deeper dream.

Ready am I to go, and my eagerness with sails full set awaits the wind.

full set 完全准备好地

await [əˈweit] v. 等待

Only another breath will I breathe in this still air, only another loving look cast back-ward,

Then I shall stand among you, a seafarer among seafarers.

seafarer [ˈsiːfeərə] n. 航海者

And you, vast sea, sleepless mother,

Who alone are peace and freedom to the river and the stream,

Only another winding will this stream make, only another murmur in this glade,

winding [ˈwaindiŋ] n. 绕行

glade [gleid] n. 林中的空地

And then shall I come to you, a boundless drop to a boundless ocean.

boundless [ˈbaundləs] adj. 无限的

And as he walked he saw from afar men and women leaving their fields and their vineyards and hastening towards the city gates.

vineyard [ˈvinjəd] n. 葡萄园

hasten [ˈheisən] v. 急促

And he heard their voices calling his name, and shouting from the field to field telling one another of the coming of the ship.

And he said to himself:

Shall the day of parting be the day of gathering?

And shall it be said that my eve was in truth my dawn?

eve [iːv] n. 黄昏

And what shall I give unto him who has left his plough in midfurrow, or to him who has stopped the wheel of his winepress?

midfurrow [midˈfʌrəu] n. 田间犁沟

winepress [ˈwainpres] n. 葡萄榨汁桶

Shall my heart become a tree heavy-laden with fruit that I may gather and give unto them?

laden [ˈleidn] adj. 满载的

And shall my desires flow like a fountain that I may fill their cups?

fountain [ˈfauntin] n.（诗）泉水

Am I a harp that the hand of the mighty may touch me, or a flute that his breath may pass through me?

harp [haːp] n. 竖琴

mighty [ˈmaiti] adj. 巨大有力的

A seeker of silences am I, and what treasure have I found in silences that I may dispense with confidence?

silence [ˈsailəns] n. 寂静的时刻

dispense [disˈpens] v. 施与

If this is my day of harvest, in what fields have I sowed the seed, and in what unrembered seasons?

If this indeed be the hour in which I lift up my lantern, it is not my flame that shall burn therein.

lantern [ˈlæntən] n. 灯笼

Empty and dark shall I raise my lantern,

And the guardian of the night shall fill it with oil and he shall light it also.

guardian [ˈgaːdiən] n. 守护者

These things he said in words. But much in his heart remained unsaid. For he himself could not speak his deeper secret.

And when he entered into the city all the people came to meet him, and they were crying out to him as with one voice.

And the elders of the city stood forth and said:

Go not yet away from us.

A noontide have you been in our twilight, and your youth has given us dreams to dream.

noontide [ˈnuːntaid] n.（诗）正午

twilight [ˈtwailait] n. 曙光

No stranger are you among us, nor a guest, but our son and our dearly beloved.

Suffer not yet our eyes to hunger for your face.

And the priests and the priestesses said unto him:

priest [piːst] n. 牧师

Let not the waves of the sea separate us now, and the years you have spent in our midst become a memory.

You have walked among us a spirit, and your shadow has been a light upon our faces.

Much have we loved you. But speechless was our love, and with veils has it been veiled.

veil [veil] n. 面纱 v. 以面纱掩盖

Yet now it cries aloud unto you, and would stand revealed before you.

reveal [riˈviːl] v. 透露

And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.

And others came also and entreated him.

entreat [inˈtriːt] v. 恳求

But he answered them not. He only bent his head; and those who stood near saw his tears falling upon his breast.

bend [bend] v. (bent)弯下来

And he and the people proceeded towards the great square before the temple.

proceed [prəˈsiːd] v. 前进

And there came out of the sanctuary a woman whose name was Almitra. And she was a seeress.

sanctuary [ˈsæŋktʃuəri] n. 圣堂

seeress [ˈsiərəs] n. 女预言家

And he looked upon her with exceeding tenderness, for it was she who had first sought and believed in him when he had been but a day in their city.

exceeding [ikˈsiːdiŋ] adj. 过分的

And she hailed him, saying:

hail [heil] v. 致敬

Prophet of God, in quest for the utter-most, long have you searched the distances for your ship.

prophet [ˈprɔfit] n. 先知

And now your ship has come, and you must needs go.

Deep is your longing for the land of your memories and the dwelling place of your greater desires; and our love would not bind you nor our needs hold you.

dwelling [ˈdweliŋ] n. 住处

Yet this we ask ere you leave us, that you speak to us and give us of your truth.

ere [eə] prep.（旧用法）在…以前

And we will give it unto our children, and they unto their children, and it shall not perish.

perish [ˈperiʃ] v. 毁灭

In your aloneness you have watched with our days, and in your wakefulness you have listened to the weeping and the laughter of our sleep.

Now therefore disclose us to ourselves, and tell us all that has been shown you of that which is between birth and death.

disclose [disˈcləuz] v. 说出

And he answered,

People of Orphalese, of what can I speak save of that which is even now moving your souls?

船的来临

现在请把我们的“真我”披露给我们

告诉我们你所知道的关于生和死中间的一切

当代的曙光，被选而被爱戴的亚墨斯达法（Almustafa），在阿法利斯（Orphalese）城中等候了十二年，等他的船到来，好载他归回他生长的岛上去。

在第十二年绮露（Ielool）收获之月的第七天，他出城登上山顶，向海凝望；他看见了他的船从烟雾中驶来。

他的心扉砉然地开了，他的喜乐在海面飞越。他合上眼，在灵魂的严静中祷告。

但当他下山的时候，忽然一阵悲哀袭来，他心里想：

我怎能这般宁静地走去而没有些忧哀？不，我要精神上不受创伤地离此城郭。

在这城围里，我度过了悠久的痛苦的日月和孤寂的深夜；谁能撇下这痛苦与孤寂，没有一些悼惜？

在这街市上，我曾撤下过多的零碎的精神，在这山中，也有过多的赤裸着行走的我所爱惜的孩子，离开他们，我不能不觉得负担与痛心。

这不是今天我脱弃了一件衣裳，乃是我用自己的手撕下了一块自己的皮肤。

也不是我遗弃了一种思想，乃是遗弃了一颗用饥和渴作成的甜蜜的心。

然而我不能再迟留了。

那召唤万物来归的大海，也在召唤我，我必须登舟了。

因为，若是停留下来，我的归思，在夜间虽仍灼热奋发，渐渐地却要冰冷变石了。

我若能把这里的一切都带了去，何等的快乐呵，但是我又怎能呢？

声音不能把付给他翅翼的舌头和嘴唇带走。他自己必须寻求“以太”。

鹰鸟也必须撇下窝巢，独自地飞过太阳。

现在他走到山脚，又转面向海，他看见他的船徐徐地驶入湾口，那些在船头的舟子，正是他的故乡的人。

于是他的精魂向着他们呼唤，说

弄潮者，我的老母的孩儿，

有多少次你们在我的梦中浮泛。现在你们在我更深的梦中，也就是我苏醒的时候驶来了。

我已预备好要走了，我的热望和帆篷一同扯满，等着风来。

我只要在这静止的空气中，再呼吸一口气，我只要再向后抛掷热爱的一瞥，

那时我要站在你们中间，一个航海者群中的航海者。

还有你，这无边的大海，无眠的慈母，

只有你是江河和溪水的宁静与自由。

这溪流只还有一次的转折，一次林中的潺缓，

然后我要到你这里来，无量的涓滴归向无量的海洋。

当他行走的时候，他看见从远处有许多男女离开田园，急速地赶到城边来。

他听见他们叫着他的名宇，在阡陌中彼此呼唤，报告他的船来临。

他对自己说：

别离的日子能成为会集的日子么？

我的薄暮实在可算是我的黎明么？

那些放下了耕田的犁耙，停止了榨酒的轮儿的人们，我将给他们什么呢？

我的心能成为一棵累累结实的树，可以来撷了分给他们么？

我的愿望能奔流如泉水，可以倾满他们的杯么？

我是一个全能者的手可以弹奏的琴，或是一管全能者可以吹弄的笛么？

我是一个寂静的寻求者，在寂静中，我发现了什么宝藏，可以放心地布施呢？

倘若这是我收获的日子，那么，在何时何地我曾撒下了种子呢？

倘若这确是我举起明灯的时候，那么，灯内燃烧着的火焰，不是我点燃的。

空虚黑暗的我将举起我的灯，

守夜的人将要添上油，也点上。

这些是他口中说出的，还有许多没有说出的存在心头，因为他说不出自己心中更深的秘密。

他进城的时候，众人都来迎接，齐声地向他呼唤。

城中的长老走上前来说

你不要再离开我们。

在我们的朦胧里，你是正午的潮者，你青春的气度，予我们以梦想。

你在我们中间不是一个异乡人，也不是一个客人，乃是我们的儿子及亲挚的爱者。

不要使我们的眼睛因渴望你的脸面而酸痛。

一班道人和女冠对他说；

不要让海波在这时把我们分开，把你在我们中间所度的岁月成了一个回忆。

你曾是一个在我们中间行走的神灵，你的影儿曾明光似地照亮我们的脸。

我们深深地爱着你。不过我们的爱没有声响，而又被轻纱蒙着。

但现在他要对你呼唤，要在你面前揭露。

除非临到了别离的时候，“爱”永远不会知道自己的深浅。

别的人也来向他恳求。

他没有答话。他只低着头，站近他的人看见他的泪落在胸前。

他和众人慢慢地向殿前的广场走去。

有一个名叫爱尔美差（Amtra）的女子从圣殿里出来，她是一个预言者。

他以无限的温蔼注视着她，因为她是在他第一天进这城里的时候，最初寻找他相信他的人中之一。

她庆贺他，说：

上帝的先知，至高的探求者，你曾常向远处寻望你的航帆。

现在你的船儿来了，你必须归去。

你对于那回忆的故乡，和你更大愿望的居所的渴念，是这样的深切；我们的爱，不能把你系住，我们的需求，也不能把你拘留。

但在你别离以前，我们要请你对我们讲说真理。

我们要把这真理传给我们的孩子，他们也传给他们的孩子，绵绵不绝。

在你的孤独里，你曾守卫我们的白日，在你的清醒里，你曾倾听我们睡梦中的哭泣与欢笑。

现在请把我们的“真我”披露给我们，告诉我们你所知道的关于生和死中间的一切。

他回答说：

阿法利斯的民众呵，除了那现时在你们灵魂里激荡的之外，我还能说什么呢？

On Love

Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."

And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:

When love beckons to you follow him,

beckon [ˈbekən] v. 召唤

Though his ways are hard and steep.

steep [stiːp] adj. 岭险峻的

And when his wings enfold you yield to him,

yield [jiːld] v. 屈服

Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.

And when he speaks to you believe in him,

Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

shatter [ˈʃætə] v. 粉碎

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.

crucify [ˈkruːsifai] v. 把…钉于十宇架上

prune [pruːn] v. 修剪

Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,

ascend [əˈsend] v. 登上

caress [kəˈres] v. 抚爱

So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

cling [kliŋ] v. 紧黏着

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He threshes you to make you naked.

thresh [θreʃ] v. 打（麦、谷等）

He sifts you to free you from your husks.

husk [hʌgk] n. 外壳

He grinds you to whiteness.

He kneads you until you are pliant;

knead [niːd] v. 揉捏

pliant [ˈplaiənt] adj. 易受影响的

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.

assign [əˈsain] v. 派送

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,

Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,

Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.

naught [nɔːt] n.（旧用法）无

Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;

For love is sufficient unto love.

sufficient [səˈfiʃənt] adj. 足够的

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."

And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.

But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

brook [bruk] n. 小河

melody [ˈmelədi] n. 歌曲

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

willing [ˈwiliŋ] adj. 乐意的

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

wing [wiŋ] v. 飞翔

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;

meditate [ˈmediteit] v. 沉思

ecstasy [ˈekstəsi] n. 狂喜

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

eventide [ˈiːvəntaid] n.（诗）黄昏

gratitude [ˈgrætitjuːd] n. 感激

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

论　爱

爱不占有，也不被占有

因为爱在爱中满足了

于是爱尔美差说：请给我们谈爱。

他举头望着民众，他们一时静默了。他用洪亮的声音说：

当爱向你们召唤的时候，跟随着他，

虽然他的路是艰险而陡峻；

当他的翅翼围卷你们的时候，屈服于他，

虽然那藏在羽翮中间的剑刃也许会伤毁你们。

当他对你们说话的时候，信从他，

虽然他的声音会把你们的梦魂击碎，如同北风吹荒了林园。

爱虽给你加冠，他也要把你钉在十字架上。他虽栽培你，他也刈剪你。

他虽升到你的最高处，抚摩你在日中颤动的枝叶，

他也要降到你的根下，摇动你的根柢的一切关节，使之归土。

如同一捆稻粟，他把你束聚起来。

他舂打你使你赤裸。

他筛分你使你脱壳。

他磨碾你直至洁白。

他揉搓你真至柔韧；

然后他送你到他的圣火上去，使你成为上帝圣筵上的圣饼。

这些都是爱要给你们做的事情，使你知道自己心中的秘密，在这知识中你便成了“生命”，心中的一屑。

假如你在你的疑惧中，只寻求爱的和平与逸乐，

那不如掩盖你的裸露，而躲过爱的筛打，

而走入那没有季候的世界，在那里你将欢笑，却不能尽量地欢笑，你书哭泣，却没有流干眼泪。

爱除自身外无施与，除自身外无接受。

爱不占有，也不被占有。

因为爱在爱中满足了。

当你爱的时候，你不要说“上帝在我的心中”，却要说“我在上帝的心里”。

不要想你能导引爱的路程，因为若是他觉得你配，他就导引你。

爱没有别的愿望，只要成全自己。

但若是你爱，而且需求愿望，就让以下的做你的愿望吧：

溶化了你自己，像溪流般对清夜吟唱着歌曲。

要道过度温存的痛苦。

让你对于爱的了解毁伤了你自己；

而且甘愿地喜乐地流血。

清晨醒起，以喜扬的心来致谢这爱的又一日；

日中静息，默念爱的浓欢；

晚潮退时，感谢地回家；

然后在睡时祈祷，因为有被爱者在你的心中，有赞美之歌在你的唇上。

On Marriage

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"

And he answered, saying:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

forevermore [fəˈrevəmɔː] adj. 永远地

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

scatter [ˈskætə] v. 伸分散

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

aye [ai] adj.（旧用法）是

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

bond [bɔnd] n. 结合

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

shore [ʃɔː] n. 岸

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

loaf [ləuf] n. 一块（面包）

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

lute [luːt] n. 琵琶

quiver [ˈkwivə] v. 振颤

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

pillar [ˈpilə] n. 柱子

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

oak [əuk] n. 橡树

cypress [ˈsaipris] n. 柏树

论婚姻

彼此相爱，却不要做成爱的系链

快乐地到处舞唱，却仍让彼此静独

爱尔美差又说：夫子，婚姻怎样讲呢？

他回答说：

你们一块儿出世，也要永远合一。

在死的白翼隔绝你们的岁月的时候，你们也要合一。

噫，在静默地忆想上帝之时，你们也要合一。

不过在你们合一之中，要有间隙，

让天风在你们中间舞荡。

彼此相爱，却不要做成爱的系链：

只让他在你们灵魂的沙岸中间，做一个流动的海。

彼此斟满了杯，却不要在同一杯中啜饮。

彼此递赠着面包，却不要在同一块上取食。

快乐地到处舞唱，却仍让彼此静独，

连琴上的那些弦也是单独的，虽然他们在同一音调中颤动。

彼此赠献你们的心，却不要互相保留。

因为只有 “生命，的手才能把持你们的心。

要站在一处，不要太密迩：

因为殿里的柱子，也是分立在两旁，

橡树和松柏，也不在彼此树荫中生长。

On Children

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."

bosom [ˈbuzəm] n. 胸部

And he said:

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not their souls,

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

dwell [dwel] v. 居住

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

strive [straiv] v. 奋力

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

tarry [ˈtæri] v. 延迟

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

archer [ˈaːtʃə] n. 射手

infinite [ˈinfinit] adj. 无限的

Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;

For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.

stable [ˈsteibəl] adj. 稳固的

论孩子

你们的孩子，都不是你们的孩子

乃是“生命”为自己所渴望的儿女

于是一个怀中抱着孩子的妇人说：请给我们谈孩子。

他说：

你们的孩子，都不是你们的孩子。

乃是“生命”为自己所渴望的儿女。

他们是凭借你们而来，却不是从你们而来，

他们虽和你们同在，却不属于你们。

你们可以给他们以爱，却不可给他们以思想。

因为他们有自己的思想。

你们可以荫庇他们的身体，却不能荫庇他们的灵魂；

因为他们的灵魂，是住在“明日”的宅中，那是你们在梦中也不能想见的。

你们可以努力去模仿他们，却不能使他们来像你们。

因为生命是不倒行的，也不与“昨日”，一同停留。

你是弓，你们的孩子是从弦上发出的生命的箭矢。

那射者在无穷之中看定了目标，也用神力将你们引满，使他的箭矢迅速而遥远地射了出去。

让你们的射者手中的“弯曲”，成为喜乐吧；

因他爱那飞出的箭，也爱了那静止的弓。

On Giving

Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of Giving."

And he answered:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

possession [pə'zeʃən] v. 财产

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?

overprudent [əuvəˌpruːdənt] adj. 过于审慎的

pilgrim [ˈpilgrim] n. 朝圣者

And what is fear of need but need itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?

unquenchale [ʌn'kwentʃəbl] adj. 不可解除（渴）的

There are those who give little of the much which they have — and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

recognition [ˌrekəgˈniʃən] n. 被承认

unwholesome [ʌnˈhəulsəm] adj.（道德上）无益的

And there are those who have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

bounty [ˈbaunti] n. 慷慨

coffer [ˈkɔfə] n. 宝库

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

baptism [ˈbæptzəm] n. 洗礼

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

mindfulness [ˈmaindfulnis] n. 留意

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

yonder [ˈjɔndə] adj. 远处的

myrtle [ˈməːtl] n. 桃金娘（一种植物）

Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.

open-handed [ˈəupənˈhændid] adj. 慷慨的

And is there aught you would withhold?

aught [ɔːt] n.（文）任何事物

withhold [wiðˈhəuld] v. 扣留

All you have shall some day be given;

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors.

inheritor [inˈheritə] n. 继承者

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving."

deserving [diˈzə:viŋ] adj. 值得的

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

orchard [ˈɔːtʃəd] n. 果园

flock [flɔk] n. 羊群

pasture [ˈpa:stʃə] n. 牧场

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

desert [diˈzəːt] n. 某人应得的赏罚

nay [nei] adv.（旧用法）而且

And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?

rend [rend] v. 扯裂

unabashed [ˌʌnəˈbæʃt] adj. 不怕难为情的

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life — while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

deem [diːm] v. 认为

witness [ˈwitnis] n. 见证人

And you receivers — and you are all receivers — assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.

assume [əˈsjuːm] v. 承担

yoke [jəuk] n. 轭

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.

generosity [ˌdʒenəˈrɔsiti] n. 慷慨

论施与

有什么东西是你必须保留的呢

必有一天，你的一切都要交付出来

于是一个富人说：请给我们谈施与。

他回答说：

你把你的产业给人，那只算给了一点。

当你以身布施的时候，那才是真正的施与。

因为你的财产，岂不是你存留保守着的东西，恐怕“明日”或许需要它们么？

但是“明日”，那过虑的犬，随着香客上圣城去，却把骨头埋在无痕迹的沙土里，“明日”能把什么给它呢？

除了需要的本身之外，需要还忧惧什么呢？

当你在井泉充溢的时候愁渴，那你的渴不是更难解么？

有人有许多财产，却只把一小部分给人——他们为求名而施与，那潜藏的欲念，使他们的礼物不完美。

有人只有一点财产，却全部都给人。

这些相信生命和生命的丰富的人，他们的宝柜总不空虚。

有人喜乐地施与，那喜乐就是他们的酬报。

有人痛苦地施与，那痛苦就是他们的洗礼。

也有人施与了，而不觉出施与的痛苦，也不寻求快乐，也不有心为善；

他们的施与，如同那边山谷里的桂花，香气浮动在空际。

从这些人的手中，上帝在说话，在他们的眼后，上帝在俯对着大地微笑。

因请求而施与的，固然是好，而未受请求，只因默喻而施与的，是更好了

对于乐善好施的人，去寻求需要他帮助的人的快乐，比施与还大。

有什么东西是你必须保留的呢？

必有一天，你的一切都要交付出来；

趁现在施与吧，这施与的时机是你自己的，而不是你的后人的。

你常说：“我要施与，却只要舍给那些配受施与者”。

你果园里的树木和牧场上的羊群，却不这样说。

他们为要生存而施与，因为保留就是毁灭。

凡是配接受白日和黑夜的人们，都配接受你施与的一切。

凡配在生命的海洋里啜饮的，都配在你的小泉里舀满他的杯。

还有什么德行比接受的勇气、信心和善意还大呢？

有谁能使人把他们的心怀敞露，把他们的狷傲揭开，使你能看出他们赤裸的价值和无惭的骄傲？

先省察你自己是否配做一个施与者，是否配做一个施与的器皿。

因为实在说，那只是生命给与生命——你以为自己是施主，其实也不过是一个证人。

你接受的人们——你们都是接受者——不要负起报恩的重担，恐怕你们要把轭加在你自己和施者的身上。

不如和施者在礼物上一同展翅飞腾；

因为过于思量你们的欠负，就是怀疑了那以慈悲的大地为母，以上帝为父的人的仁心。

On Eating and Drinking

Then an old man, a keeper of an inn, said, "Speak to us of Eating and Drinking."

And he said:

Would that you could live on the fragrance of the earth, and like an air plant be sustained by the light.

fragrance [ˈfreigrəns] n. 香味

sustain [səsˈtein] v. 维持

But since you must kill to eat, and rob the young of its mother's milk to quench your thirst, let it then be an act of worship,

quench [kentʃ] v．解除（渴）

worship [ˈwəːʃip] n. 敬神

And let your board stand an altar on which the pure and the innocent of forest and plain are sacrificed for that which is purer and still more innocent in many.

altar [ˈɔːltə] n. 祭坛

sacrifice [ˈsækrifais] v. 祭祀

When you kill a beast say to him in your heart,

"By the same power that slays you, I too am slain; and I too shall be consumed.

slay [slei] v.（文）杀害

consume [kənˈsjuːm] v. 吃或喝

For the law that delivered you into my hand shall deliver me into a mightier hand.

Your blood and my blood is naught but the sap that feeds the tree of heaven."

sap [sæp] n. 树液

And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart,

"Your seeds shall live in my body,

And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,

And your fragrance shall be my breath,

And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons."

rejoice [riˈdʒɔis] v. 高兴

And in the autumn, when you gather the grapes of your vineyard for the winepress, say in your heart,

vineyard [ˈvinjəd] n. 葡萄园

winepress [ˈwainpres] n. 酿酒葡萄榨汁桶

"I too am a vineyard, and my fruit shall be gathered for the winepress,

And like new wine I shall be kept in eternal vessels."

vessel [ˈvesəl] n. 容器

And in winter, when you draw the wine, let there be in your heart a song for each cup;

And let there be in the song a remembrance for the autumn days, and for the vineyard, and for the winepress.

论饮食

在宰杀你的权力之下

我同样地也被宰杀

你和我的血都不过是浇灌大树的一种液汁

一个开饭店的老人说：请给我们谈饮食。

他说：

我恨不得你们能借着大地的香气而生存，如同那“空气植物”受着阳光的供养。

既然你们必须杀生为食，且从新生的动物口中，夺他的母乳来止渴，那就让它成为一个敬神的礼节吧，

让你的肴馔摆在祭坛上，那是丛林中和原野上的纯洁清白的物品，为更纯洁清白的人们而牺牲的。

当你杀生的时候，心里对他说：

“在宰杀你的权力之下，我同样地也被宰杀；我也要同样地被吞食。

那把你送到我手里的法律，也要把我送到那更伟大者的手里。

你和我的血都不过是浇灌天树的一种液汁。”

当你咬嚼着苹果的时候，心里对他说：

“你的子核要在我身中生长，

你来世的嫩芽要在我心中萌茁，

你的芳香要成为我的气息，

我们要终年的喜乐。”

在秋天，你在果园里摘葡萄榨酒的时候，心里说：

“我也是一座葡萄园，我的果实也要摘下榨酒。

和新酒一般，我也要被收存在永生的杯里。”

在冬日，当你斟酒的时候，你的心要对每一杯酒歌唱；

让那曲成为一首纪念秋天和葡萄园以及榨酒之歌。

On Work

Then a ploughman said, "Speak to us of Work."

And he answered, saying:

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.

For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

idle [ˈaidl] adj. 懒惰的

procession [prəˈseʃən] n. 行列

When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.

flute [fluːt] n. 长笛

Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

reed [riːd] n. 芦苇

unison [ˈjuːnisən] n. 齐唱

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

curse [kəːs] n. 祸根

But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,

And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,

And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret.

intimate [ˈintimit] adj. 亲近的

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.

affliction [əˈflikʃən] n. 苦恼

flesh [fleʃ] n. 肌肉

You have been told also life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.

echo [ˈekəu] v. 符合

weary [ˈwiəri] adj. 疲倦的

And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,

And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,

And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,

And all work is empty save when there is love;

And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.

bind [baind] v. 联合

And what is it to work with love?

It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.

weave [ˈwiːv] v. 编织

It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.

affection [əˈfekʃən] n. 爱

It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.

reap [riːp] v. 收割

It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,

fashion [ˈfæʃən] v. 形成

And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "he who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is a nobler than he who ploughs the soil.

marble [ˈma:bəl] n. 大理石

noble [ˈnəubəl] adj. 高尚的

And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."

But I say, not in sleep but in the over wakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass;

blade [bleid] n. 草叶

And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible.

visible [vizəbəl] adj. 看得见的

And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.

distaste [disˈteist] n. 不喜欢

alms [aːmz] n. 施舍

For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.

indifference [inˈdifərəns] n. 不感兴趣

And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine.

grudge [grʌdʒ] v. 勉强给

distil [diˈstil] v. 滴落

And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

muffle [mʌfəl] v. 蒙住

论工作

工作是眼能看见的爱

而在你劳力不息的时候，你确在爱了生命

从工作里爱了生命，就是通彻了生命最深的秘密

于是一个农夫说：请给我们谈工作。

他回答说：

你工作为的是要与大地和大地的精神一同前进。

因为惰逸使你成为一个时代的生客，一个生命大队中的落伍者，这大队是庄严的，高傲而服从的，向着无穷前进。

在你工作的时候，你是一管笛，从你心中吹出时光的微语，变成音乐。

你们谁肯做一根芦管，在万物合唱的时候，你独痴呆无声呢？

你们常听人说，工作是祸殃，劳动是不幸。

我却对你们说，你们工作的时候，你们完成了大地的深远的梦之一部，他指示你那梦是何时开头，

而在你劳力不息的时候，你确在爱了生命，

在工作里爱了生命。就是通彻了生命最深的秘密。

倘然在你的辛苦里，将有身之苦恼和养身之诅咒，写上你的眉间，则我将回答你，只有你眉间的汗，能洗去这些字句。

你们也听见人说，生命是黑暗的，在你疲瘁之中，你附和了那疲瘁的人所说的话。

我说生命的确是黑暗的，除非是有了激励，

一切的激励都是盲目的，除非是有了知识，

一切的知识都是徒然的，除非是有了工作，

一切的工作都是空虚的；除非是有了爱；

当你仁爱地工作的时候，你便与自己与人类，与上帝联系为一。

怎样才是仁爱地工作呢？

从你的心中抽丝，织成布帛。仿佛你的爱者要来穿此衣裳。

热情地盖造房屋，仿佛你的爱者要住在其中。

温存地播种。喜乐地刈获，仿佛你的爱者要来吃这产物。

这就是用你自己灵魂的气息，来充满你所制造的一切，

要知道一切受福的古人，是在你上头看视着。

我常听见你们仿佛在梦中说：“那在蜡石上表现出他自己灵魂的形象的人，是比耕地的人高贵多了。

那捉住虹霓，传神地画在布帛上的人：是比织履的人强多了。”

我却要说，不在梦中，而在正午极清醒的时候。风对大橡树说话的声音，并不比对纤小的草叶所说的更甜柔；

只有那用他的爱心，把风声变成甜柔的歌曲的人，是伟大的。

工作是眼能看见的爱。

倘若你不是欢乐地却厌恶地工作，那还不如撇下工作，坐在大殿的门边，去乞求那些欢乐地工作的人的周济。

倘若你未精打采地烤着面包，你烤成的面包是苦的，只能救半个人的饥饿。

On Joy ＆ Sorrow

Then a woman said, "Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow."

And he answered:

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

unmask [ʌnˈmaːsk] v. 揭开…的假面具

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

selfsame [ˈselfseim] adj. 同样的

And how else can it be?

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

contain [kənˈtein] v. 包含

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

potter [ˈpɔtə] n. 陶工

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

soothe [suːð] v. 抚慰

hollow [ˈhɔləu] adj. 中空的

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow, "and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater."

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

inseparable [inˈsepərəbəl] adj. 不能分开的

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

very [ˈveri] adj. 实在是

suspend [səˈspend] v. 悬挂

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

standstill [ˈstændstil] n. 静止状态

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

论哀乐

悲哀的创痕在你身上刻的越深

你越能容受更多的欢乐

于是一个妇人说：请给我们讲欢乐与悲哀。

他回答说：

你的欢乐，就是你的去了面具的悲哀。

连你那涌溢欢乐的井泉，也常是充满了你的眼泪。

不然又怎样呢？

悲哀的创痕在你身上刻的越深，你越能容受更多的欢乐。

你的盛酒的杯，不就是那曾在陶工的窖中燃烧的坯子么？

那感悦你的心神的笛子。不就是曾受尖刀挖刻的木管么？

当你欢乐的时候，深深地内顾你的心中，你就知道只不过是那曾使你悲哀的，又在使你欢乐。

当你悲哀的时候，再内顾你的心中，你就看出实在是那曾使你喜悦的，又在使你哭泣。

你们有些人说：“欢乐大于悲哀。”也有人说：“不，悲哀是更大的。”

我却要对你们说，他们是不能分开的。

他们一同来到，当这个和你同席的时候，要记住那个正在你床上酣眠。

真的，你是天平般悬在悲哀与欢乐之间。

只在盘中空洞的时候，你才能静止、持平。

当守库者把你提起来，称他的金银的时候，你的哀乐就必需升降了。

On Houses

Then a mason came forth and said, "Speak to us of Houses."

And he answered and said:

Build of your imaginings a bower in the wilderness ere you build a house within the city walls.

bower [ˈbauə] n. 凉亭

ere [εə] prep.（旧用法）在…以前

For even as you have home-comings in your twilight, so has the wanderer in you, the ever distant and alone.

wanderer [ˈwɔndərə] n. 漫游者

Your house is your larger body.

It grows in the sun and sleeps in the stillness of the night; and it is not dreamless. Does not your house dream? And dreaming, leave the city for grove or hilltop?

grove [grəuv] n. 树林

Would that I could gather your houses into my hand, and like a sower scatter them in forest and meadow.

sower [ˈsəuə] n. 撒种

meadow [ˈmedəu] n. 草地

Would the valleys were your streets, and the green paths your alleys, that you might seek one another through vineyards, and come with the fragrance of the earth in your garments.

But these things are not yet to be.

In their fear your forefathers gathered you too near together. And that fear shall endure a little longer. A little longer shall your city walls separate your hearths from your fields.

forefather [ˈfɔːfaːðə] n. 祖宗

endure [inˈdjuə] v. 忍受

hearth [haːθ] n. 家庭

And tell me, people of Orphalese, what have you in these houses? And what is it you guard with fastened doors?

fasten [ˈfaːsn] v. 缚紧

Have you peace, the quiet urge that reveals your power?

Have you remembrances, the glimmering arches that span the summits of the mind?

glimmer [ˈglimə] v. 发出微光

Have you beauty, that leads the heart from things fashioned of wood and stone to the holy mountain?

fashion [ˈfæʃən] v. 用…做成…形状

Tell me, have you these in your houses?

Or have you only comfort, and the lust for comfort, that stealthy thing that enters the house a guest, and becomes a host, and then a master?

lust [lʌst] n. 强烈的欲望

stealthy [ˈstelθi] adj. 悄悄的

Ay, and it becomes a tamer, and with hook and scourge makes puppets of your larger desires.

scourge [skəːdʒ] n. 鞭

puppet [ˈpʌpit] n. 傀儡

Though its hands are silken, its heart is of iron.

silken [ˈsilkən] adj. 似丝的

It lulls you to sleep only to stand by your bed and jeer at the dignity of the flesh.

lull [lʌl] v. 使…入睡

jeer [dʒiə] v. 嘲笑

It makes mock of your sound senses, and lays them in thistledown like fragile vessels.

mock [mɔk] n. 嘲弄

thistledown [ˈθisəldaun] n. 蓟的冠毛

Verily the lust for comfort murders the passion of the soul, and then walks grinning in the funeral.

But you, children of space, you restless in rest, you shall not be trapped nor tamed.

trap [træp] v. 诱捕

Your house shall be not an anchor but a mast.

anchor [ˈæŋkə] n. 锚

mast [maːst] n. 船桅

It shall not be a glistening film that covers a wound, but an eyelid that guards the eye.

glisten [ˈglisn] v. 闪耀

film [film] n. 薄膜

You shall not fold your wings that you may pass through doors, nor bend your heads that they strike not against a ceiling, nor fear to breathe lest walls should crack and fall down.

fold [fəuld] v. 折叠

You shall not dwell in tombs made by the dead for the living.

And though of magnificence and splendour, your house shall not hold your secret nor shelter your longing.

For that which is boundless in you abides in the mansion of the sky, whose door is the morning mist, and whose windows are the songs and the silences of night.

abide [əˈbaid] v. 居留

mansion [ˈmænʃən] n. 巨宅

论居室

愿山谷成为你们的街市

绿径成为你们的里巷

于是一个泥水匠走上前来说：请给我们谈居室。

他回答说：

当你在城里盖一所房子之前，先在野外用你的想象盖一座凉亭。

因为你在黄昏时有家可归，而你那更迷茫更孤寂的漂泊的精魂，也有个归宿。

你的房屋是你的较大的躯壳。

他在阳光中发育，在夜的寂静中睡眠；而且不能无梦。你的房屋不做梦么？不梦想离开城市，登山入林么？

我愿能把你们的房子聚握在手里，撒种似的把他们洒落在丛林中与绿野上。

愿山谷成为你们的街市，绿径成为你们的里巷，使你们在葡萄园中相寻相访的时候，衣袂上带着大地的芬芳。

但这个一时还做不到。

在你们祖宗的忧惧里，他们把你们聚集得太近了，这忧惧还要稍微延长，你们的城墙，也仍要把你们的家庭和你们的田地分开。

告诉我吧，阿法利斯的民众呵，你们的房子里有什么？你们锁门是为守护什么呢？

你们有“和平”，不就是那呈露好魄力的宁静和鼓励么？

你们有“回忆”，不就是那联跨你心峰的灿烂的弓桥么？

你们有“美”，不就是那把你的心从木石建筑上引到圣山的么？

告诉我，你们的房屋里有这些东西么？

或者你只有“舒适”和“舒适的欲念”，那诡秘的东西，以客人的身分混了进来始作家人，终作主人翁的么？

噫，他变成一个驯兽的人，用钩镰和鞭笞，使你较伟大的愿望变成傀儡。

他的手虽柔软如丝，他的心却是铁打的。

他催眠你，只须站在你的床侧，讥笑你肉体的尊严。

他戏弄你健全的感官，把他们塞放在蓟绒里，如同脆薄的杯盘。

真的，舒适之欲，杀害了你灵性的热情，又哂笑地在你的殡仪队中徐步。

但是你们这些“太空”的儿女，你们在静中不息，你们不应当被网罗，被驯养。

你们的房子不应当做个锚，却应当做个桅。

它不应当做一片遮掩伤痕的闪亮的薄皮，应当做那保护眼睛的睫毛。

你不应当为穿走门户而敛翅，也不应当为恐触屋顶而低头，也不应当为怕墙壁崩裂而停止呼吸。

你不应当住在那死人替活人筑造的坟墓里。

无论你的房屋是如何地壮丽与辉煌，也不应当使它隐住你的秘密，遮住你的愿望。

因为你里面的“无穷性”，是住在天宫里，那天宫是以晓烟为门户，以夜的静寂与歌曲为窗牗的。

On Clothes

And the weaver said, "Speak to us of Clothes."

weaver [ˈwiːvə] n. 织工

And he answered:

Your clothes conceal much of your beauty, yet they hide not the unbeautiful.

conceal [kənˈsiːl] v. 隐藏

And though you seek in garments the freedom of privacy you may find in them a harness and a chain.

harness [ˈha:nis] n. 马具

chain [tʃein] n. 镣铐

Would that you could meet the sun and the wind with more of your skin and less of your raiment,

raiment [ˈreimənt] n.（文）衣服

For the breath of life is in the sunlight and the hand of life is in the wind.

Some of you say, "It is the north wind who has woven the clothes to wear."

And I say, Ay, it was the north wind,

But shame was his loom, and the softening of the sinews was his thread.

sinew [ˈsinjuː] n. 肌腱

And when his work was done he laughed in the forest.

Forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean.

modesty [ˈmɔdisti] adj. 羞怯的

And when the unclean shall be no more, what were modesty but a fetter and a fouling of the mind?

fetter [ˈfetə] n. 羁绊

fouling [fauliŋ] n. 污垢

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

论衣服

我恨不得你们多用皮肤，而少用衣服去逢迎太阳和风

别忘了大地是欢喜和你的赤脚接触

风是希望和你的头发相戏的

于是一个织工说：请给我们谈衣服。

他回答说：

你们的衣服掩盖了许多的美，却遮不住丑恶。

你们虽在衣服里可寻得隐秘的自由，却也寻得橛饰与羁勒了。

我恨不得你们多用皮肤。而少用衣服去逢迎太阳和风，

因为生命的气息是在阳光中。生命的把握是在风里。

你们中有人说：那纺织衣服给我们穿的是北风。

我也说：对的，是北风，

但他的机杼是可羞的，那使筋肌软弱的是他的线缕。

当他的工作完毕时，他在林中喧笑。

不要忘却“羞怯”只是遮挡“不洁”的眼目的盾牌。

在“不洁”完全没有了的时候，“羞怯”不就是心上的桎梏与束缚么？

也别忘了大地是欢喜和你的赤脚接触，风是希望和你的头发相戏的。

On Buying ＆ Selling

And a merchant said, "Speak to us of Buying and Selling."

And he answered and said:

To you the earth yields her fruit, and you shall not want if you but know how to fill your hands.

It is in exchanging the gifts of the earth that you shall find abundance and be satisfied.

abundance [əˈbʌndəns] n. 丰富

Yet unless the exchange be in love and kindly justice, it will but lead some to greed and others to hunger.

greed [griːd] n. 贪婪

When in the market place you toilers of the sea and fields and vineyards meet the weavers and the potters and the gatherers of spices, —

toiler [ˈtɔilə] n. 辛劳者

Invoke then the master spirit of the earth, to come into your midst and sanctify the scales and the reckoning that weighs value against value.

invoke [inˈvəuk] v. 祈求

sanctify [ˈsæŋktifai] v. 使神圣

reckon [ˈrekən] v. 计算

And suffer not the barren-handed to take part in your transactions, who would sell their words for your labour.

barren [ˈbæriən] adj. 贫瘠的

transaction [trænˈzækʃən] n. 交易

To such men you should say,

"Come with us to the field, or go with our brothers to the sea and cast your net;

For the land and the sea shall be bountiful to you even as to us."

bountiful [ˈbauntiful] adj. 慷慨的

And if there come the singers and the dancers and the flute players, — buy of their gifts also.

For they too are gatherers of fruit and frankincense, and that which they bring, though fashioned of dreams, is raiment and food for your soul.

frankincense [ˈfræŋkiniːsens] n. 乳香（一种树脂）

And before you leave the marketplace, see that no one has gone his way with empty hands.

For the master spirit of the earth shall not sleep peacefully upon the wind till the needs of the least of you are satisfied.

论买卖

同我们到田间，或者跟我们的弟兄道海上去撒网

因为海和陆地，对你们也和对我们一样的慈惠

于是一个商人说：请给我们谈买卖。

他回答说：

大地贡献果实给你们，如果你们只晓得怎样独取，你们就不应当领受了。

在交易着大地的礼物里，你们将感到丰裕而满足。

然而若非用爱和公平来交易，则必有人流为饕餮，有人流为饿殍。

在市场上，你们这些海上、田中和葡萄园里的工人，遇见了织工、陶工和采集香料的——

就应当祈求大地的主神，临到你们中间，来圣化天平，以及那较量价值的核算。

不要容游手好闲的人来参加你们的买卖，他们要以言语来换取你们的劳力。

你们要对这种人说：

“同我们到田间，或者跟我们的弟兄到海上去撒网；

因为海与陆地，对你们也和对我们一样的慈惠。”

倘若那吹箫的和歌舞的人来了，你们也应当买他们的礼物。

因为他们也是果实和乳香的采集者，他们带来的物事，虽系梦幻，却是你们灵魂上的衣食。

在你们离开市场以前，要看着没有人空手回去。

因为大地主神，不到你们每人的需要全都满足了以后，他不能在风中宁静地睡眠。

On Crime ＆ Punishment

Then one of the judges of the city stood forth and said, "Speak to us of Crime and Punishment."

And he answered, saying:

It is when your spirit goes wandering upon the wind,

wander [ˈwɔndə] v. 漫游

That you, alone and unguarded, commit a wrong unto others and therefore unto yourself.

commit [kəˈmit] v. 犯（罪、错等）

And for that wrong committed must you knock and wait a while unheeded at the gate of the blessed.

unheeded [ˈʌnˈhiːdid] adj. 不被注意的

Like the ocean is your god-self;

It remains for ever undefiled.

undefiled [ˌʌndiˈfaild] adj. 纯洁的

And like the ether it lifts but the winged.

Even like the sun is your god-self:

It knows not the ways of the mole nor seeks it the holes of the serpent.

mole [məul] n. 鼹鼠

serpent [ˈsəːpənt] n. 蛇

But your god-self does not dwell alone in your being.

Much in you is still man, and much in you is not yet man,

But a shapeless pigmy that walks asleep in the mist searching for its own awakening.

pigmy [ˈpigmi] n. 侏儒

And of the man in you would I now speak.

For it is he and not your god-self nor the pigmy in the mist, that knows crime and the punishment of crime.

Oftentimes have I heard you speak of one who commits a wrong as though he were not one of you, but a stranger unto you and an intruder upon your world.

intruder [inˈtruːdə] n. 闯入者

But I say that even as the holy and the righteous cannot rise beyond the highest which is in each one of you,

So the wicked and the weak cannot fall lower than the lowest which is in you also.

wicked [ˈwikid] adj. 险恶的

And as a single leaf turns not yellow but with the silent knowledge of the whole tree,

So the wrong-doer cannot do wrong without the hidden will of you all.

Like a procession you walk together towards your god-self.

You are the way and the wayfarers.

wayfarer [weiˈfeərə] n. 行路人

And when one of you falls down he falls for those behind him, a caution against the stumbling stone.

caution [ˈkɔːʃən] n. 警告

stumble [ˈstʌmbl] v. 绊倒

Ay, and he falls for those ahead of him, who though faster and surer of foot, yet removed not the stumbling stone.

And this also, though the word lie heavy upon your hearts:

The murdered is not unaccountable for his own murder,

unaccountable [ˌʌnəˈkauntəbl] adj. 不能说明的

And the robbed is not blameless in being robbed.

The righteous is not innocent of the deeds of the wicked,

righteous [ˈraitʃəs] adj. 正直的

wicked [ˈwikid] adj. 邪恶的

And the white-handed is not clean in the doings of the felon.

felon [ˈfelən] n. 重罚罪

Yea, the guilty is oftentimes the victim of the injured,

And still more often the condemned is the burden-bearer for the guiltless and unblamed.

condemn [kənˈdem] v. 谴责

You cannot separate the just from the unjust and the good from the wicked;

For they stand together before the face of the sun even as the black thread and the white are woven together.

And when the black thread breaks, the weaver shall look into the whole cloth, and he shall examine the loom also.

If any of you would bring judgment the unfaithful wife,

Let him also weight the heart of her husband in scales, and measure his soul with measurements.

scale [skeil] n. 天秤

And let him who would lash the offender look unto the spirit of the offended.

lash [læʃ] v. 鞭打

And if any of you would punish in the name of righteousness and lay the ax unto the evil tree, let him see to its roots;

ax [æks] n. 斧

And verily he will find the roots of the good and the bad, the fruitful and the fruitless, all entwined together in the silent heart of the earth.

entwine [inˈtwain] v. 缠绕

And you judges who would be just,

What judgment pronounce you upon him who though honest in the flesh yet is a thief in spirit?

What penalty lay you upon him who slays in the flesh yet is himself slain in the spirit?

penalty [ˈpenlti] n. 刑罚

And how prosecute you him who in action is a deceiver and an oppressor,

prosecute [ˈprɔsikjuːt] v. 起诉

deceiver [diˈsiːvə] n. 欺骗者

Yet who also is aggrieved and outraged?

aggrieve [əˈgriːv] v. 使受侵害

outrage [ˈautreidʒ] v. 虐待

And how shall you punish those whose remorse is already greater than their misdeeds?

remorse [riˈmɔːs] n. 悔恨

Is not remorse the justice which is administered by that very law which you would fain serve?

fain [fein] adj. 宁愿

Yet you cannot lay remorse upon the innocent nor lift it from the heart of the guilty.

Unbidden shall it call in the night, that men may wake and gaze upon themselves.

unbidden [ˈʌnˈbidn] adj. 意想不到的

gaze [geiz] v. 凝视

And you who would understand justice, how shall you unless you look upon all deeds in the fullness of light?

Only then shall you know that the erect and the fallen are but one man standing in twilight between the night of his pigmy-self and the day of his god-self,

erect [iˈrekt] adj. 直立的

And that the corner-stone of the temple is not higher than the lowest stone in its foundation.

论罪与罚

你们不能把至公与不公，至善与不善分开

如同一片树叶，除非得了全树的默许，方能独自变黄

于是本城的法官中，有一个走上前来说：请给我们谈罪与罚。

他回答说：

当你的灵性随风飘荡的时候，

你孤零而失慎地对别人也就是对自己犯了过错。

为着所犯的过错，你必须去叩那受福者之门，要被怠慢地等候片刻。

你们的“神性”像海洋；

他永远纯洁不染。

又像“以太”，他只帮助有翼者上升。

你们的神性也像太阳；

他不知道田鼠的径路，也不寻找蛇虺的洞穴。

但是你们的“神性”，不是独居中你们里面。

在你们里面，有些仍是“人性”，有些还不成“人性”，

他只是一个未成形的侏儒，睡梦中在烟雾里蹒跚，自求觉醒。

我现在所要说的，就是你们的人性。

因为那知道罪与罪的刑罚的，是他，而不是你的“神性”，也不是烟雾中的侏儒。

我常听见你们论议到一个犯了过失的人，仿佛他不是你们的同人，只像是个外人。是个你们的世界中的闯入者。

我却要说连那圣洁和正直的，也不能高过于你们每人心中的至善，

所以那奸邪和懦弱的，也不能低于你们心中的极恶。

如同一片树叶，除非得了全树的默许，方能独自变黄，

所以那作恶者，若没有你们大家无形中的怂恿，也不会作恶。

如同一个队伍，你们一同向着你们的“神性”前进。

你们是道，也是行道的人。

当你们中间有人跌倒的时候，他是为了他后面的人而跌倒，是一块绊脚石的警告。

是的，他也为他前面的人而跌倒，因为他们的步履虽然又快又稳，却没有把那绊脚石挪开。

还有这个，虽然这些话会重压你的心：

被杀者对于自己的被杀，不能不负咎，

被劫者对于自己的被劫，不能不受责，

正直的人，对于恶人的行为，也不能算无辜，

清白的人，对于罪人的过错，也不能算不染。

是的，罪犯往往是被害者的牺牲品，

刑徒更往往为那些无罪无过的人担负罪责，

你们不能把至公与不公，至善与不善分开，

因为他们一齐站在太阳面前，如同织在一起的黑线和白线。

黑线断了的时候，织工就要视察整块的布，也要察看那机杼。

你们中如有人要审判一个不忠诚的妻子，

让他也拿天平来称一称她丈夫的心，拿尺来量一量他的灵魂。

让鞭挞“扰人者”的人，先察一察那“被扰者”的灵性。

你们如有人要以正义之名，砍伐一棵恶树，让他先察看树根；

他一定能看出那好的与坏的，能结实与不能结实的树根，都在大地的沉默的心中，纠结在一处。

你们这些愿持公正的法官，

你们怎样裁判那忠诚其外而盗窃其中的人？

你们又将怎样刑罚一个肉体受戮，而在他自己是心灵泯灭的人？

你们又将怎样控告那在行为上是刁猾、暴戾，

而在事实上也是被威逼、被虐待的人呢？

你们又将怎样责罚那悔心已经大于过失的人？

忏悔不就是那你们所喜欢奉行的法定的公道么？

然而你们却不能将忏悔放在无辜者身上，也不能将它从罪人心中取出。

不期然地他要在夜中呼唤，使人们醒起，反躬自省。

你们这些愿意了解公道的人，若不在大光明中视察一切的行为，你们怎能了解呢？

只在那时，你们才知道那直立与跌倒的，只是一个站在“侏儒性的黑夜”，与“神性的白日”的黄昏中的人，

也要知道那大殿的角石，并不高于那最低的基石。

On Laws

Then a lawyer said, "But what of our Laws, master?"

And he answered:

You delight in laying down laws,

Yet you delight more in breaking them.

Like children playing by the ocean who build sand-towers with constancy and then destroy them with laughter.

constancy [ˈkɔnstənsi] n. 坚定

But while you build your sand-towers the ocean brings more sand to the shore,

And when you destroy them, the ocean laughs with you.

Verily the ocean laughs always with the innocent.

innocent [ˈinəsənt] adj. 天真的

But what of those to whom life is not an ocean, and man-made laws are not sand-towers,

But to whom life is a rock, and the law a chisel with which they would carve it in their own likeness?

chisel [ˈtʃizəl] n. 凿子

What of the cripple who hates dancers?

cripple [ˈkripəl] n. 腿跛者

What of the ox who loves his yoke and deems the elk and deer of the forest stray and vagrant things?

yoke [jəuk] n. 轭

deem [diːm] v. 认为

elk [elk] n. 麋鹿

stray [strei] adj. 流浪的

vagrant [ˈveigrənt] adj. 漂泊的

What of the old serpent who cannot shed his skin, and calls all others naked and shameless?

shed [ʃed] v. 脱落

And of him who comes early to the wedding-feast, and when over-fed and tired goes his way saying that all feasts are violation and all feasters law-breakers?

violation [ˌvaiəˈleiʃən] n. 违法

What shall I say of these save that they too stand in the sunlight, but with their backs to the sun?

They see only their shadows, and their shadows are their laws.

And what is the sun to them but a caster of shadows?

caster [ˈkaːstə] n. 投影者

And what is it to acknowledge the laws but to stoop down and trace their shadows upon the earth?

stoop [stuːp] v. 俯身

But you who walk facing the sun, what images drawn on the earth can hold you?

You who travel with the wind, what weathervane shall direct your course?

weathervane [ˈweðəvein] n. 风向标

What man's law shall bind you if you break your yoke but upon no man's prison door?

What laws shall you fear if you dance but stumble against no man's iron chains?

And who is he that shall bring you to judgment if you tear off your garment yet leave it in no man's path?

People of Orphalese, you can muffle the drum, and you can loosen the strings of the lyre, but who shall command the skylark not to sing?

muffle [ˈmʌfəl] v. 蒙住

lyre [laiə] n. 古竖琴

skylark [ˈskailɑːk] n. 云雀

论法律

你们喜欢立法，却也更喜欢犯法

如同那在海滨游戏的孩子

勤恳地建造了沙塔，然后又嬉笑地将它毁坏

于是一个律师说：可是，我们的法律怎样呢，夫子？

他回答说：

你们喜欢立法，

却也更喜欢犯法。

如同那在海滨游戏的孩子，勤恳地建造了沙塔，然后又嬉笑地将它毁坏。

但是当你们建造沙塔的时候，海洋又送许多的沙土上来，

等你们毁坏那沙塔的时候，海洋又与你们一同哄笑。

真的，海洋常和天真的人一同哄笑。

可是对于那班不以生命为海洋，不以人造的法律为沙塔的人，又当如何？

对于那以生命为岩石，以法律为可随意刻石的凿子的人，又当如何？

对于那憎恶舞者的跛人，又当如何？

对于那喜爱羁轭，却以林中的麋鹿为流离颠沛的小牛的人，又当如何？

对于自己不能蜕脱，却把一切蛇豸称为赤裸无耻的老蛇的人，又当如何？

对于那早赴婚筵，饱倦归来，却说“一切筵席都是违法，那些设筵的人都是犯法者”的人，又当如何？

对于这些人。除了说他们是站在日中以背向阳之外，我能说什么呢？

他们只看见自己的影子，他们的影子，就是他们的法律。

太阳对于他们，不只是一个射影者么？

承认法律，不就是佝偻着在地上寻迹阴影么？

你们只向着阳光行走的人，那种地上的映影，能捉住你们么？

你们这乘风遨游的人，那种风信旗能指示你们的路程么？

如果你们不在任何人的囚室门前，敲碎你们的镣铐，那种人造的法律能束缚你们么？

如果你们跳舞，却不撞击任何人的铁链，你们还怕什么法律呢？

如果你撕脱你们的衣裳，却不丢弃在任何人行的道上，有谁能把你带去受审呢？

阿法利斯的民众呵，你们纵能闷住鼓音，松却琴弦，但有谁能禁止那云雀不高唱？

On Freedom

And an orator said, "Speak to us of Freedom."

orator [ˈɔrətə]n. 演讲者

And he answered:

At the city gate and by your fireside I have seen you prostrate yourself and worship your own freedom,

prostrate [ˈprɔstreit] v. 使平卧

Even as slaves humble themselves before a tyrant and praise him though he slays them.

Ay, in the grove of the temple and in the shadow of the citadel I have seen the freest among you wear their freedom as a yoke and a handcuff.

grove [grəuv] n. 小树林

citadel [ˈsitədl] n. 城堡

And my heart bled within me; for you can only be free when even the desire of seeking freedom becomes a harness to you, and when you cease to speak of freedom as a goal and a fulfillment.

bleed [bliːd] v. (bled)悲痛

fulfillment [fulˈfilmənt] n. 成就

You shall be free indeed when your days are not without a care nor your nights without a want and a grief,

But rather when these things girdle your life and yet you rise above them naked and unbound.

girdle [ˈgəːdl] v. 围绕

unbind [ˌʌnˈbaind] v. (unbound)解开

And how shall you rise beyond your days and nights unless you break the chains which you at the dawn of your understanding have fastened around your noon hour?

In truth that which you call freedom is the strongest of these chains, though its links glitter in the sun and dazzle the eyes.

dazzle [ˈdæzəl] v. 耀眼

And what is it but fragments of your own self you would discard that you may become free?

discard [disˈkɑ:d] v. 抛弃

If it is an unjust law you would abolish, that law was written with your own hand upon your own forehead.

abolish [əˈbɔliʃ] v. 废止，革除

You cannot erase it by burning your law books nor by washing the foreheads of your judges, though you pour the sea upon them.

And if it is a despot you would dethrone, see first that his throne erected within you is destroyed.

despot [ˈdespət] n. 暴君

dethrone [diˈθrəun] v. 废立（君主）

For how can a tyrant rule the free and the proud, but for a tyranny in their own freedom and a shame in their won pride?

And if it is a care you would cast off, that care has been chosen by you rather than imposed upon you.

impose [imˈpəuz] v. 强加

And if it is a fear you would dispel, the seat of that fear is in your heart and not in the hand of the feared.

dispel [disˈpel] v. 消除

Verily all things move within your being in constant half embrace, the desired and the dreaded, the repugnant and the cherished, the pursued and that which you would escape.

embrace [imˈbreis] n. 拥抱

repugnant [riˈpʌgnənt] adj. 令人厌恶的

These things move within you as lights and shadows in pairs that cling.

And when the shadow fades and is no more, the light that lingers becomes a shadow to another light.

fade [feid] v. 消失

linger [ˈliŋgə] v. 逗留不去

And thus your freedom when it loses its fetters becomes itself the fetter of a greater freedom.

论自由

只有那求自由的愿望也成了羁饰

你们再不以自由为标竿为成就的时候

你们才是自由了

于是一个辩士说：请给我们谈自由。

他回答说：

在城门边，在炉火光前，我曾看见你们俯伏敬拜自己的自由，

甚至于像那些囚奴，在诛戮他们的暴君之前卑屈、颂赞。

噫，在寺院的林中，在城堡的影里，我曾看见你们之中最自由者，把自由像枷铐似的戴上。

我心里忧伤，因为只有那求自由的愿望也成了羁饰，你们再不以自由为标竿为成就的时候，你们才是自由了。

当你们的白日不是没有牵挂，你们的黑夜也不是没有愿望与忧愁的时候，你们才是自由的。

不如说是当那些事物包围住你的生命，而你却能赤裸地无牵挂地超腾的时候，你们才是自由了。

但若不是在你们了解的晓光中，扭断了捆绑你们朝气的锁链。你们怎能超脱你们的白日和黑夜呢？

实话说，你们所谓的自由，就是最坚牢的锁链，虽然那链环闪烁在日光中，炫耀了你们的眼目。

“自由”岂不是你们自身的碎片，你们愿意将他抛弃换得自由么？

假如那是你们所要废除的一条不公平的法律，那法律却是你们用自己的手写在自己的额上的。

你们虽烧毁你们的律书，倾倒全海的水来冲洗你们法官的额，也不能把它抹掉。

假如那是个你们所要废黜的暴君，先看他的建立在你心中的宝座是否毁坏。

因为一个暴君怎能辖制自由和自尊的人呢？除非他们自己的自由是专制的，他们的自尊是可羞的。

假如那是一种你们所要抛掷的牵挂，那牵挂是你自取的，不是别人勉强给你的。

假如那是一种你们所要除灭的恐怖，那恐怖的座位是在你的心中，而不在你所恐怖的人的手里。

真的，一切在你里面运行的物事：愿望与恐怖，憎恶与爱怜，追求与退避，都是永恒地互抱着。

这些事物在你里面运行，如同光明与阴影成对地胶粘着。

当阴影消灭的时候，遗留的光明又变成另一个光明的阴影。

这样，当你的自由脱去他的镣铐的时候，他本身又变成更大的自由的镣铐了。

On Reason ＆ Passion

And the priestess spoke again and said: "Speak to us of Reason and Passion."

And he answered saying:

Your soul is oftentimes a battlefield, upon which your reason and your judgment wage war against passion and your appetite.

wage [weidʒ] v. 开战

appetite [ˈæpitait] n. 欲念

Would that I could be the peacemaker in your soul, that I might turn the discord and the rivalry of your elements into oneness and melody.

discord [ˈdiskɔːd] n. 不和

rivalry [ˈraivəlri] n. 对抗

But how shall I, unless you yourselves be also the peacemakers, nay, the lovers of all your elements?

Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul.

rudder [ˈrʌdə] n. 船舵

If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas.

toss [tɔs] v. 颠簸

For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.

unattended [ˈʌnəˈtendid] adj. 没人管的

Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing;

exalt [igˈzɔːlt] v. 提升

And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.

resurrection [ˌrezəˈrekʃən] n. 复活

phoenix [ˈfiːniks] n. 凤凰

I would have you consider your judgment and your appetite even as you would two loved guests in your house.

Surely you would not honour one guest above the other; for he who is more mindful of one loses the love and the faith of both.

mindful [ˈmaindfəl] adj. 留神的

Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and serenity of distant fields and meadows—then let your heart say in silence, "God rests in reason."

poplar [ˈpɔplə] n. 白杨树

serenity [siˈriːniti] n. 平静

And when the storm comes, and the mighty wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky— then let your heart say in awe, "God moves in passion."

proclaim [prəˈkleim] v. 宣告

awe [ɔː] n. 敬畏

And since you are a breath In God's sphere, and a leaf in God's forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion.

论理性与热情

你们是上帝大气中之一息

是上帝丛林中之一叶

你们也要和他一同安息中理性中

运行在热情里

于是那女冠又说：请给我们讲理性与热情。

他回答说：

你的心灵常常是个战场，在战场上，你的“理性与判断”和你的“热情与嗜欲”开战。

我恨不能在你的心灵中作一个调停者，使我可以让你们心中分子从竞争与衅隙变成合一与和鸣。

但除了你们自己也做个调停者，做个你们心中的各分子的爱者之外，我又能做什么呢？

你们的理性与热情，是你航行的灵魂的舵与帆。

假如你的帆或舵破坏了，你们只能泛荡，飘流，或在海中停住。

因为理性独自统治，是一个禁锢的权力，热情不小心的时候，是一个自焚的火焰。

因此，让你们的心灵将理性升到热情之最高点，让它歌唱；

也让他用理性来引导你们的热情，让它在每日复活中生存，如同大鸾在它自己的灰烬上高翔。

我愿你们把判断和嗜欲，当作你们家中的两位佳客。

你们自然不能敬礼一客过于他客；因为过分关心于任一客，必要失去两客的友爱与忠诚。

在万山中，当你坐在白杨的凉荫下，享受那远田与原野的宁静与和平——应当让你的心在沉静中说：上帝安息在理性中。

当飓暴卷来的时候，狂风震撼林木，雷电宣告穹苍的威严——应当让你的心在敬畏中说：上帝运行在热情里。

只因你们是上帝大气中之一息，是上帝丛林中之一叶。你们也要和他一起安息在理性中，运行在热情里。

On Pain

And a woman spoke, saying, "Tell us of Pain."

And he said:

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.

enclose [inˈkləuz] v. 围绕

Even as the stone of the fruit must break, that its heart may stand in the sun, so must you know pain.

And could you keep your heart in wonder at the daily miracles of your life, your pain would not seem less wondrous than your joy;

wonder [ˈwʌndə] n. 奇妙

wondrous [ˈwʌndrəs] adj. 绝妙的

And you would accept the seasons of your heart, even as you have always accepted the seasons that pass over your fields.

And you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief.

serenity [siˈriːniti] n. 宁静

Much of your pain is self-chosen.

It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick self.

potion [ˈpəuʃən] n.（药等）一剂

Therefore trust the physician, and drink his remedy in silence and tranquillity:

tranquillity [ˈtrækwiliti] n. 安静

For his hand, though heavy and hard, is guided by the tender hand of the Unseen,

And the cup he brings, though it burn your lips, has been fashioned of the clay which the Potter has moistened with His own sacred tears.

论苦痛

许多的苦痛是你自择的

那是你身中的医士，医治你病身的苦药

于是一个妇人说：请给我们谈苦痛。

他说：

你的苦痛是你那包裹知识的皮壳的破裂。

连那果核也是必须破裂的，使果仁可以暴露在阳光中，所以你们也必须晓得苦痛。

倘若你能使你的心时常赞叹日常生活的神妙，你苦痛的神妙必不减于你的欢乐；

你要承受你心灵的季候，如同你常常承受从田野上度过的四时。

你要静守，度过你心里凄凉的冬日。

许多的苦痛是你自择的。

那是你身中的医士，医治你病身的苦药。

所以你要信托这医生，静默安宁地吃他的药：

因为他的手腕虽重而辣，却是有冥冥的温柔之手指导着。

他带来的药杯，虽会焚灼你的嘴唇，那陶土却是陶工用他自己神圣的眼泪来润湿调转而成的。

On Self-knowledge

And a man said, "Speak to us of Self-knowledge."

And he answered, saying:

Your hearts know in silence the secrets of the days and the nights.

But your ears thirst for the sound of your heart's knowledge.

thirst [θəːst] v. 渴望

You would know in words that which you have always know in thought.

You would touch with your fingers the naked body of your dreams.

And it is well you should.

The hidden well-spring of your soul must needs rise and run murmuring to the sea;

well-spring [ˈwelˌspriŋ] n. 不绝的泉源

murmur [ˈməːmə] v. 以低柔的声音说

And the treasure of your infinite depths would be revealed to your eyes.

infinite [ˈinfinit] adj. 无限的

reveal [riˈviːl] v. 显露

But let there be no scales to weigh your unknown treasure;

And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or sounding line.

staff [staːf] n. 棍

For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, "I have found the truth," but rather, "I have found a truth."

Say not, "I have found the path of the soul." Say rather, "I have met the soul walking upon my path."

For the soul walks upon all paths.

The soul walks not upon a line, neither does it grow like a reed.

reed [riːd] 芦苇

The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of countless petals.

unfold [ʌnˈfəuld] v. 展开

petal [ˈpetl] n. 花瓣

论自知

不要说，我找到了灵魂的道路

只要说，我遇见了灵魂在我的道路上行走

灵魂像一朵千瓣的莲花，自己开放着

于是一个男人说，请给我们讲自知。

他回答说：

在宁静中，你的心知道了白日和黑夜的奥秘。

但你的耳朵渴求听取你心的知识的声音。

你常在意念中所了解的，你愿能从语言中知道。

你愿能用手指去抚触你的赤裸的梦魂。

你要这样做是好的。

你心灵隐秘的涌泉，必须升溢，吟唱着奔向大海；

你无穷深处的宝藏，必须在你目前呈现。

但不要用秤来衡量你的未知的珍宝；

也不要用杖竿和响带去探测你的知识的浅深。

因为“自我”乃是一个无边的海。

不要说，我找到了真理，只要说，我找到了一条真理。

不要说，我找到了灵魂的道路，只要说，我遇见了灵魂在我的道路上行走。

因为灵魂在一切的道路上行走。

录魂不只在一条道上行走，也不是芦草似的生长。

灵魂像一朵千瓣的莲花，自己开放着。

On Teaching

Then said a teacher, "Speak to us of Teaching."

And he said:

No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of our knowledge.

aught [ɔːt] n. 任何事物

dawn [dɔːn] v. 破晓

The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness.

If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.

bid [bid] v. 命令

threshold [ˈθreʃhəuld] n. 门槛

The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding.

The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it.

And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither.

versed [vəːst] adj. 精通的

thither [ˈðiðə] adv. 向那边

For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.

And even as each one of you stands alone in God's knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth.

论教授

假如他真是大智

就不会命令你进入他的智慧之堂

却要引导你到你自己心灵的门口

于是一位教师说：请给我们讲教授。

他说：

除了那已经半睡着，躺卧在你知识的阳光里的东西之外，没有人能向你启示什么。

那在殿宇的阴影里，在弟子群中散步的教师，他不是在传授他的智慧，乃是传授他的忠信与仁慈。

假如他真是大智，就不会命令你进入他的智慧之堂，却要引导你到你自己心灵的门口。

天文家能给你讲述他对于太空的了解，他却不能把他的了解给你。

音乐家能给你唱出那充满太空的韵调，他却不能给你那聆受韵调的耳朵和应和韵调的声音。

精通数学的人，能说出度量衡的方位，他却不能引导你到那方位上去。

因为一个人不能把他理想的翅翼借给别人。

正如上帝对于你们每人的了解是不相同的，所以你们对于上帝和大地的见解也应当是不相同的。

On Friendship

And a youth said, "Speak to us of Friendship."

And he answered, saying:

Your friend is your needs answered.

He is your field which you sow with love and reap with thanksgiving.

reap [riːp] v. 收割

And he is your board and your fireside.

board [bɔːd] n. 膳食

fireside [ˈfaiəsaid] n. 炉边

For you come to him with your hunger, and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear not the "nay" in your own mind, nor do you withhold the "ay".

withhold [widˈhsuld] v. 把…扣留

And when he is silent your heart ceases not to listen to his heart;

For without words, in friendship, all thoughts, all desires, all expectations are born and shared, with joy that is unacclaimed.

unacclaimed [ˈʌnəˈcleimd] adj. 未被宣布的

When you part from your friend, you grieve not;

grieve [griːv] v. 伤心

For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain.

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.

For love that seeks aught but the disclosure of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth: and only the unprofitable is caught.

unprofitable [ʌnˈprɔfitəble] adj. 无益的

And let your best be for your friend.

If he must know the ebb of your tide, let him know its flood also.

ebb [eb] n. 退潮

For what is your friend that you should seek him with hours to kill?

Seek him always with hours to live.

For it is his to fill your need, but not your emptiness.

And in the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

dew [djuː] n. 露水

refresh [riˈfreʃ] v. 焕发精神

论友谊

愿除了寻求心灵的加深之外

友谊没有别的目的

让你的最佳美的事物，都给你的朋友

于是一个青年说：请给我们谈友谊。

他回答说：

你的朋友是你的有回应的需求。

他是你用爱播种，用感谢收获的田地。

他是你的饮食，也是你的火炉。

因为你饥渴地奔向他，你向他寻求平安。

当你的朋友向你倾吐胸臆的时候，你不要怕说出心中的“否”，也不要瞒住你心中的“可”。

当他静默的时候，你的心仍要倾听他的心；

因为在友谊里，不用言语，一切的思想，一切的愿望，一切的希翼，都在无声的喜乐中发生而共享了。

当你与朋友别离的时候，不要忧伤；

因为你觉得他最可爱之点，当他不在时愈见清晰，正如登山者从平原上望山峰，也加倍地分明。

愿除了寻求心灵的加深之外，友谊没有别的目的。

因为那只寻求着要显露自身的神秘的爱，不算是爱，只算是一张撒下的网，只网住一些无益的东西。

让你的最佳美的事物，都给你的朋友。

假如他必须知道你潮水的下退，也让他知道你潮水的高涨。

你找他只为消磨光阴的人，还能算做你的朋友么？

你要在生长的时间中去找他。

因为他的时间是满足你的需要，不是填满你的空虚。

在友谊的温柔中，要有欢笑，与相共的喜乐。

因为在那微末事物的甘露中，你的心能寻到他的清晓，而焕发了精神。

On Talking

And then a scholar said, "Speak of Talking."

And he answered, saying:

You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts;

And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.

dwell [dwel] v. 居住

solitude [ˈsɔlitjuːd] n. 孤独

diversion [daiˈvəːʃən] n. 娱乐

pastime [ˈpaːstaim] n. 消遣；娱乐

And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.

For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words many indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.

There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone.

talkative [ˈtɔːkətiv] adj. 健谈的

The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape.

And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought reveal a truth which they themselves do not understand.

forethought [ˈfɔːθɔːt] n. 未雨绸缪

And there are those who have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words.

In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence.

rhythmic [ˈriðmik] adj. 有韵律的

When you meet your friend on the roadside or in the market place, let the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue.

Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear of his ear;

For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered.

When the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more.

vessel [ˈvesəl] n. 容器

论谈话

思想是天空中的鸟

在语音的笼里，也许会展翼

却不会飞翔

于是一个学者说：请你讲谈话。

他回答说

在你不安于你的思想的时候，你就说话；

在你不能再在你心的孤寂中生活的时候，你就要在你的唇上生活，而声音是一种消遣，一种娱乐。

在你许多的谈话里。思想半受残害。

思想是天空中的鸟，在语言的笼里，也许会展翼，却不会飞翔。

你们中间有许多人，因为怕静，就去找多言的人。

在独居的寂静里，会在他们眼中呈现出他们赤裸的自己，他们就想逃避。

也有些说话的人，并没有知识和考虑，却要启示一种他们自己所不明白的真理。

一也有些人的心里隐存着真理，他们却不用言语诉说。

在这些人的胸怀中，心灵是有韵调的寂静里。

当你在道旁或市场遇见你朋友的时候，让你中的灵魂，运用你的嘴唇，指引你的舌头。

让你声音里的声音，对他耳朵的耳朵说话；

因为他的灵魂要噙住你心中的真理。

如同酒光被忘却，杯也不存留，而酒味却要永远被忆念。

On Time

And an astronomer said, "Master, what of Time?"

And he answered:

You would measure time the measureless and the immeasurable.

You would adjust your conduct and even direct the course of your spirit according to hours and seasons.

adjust [əˈdʒʌst] v. 调节

Of time you would make a stream upon whose bank you would sit and watch its flowing.

flow [fləu] v. 流动

Yet the timeless in you is aware of life's timelessness,

And knows that yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream.

And that which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.

contemplate [ˈkɔntəmpleit] v. 深思

Who among you does not feel that his power to love is boundless?

And yet who does not feel that very love, though boundless, encompassed within the centre of his being, and moving not from love thought to love thought, nor from love deeds to other love deeds?

encompass [inˈkʌmpəs] v. 围绕

deed [diːd] n. 行为

And is not time even as love is, undivided and paceless?

paceless [ˈpeislis] adj. 不可测

But if in you thought you must measure time into seasons, let each season encircle all the other seasons,

encircle [inˈsəːkəl] v. 包围

And let today embrace the past with remembrance and the future with longing.

论时光

你要把时光当作一条溪水

你要坐在岸边，看他流逝

于是一个天文家说：夫子，时光怎样讲呢？

他回答说：

你要测量那不可量、不能量的时间。

你要按照时辰与季候来调节你的举止，引导你的精神。

你要把时光当作一条溪水，你要坐在岸边，看他流逝。

但那在你里面无时间性的“我”，却觉悟到生命的无穷，也知道昨日只是今日的回忆，而明日只是今日的梦想。

那在你里面歌唱着、默想着的，仍住在那第一刻在太空散布群星的圈子里。

你们中间谁不觉得他的爱的能力是无穷的呢？

又有谁不受得那爱，虽是无穷，却是在他本身的中心绕行，不是从这爱的思念移到那爱的思念，也从这爱的行为移到那爱的行为么？

而且时光岂不也像爱，不可分析，没有罅隙的么？

但若在你的意想里，你定要把时光分成季候，那就让每一季候围绕着他的季候，

也让今日用回忆拥抱着过去，用希望拥着将来。

On Good ＆ Evil

And one of the elders of the city said, "Speak to us of Good and Evil."

And he answered:

Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil.

For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst?

torture [ˈtɔːtʃə] v. 折磨

Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts, it drinks even of dead waters.

You are good when you are one with yourself.

Yet when you are not one with yourself you are not evil.

For a divided house is not a den of thieves; it is only a divided house.

den [den] n. 窝藏之地

And a ship without rudder may wander aimlessly among perilous isles yet sink not to the bottom.

rudder [ˈrʌdə] n. 船舵

perilous [ˈperiləs] adj. 危险的

You are good when you strive to give of yourself.

strive [atraiv] v. 奋力

Yet you are not evil when you seek gain for yourself.

gain [gein] n. 获益

For when you strive for gain you are but a root that clings to the earth and sucks at her breast.

Surely the fruit cannot say to the root, "Be like me, ripe and full and ever giving of your abundance."

abundance [əˈbʌndəns] n. 丰富

For to the fruit giving is a need, as receiving is a need to the root.

You are good when you are fully awake in your speech,

Yet you are not evil when you sleep while your tongue staggers without purpose.

stagger [ˈstægə] v. 摇晃

And even stumbling speech may strengthen a weak tongue.

stumble [ˈstʌmbl] v. 结结巴巴地说

You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps.

Yet you are not evil when you go thither limping.

thither [ˈθiðə] adv.（旧用法）向那边

limp [limp] v. 跛行

Even those who limp go not backward.

But you who are strong and swift, see that you do not limp before the lame, deeming it kindness.

swift [swift] adj. 迅速的

You are good in countless ways, and you are not evil when you are not good,

You are only loitering and sluggard.

loiter [ˈlɔitə] v. 游荡

sluggard [ˈslʌgəd] n. 懒人

Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles.

stag [stæg] n. 雄鹿

In your longing for your giant self lies your goodness: and that longing is in all of you.

But in some of you that longing is a torrent rushing with might to the sea, carrying the secrets of the hillsides and the songs of the forest.

torrent [ˈtɔrənt] n. 急流

And in others it is a flat stream that loses itself in angles and bends and lingers before it reaches the shore.

But let not him who longs much say to him who longs little, "Wherefore are you slow and halting?"

halt [hɔːlt] v. 停止

For the truly good ask not the naked, "Where is your garment?" nor the houseless, "What has befallen your house?"

befall [biˈfɔːl] v. (befallen) 降临

论善恶

在无数的事上，你是善的

在你不善的时候，你也不是恶

你只是流连，荒亡

于是一位城中的长老说：请给我们谈善恶。

他回答说：

我能谈你们的善性，却不能谈恶性。

因为，什么是恶，不只是“善”被他自身的饥渴所困苦么？

的确，在“善”饥饿的时候，他背向黑洞中觅食，渴的时候，他也肯喝死水。

当你与自己合一的时候便是善。

当你不与自己合一的时候，却也不是恶。

因为一个隔的院宇，不是贼窝；只不过是个隔断的院宇？

一只船失了舵，许会在礁岛间无目的地飘荡，而却不至于沉入海底。

当你努力地要牺牲自己的时候便是善。

当你想法自利的时候，却也不是恶。

因为当你设法自利的时候，你不过是土里的树根，在大地的胸怀中啜吸。

果实自然不能对树根说你要像我，丰满成熟，永远贡献出你最丰满的一部分。

因为，在果实，贡献是必需的，正如吸收是树根所必需的一样。

当你在言谈中完全清醒的时候，你是善的，

当你在睡梦中，舌头无意识地摆动的时候，却也不是恶。

连那错误的言语，也有时能激动柔弱的舌头。

当你勇敢地走向目标的时候，你是善的。

你颠顿而行，却也不是恶。

连那些跛者，也不倒行。

但你们这些勇健而迅速的人，要警醒，不要在跛者面前颠顿，自以为是仁慈。

在无数的事上，你是善的，在你不善的时候，你也不是恶，

你只是流连，荒亡。

可怜那麋鹿不能教给龟鳖快走。

在你冀求你的“大我”的时候，便隐存着你的善性：这种冀求是你们每人心中都有的。

但是对于有的人，这种冀求是奔越归海的急湍，挟带着山野的神秘与林木的讴歌。

在其他的人，是在转弯曲折中迷途的缓流的溪水，在归海的路上滞留。

但是不要让那些冀求深的人，对冀求浅的人说：“你为什么这般迟钝？”

因为那真善的人，不问赤裸的人：“你的衣服在哪里？”也不问那无家的人：“你的房子怎样了？”

On Prayer

Then a priestess said, "Speak to us of Prayer."

And he answered, saying:

You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.

distress [disˈtres] n. 痛苦

For what is prayer but the expansion of yourself into the living ether?

expansion [ikˈspænʃən] n. 扩张

And if it is for your comfort to pour your darkness into space, it is also for your delight to pour forth the dawning of your heart.

And if you cannot but weep when your soul summons you to prayer, she should spur you again and yet again, though weeping, until you shall come laughing.

summon [ˈsʌmən] v. 召唤

spur [spəː] v. 鼓励

When you pray you rise to meet in the air those who are praying at that very hour, and whom save in prayer you may not meet.

Therefore let your visit to that temple invisible be for naught but ecstasy and sweet communion.

naught [nɔːt] n. 无(=nothing)

communion [kəˈmjuːniən] n. 交流

For if you should enter the temple for no other purpose than asking you shall not receive.

And if you should enter into it to humble yourself you shall not be lifted:

humble [ˈhʌmbl] v. 使卑下

Or even if you should enter into it to beg for the good of others you shall not be heard.

It is enough that you enter the temple invisible.

invisible [inˈvizəbl] adj. 隐蔽的

I cannot teach you how to pray in words.

God listens not to your words save when He Himself utters them through your lips.

utter [ˈʌtə] v. 说出

And I cannot teach you the prayer of the seas and the forests and the mountains.

But you who are born of the mountains and the forests and the seas can find their prayer in your heart,

And if you but listen in the stillness of the night you shall hear them saying in silence,

"Our God, who art our winged self, it is thy will in us that willeth.

art [aːt] v.（旧的用法）be的现在式

It is thy desire in us that desireth.

It is thy urge in us that would turn our nights, which are thine, into days which are thine also.

thy [ðai] adj.（旧用法）你的

thine [ðain] pron.（旧用法）你的；你们的

We cannot ask thee for aught, for thou knowest our needs before they are born in us:

Thou art our need; and in giving us more of thyself thou givest us all."

论祈祷

你们总在悲痛或需要的时候祈祷

我愿你们也在完满的欢乐中，及丰富的日子里祈祷

于是一个女冠说：请给我们谈祈祷。

他回答说：

你们总在悲痛或需要的时候祈祷，我愿你们也在完满的欢乐中，及丰富的日子里祈祷。

因为祈祷不就是你们的自我在活的“以太”中开展么？

假若向太空倾吐出你们心中的黑夜是个安慰，那么倾吐出你们心中的晓光也是个喜乐。

假若在你的灵魂命令你祈祷的时候，你只会哭泣，她也要从你的哭泣中反复地鼓励你，直到你笑悦为止。

在你祈祷的时候，你超凡高举，在空中你遇到了那些和你在同一时辰祈祷的人，除了那些祈祷时辰之外，你不会遇到他们。

那么，让你那冥冥的殿宇的朝拜，只算个欢乐及甜柔的聚会吧。

因为假如你进入殿宇，除了请求之外，没有别的目的，你将不能被接受；

假如你进入殿宇，只为要卑屈自己，你也并不被提高；

甚至于你进入殿宇，只为他人求福，你也不被嘉纳。

只要你进到了那冥冥的殿宇，那就够了。

我不能教给你们怎样用语言祈祷。

除了他借着你的嘴唇说出的它自己的言语之外，上帝不垂听你的言语。

而且我也不能传授给你那大海、丛林和群山的祈祷。

但是你们生长在群山、丛林和大海之中的人，能在你们心中默会他们的祈祷。

假如你在夜的肃默中倾听，你会听见它们在严静中说：

“我们自己的‘高我’的上帝，你的意志就是我们的意志。

你的愿望就是我们的愿望。

你的神力转移了你赐给我们的黑夜，成为白日。

我们不能向你求什么，因为在我们起念之前，你已知道了我们的需要：

你是我们的需要；在你把自己已赐予我们的时候，你把一切都赐给我们了。”

On Pleasure

Then a hermit, who visited the city once a year, came forth and said, "Speak to us of Pleasure."

hermit [ˈhəːmit] n. 隐士

And he answered, saying:

Pleasure is a freedom song,

But it is not freedom.

It is the blossoming of your desires,

blossom [ˈblɔsəm] v. 开花

But it is not their fruit.

It is a depth calling unto a height,

But it is not the deep nor the high.

It is the caged taking wing,

cage [keidʒ] v. 关入笼中

But it is not space encompassed.

Ay, in very truth, pleasure is a freedom-song.

And I fain would have you sing it with fullness of heart; yet I would not have you lose your hearts in the singing.

fain [fein] adv. 宁愿

Some of your youth seek pleasure as if it were all, and they are judged and rebuked.

rebuke [riˈbjuːk] v. 指责

I would not judge nor rebuke them. I would have them seek.

For they shall find pleasure, but not her alone:

Seven are her sisters, and the least of them is more beautiful than pleasure.

Have you not heard of the man who was digging in the earth for roots and found a treasure?

And some of your elders remember pleasures with regret like wrongs committed in drunkenness.

But regret is the beclouding of the mind and not its chastisement.

becloud [biˈclaud] v. 遮蔽

chastisement [tʃæsˈtaizmənt] n. 惩罚

They should remember their pleasures with gratitude, as they would the harvest of a summer.

Yet if it comforts them to regret, let them be comforted.

comfort [ˈkʌmfət] v. 安慰

And there are among you those who are neither young to seek nor old to remember;

And in their fear of seeking and remembering they shun all pleasures, lest they neglect the spirit or offend against it.

shun [jʌn] v. 避免

neglect [niˈglekt] v. 疏忽

But even in their foregoing is their pleasure.

forego [fɔːˈgəu] v. 放弃

And thus they too find a treasure though they dig for roots with quivering hands.

quiver [ˈkwivə] v. 颤抖

But tell me, who is he that can offend the spirit?

Shall the nightingale offend the stillness of the night, or the firefly the stars?

nightingale [ˈnaitiŋgeil] n. 夜莺

firefly [ˈfaiəflai] n. 萤火虫

And shall your flame or your smoke burden the wind?

Think you the spirit is a still pool which you can trouble with a staff?

Oftentimes in denying yourself pleasure you do but store the desire in the recesses of your being.

recess [riˈses] n. 隐蔽处

Who knows but that which seems omitted today, waits for tomorrow?

omit [əuˈmit] v. 遗漏

Even your body knows its heritage and its rightful need and will not be deceived.

heritage [ˈheritidʒ] n. 继承物

And your body is the harp of your soul,

And it is yours to bring forth sweet music from it or confused sounds.

And now you ask in your heart, "How shall we distinguish that which is good in pleasure from that which is not good?"

Go to your fields and your gardens, and you shall learn that it is the pleasure of the bee to gather honey of the flower,

But it is also the pleasure of the flower to yield its honey to the bee.

yield [jiːld] v. 供给

For to the bee a flower is a fountain of life,

And to the flower a bee is a messenger of love,

And to both, bee and flower, the giving and the receiving of pleasure is a need and an ecstasy.

ecstasy [ˈekstəsi] n. 狂喜

People of Orphalese, be in your pleasures like the flowers and the bees.

论逸乐

对于蜜蜂，花是他生命的泉源

对于花，蜂蜜是他恋爱的使者

对于蜂和花，两下里，娱乐的接受是一种需要与欢乐

于是有个每年进城一次的隐士，走上前来说：给我们谈逸乐。

他回答说：

逸乐是一阕自由的歌，

却不是自由。

是你的愿望开出的花朵，

却不是结下的果实。

是从深处到高处的招呼，

却不是深，也不是高。

是闭在笼中的翅翼，

却不是被围绕住的太空。

噫，实话说，逸乐只是一阕自由的歌。

我意你们全心全意地歌唱，我却不愿你们在歌唱中迷恋。

你们中间有些年轻的人，寻求逸乐，似乎这便是世上的一切，他们已被裁判、被谴责了？

我不要裁判、谴责他们，我要他们去寻求。

因为他们必会寻到逸乐，但不止找到她一个人；

她有七个姊妹，最小的比逸乐还娇媚。

你们没听见过有人因要挖掘树根却发现了宝藏么？

你们中间有些老人，想起逸乐时总带些懊悔，如同想起醉中所犯的过失。

然而懊悔只是心灵的蒙蔽，而不是心灵的惩罚。

他们想起逸乐时应当带着感谢，如同秋收对于夏季的感谢。

但是假如懊悔能予他们以安慰，就让他们得安慰吧。

你们中间有的不是寻求的青年人，也不是追忆的老年人；

在他们畏惧寻求与追忆之中，他们远离一切的逸乐，他们深恐疏远了或触犯了心灵。

然他们的放弃，就是逸乐了。

这样，他们虽用震颤的手挖掘树根，他们也找到宝藏了。

告诉我，谁能触犯心灵呢？

夜莺能触犯夜的静默么，萤火能触犯星辰么？

你们的火焰和烟气能使风觉得负载么？

你们想心灵是一池止水，你能用竿子去搅拨他么？

常常在你拒绝逸乐的时候，你只是把欲望收藏在你心身的隐处。

谁知道在今日似乎避免了的事情，等到明日不会再浮现呢？

连你的身体都知道他的遗传和正当的需要，而不肯被欺骗。

你的身体是你灵魂的琴，

无论他发出甜柔的音乐或嘈杂的声响，那都是你的。

现在你们在心中自问：“我们如何辨别逸乐中的善与不善呢？”

到你的田野与花园里去，你就知道在花中采蜜是蜜蜂的娱乐，

但是，将蜜汁送给蜜也是花的娱乐。

因为对于蜜蜂，花是它生命的泉源，

对于花，蜜蜂是它恋爱的使者，

对于蜂和花，两下里，娱乐的接受是一种需要与欢乐。

阿法利斯的民众呵，在娱乐中你们应当像花朵与蜜蜂。

On Beauty

And a poet said, "Speak to us of Beauty."

Where shall you seek beauty, and how shall you find her unless she herself be your way and your guide?

And how shall you speak of her except she be the weaver of your speech?

The aggrieved and the injured say, "Beauty is kind and gentle.

aggrieve [əˈgriːv] v. 侵害

Like a young mother half-shy of her own glory she walks among us."

glory [ˈglɔːri] n. 光荣

And the passionate say, "Nay, beauty is a thing of might and dread.

passionate [ˈpæʃənit] adj. 热情的

Like the tempest she shakes the earth beneath us and the sky above us."

The tired and the weary say, "Beauty is of soft whisperings. She speaks in our spirit.

whisper [ˈwispə] v. 低语

Her voice yields to our silences like a faint light that quivers in fear of the shadow."

But the restless say, "We have heard her shouting among the mountains,

restless [ˈrestləs] adj. 不安宁的

And with her cries came the sound of hoofs, and the beating of wings and the roaring of lions."

hoof [huːf] n.（牛、马等之）蹄

At night the watchmen of the city say, "Beauty shall rise with the dawn from the east."

And at noontide the toilers and the wayfarers say, "we have seen her leaning over the earth from the windows of the sunset."

In winter say the snow-bound, "She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hills."

leap [liːp] v. 跳

And in the summer heat the reapers say, "We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves, and we saw a drift of snow in her hair."

drift [drift] n. 堆积物(如雪、沙等)

All these things have you said of beauty,

Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,

And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy,

It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,

stretch [stretʃ] v. 伸展

But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.

enflame [inˈfleim] v. 焚烧

enchant [inˈtʃɑːnt] v. 迷醉

It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear,

But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.

It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw,

sap [sæp] n. 树液

furrow [ˈfʌrəu] v. 犁

bark [bɑːk] n. 树皮

But rather a garden for ever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.

People of Orphalese, beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.

But you are life and you are the veil.

Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.

eternity [iˈtəːniti] n. 永恒

But you are eternity and your are the mirror.

论　美

美是永生揽镜自照

但你就是永生，你也是镜子

于是一个诗人说：请给我们谈美。

他回答说：

你们到哪里追求美，除了她自己作了你的道路，引导着你之外，你如何能找着她呢？

除了她做了你的言语的编造者之外，你如何能谈论她呢？

冤抑的、受伤的人说：“美是仁爱的，和柔的，

如同一位年轻的母亲，在她自己的光荣中半含着羞涩，在我们中间行走。”

热情的人说：“不，美是一种全能的可畏的东西。

暴风似的，撼摇了上天下地。”

疲乏的，忧苦的人说“美是温柔的微语，在我们心灵中说话。

她的声音传达到我们的寂静中，如同微晕的光，在阴影的恐惧中颤动。”

烦躁的人却说：“我们听见他在万山中叫号，

与她的呼声俱来的，有兽蹄之声，振翼之音，与狮子之吼。”

在夜里守城的人说：“美要与晓暾从东方一齐升起。”

在日中的时候，工人和旅客说：“我们曾看见她凭倚在落日的窗户上俯视大地。”

在冬日，阻雪的人说：“她要和春天一同来临，跳跃于山峰之上。”

在夏日的炎热里，刈者说：“我们曾看见她与秋叶一同跳舞，我们也看见她的发中有一堆白雪。”

这些都是你们关于美的谈说，

实际上，你却不是谈她，只是谈着你那未曾满足的需要，

美不是一种需要，只是一种欢乐，

她不是干渴的口，也不是伸出的空虚的手，

却是发焰的心，陶醉的灵魂。

她不是那你能看见的形象，能听到的歌声，

却是你虽闭目时也能看见的形象，虽掩耳时也能听见的歌声。

她不是犁痕下树皮中的液汁，也不是结系在兽爪间的禽鸟，

她是一座永远开花的花园，一群永远飞翔的天使。

阿法利斯的民众呵，在生命揭露圣洁的面容的时候的美，就是生命。

但你就是生命，你也是面纱。

美是永生揽镜自照。

但你就是永生，你也是镜子。

On Religion

And an old priest said, "Speak to us of Religion."

And he said:

Have I spoken this day of aught else?

Is not religion all deeds and all reflection,

reflection [riˈflekʃən] n. 反射

And that which is neither deed nor reflection, but a wonder and a surprise ever springing in the soul, even while the hands hew the stone or tend the loom?

hew [hjuː] v. 砍；劈

Who can separate his faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?

occupation [ˌɔkjuˈpeiʃən] n. 职业

Who can spread his hours before him, saying, "This for God and this for myself; This for my soul, and this other for my body?"

All your hours are wings that beat through space from self to self.

He who wears his morality but as his best garment were better naked.

morality [məˈræliti] n. 道德

The wind and the sun will tear no holes in his skin.

And he who defines his conduct by ethics imprisons his song-bird in a cage.

define [diˈfain] v. 定范围

ethic [ˈeθik] n. 伦理

The freest song comes not through bars and wires.

And he to whom worshipping is a window, to open but also to shut, has not yet visited the house of his soul whose windows are from dawn to dawn.

Your daily life is your temple and your religion.

Whenever you enter into it take with you your all.

Take the plough and the forge and the mallet and the lute,

forge [fɔːdʒ] n. 铁炉

mallet [ˈmælit] n. 木槌

The things you have fashioned in necessity or for delight.

delight [diˈlait] n. 乐趣

For in revery you cannot rise above your achievements nor fall lower than your failures.

revery [ˈrevəri] n. 幻想

And take with you all men:

For in adoration you cannot fly higher than their hopes nor humble yourself lower than their despair.

adoration [ˌædəˈreiʃən] n. 崇拜

humble [ˈhʌmbəl] v. 使卑下

And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.

solver [ˈsɔlvə] n. 解决者

riddle [ˈridl] n. 谜

Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.

And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstretching His arms in the lightning and descending in rain.

descend [diˈsend] v. 下来

You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees.

论宗教

你的日常生活，就是你的殿宇，你的宗教

何时你进去，把你的一切都带了去

于是一个老道人说：请给我们谈宗教。

他说：

这一天中我曾谈了别的么？

宗教岂不是一切的功德，一切的反省，

或者那不是功德，也不是反省，只是在凿石或织布时，灵魂中永远涌溢的一种叹异、一阵惊讶么？

谁能把他的信心和行为分开，把他的信仰和事业分开呢？

谁能把时间展现在面前，说“这时间是为上帝的，那时间是为我自己的；这时间是为我灵魂的，那时间是为我肉体的”呢？

你的一切光阴都是那在太空中鼓动的翅翼，从自我飞到自我。

那穿上“道德”，只如同穿上他的最美的衣服的人，还不如赤裸着，

太阳和风不会把他的皮肤裂成洞孔。

那把他的举止范定在伦理之内的，是把善鸣之鸟囚在笼里。

最自由的歌声，不是从竹木弦线上发出的。

那以“礼拜”为窗户的人，开启而又关上，他还没有探访到他心灵之宫，那里的窗户是天天开启的。

你的日常生活，就是你的殿宇，你的宗教。

何时你进去，把你的一切都带了去。

带着犁耙和铁炉，木槌和琵琶，

这些你为着需要或怡情而制造的物件。

因为在梦幻中，你不能超升到比你的成就还高，也不至于坠落到比你的失败还低。

你也要把一切的人都带着：

因为在钦慕上，你不能飞跃得比他们的希望还高，也不能卑屈得比他们的失望还低。

假如你要认识上帝，就不要做一个解谜的人。

不如举目四望，你将看见他同你的孩子们游戏。

也观看太空；你要看见他在云中行走，在电中伸臂，在雨中降临。

你将看见他在花中微笑，在树中举着他的手摇动着。

On Death

Then Almitra spoke, saying, "We would ask now of Death."

And he said:

You would know the secret of death.

But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life?

The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light.

owl [aul] n. 猫头鹰

unveil [ʌnˈveil] v. 看见

If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life.

behold [biˈhəuld] v. 看见

For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.

In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond;

And like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring.

Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity.

eternity [iˈtəːniti] n. 永恒

Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to he laid upon him in honour.

tremble [ˈtrembl] v. 颤抖

shepherd [ˈʃepəd] n. 牧人

Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king?

Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?

mindful [ˈmaindfəl] adj. 留神的

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?

melt [melt] v. 融化

And what is to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?

unencumber [ˌʌninˈkʌmbə] v. 无阻碍

Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.

And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.

And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

论　死

只在大地索取你们的四肢时

你们才真正地跳舞

于是爱尔美差开口了，说：现在我们愿意问“死”。

他说：

你愿知道死的奥秘。

但是除了在生命的心中寻求以外，你们怎能寻见呢？

那夜中张目的枭鸟，它的眼睛在白昼是盲瞎的，不能揭露光明的神秘。

假如你真要瞻望死的灵魂，你当对生的肉体大大地开展你的心。

因为生和死是一件事，如同江河与海洋也是一件事。

在你的希望和愿欲的深处，隐藏着你对于来生的默识；

如同种子在雪下梦想，你们的心也在梦想着春天。

信赖一切的梦境吧，因为在那里面隐藏着永生之门。

你们的怕死，只是像一个牧人，当他站在国王的座前，被御手恩抚时的战栗。

在战栗之下，牧人岂不因为他身上已有了国王的手迹而喜悦么？

可是，他岂不更注意到他自己的战栗么？

除了在风中裸立、在日下消融之外，“死”还是什么呢？

除了把呼吸从不息的潮汐中解放，使他上升、扩大，无碍地寻求上帝之外，“气绝”又是什么呢？

只在你们从沉默的河中啜饮时，才真能歌唱。

只在你们达到山巅时，你们才开始攀援。

只在大地索取你们的四肢时，你们才真正地跳舞。

The Farewell

And now it was evening.

And Almitra the seeress said, "Blessed be this day and this place and your spirit that has spoken."

seeress [ˈsiəris] n. 女预言家

And he answered, Was it I who spoke? Was I not also a listener?

Then he descended the steps of the Temple and all the people followed him. And he reached his ship and stood upon the deck.

And facing the people again, he raised his voice and said:

People of Orphalese, the wind bids me leave you.

bid [bid] v. 命令

Less hasty am I than the wind, yet I must go.

hasty [ˈheisti] adj. 迅速的

We wanderers, ever seeking the lonelier way, begin no day where we have ended another day; and no sunrise finds us where sunset left us.

Even while the earth sleeps we travel.

We are the seeds of the tenacious plant, and it is in our ripeness and our fullness of heart that we are given to the wind and are scattered.

tenacious [tiˈneiʃəs] adj. 坚韧的

ripeness [ˈraipənis] n. 成熟

Brief were my days among you, and briefer still the words I have spoken.

But should my voice fade in your ears, and my love vanish in your memory, then I will come again,

fade [feid] v. 消失

vanish [ˈvæniʃ] v. 消失

And with a richer heart and lips more yielding to the spirit will I speak.

Yea, I shall return with the tide,

And though death may hide me, and the greater silence enfold me, yet again will I seek your understanding.

enfold [inˈfəuld] v. 包裹

And not in vain will I seek.

vain [vein] n. 徒劳

If aught I have said is truth, that truth shall reveal itself in a clearer voice, and in words more kin to your thoughts.

kin [kin] n. 族人

I go with the wind, people of Orphalese, but not down into emptiness;

And if this day is not a fulfillment of your needs and my love, then let it be a promise till another day.

Man's needs change, but not his love, nor his desire that his love should satisfy his needs.

Know therefore, that from the greater silence I shall return.

The mist that drifts away at dawn, leaving but dew in the fields, shall rise and gather into a cloud and then fall down in rain.

And not unlike the mist have I been.

In the stillness of the night I have walked in your streets, and my spirit has entered your houses,

stillness [ˈstilnis] n. 寂寞

And your heart-beats were in my heart, and your breath was upon my face, and I knew you all.

Ay, I knew your joy and your pain, and in your sleep your dreams were my dreams.

And oftentimes I was among you a lake among the mountains.

I mirrored the summits in you and the bending slopes, and even the passing flocks of your thoughts and your desires.

mirror [ˈmirə] v. 映出

bend [bend] v. 使弯曲

slope [sləup] n. 斜坡

flock [flɔk] n. 一群

And to my silence came the laughter of your children in streams, and the longing of your youths in rivers.

And when they reached my depth the streams and the rivers ceased not yet to sing.

But sweeter still than laughter and greater than longing came to me.

It was boundless in you;

boundless [ˈbaundlis] n. 无穷性

The vast man in whom you are all but cells and sinews;

sinew [ˈsinjuː] n. 肌腱

He in whose chant all your singing is but a soundless throbbing.

throb [θrɔb] v. 颤动

It is in the vast man that you are vast,

And in beholding him that I beheld you and loved you.

For what distances can love reach that are not in that vast sphere?

What visions, what expectations and what presumptions can outsoar that flight?

presumption [priˈzʌmpʃən] n. 假定

outsoar [autˈsɔː] v. 高飞

Like a giant oak tree covered with apple blossoms is the vast man in you.

His mind binds you to the earth, his fragrance lifts you into space, and in his durability you are deathless.

Durability [ˌdjuərəˈbiliti] n. 持久

You have been told that, even like a chain, you are as weak as your weakest link.

This is but half the truth. You are also as strong as your strongest link.

To measure you by your smallest deed is to reckon the power of ocean by the frailty of its foam.

reckon [ˈrekən] v. 计算

frailty [ˈfreilti] n. 柔弱

To judge you by your failures is to cast blame upon the seasons for their inconsistency.

cast [kɑːst] v. 投;掷

inconsistency [ˌinkənˈsistənsi] n. 可变

Ay, you are like an ocean,

And though heavy-grounded ships await the tide upon your shores, yet, even like an ocean, you cannot hasten your tides.

And like the seasons you are also,

And though in your winter you deny your spring,

Yet spring, reposing within you, smiles in her drowsiness and is not offended.

repose [riˈpəuz] v. 睡眠

drowsiness [ˈdrauzinis] n. 昏睡

Think not I say these things in order that you may say the one to the other, "He praised us well. He saw but the good in us."

I only speak to you in words of that which you yourselves know in thought.

And what is word knowledge but a shadow of wordless knowledge?

Your thoughts and my words are waves from a sealed memory that keeps records of our yesterdays,

And of the ancient days when the earth knew not us nor herself,

And of nights when earth was upwrought with confusion,

upwork [ʌpˈwəːk] v. (upwrought) 造成

confusion [kənˈfjuːʒən] n. 混乱

Wise men have come to you to give you of their wisdom. I came to take of your wisdom:

And behold I have found that which is greater than wisdom:

It is a flame spirit in you ever gathering more of itself,

While you, heedless of its expansion, bewail the withering of your days.

heedless [ˈhiːdlis] adj. 不注意的

bewail [biˈweil] v. 哀伤

wither [ˈwiðə] v. 枯萎

It is life in quest of life in bodies that fear the grave.

There are no graves here.

These mountains and plains are a cradle and a stepping-stone.

cradle [ˈkrædl] n. 摇篮

Whenever you pass by the field where you have laid your ancestors look well thereupon, and you shall see yourselves and your children dancing hand in hand.

Verily you often make merry without knowing.

merry [ˈmeri] n. 欢乐

Others have come to you to whom for golden promises made unto your faith you have given but riches and power and glory.

glory [ˈglɔːri] n. 光荣

Less than a promise have I given, and yet more generous have you been to me.

generous [ˈdʒenərəs] adj. 慷慨的

You have given me deeper thirsting after life.

Surely there is no greater gift to a man than that which turns all his aims into parching lips and all life into a fountain.

parch [pɑːtʃ] v. 使焦干

fountain [ˈfauntin] n. 喷泉

And in this lies my honour and my reward—

That whenever I come to the fountain to drink I find the living water itself thirsty;

And it drinks me while I drink it.

Some of you have deemed me proud and over-shy to receive gifts.

Too proud indeed am I to receive wages, but not gifts.

wage [weidʒ] n. 酬金

And though I have eaten berries among the hill when you would have had me sit at your board,

And slept in the portico of the temple where you would gladly have sheltered me,

portico [ˈpɔːtikəu] n. 柱廊

Yet was it not your loving mindfulness of my days and my nights that made food sweet to my mouth and girdled my sleep with visions?

girdle [ˈgəːdl] v. 围绕

For this I bless you most:

You give much and know not that you give at all.

Verily the kindness that gazes upon itself in a mirror turns to stone,

gaze [geiz] v. 注视

And a good deed that calls itself by tender names becomes the parent to a curse.

curse [kəːs] v. 诅咒

And some of you have called me aloof, and drunk with my own aloneness,

aloof [əˈluːf] adj. 远离的

And you have said, "He holds council with the trees of the forest, but not with men.

council [ˈkaunsil] n. 会议

He sits alone on hill-tops and looks down upon our city."

True it is that I have climbed the hills and walked in remote places.

How could I have seen you save from a great height or a great distance?

How can one be indeed near unless he be far?

And others among you called unto me, not in words, and they said,

"Stranger, stranger, lover of unreachable heights, why dwell you among the summits where eagles build their nests?

Why seek you the unattainable?

unattainable [ʌnəˈteinəbl] adj. 不能达到的

What storms would you trap in your net,

trap [træp] v. 诱捕

And what vaporous birds do you hunt in the sky?

vaporous [ˈveipərəs] adj. 虚幻的

Come and be one of us.

Descend and appease your hunger with our bread and quench your thirst with our wine."

appease [əˈpiːz] v. 满足

quench [kentʃ] v. 解（渴）

In the solitude of their souls they said these things;

solitude [ˈsɔlitjuːd] n. 孤独

But were their solitude deeper they would have known that I sought but the secret of your joy and your pain,

And I hunted only your larger selves that walk the sky.

But the hunter was also the hunted:

For many of my arrows left my bow only to seek my own breast.

And the flier was also the creeper;

creeper [ˈkriːpə] n. 爬行者

For when my wings were spread in the sun their shadow upon the earth was a turtle.

turtle [ˈtəːtl] n. 龟

And I the believer was also the doubter;

For often have I put my finger in my own wound that I might have the greater belief in you and the greater knowledge of you.

And it is with this belief and this knowledge that I say,

You are not enclosed within your bodies, nor confined to houses or fields.

That which is you dwells above the mountain and roves with the wind.

rove [rəuv] v. 漫游

It is not a thing that crawls into the sun for warmth or digs holes into darkness for safety,

crawl [krɔːl] v. 匍匐而行

But a thing free, a spirit that envelops the earth and moves in the ether.

envelop [inˈveləp] v. 包围

If this be vague words, then seek not to clear them.

vague [veig] adj. 模糊的

Vague and nebulous is the beginning of all things, but not their end,

nebulous [ˈnebjuləs] adj. 含糊的

And I fain would have you remember me as a beginning.

Life, and all that lives, is conceived in the mist and not in the crystal.

conceive [kənˈsiːv] v. 隐藏

And who knows but a crystal is mist in decay?

decay [diˈkei] n. 衰退

This would I have you remember in remembering me:

That which seems most feeble and bewildered in you is the strongest and most determined.

feeble [ˈfiːbl] adj. 虚弱的

bewilder [biˈwiktə] v. 使迷惑

Is it not your breath that has erected and hardened the structure of your bones?

erect [iˈrekt] v. 竖立

And is it not a dream which none of you remember having dreamt that building your city and fashioned all there is in it?

Could you but see the tides of that breath you would cease to see all else,

And if you could hear the whispering of the dream you would hear no other sound.

But you do not see, nor do you hear, and it is well.

The veil that clouds your eyes shall be lifted by the hands that wove it,

And the clay that fills your ears shall be pierced by those fingers that kneaded it.

pierce [piəs] v. 刺穿

knead [niːd] v. 捏制

And you shall see,

And you shall hear.

Yet you shall not deplore having known blindness, nor regret having been deaf.

deplore [diˈplɔː] v. 为…而悲伤

For in that day you shall know the hidden purposes in all things,

And you shall bless darkness as you would bless light.

After saying these things he looked about him, and he saw the pilot of his ship standing by the helm and gazing now at the full sails and now at the distance.

pilot [ˈpailət] n. 舵手

helm [helm] n. 舵

And he said:

Patient, over-patient, is the captain of my ship.

The wind blows, and restless are the sails;

Even the rudder begs direction;

rudder [ˈrʌdə] n. 舵

Yet quietly my captain awaits my silence.

And these my mariners, who have heard the choir of the greater sea, they too have heard me patiently.

choir [ˈkwaiə] n. 合唱团

Now they shall wait no longer.

I am ready.

The stream has reached the sea, and once more the great mother holds her son against her breast.

Fare you well, people of Orphalese.

This day has ended.

It is closing upon us even as the water-lily upon its own tomorrow.

water-lily [ˈwʌtəˌlili] n. 莲花

What was given us here we shall keep,

And if it suffices not, then again must we come together and together stretch our hands unto the giver.

suffice [səˈfais] v. 足够

stretch [stretʃ] v. 伸展

Forget not that I shall come back to you.

A little while, and my longing shall gather dust and foam for another body.

foam [fəum] n. 泡沫

A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me.

bear [bɛə] v. 生(孩子)

Farewell to you and the youth I have spent with you.

It was but yesterday we met in a dream.

You have sung to me in my aloneness, and I of your longings have built a tower in the sky.

But now our sleep has fled and our dream is over, and it is no longer dawn.

flee [fliː] v. (fled)逃离

The noontide is upon us and our half waking has turned to fuller day, and we must part.

If in the twilight of memory we should meet once more, we shall speak again together and you shall sing to me a deeper song.

And if our hands should meet in another dream, we shall build another tower in the sky.

So saying he made a signal to the seamen, and straightaway they weighed anchor and cast the ship loose from its moorings, and they moved eastward.

signal [ˈsignəl] n. 信号

mooring [ˈmuəriη] n. 系泊处

And a cry came from the people as from a single heart, and it rose the dusk and was carried out over the sea like a great trumpeting.

trumpet [ˈtrʌmpit] v. 以号音宣布

Only Almitra was silent, gazing after the ship until it had vanished into the mist.

And when all the people were dispersed she still stood alone upon the sea-wall, remembering in her heart his saying,

"A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me."

言　别

除了相远之外，人们怎能相近呢

我所要网罗的，只是你们的喜乐和哀痛的奥秘

现在已是黄昏了。

于是那女预言者爱尔美差说：愿这一日，这地方，与你讲说的心灵都蒙福佑。

他回答说，说那话的是我么？我不也是一个听者么？

他走下殿阶，一切的人都跟着他，他上了船，站在舱面。

转面向着大众，他提高了声音说：

阿法利斯的民众呵，风命令我离开你们了。

我虽不像风那般的迅急，我也必须去了。

我们这些飘泊者，永远地寻求更寂寞的道路，我们不在安歇的时间和地点起程，朝阳与落日也不在同一地方看见我们。

大地在睡眠中时，我们仍是行路。

我们是那坚牢植物的种子，在我们的心成熟丰满的时候，就交给大风纷纷吹散。

我在你们中间的日子是很短促的，而我所说的话是更短了。

但等到我的声音在你们的耳中模糊，我的爱在你们的记忆中消灭的时候，我要重来，

我要以更丰满的心，更受灵感的唇说话。

是的，我要随着潮水归来，

虽然死要遮藏我，更大的沉默要包围我，我却仍要寻求你们的了解。

而且我这寻求不是徒然的。

假如我所说的都是真理，这真理要在更清澈的声音中、更明白的言语里，显示出来。

阿法利斯的民众呵，我将与风同去，却不是坠入虚空；

假如这一天不是你们的需要和我的爱的满足，那就让这个算是一个应许，直到践言的一天。

人的需要会变换，但他的爱是不变的，他的“爱必须满足需要”的愿望，也是不变的。

所以你要知道，我将在更大的沉默中归来。

那在晓光中消散，只留下露水在田间的烟雾，是要上升凝聚在云中，化雨下降。

我也未尝不像这烟雾。

在夜的寂静中，我曾在你们的街市上行走，我的心魂曾进入你们的院宅，

你们的心搏曾在我的心中，你们的呼吸曾在我的脸上，我都认识你们。

是的，我知道你们的喜乐与哀痛，在你们的睡眠中，你们的梦就是我的梦。

我在你们中间常像山间的湖水。

我照见了你们的高峰与峭崖，以及你们思想与愿望的徘徊的云影。

你们的孩子的欢笑，你们的青年的想望，都溪泉似的流到我寂静之中。

当它流入我心中深处的时候，这溪泉仍是不停地歌唱。

但还有比欢笑更甜柔，比想慕还伟大的东西流到。

那是你们身中的“无穷性”；

你们在这“巨人”里面，都不过是血脉与筋腱，

在他的吟诵中，你们的歌音只不过是无声的颤动。

只因为在这巨人里，你们才伟大，

我因为关心他，才关心你们，怜爱你们。

因为若不是在这阔大的空间里，“爱”能达到多远呢？

有什么幻像、什么期望、什么臆断能够无碍地高翔呢？

在你们本性中的巨人，如同一株缘满苹花的大橡树。

他的神力把你缠系在地上，他的香气把你超升入高空，在他的“永存”之中，你永不死。

你们曾听说过，像一条锁链，你们是脆弱的链环中最脆弱的一环。

但这不完全是真的。你也是坚牢的链环中最坚牢的一环。

以你最小的事功来衡量你，如同以柔弱的泡沫，来核计大海的威权。

以你的失败来论断你，就是怨责四季之常变。

是呵，你们是像大海，

那重载的船舶，停在你的岸边待潮。你们虽似大海，也不能催促你的潮水。

你们也像四季，

虽然在你们冬天的时候，你们拒绝了春日，

你们的春日，和你们一同静息，她在睡中微笑，并不怨嗔。

不要想我说这话是要使你们彼此说：“他夸奖得好，他只看见我们的好处。”

我不过用言语说出你们意念中所知道的事情。

言语的知识不只是无言的知识的影子么？

你们的意念和我的言语，都是从封缄的记忆里来的波浪，这记忆是保存下来的我们的昨日，

也是大地还不认识我们也不认识她自己、正在混沌中受造的太古的白日和黑夜的记录。

哲人们曾来过，将他们的智慧给你们。我来却是领取你们的智慧：

要知道我找到了比智慧更伟大的东西。

那就是你们心里愈聚愈旺的火焰似的心灵，

你却不关心他的发展，只哀悼你岁月的凋残。

那是生命在宇宙的大生命中寻求扩大，而躯壳却在恐惧坟墓。

这里没有坟墓。

这些山岭和平原只是摇篮和垫脚石，

无论何时你从祖宗坟墓上走过，你若留意，你就会看见你们自己和子女们在那里携手跳舞。

真的，你们常在不知晓中作乐。

别人曾来到这里，为了他们在你们信仰上的黄金般的应许，你们所付与的只是财富、权力与光荣。

我所给予的还不及应许，而你们待我却更慷慨。

你们将生命的更深的渴求给予了我。

真的，对那把一切目的变作枯唇，把一切生命变作泉水的人，没有比这个更大的礼物了。

这便是我的荣誉和报酬——

当我到泉边饮水的时候，我觉得那流水也在渴着；

我饮水的时候，水也饮我。

你们中有人责备我在领受礼物上是太狷傲、太羞怯了。

在领受劳金上我是太骄傲了，在领受礼物上却不如此。

虽然在你们请我赴席的时候，我却在山中采食浆果，

在你们款留我的时候，我却在寺院的廊下睡眠，

但岂不是你们对我的日夜的关怀，使我的饮食有味，使我的魂梦甜适么？

为此我正要祝福你们：

你们给予了许多，却不知道你们已经给予。

真的，“慈悲”自己看镜的时候，变成石像，

“善行”自赐嘉名的时候，变成了咒诅的根源。

你们中有人说我高傲，与我自己的“孤独”对饮，

你们也说过“他与山林谈论却不同人说话。

他独自坐在山巅，俯视我们的城市。”

我确曾攀登高山，孤行远地。

但除了在更高更远之处，我怎能看见你们呢？

除了相远之外，人们怎能相近呢？

还有人在沉默中对我呼唤，他们说：

“异乡人，异乡人，‘至高’的爱慕者，为什么你住在那鹰鸟作巢的山峰上呢？

为什么你要追求那不能达到的事物呢？

在你的窝巢中，你要网罗甚样的风雨，

要捕取天空中哪一种的虚幻的飞鸟呢？

加入我们吧。

你下来用我们的面包充饥，用我们的醇酒解渴吧。”

在他们灵魂的静默中，他们说了这些话；

但是他们若再静默些，他们就知道我所要网罗的，只是你们的喜乐和哀痛的奥秘，

我所要捕取的，只是你们在天空中飞行的“大我”。

但是猎者也曾是猎品：

因为从我弓上射出的箭矢，有许多只是瞄向我自己的胸膛。

并且那飞翔者也曾是爬行者；

因为我的翅翼在日下展开的时候，在地上的影儿却是一个龟鳖。

我是信仰者也曾是怀疑者；

因为我常常用手指抚触自己的伤痕，使我对你们有更大的信仰与认识。

凭着这信仰与认识，我说：

你们不是幽闭在躯壳之内，也不禁锢在房舍与田野之中。

你们的“真我”是住在云间，与风同游。

你们不是在日中匍匐取暖，在黑暗里钻穴求安的一只动物，

却是一件自由的物事，一个包涵大地在以太中运行的魂灵。

如果这是模棱的言语，就不必求把这些话弄明白。

模糊与混沌是万物的起始，却不是终结，

我愿意你们当我是个起始。

生命，和一切有生，都隐藏在烟雾里，不在水晶中。

谁知道水晶就是凝固的云雾呢？

在忆念我的时候，我愿你们记着这个：

你们心中最软弱、最迷乱的，就是那最坚强、最坚决的。

不是你的呼吸使你的骨骼竖立坚强么？

不是一个你觉得从未做过的梦，建造了你的城市，形成了城中的一切么？

你如能看见你呼吸的潮汐，你就看不见别的一切，

你如能听见那梦想的微语，你就听不见别的声音。

你看不见，也听不见，这却是好的。

那蒙在你眼上的轻纱，也要被包扎这纱的手揭去，

那塞在你耳中的泥土，也要被那填塞这土的手指戳穿。

你将要看见，

你将要听见。

你不为曾经失明而悲痛，你也不为曾经聋聩而悲悔。

因为在那时候，你要知道万物的潜隐的目的，

你要祝福黑暗与祝福光明一样。

他说完这些话，举目四顾，他看见他船上的舵工凭舵而立，凝视着那涨满的风帆，又望着无际的天末。

他说：

耐心的，我的船主是太耐心的了。

大风吹着，帆篷也烦燥了；

连船舵也急要起程；

我的船主却静候着我说完话。

我的水手们，听见了那更大的海的啸歌，他们也耐心地听着我。

现在他们能再等了。

我预备好了。

山泉已流入大海，那伟大的母亲又将她的儿子抱在胸前。

别了，阿法利斯的民众呵。

这一天完结了。

他在我们心上闭合，如同一朵莲花在她自己的“明日”上合闭一样。

在这里所付与我们的，我们要保藏起来，

如果这还不够，我们还必须重聚，齐向那给与者伸手。

不要忘了我还要回到你们这里来。

一会儿的工夫，我的“愿望”又要聚些泥土，形成另一个躯壳。

一会儿的工夫，在风中休息片刻，另一个妇人又要孕怀着我，

我向你们，和我曾在你们中度过的青春告别了。

不过是昨天，我们曾在梦中相见。

在我的孤寂中，你们曾对我歌唱，因着你们的渴慕，我曾在空中建立了一座高塔。

但现在我们的睡眠已经飞走，我们的梦想已经过去，也不是破晓的时候了。

中天的日影正照着我们，我们的半醒已变成了完满的白日，我们必须分手了。

如果在记忆的朦胧中，我们再要会见，我们再在一起谈论，你们也要对我唱更深沉的歌曲。

如果在另一梦中，我们要再握手，我们要在空中再筑一座高塔。

说着话，他向水手们挥手作势，他们立刻拔起锚儿，放开船儿，向东驶行。

从人民口里发出的同心的悲号，在尘沙中飞扬，在海面上奔越，如同号筒的声响。

只有爱尔美差静默着，凝望着，直至那船渐渐消失在烟雾之中。

大众都星散了，她仍独自站在海岸上，在她的心中忆念着他所说的：

“一会儿的工夫，在风中休息片刻，另一个妇人又要孕怀着我。”

Table of Contents

书名页

目录

The Coming of the ship

船的来临

On Love

论　爱

On Marriage

论婚姻

On Children

论孩子

On Giving

论施与

On Eating and Drinking

论饮食

On Work

论工作

On Joy ＆ Sorrow

论哀乐

On Houses

论居室

On Clothes

论衣服

On Buying ＆ Selling

论买卖

On Crime ＆ Punishment

论罪与罚

On Laws

论法律

On Freedom

论自由

On Reason ＆ Passion

论理性与热情

On Pain

论苦痛

On Self-knowledge

论自知

On Teaching

论教授

On Friendship

论友谊

On Talking

论谈话

On Time

论时光

On Good ＆ Evil

论善恶

On Prayer

论祈祷

On Pleasure

论逸乐

On Beauty

论　美

On Religion

论宗教

On Death

论　死

The Farewell

言　别