英語美文及中文翻譯賞析:Of Love
The stage is more beholding to love, than the life of man. For as to the stage, love is ever matter of comedies, and now and then of tragedies; but in life it doth much mischief; sometimes like a siren, sometimes like a fury.
舞台上的愛情生活比生活中的愛情要美好得多。因為在舞台上,愛情只是喜劇和悲劇的素材,而在人生中,愛情卻常常招來不幸。它有時象那位誘惑人的魔女(1),有時又象那位復仇的女神(2)。
You may observe, that amongst all the great and worthy persons (whereof the memory remaineth, either ancient or recent) there is not one, that hath been transported to the mad degree of love: which shows that great spirits, and great business, do keep out this weak passion. You must except, nevertheless, Marcus Antonius, the half partner of the empire of Rome, and Appius Claudius, the decemvir and lawgiver; whereof the former was indeed a voluptuous man, and inordinate; but the latter was an austere and wise man: and therefore it seems (though rarely) that love can find entrance, not only into an open heart, but also into a heart well fortified, if watch be not well kept.
你可以看到,一切真正偉大的人物(無論是古人、今人,只要是其英名永銘於人類記憶中的),沒有一個是因愛情而發狂的人。因為偉大的事業只有羅馬的`安東尼和克勞底亞是例外(3)。前者本性就好色荒淫,然而後者卻是嚴肅多謀的人。這説明愛情不僅會佔領開曠坦闊的胸懷,有時也能闖入壁壘森嚴的心靈----假如手御不嚴的話。
It is a poor saying of Epicurus, Satis magnum alter alteri theatrum sumus; as if man, made for the contemplation of heaven, and all noble objects, should do nothing but kneel before a little idol, and make himself a subject, though not of the mouth (as beasts are), yet of the eye; which was given him for higher purposes.
埃闢克拉斯(4)曾説過一句笨話:“人生不過是一座大戲台。”似乎本應努力追求高尚事業的人類,卻只應象玩偶般地逢場作戲。雖然愛情的奴隸並不同於那班只顧吃喝的禽獸,但畢竟也只是眼目色相的奴隸,而上帝賜人以眼睛本來是有更高尚的用途的。
It is a strange thing, to note the excess of this passion, and how it braves the nature, and value of things, by this; that the speaking in a perpetual hyperbole, is comely in nothing but in love. Neither is it merely in the phrase; for whereas it hath been well said, that the arch-flatterer, with whom all the petty flatterers have intelligence, is a man's self; certainly the lover is more. For there was never proud man thought so absurdly well of himself, as the lover doth of the person loved; and therefore it was well said, That it is impossible to love, and to be wise. Neither doth this weakness appear to others only, and not to the party loved; but to the loved most of all, except the love be reciproque. For it is a true rule, that love is ever rewarded, either with the reciproque, or with an inward and secret contempt.
過度的愛情追求,必然會降低人本身的價值。例如,只有在愛情中,才總是需要那種浮誇陷媚的詞令。而在其他場合,同樣的詞令只能招人恥笑。古人有一句名言: “最大的奉承,人總是留給自己的。”----只有對情人的奉承要算例外。因為甚至最驕傲的人,也甘願在情人面前自輕自賤。所以古人説得好:“就是神在愛情中也難保持聰明。”情人的這種弱點不僅在外人眼中是明顯的,就是在被追求者的眼中也會很明顯----除非她(他)也在追求他(她)。所以,愛情的代價就是如此,不能得到回愛,就會得到一種深藏於心的輕蔑,這是一條永真的定律。
By how much the more, men ought to beware of this passion, which loseth not only other things, but itself! As for the other losses, the poet's relation doth well figure them: that he that preferred Helena, quitted the gifts of Juno and Pallas. For whosoever esteemeth too much of amorous affection, quitteth both riches and wisdom.
由此可見,人們應當十分警惕這種感情。因為它不但會使人喪失其他,而且可以使人喪失自己本身。甚至其他方面的損失,古詩人早告訴我們,那追求海倫的人,是放棄了財富和智慧的(5)。
This passion hath his floods, in very times of weakness; which are great prosperity, and great adversity; though this latter hath been less observed: both which times kindle love, and make it more fervent, and therefore show it to be the child of folly. They do best, who if they cannot but admit love, yet make it keep quarters; and sever it wholly from their serious affairs, and actions, of life; for if it check once with business, it troubleth men's fortunes, and maketh men, that they can no ways be true to their own ends.
由此可見,人們應當十分警惕這種感情。因為它不但會使人喪失其他,而且可以使人喪失自己本身。甚至其他方面的損失,古詩人早告訴我們,那追求海倫的人,是放棄了財富和智慧的(5)。
I know not how, but martial men are given to love: I think, it is but as they are given to wine; for perils commonly ask to be paid in pleasures.
我不懂是什麼緣故,使許多軍人更容易墮入情網,也許這正象他們嗜愛飲酒一樣,是因為危險的生活更需要歡樂的補償。
There is in man's nature, a secret inclination and motion, towards love of others, which if it be not spent upon some one or a few, doth naturally spread itself towards many, and maketh men become humane and charitable; as it is seen sometime in friars.
人心中可能普遍具有一種博愛傾向,若不集中於某個專一的對象身上,就必然施之於更廣泛的大眾,使他成為仁善的人,象有的僧侶那樣。
Nuptial love maketh mankind; friendly love perfecteth it; but wanton love corrupteth, and embaseth it.
夫妻的愛,使人類繁衍。朋友的愛,給人以幫助。但那荒淫縱慾的愛,卻只會使人墮落毀滅啊!
附註:
(1) 古希臘神話,傳説地中海有魔女,歌喉動聽,誘使過往船隻陷入險境。
(2) 原文為“Flries”,傳説中的地獄之神。
(3) 安東尼,愷撒部將。後因迷戀女色而戰敗被殺。克勞底亞,古羅馬執政官,亦因好色而被殺。
(4) 埃闢克拉斯(前342--前270年),古羅馬哲學家。
(5) 古希臘神話,傳説天后赫拉,智慧之神密納發和美神維納斯,為爭奪金蘋果,請特洛伊王子評判。三神各許一願, 密納發許以智慧,維納斯許以美女海倫,天后許以財富。結果王子把金蘋果給了維納斯。
-
通用人生的語錄大合集58條
很多時候,我們會在身邊發現一些"悲情人物",他們有一個共同的特點,那就是雖然並不愚鈍,卻常常陷入某一絕對沒有好處的事情中不能自拔。任憑周圍的親戚、朋友如何勸説,他們總是執迷不悟,甚至還要找出很多幼稚的理由來欺騙自己,直到有一天,當他們受盡折磨,終於解脱的時候...
-
真愛朋友圈心語40句
真愛不該都用嘴表達,我在等時間告訴我真話。以下是小編為大家推薦的真愛朋友圈心語,歡迎大家分享。1、一開始,你説過,你不會離開我。而後來,我以為,你不會離開我…我想。你從未離開。只是。原來的你。已不在…2、我是否遇到了真愛不論真假我遇到了。而你呢還在一個人...
-
2023年簡潔的愛情文藝句子合集89條
每天寫首歌,記錄下我們愛情的點點滴滴。下面是小編幫大家整理的愛情文藝句子89條,一起來看一下吧。1、翻着那些依稀舊夢,時光彷彿一杯靜水,依然深刻依然可以深流。而一份心情卻與風月無關,水逝驚鴻去。每個人都在各自的世界裏有規律的起伏,卻在一個不被任何人察覺的...
-
2023年形容閨蜜的句子合集41條
下輩子做個男的,娶我這輩子最疼愛的閨蜜。下面是小編為大家收集的形容閨蜜的句子41條,供大家參考借鑑,希望可以幫助到有需要的朋友。1、我們穿一樣的衣服,我們喜歡同一個明星,我們有一樣的夢想。2、這麼多年,一個人的孤獨,從來無感。卻不曾在[20XX]年,閨蜜們陸續有了...