书城哲学穷理查智慧书
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第14章 1746年

人们常常打听,穷理查是谁?

他住在哪儿,究竟是何人?却未有人知晓。

为了满足你的好奇心,

听我道一道自己和内人。

托好心的读者和细心的妻子的福,

我颇受老天眷佑,生活无忧。

我的工作就是写作,夫人致力酿酒,

或为荒山披上绿荫。

犁沟出现在平坦的土地上,

谷仓的粮食装得满满当当。

树上的累累硕果酿成美味的甜酒,

还有那香甜的黄油和爽口的奶酪。

我们读过的书虽寥寥,

但智慧与灵感交汇之处亦令人欣喜;

美好的德行在我们眼前一览无余,

教导我们何为正派,何为真理。

真诚的朋友和老实的人们,

常与我们共度快乐时光。

我们的窗明几净,饮食节制;

大门永远对害羞的穷人敞开。

远离朋党之争,我们只爱造福大众之人。

也不盲从宗教,尽管它们蒙蔽了数代人。

不要矫枉过正,越俎代庖,

伪善谄媚的伎俩终将使良心迷失。

从不让愚蠢模糊善与恶,

那本来就模糊不清的界限;

从不莽撞行事,铤而走险,

或一头扎进那未知的黑暗深渊。

走对了路,也要步步留心;

上错了道,就毫不迟疑地驱赶囚禁心灵的魔鬼。

仔细掂量手段、动机与目的;

完善自我,或朝此方向努力。

我们有真挚的灵魂,自由美好的目标,

没有空洞的荣耀或丝毫虚伪:

若是顺利,感谢上帝;若有失足,甘受严惩;

满怀希望归隐山林,全心全意信仰上帝。

井干方知水贵。

When the Well"s dry, we know the Worth of Water.

好妻子和好身体,是男人最大的财富。

A good Wife & Health,

is a Man"s best Wealth.

好事者没有好邻居。

A quarrelsome Man has no good Neighbours.

宽松会被磨破,但过紧则会被撑破。

Wide will wear,

but Narrow will tear.

绫罗绸缎可以扑灭厨火。要让妻子息怒,最好奉上礼物。

Silks and Sattins put out the Kitchen Fire.

缺点知道自己丑陋,于是带上美丽的面具。

Vice knows she"s ugly, so puts on her Mask.

世上最容易的事,莫过于欺骗自己。

It"s the easiest Thing in the World for a Man to deceive himself.

女人和美酒,赌博和谎言,

让欲望更深,令财富减少。

Women & Wine, Game & Deceit,

Make the Wealth small and the Wants great.亲切为善的人,人人都会感激。

All Mankind are beholden to him that is kind to the Good.

站立的农夫比下跪的贵族更高。

A Plowman on his Legs is higher than a Gentleman on his Knees.

美德和幸福是母女。

Virtue and Happiness are Mother and Daughter.

慷慨的人最不在意钱,然而也最怕缺钱。

The generous Mind least regards money, and yet most feels the Want of it.

人穷百样缺。

For one poor Man there are an hundred indigent.

你热爱生命吗?那就不要浪费时间,因为时间是构成生命的材料。

Dost thou love Life? then do not squander Time; for that"s the Stuff Life is made of.

判断力如此重要,所有人都应需要。

拥有它的人很少,却没一个人想要。

Good Sense is a Thing all need, few have, and none think they want.

舌头总是碰到痛牙齿。

The Tongue is ever turning to the aching Tooth.

粗心大意比无知更有害。

Want of Care does us more Damage than Want of Knowledge.

凡人若是勇敢,死神也没法把你从这个世界带走。

Take Courage, Mortal; Death can"t banish thee out of the Universe.

批评听来刺耳,因为说的是真话。忠言逆耳。

The Sting of a Reproach, is the Truth of it.

偶尔说不,亦是帮助。

Do me the Favour to deny me at once.

过于卖弄智慧就是最大的愚蠢。

The most exquisite Folly is made of Wisdom spun too fine.

休闲的生活和懒散的生活不可混为一谈。

A life of leisure, and a life of laziness, are two things.疯国王条约制不住,

疯公牛用绳拴不住。

Mad Kings and mad Bulls, are not to be held by treaties &

packthread.

换床治不好发烧,换国变不出好管家。

Changing Countries or Beds, cures neither a bad Manager, nor a Fever.

对卑微者不践踏,对权贵不献媚,这样的人才是真正的伟人。

A true great Man will neither trample on a Worm, nor sneak to an Emperor.

提姆人不错,但不适合布道;

他的锯子也挺好,但不能用来刮脸。人和物都应各适其所适。

Tim and his Handsaw are good in their Place,

Tho" not fit for preaching or shaving a face.

假装好客的人虽开门迎宾,却不肯露面。

HalfHospitality opens his Doors and shuts up his Countenance.