培根散文隨筆美文：OfAdversity論困厄論作僞與掩飾

培根散文隨筆集中英對照，通過閱讀文學名著學語言，是掌握英語的絕佳方法。既可接觸原汁原味的英語，又能享受文學之美，一舉兩得，何樂不爲?

　　5 Of Adversity 論困厄

It was an high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics) that the good things which belong to prosperity are to be wished; but the good things that belong to adversity are to be admired. Bona rerum secudarum optabilia; adversarum mirabilia.

“幸運底好處是應當希望的;但是厄運底好處是應當驚奇歎賞的”，這是塞奈喀仿畫廊派的高論。

Certainly if miracles be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his than the other (much too high for a heathen): It is true greatness to have in one the fragility of a man and the security of a God. Vere magnum habere fragilitaterm hominis securitatem da. This would have done better in poesy; where transcendencies are more allowed. And the poets indeed, have been busy with it; for it is, in effect, the thing which is figured in that strange fiction of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to the state of a Christian: that Hercules when he went to unbind Prometheus (by whom human nature is represented) sailed the length of the great ocean in an earthen pot or pitcher: lively describing Christian resolution; that saileth, in the frail barque of the flesh, through the waves of the world.

無疑地，如果奇蹟底意思是“超越自然”，那麼奇蹟多是在厄運中出現的。塞氏還有一句比這更高的話(這話由一個異教徒說出，幾乎是太高了)：“一個人有凡人底脆弱而又有神仙底自在無憂，那就是真正的偉大”。這句話如果是一句詩，也許更好一點，因爲在詩裏頭，高誇的說法，好象是更爲可許似的。詩人們也真的常說這句話，因爲這句話實際就是古詩人常述的那個奇談中所表現的——而這個奇談又似乎非無深義的;不特如此，它所描寫的還很有點接近_底情形呢——那就是當赫扣力斯去解放普羅密修斯的時候(普羅密修斯是象徵人性的)他坐在一個瓦盆或瓦罐裏渡過了大海。基督_肉之軀的輕舟渡過世間底波濤的決心，這故事很生動地描寫出來了。

But to speak in a virtue of prosperity is temperance; the virtue of adversity is fortitude:which in morals is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God's favour. Yet, even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David's harp, you shall hear as many hearselike airs, as carols: and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath laboured more, in describing the afflictions of Job, than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needlework, and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work, upon a lightsome ground: judge therefore, of the pleasure of the heart, by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly, virtue is like precious odours, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice; but adversity doth best discover virtue.

但是用平凡的話來說，幸運所生的德性是節制，厄運所生的德性是堅忍;在倫理上講起來，後者是更爲偉大的一種德性。幸運是《舊約》中的福祉;厄運是《新約》中的福祉;而厄運所帶來的福祉更大，所詔示的上帝底恩惠更爲明顯。然而即在《舊約》之中，如諦聽大衛底琴音，就一定可以聽見與歡頌一般多的哀歌;並且聖靈的畫筆在形容約伯底苦難上比在形容所羅門底幸福上致力得多了。幸運並非沒有許多的恐懼與煩惱;厄運也並非沒有許多的安慰與希望。 在針工與刺繡中， 我們常見，若在一片陰沉的底子上安排一種漂亮的花樣， 比在一片淺色的底子上安排一種暗鬱的花樣悅目得多; 從這眼中的樂趣上推斷心中的樂趣罷。 無疑地， 美德如名香，經燃燒或壓榨而其香愈烈，蓋幸運最能顯露惡德而厄運最能顯露美德也。