培根經典散文雙語

弗朗西斯·培根是英國文藝復興時期最重要的散文家、哲學家。他不但在文學、哲學上多有建樹，在自然科學領域裏，也取得了重大成就。他的第一部重要著作《隨筆》最初發表於1597年，以後又逐年增補。該書文筆言簡意賅、智睿奪目，它包含許多洞察秋毫的經驗之談，其中不僅論及政治而且還探討許多人生哲理。下面本站小編爲大家帶來培根經典散文雙語，希望大家喜歡!

　培根經典散文雙語：論敏捷

Affected dispatch is one of the most dangerous things to business that can be. It is like that, which the physicians call predigestion, or hasty digestion; which is sure to fill the body full of crudities, and secret seeds of diseases. Therefore, measure not dispatch by the times of sitting, but by the advancement of the business.

過於求速是作事上最大的危險之一。它有如醫家所謂的“前消化”或過速消化一樣，一定會使人體中滿含酸液與各種難察的病根的。因此，不可以作事底時間之多寡爲敏捷底標準而當以事業進展之程度爲標準。

And as in races, it is not the large stride, or high lift, that makes the speed: so in business, the keeping close to the matter, and not taking of it too much at once, procureth dispatch. It is the care of some, only to come off speedily for the time; or to contrive some false periods of business, because they may seem men of dispatch.

譬如在賽跑中，速度並不靠步武之大與舉足之高;同此，在事業上，達到敏捷的方法在乎專心治事而不在一次包攬許多事務也。有些人一心只要顯露自己能在短時期內做許多事;或者把未辦完的事設法掩飾成了結的樣子，以圖外表上顯出他們是敏捷的人。

But it is one thing, to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off: and business so handled at several sittings or meetings, goeth commonly backward and forward, in an unsteady manner. I knew a wise man, that had it for a by-word, when he saw men hasten to a conclusion; Stay a little, that we may make an end the sooner.

然而以緊密的手段縮短作事的時間爲一事，以省略的手段縮短時間爲又一事也。類此，以數次會議辦理的事務常是往返多次，無固定的處理之方者也。我認得一位智者，他在看見人家急欲達到一個決議的時候，常有一句成語，就是，“稍待一會，如此我們就可以早點完事了”。

On the other side, true dispatch is a rich thing. For time is the measure of business, as money is of wares: and business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch. The Spartans, and Spaniards, have been noted to be of small dispatch; Mi venga la muerta de Spagna;

在另一方面，真正的敏捷是一件很有價值的事。因爲時間是衡量事業的標準，一如金錢是衡量貨物的標準;所以在作事不敏捷的時候，那事業底代價一定是很高的。斯巴達人和西班牙人曾以遲緩著名;“讓我底死亡來自西班牙”;

Let my death come from Spain; for then it will be sure to be long in good hearing to those that give the first information in business; and rather direct them in the beginning, than interrupt them in the continuance of their speeches: for he that is put out of his own order, will go forward and backward, and be more tedious while he waits upon his memory, than he could have been, if he had gone on in his own course.

因爲如果這樣的話，那我底死亡一定是來得很慢也。對於那些關於事務直接有所報告的人應當好好聽取其言;如有指示當在報告之前說明，而不可在他們說話之中插嘴;因爲被人攪亂自己談話底次序的人將不免反覆言之，並且在追憶欲說而經人打斷話頭的時候比他能順着自己底路子說下去的時候將更爲冗長可厭也

But sometimes it is seen, that the moderator is more troublesome than the actor. Iterations are commonly loss of time: but there is no such gain of time, as to iterate often the state of the question: for it chaselh away many a frivolous speech, as it is coming forth. Long and curious speeches are as fit for dispatch, as a robe or mantle with a long train, is for aces, and passages, and excusations, and other speeches of reference to the person, are great wastes of time; and though they seem to proceed of modesty, they are bravery. Yet beware of being too material, when there is any impediment or obstruction in men's wills; for pre-occupation of mind ever requireth preface of speech;like a fomentation to make the unguent enter.

但有時常見抑制他人發言的人較發言者本身更爲可厭。重複言說多半是一種時間上的損失。但是再沒有比常常重述問題底性質之更爲節省時間者，因爲這種辦法把許多空虛無關的話語在將要說出之時都驅逐掉了。冗長而過細的言辭其適於敏捷就如同寬袍長裙之適於賽跑一樣。序文、承轉的套語、自解的話以及其他關於一個人自身的言語都是大爲浪費時間的東西;並且，它們雖然好象是出自謙虛而其實是架子排場。然而在他人有阻撓或反對之意的時候，卻應當留神，不可過於直截，因爲懷有先入之見的心智總是需要先容的言辭的，就好象一種要使藥膏生效而先用的蒸罨劑一樣。

Above all things, order, and distribution, and singling out of parts, is me life of dispatch; so as the distribution be not too subtle: for he mat doth not divide will never enter well into business; and he that divideth too much will never come out of it clearly. To choose time is to save time; and an unseasonable motion is but beating the air.

最要者，次序、分配、與選擇乃是敏捷之所繫，只要分析得不要過精就是了。因爲那不善分析的人永不會治事而分析過細的人則永不會把事情辦得清楚也。選擇時間就等於節省時間;而不合乎時的舉動則等於亂打空氣

There be three parts of business: the preparation; the debate, or examination; and the perfection. Whereof, if you look for dispatch, let the middle only be the work of many, and the first and last the work of few. The proceeding upon somewhat conceived in writing, doth for the most part facilitate dispatch: for though it should be wholly rejected, yet that negative is more pregnant of direction than an indefinite; as ashes are more generative than dust

治事有三個部分;準備，討論或審察，和完成。如果你要敏捷的話，在這三項之中，惟有中間的一項可以作爲多人底工作，其頭一項與末一項則當爲少數人底工作。把要討論的事先寫個大要然後依這個所寫的東西而商議，大多是很有助於敏捷的;因爲即令所寫的那些意見或計劃被完全拋棄了，然而有所否定的決議總比漫無定見的談論易於遵循;有如柴灰之比塵埃較能肥田也。

培根經典散文雙語：論僞智

It hath been an opinion, that the French are wiser than they seem;and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are. But howsoever it be between nations, certainly it is so between man and man. For as the apostle saith of godliness; Having a show of godliness, but denying the power thereof; so certainly, there are in points of wisdom, and sufficiency, that do nothing or little, very solemnly; magno conatu nugas.

從來有一種意見，以爲法國人實際比外表聰明，西班牙人外表比實際聰明。但是不論兩國之間的情形是否如此，人與人之間的情形卻實是如此的。聖保羅關於敬虔有言：“有敬虔的外貌，卻背了敬虔的實意”。同此，世間盡有人在聰明能力上沒有什麼作爲或所爲甚少，而外貌是很莊嚴的：“以大力作細事”。

It is a ridiculous thing, and fit for a satire, to persons of judgement, to see what shifts these formalists have, and what prospectives, to make superficies to seem body, that hath depth and bulk. Some are so close and reserved, as they will not show their wares, but by a dark light: and seem always to keep back somewhat: and when they know within themselves, they speak of that they do not well know, would nevertheless seem to others, to know of that which they may not well speak.

這些徒務形式的人有什麼手腕並利用甚麼樣的法術和機械，以使虛浮的表面竟如有深度有體積之實體，在一個有識見的人看來，真是一件可笑而堪人諷刺文章的事。有些人是很隱祕的，隱祕得好象他們底貨物非在暗處不拿出來給人看似的;他們並且好象常常心裏有話而不肯明言似的;並且在他們心裏明白所說的事自己並不甚知道的時候，他們卻要裝模作樣，要讓人家以爲他們知道許多不能明說的事情。

Some help themselves with countenance, and gesture, and are wise by signs; as Cicero saith of Piso, that when he answered him, he fetched one of his brows up to his forehead, and bent the other down to his chin: respondes,ahero ad fronton sublato, altero ad mention depresso supercilio, cnudelitatem tibi non placere

有些人藉助於面容手勢，他們底聰明是靠着姿勢的;就和西塞羅說皮索的話一樣，當皮索與西塞羅答話的時候，他把一條眉毛聳到前額上，把另一條眉毛彎到下巴上去了;“你答道——你底一條眉毛聳到前額，另一條眉毛彎到下頦——你不是愛殘酷的人”。

Some think to bear it, by speaking a great word, and being peremptory; and go on, and take by admittance that which they cannot make good. Some, whatsoever is beyond their recall, will seem to despise or make light of it, as impertinent, or curious; and so would have their ignorance seem judgement. Some are never without a difference, and commonly by amusing men with a

subtlety, blanch the matter; of whom A. Gellius saith; hominem delirum, qui verborum minutiis rerum frangit pondera. Of which kind also, Plato in his Protagoras bringeth in Prodicus, in scorn, and maketh him make a speech, that consisted! of distinctions from the beginning to the end. Generally, such men in all deliberations find ease to be of the negative side, and affect a credit, to object and foretell difficulties: for when propositions are denied, there is an end of them; but if they be allowed, it requireth a new work: which false point of wisdom is the bane of business.

有些人以爲用偉大的字眼兒，說話不容異議，並且繼續下去，把自己不能證實的話視爲無問題地真確，就可以成爲智者。有些人對於任何他們所不懂的事物都裝出瞧不起的樣子，或者認爲是無聊或離奇而蔑視之;爲的是這樣他們底愚昧就可冒充識見了。有些人總是有不同的見解的，他們通常往往以一種巧辯娛人，藉此離開了本題;關於這種人蓋利亞斯有言，“一個瘋子，一個用字句上的穿鑿而破壞大事的人”。關於這一種人，柏拉圖在他底《普羅塔高拉斯》一篇中，曾引入普羅第喀斯一人，以爲嘲笑之資。柏拉圖使他說了一篇話，這一篇話從頭到尾全是分別異同之辭。一般言之，這樣的人在議論中，總是喜歡站在否定的一方面，並且希冀以能反對及預示艱難得名;因爲各種提案一經否決就算完了，但是如果它們一被通過，那就需要新的工作了;這種的假聰明乃治事之大害也。

To conclude, there is no decaying merchant, or inward beggar, hath so many tricks, to uphold the credit of their wealth, as these empty persons have, to maintain the credit of their sufficiency. Seeming wise men may make shift to get opinion: but let no man choose them for employment; for certainly, you were better take for business a man somewhat absurd than over formal.

總之，沒有一個生意蕭條的商人或傾家蕩產的浪子，爲了支持他們底財名，能象這種虛僞的人之爲了保持他們底才名而有一般多的詭計也。假聰明的人也許可以設法得到名聲;但是誰也頂好不要任用他們;因爲，無疑地，爲了治事，即令任用一個有點荒.唐的人，也比用一個過重外表的人強也。