中英雙語(yǔ)散文欣賞:培根《論嫉妒》

There be none of the affections, which have been noted to fascinate or bewitch, but love and envy. They both have vehement wishes; they frame themselves readily into imaginations and suggestions; and they come easily into the eye, especially upon the present of the objects; which are the points that conduce to fascination, if any such thing there be. We see likewise, the Scripture calleth envy an evil eye; and the astrologers, call the evil influences of the stars, evil aspects; so that still there seemeth to be acknowledged, in the act of envy, an ejaculation or irradiation of the eye. Nay, some have been so curious, as to note, that the times when the stroke or percussion of an envious eye doth most hurt, are when the party envied is beheld in glory or triumph; for that sets an edge upon envy: and besides, at such times the spirits of the person envied, do come forth most into the outward parts, and so meet the blow.

在人的各種情欲之中，沒(méi)有一種可以看出是迷人或魔人的——除了戀愛與嫉妒。這兩者都有很強(qiáng)烈的愿望，它們很容易造出意象和觀念;并且很容易進(jìn)入眼中，尤其是當(dāng)對(duì)象在場(chǎng)的時(shí)候，這些都是導(dǎo)致蠱惑之處——假設(shè)有蠱惑這種事的話。類此，我們看見《圣經(jīng)》中把嫉妒叫做“兇眼”;而占星家把星宿底惡影響叫做“惡容”;所以好象總有人承認(rèn)嫉妒的行為中是有一種眼力底投射或放光似的。不但如此，還有些人好奇之甚，竟說(shuō)嫉妒底眼目其打擊傷人最烈的時(shí)候是那受嫉的人正在顯耀榮華，受人注視的時(shí)候;因?yàn)檫@種情形使嫉妒之心更為銳利也。再者，在這種時(shí)候，那受嫉的人底精神多出現(xiàn)于外表上，因而他就受到那種打擊了。

But leaving these curiosities (though not unworthy to be thought on, in fit place), we will handle, what persons are apt to envy others; what persons are most subject to be envied themselves; and what is the difference between public and private envy.

我們現(xiàn)在先不理這些奧妙之點(diǎn)(雖然在適當(dāng)之處它們并非不值得思索的)，且談何種人最易嫉人;何種人最易受嫉;以及公妒與私妒有何分別。

A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope, to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune.

無(wú)德之人常嫉他人之有德。因?yàn)槿说仔乃既舨灰宰约旱缀锰帪槭?，就要以他人底壞處為食?并且缺乏這二者之一的人一定是要獵取其二的。又任何人若是沒(méi)有達(dá)到他人底美德的希望，他一定要設(shè)法壓抑這另一人底幸福以求與之得平的。

A man that is busy, and inquisitive, is commonly envious. For to know much of other men's matters, cannot be because all that ado may concern his own estate; therefore it must needs be, that he taketh a kind of play-pleasure, in looking upon the fortunes of others. Neither can he, that mindeth but his own business, find much matter for envy. For envy is a gadding passion, and walketh the streets, and doth not keep home: Non est curiosus, quin idem sit

malevolus.

多事好問(wèn)之人每善嫉。因?yàn)樗砸廊缭S關(guān)于他人之事的原因決不會(huì)是因?yàn)檫@許多勞碌是有關(guān)于自己底利害的;因此，其原由一定是因?yàn)樗谟^察別人底禍福上得到一種觀劇式的樂(lè)趣了。并且一個(gè)專務(wù)己業(yè)的人也不會(huì)找著許多嫉妒底緣由來(lái)的。因?yàn)榧刀适且环N游蕩的情欲，在大街上徘徊而不肯居家，所謂“未有好管閑事而不心懷惡意者也”。

Men of noble birth, are noted to be envious towards new men, when they rise. For the distance is altered, and it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on, they think themselves, go back.

貴族中人對(duì)新進(jìn)之人當(dāng)其騰達(dá)之時(shí)常露嫉妒之情。因?yàn)閮烧咧g的距離改變了;好象一種視覺(jué)上的錯(cuò)覺(jué)一樣，別人往前來(lái)而自己以為自身是后退了。

Deformed persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, are envious. For he that cannot possibly mend his own case, will do what he can, to impair another's; except these defects light upon a very brave, and heroical nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honor; in that it should be said, that an eunuch, or a lame man, did such great matters; affecting the honorof a miracle; as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus and Tamberlanes, that were lame men.

殘疾之人、宦官、老人與私生子均善妒。因?yàn)闊o(wú)法補(bǔ)救自己底情形的人一定要竭力損壞別人底情形的，除非這些缺陷落在一種甚為勇敢和偉大的天性上，那種天性是要以他底天生的缺陷為其榮耀之一部的;他們要人家說(shuō)一個(gè)宦官或一個(gè)跛子竟作了這樣的大事;這種事情底榮耀直有如一件奇跡底榮耀了;例如宦官拿爾西斯和跛人阿蓋西勞斯及帖木兒是也。

The same is the case of men, that rise after calamities and misfortunes. For they are as men fallen out with the times; and think other men's harms, a redemption of their own sufferings.

同此，經(jīng)過(guò)大禍與不幸而再起的人也富于嫉妒心，因?yàn)檫@些人與那些不合時(shí)宜的人一樣，他們以為別人受到的損害等于自己底痛苦之賠償也。

They that desire to excel in too many matters, out of levity and vain glory, are ever envious. For they cannot want work; it being impossible, but many, in some one of those things, should surpass them. Which was the character of Adrian the Emperor; that mortally envied poets, and painters, and artificers, inworks wherein he had a vein to excel.

現(xiàn)在且一談那些多少受人嫉妒的人。第一，德行高的人們，其德愈增則受人嫉妒之機(jī)會(huì)愈減。因?yàn)樗麄兊仔腋？磥?lái)是他們應(yīng)得的;沒(méi)有人嫉妒債務(wù)之得償，所嫉者多是報(bào)酬過(guò)當(dāng)之賞賜也。又嫉妒總是與人我底比較俱來(lái)的;沒(méi)有比較的地方就沒(méi)有嫉妒;因此帝王除了受帝王底嫉妒外不受他人底嫉妒。然而應(yīng)當(dāng)注意的是微末之人在初升貴顯的時(shí)候最受嫉妒，到后來(lái)較能克服之：反之，有功有業(yè)的人在福祉綿延之時(shí)最受嫉妒。因?yàn)榈搅四莻€(gè)時(shí)節(jié)雖然他們底德行仍舊，但其光輝卻不如昔了;因?yàn)橛行碌娜宋锲饋?lái)把那些德行投入暗處了。

Lastly, near kinsfolks, and fellows in office, and those that have been bred together, are more apt to envy their equals, when they are raised. For it dothupbraid unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them, and cometh oftener into their remembrance, and incurreth likewise more into the note of others; and envy ever redoubleth from speech and fame. Cain's envy was the more vile and malignant, towards his brother Abel, because when his sacrifice was better accepted, there was no body to look on. Thus much for those, that are apt to envy.

因?yàn)楦≡昱c虛榮而想在過(guò)多的事業(yè)中出人頭地的人總是嫉妒心盛的。因?yàn)樵谀切┦聵I(yè)中的某項(xiàng)上，斷不能沒(méi)有多人可以勝過(guò)他們的;既如此他們就不缺乏嫉妒底緣由了。這就是埃追安皇帝底特性;他非常妒恨詩(shī)人、畫家與巧匠;在這些人底事業(yè)中皇帝本人是有點(diǎn)過(guò)人之才的。

Concerning those that are more or less subject to envy: First, persons of eminent virtue, when they are advanced, are less envied. For their fortune seemeth , but due unto them; and no man envieth the payment of a debt, but rewards and liberality rather. Again, envy is ever joined with the comparing of a man's self; and where there is no comparison, no envy; and therefore kings are not envied, but by kings. Nevertheless it is to be noted, that unworthy persons are most envied, at their first coming in, and afterwards overcome it better; whereas contrariwise, persons of worth and merit are most envied, when their fortune continueth long. For by that time, though their virtue be the same,yet it hath not the same lustre; for fresh men grow up that darken it.

最后，近親、同事、與同養(yǎng)之人，最容易在平輩騰達(dá)的時(shí)候嫉妒他們。因?yàn)檫@些騰達(dá)的人們可說(shuō)是以他們底幸福顯出了同輩底不良;指責(zé)了他們。并且這些騰達(dá)的人們?nèi)胪叺子洃浿休^繁，同樣地，惹他們底注意也較強(qiáng);而嫉妒之心是由言談及名聲而倍增的。該隱對(duì)他兄弟亞伯的嫉妒是很卑劣，很兇惡的，因?yàn)楫?dāng)亞伯底供品被上帝看中的時(shí)候當(dāng)場(chǎng)并沒(méi)有人旁觀。以上就是關(guān)于最易嫉人的人的話。

Persons of noble blood, are less envied in their rising. For it seemeth but right done to their birth. Besides, there seemeth not much added to their fortune; and envy is as the sunbeams, that beat hotter upon a bank, or steep rising ground, than upon a flat. And for the same reason, those that are advanced by degrees, are less envied than those that are advanced suddenly and per saltum.

貴胄在升顯的時(shí)候不甚受嫉。因?yàn)槟呛孟笫撬麄儽局沂蓝鴳?yīng)得的權(quán)利。并且他們貴顯了也不見得是在他們底幸福上添加了多少;而嫉妒心有如日光，它射在危岸或埈坂上是比射在平地上要熱得多的。為了同一的原故，那些逐漸升高的人們較之那些突然騰達(dá)，一躍而躋于貴顯之列的人們是少受人嫉妒的。

Those that have joined with their honor great travels, cares, or perils, are less subject to envy. For men think that they earn their honors hardly, and pity them sometimes; and pity ever healeth envy. Wherefore you shall observe, that the more deep and sober sort of politic persons, in their greataess, are ever bemoaning themselves, what a life they lead; chanting a quanta patimur! Not that they feel it so, but only to abate the edge of envy. But this is to be understood, of business that is laid upon men, and not such, as they call unto themselves. For nothing increaseth envy more, than an unnecessary and ambitious engrossing of business. And nothing doth extinguish envy more, than for a great person to preserve all other inferior officers, in their full lightsand pre-eminences of their places. For by that means, there be so many screens between him and envy.

那些把他們底榮耀與重大的勞苦、憂慮、或危險(xiǎn)連在一處的人們是少受嫉妒的。因?yàn)槿藗冋J(rèn)為這些人底榮耀是得來(lái)不易的，并且有時(shí)還可憐他們，而憐憫永遠(yuǎn)是治療嫉妒的。因此你可以看到那較為深沉莊重的政界中人，在他們底崇高的地位中總是自嗟自嘆，說(shuō)他們度著何等不樂(lè)的生活，唱著一套“我們何等受苦”的歌曲。并不是他們感覺(jué)如此，而是要減少嫉妒心底鋒铓。但是這種嗟嘆所指的要是別人給他們加上的負(fù)擔(dān)才行，不可指自己招來(lái)的事業(yè)。因?yàn)樵贈(zèng)]有比無(wú)必要而野心地專攪事業(yè)之更增人嫉妒者也。又，一個(gè)大人物若能使所有居下位者保持所有的權(quán)利和充分的身分，那就沒(méi)有比這個(gè)更能消滅嫉妒的了。因?yàn)榻柚@種手段，在他與嫉妒之間可說(shuō)是有了好幾重障隔也。

Above all, those are most subject to envy, which carry the greatness of their fortunes, in an insolent and proud manner; being never well, but while they are showing how great they are, either by outward pomp, or by triumphing over all opposition or competition; whereas wise men will rather do sacrifice to envy, in suffering themselves sometimes of purpose to be crossed, and overborne in things that do not much concern them. Notwithstanding, so much is true, that the carriage of greatness, in a plain and open manner (so it be without arrogancy and vain glory) doth draw less envy, than if it be in a more crafty and cunning fashion. For in that course, a man doth but disavow fortune; and seemeth to be conscious of his own want in worth; and doth but teach others, to envy him.

最甚者，有些人用一種傲慢不恭的態(tài)度來(lái)處他們底大富貴，他們是最受嫉妒的。這些人總要表示自己底偉大——或以外表的煊赫，或以克服一切的反對(duì)與競(jìng)爭(zhēng)——才覺(jué)得滿意;而有智之人則寧可給嫉妒貢獻(xiàn)點(diǎn)什么，有時(shí)在自己不甚關(guān)切的事件中故意讓人阻撓或壓倒。然而這又是真的，就是在若以一種樸素坦白的態(tài)度來(lái)處尊榮(只要是不帶驕矜與虛榮)，比用一種較為多詐而狡猾的態(tài)度要少受人嫉妒。因?yàn)樵诤笠环N舉止里，一個(gè)人簡(jiǎn)直是表明他不配享受那種幸福并且還好象明白自己之無(wú)價(jià)值似的;由此他竟是教導(dǎo)別人來(lái)嫉妒自己了。

Lastly, to conclude this part; as we said in the beginning, that the act of envy had somewhat in it of witchcraft, so there is no other cure of envy, but the cure of witchcraft; and that is, to remove the lot (as they call it) and to lay it upon another. For which purpose, the wiser sort of great persons, bring in ever upon the stage somebody upon whom to derive the envy, that would come upon themselves; sometimes upon ministers and servants; sometimes upon colleagues and associates; and the like; and for that turn there are never wanting, some persons of violent and undertaking natures, who, so they may have power and business, will take it at any cost.

最后結(jié)束這一段的話：我們?cè)谄鹗技日f(shuō)嫉妒的行為，內(nèi)中有點(diǎn)巫術(shù)的性質(zhì)，那末要治嫉妒，除了治巫術(shù)的方法再?zèng)]有別的方法;那就是除去那“妖氣”(人們所謂的)而使之落于別人身上。為了這種目的，有些比較明哲多智的大人物，總要把某一個(gè)旁人，叫他登臺(tái)露面，好教那本要落到自己身上的嫉妒心轉(zhuǎn)到那些人身上去，有時(shí)這嫉妒落到屬員或仆役身上;有時(shí)落到同事或同僚身上;諸如此類：而為了這種事情，永不會(huì)缺乏一些天性莽撞而好事的人的。這些人只要能得到權(quán)力和職務(wù)，什么代價(jià)也肯出的。

Now, to speak of public envy. There is yet some good in public envy, whereas in private, there is none. For public envy, is as an ostracism, that eclipseth men, when they grow too great. And therefore it is a bridle also to great ones, to keep them within bounds.

現(xiàn)在且說(shuō)公妒。在為公的嫉妒中至少還有一點(diǎn)好處，在私妒中則是一點(diǎn)好處也沒(méi)有的。因?yàn)楣屎闷┮环N希臘式的流刑，是在有些人變得太位高權(quán)重的時(shí)候壓抑他們的。因此，公妒對(duì)于大人物們是一種控制物，可以使他們不至超越范圍。這種公妒，拉丁語(yǔ)叫做invidia，今語(yǔ)叫做“公憤”;關(guān)于這個(gè)將來(lái)在論叛亂的一篇中再說(shuō)。這是國(guó)家中的一種疾病，就象染毒一樣。因?yàn)檎缍究梢詡魅镜奖緛?lái)健全的部分并使之受疾一樣，在國(guó)家中如果生了“公憤”，這種心理將使國(guó)家最好的舉措也蒙不潔，使這些舉措變?yōu)閻撼簟?/p>

This envy, being in the Latin word invidia, goeth in the modern language, by the name of discontentment; of which we shall speak, in handling sedition. It is a disease, in a state, like to infection. For as infection spreadeth upon that which is sound, and tainteth it; so when envy is gotten once into a state, it traduceth even the best actions thereof, and turneth them into an ill odor. And therefore there is little won, by intermingling of plausible actions. For that doth argue but a weakness, and fear of envy, which hurteth so much the more, as it is likewise usual in infections; which if you fear them, you call them upon you.

所以為政者若把得人心的舉措與不得人心者相混而行之，是得不到什么益處的。因?yàn)槟欠N辦法不過(guò)表現(xiàn)一種懦弱，一種對(duì)嫉妒的畏懼，這種畏懼更于國(guó)家不利。這又如各種染毒常有的情形一樣，你要是怕它們，你就不啻招致它們到你身上來(lái)了。

This public envy, seemeth to beat chiefly upon principal officers or ministers, rather than upon kings, and estates themselves. But this is a sure rule, that if the envy upon the minister be great, when the cause of it in him is small; or if the envy be general, in a manner upon all the ministers of an estate; then the envy (though hidden) is truly upon the state itself. And so much of public envy or discontentment, and the difference thereof from private envy, which was handled in the first place.

這種公憤好象是主要專攻那些重臣大吏而非反對(duì)帝制或共和本身似的。但是這是一條可靠的定律，就是假如對(duì)某大臣的公憤很深而這位大臣本身致之之道很微：或者這種公憤是遍及于一國(guó)中之各大臣者;那末這種公憤(雖然隱而不顯)真是與國(guó)家不利的。以上就是關(guān)于公妒或公憤以及它與私妒底差別的話，關(guān)于私妒我們?cè)谙纫颜f(shuō)過(guò)了。

We will add this in general, touching the affection of envy; that of all other affections, it is the most importune and continual. For of other affections, there is occasion given, but now and then; and therefore it was well said, Invidia festos dies non agit: for it is ever working upon some or other. And it is alsonoted, that love and envy do make a man pine, which other affections do not,because they are not so continual. It is also the vilest affection, and the most depraved; for which cause it is the proper attribute of the devil, who is called, the envious man, that soweth tares amongst the wheat by night; as it always cometh to pass, that envy worketh subtilly, and in the dark, and to the prejudice of good things, such as is the wheat.

今再關(guān)于嫉妒這種情欲普遍地添說(shuō)這幾句：就是在一切的情欲中，嫉妒是最強(qiáng)求，最持久的。因?yàn)閯e的情欲底起因不過(guò)是偶而有之的;因此昔人說(shuō)得好：“嫉妒永不休假”，因?yàn)樗鲜窃谶@人或那人心上活動(dòng)的。此外還有人注意到戀愛與嫉妒是使人消瘦的，而別的情欲則不致如此，因?yàn)樗鼈儾蝗鐞叟c妒之持久。嫉妒也是最卑劣最墮落的情欲;所以嫉妒是魔鬼底本來(lái)的特質(zhì)。魔鬼是被叫做“那個(gè)在夜間在麥子中種植稗子的嫉妒者”的;因?yàn)榧刀适且栽幱?jì)并且是在暗中行事的，又常于好的事物如麥子者不利。這永遠(yuǎn)是如此的。