(中英)現(xiàn)代散文:“今” The Living Present

The Living Present

“今”①

◎ Li Dazhao

◎　李大釗

Of all things in the world, I think, the present is the most precious, and also the most apt to slip through our fingers. We, therefore, treasure it all the more because of its transience.

我以為世間最可寶貴的就是“今”，最易喪失的也是“今”。因為他最容易喪失②，所以更覺得他可以寶貴。

Why is the present so precious? The following quotation from the philosopher Emerson? best serves for an answer: "Make use of time if you love eternity; yesterday cannot be recalled; tomorrow cannot be assured; only today is yours. One today is worth two tomorrows."

為甚么“今”最可寶貴呢?最好借哲人耶曼孫所說的話答這個疑問：“爾若愛千古，爾當愛現(xiàn)在。昨日不能喚回來，明天還不確實，爾能確有把握的就是今日。今日一天，當明日兩天。”

Why is the present so easily lost? Because the universe as well as human life is changing non-stop all the time. Time never tarries with us a bit longer because we treasure and love it. It is hard to tell which moment in the ups and downs of life is our present or now. What we call our present or now at one moment will at the next be quickly gone and become the past. Isn't it a pity to unthinkingly idle away the present?

為甚么“今”最易喪失呢?因為宇宙大化③刻刻流轉(zhuǎn)，絕不停留。時間這個東西，也不因為吾人貴他愛他稍稍在人間留戀。試問吾人說“今”說“現(xiàn)在”，茫茫百千萬劫④，究竟那一剎那是吾人的“今”，是吾人的“現(xiàn)在”呢?剛剛說他是“今”是“現(xiàn)在”，他早已風馳電掣的一般，已成“過去”了。吾人若要糊糊涂涂把他丟掉⑤，豈不可惜?

Some philosophers say that we have the past and the future, but no present. Others say that the present is inclusive of the past and the future. I, however, incline towards the latter view because the present is where all the past empties itself or, in other words, where lies hidden the entire legacy of the past. The prevailing thought of any age does not come into being all by itself. It is the synthesis of the popular thoughts of numerous previous ages or probably of all the past. The rippling sound stirred up by a pebble thrown into the current of the times will keep spreading forever. Li Sao?, authored by Qu Yuan, will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages. The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln's head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity. The changes of each age, instead of becoming extinct, will pass on to the next. The process will go on endlessly to form an eternal link in the world. The events of yesterday and today will combine to form several complicated events which will in turn combine with those of tomorrow to form several new complicated events. Thus one influence combines with another; one problem gives rise to another. The infinite past results in the present, and the infinite future results from the present. It is the present that serves as a connecting link between the past and the future to bring about continuity, eternity and a boundless big whole. Ring the bell of the present, and you will hear the distant echoes of the infinite past and future. That accounts for the fact that the present is inclusive of the past and the future and that the living present is the most precious.

有的哲學家說，時間但有“過去”與“未來”，并無“現(xiàn)在”。有的又說，“過去”“未來”皆是“現(xiàn)在”。我以為“過去未來皆是現(xiàn)在”的話倒有些道理。因為“現(xiàn)在”就是所有“過去”流入的世界，換句話說，所有“過去”都埋沒于“現(xiàn)在”的里邊。故一時代的思潮，不是單純在這個時代所能憑空成立的，不曉得有幾多“過去”時代的思潮，差不多可以說是由所有“過去”時代的思潮，一湊合而成的。吾人投一石子于時代潮流里面，所激起的波瀾聲響，都向永遠流動傳播，不能消滅。屈原的《離騷》，永遠使人人感泣⑥。打擊林肯頭顱的槍聲，呼應于永遠的時間與空間⑦。一時代的變動，絕不消失，仍遺留于次一時代，這樣傳演，至于無窮，在世界中有一貫相連的永遠性。昨日的事件，與今日的事件，合構成數(shù)個復雜事件。此數(shù)個復雜事件，與明日的數(shù)個復雜事件，更合構成數(shù)個復雜事件。勢力結合勢力，問題牽起問題。無限的“過去”，都以“現(xiàn)在”為歸宿。無限的“未來”，都以“現(xiàn)在”為淵源。“過去”“未來”的中間全仗有“現(xiàn)在”以成其連續(xù)，以成其永遠，以成其無始無終的大實在。一掣現(xiàn)在的鈴，無限的過去未來皆遙相呼應。這就是過去未來皆是現(xiàn)在的道理，這就是“今”最可寶貴的道理。

Nowadays two kinds of people don't know how to care for the present. One kind are sick of the present; the other are crazy about it.

現(xiàn)時有兩種不知愛“今”的人：一種是厭“今”的人，一種是樂“今”的人。

Among those who are sick of the present, some are so dissatisfied with everything of today that they become nostalgic about yesterday. To them, things nowadays, including politics, law, morality and social customs, are all inferior to those in the past. They place their only hope on turning the clock back to days of old. They throw themselves heart and soul into the back-to-the-ancients campaign. Some, though also dissatisfied with everything of today like those mentioned above, long for the future instead of the past, so much so that they abandon themselves to dreams and fantasies and even give up many things that can be achieved right now through their own efforts. People of these two categories hinder social progress instead of furthering it.

厭“今”的人也有兩派。一派是對于“現(xiàn)在”一切現(xiàn)象都不滿足，因起一種回顧“過去”的感想⑧。他們覺得“今”的總是不好，古的都是好。政治、法律、道德、風俗，全是“今”不如古。此派人唯一的希望在復古⑨。他們的心力全施于復古的運動。一派是對于“現(xiàn)在”一切現(xiàn)象都不滿足，與復古的厭“今”派全同。但是他們不想“過去”，但盼“將來”。盼“將來”的結果，往往流于夢想，把許多“現(xiàn)在”可以努力的事業(yè)都放棄不做，單是耽溺于虛無縹緲的空玄境界。這兩派人都是不能助益進化，并且很足阻滯進化的。

People who are crazy about the present are generally apathetic and lack high aspirations. They see nothing wrong in the present. Complacent about their present circumstances, they feel no need for progress or creation. Such people abuse the present and stem the tide of progress. There is no difference at all between them and those who are sick of the present.

樂“今”的人大概是些無志趣無意識⑩的人，是些對于“現(xiàn)在”一切滿足的人。覺得所處境遇可以安樂優(yōu)游，不必再商進取，再為創(chuàng)造。這種人喪失“今”的好處?，阻滯進化的潮流，同厭“今”派毫無區(qū)別。

It is common among human beings to be discontented with the present. They usually dream of something that has not yet come into being with fantasies about its being extremely agreeable and beneficial. But, once that something has become a reality, they call it just so-so and then fall into despair and grow weary of the present. Or they may feel a new environment rather unimpressive, but once things have changed, they begin to think well of it and recall it with tenderness. The former case has to do with future expectations, and the latter with past memories. However, given a combination of the two cases, dissatisfaction with the present will become a great moving force of social development. Being content with things as they are is a kind of inertia. We need to understand that the present is precious not because it can allow us to idle about in the midst of comfort and pleasure, but because it offers us an opportunity to strive to create the future.

原來厭“今”為人類的通性。大凡一境尚未實現(xiàn)以前，覺得此境有無限的佳趣，有無疆的福利;一旦身陷其境，卻覺不過爾爾，隨即起一種失望的念，厭“今”的心。又如吾人方處一境，覺得無甚可樂;而一旦其境變易，卻又覺得其境可戀，其情可思。前者為企望“將來”的動機;后者為反顧“過去”的動機?。但是回想“過去”，毫無效用，且空耗努力的時間。若以企望“將來”的動機，而盡“現(xiàn)在”的努力，則厭“今”思想?yún)s大足為進化的原動?。樂“今”是一種惰性(Inertia)，須再進一步，了解“今”所以可愛的道理，全在憑他可以為創(chuàng)造“將來”的努力，決不在得他可以安樂無為。

Those keen on returning to the past keep telling us how dark and vile the status quo is and what serious wickedness and heavy misfortune it brings. They should understand, however, that what they speak of, if true, is a long-standing inheritance from the past, definitely not a product of today. It is utterly wrong to attribute it all to the present. The only way to change the status quo is to strive to create the future, not to attempt to revive the past.

熱心復古的人，開口閉口都是說“現(xiàn)在”的境象若何黑暗，若何卑污，罪惡若何深重，禍患若何劇烈。要曉得“現(xiàn)在”的境象倘若真是這樣黑暗，這樣卑污，罪惡這樣深重，禍患這樣劇烈，也都是“過去”所遺留的宿孽，斷斷不是“現(xiàn)在”造的。全歸咎于“現(xiàn)在”，是斷斷不能受的。要想改變他，但當努力以創(chuàng)造將來，不當努力以回復“過去”。

Now let me sum up briefly as follows:

我請以最簡明的一句話寫出這篇的意思來：

We should not let the present slip away idly, being displeased with it and lost in past memories and future dreams. Nor should we rest content with the present and thus make absolutely no efforts to achieve future development. Let's make the best of today so as to create tomorrow. Our deeds of today, good or bad, will have an everlasting impact on the future. It is therefore our duty to keep up with the trend of the times and strive for the well-being of future generations.

吾人在世，不可厭“今”而徒回思“過去”，夢想“將來”，以耗誤“現(xiàn)在”的努力;又不可以“今”境自足，毫不拿出“現(xiàn)在”的努力，謀“將來”的發(fā)展。宜善用“今”，以努力為“將來”之創(chuàng)造。由“今”所造的功德罪孽，永久不滅?。故人生本務，在隨實在之進行?，為后人造大功德。

李大釗(1889—1927)，字守常，河北樂亭人，是中國最早的馬克思主義者，中國共產(chǎn)黨的創(chuàng)始人之一。他于1927年4月6日被軍閥張作霖逮捕，28日在北京英勇就義，年僅38歲。他的名篇《“今”》發(fā)表于1918年4月15日《新青年》雜志第4卷4號上。文章強調(diào)為今天而工作，創(chuàng)造美好的未來，反對崇古、復古，但也反對全部否定過去和隨意菲薄古人，認為只有承受古人，才能啟發(fā)來者。原文結尾處英譯時略有刪節(jié)。

注釋

①《“今”》譯為The Living Present，其中Living是增益成分，用以強調(diào)Present的含義。著名美國詩人Henry Wadsworth Longfellow(1807—1882)在一首名為A Psalm of Life(“人生贊”)的詩中寫道：

Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, — act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o'erhead!

他稱“過去”為the dead Past，“現(xiàn)在”為the living Present。

②“最容易喪失”意即“最容易被人們錯過”，可譯為the most apt to slip through our fingers、the most liable to slip away或the most easily lost。

③“宇宙大化”的意思是“宇宙與生命”，譯為The universe as well as human life。也可簡譯為the universe或the world。

④“茫茫百千萬劫”中的“劫”本指“天災人禍”，整個短語可結合上下文按“無數(shù)人生起伏變化”之意譯為in the ups and downs of life。

⑤“糊里糊涂把他丟掉”意即“輕率地(或隨意地)把它丟掉”，譯為to unthinkingly idle away the present。

⑥“永遠使人人感泣”中的“感泣”作“因感觸而流淚”解，現(xiàn)按“觸動心弦”之意來表達：will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages。

⑦“打擊林肯頭顱的槍聲，呼應于永遠的時間與空間”譯為The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln's head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity，其中l(wèi)ethal(致命的)是增益成分，原文雖無其詞而有其意。又，“呼應于永遠的時間與空間”也可譯為will forever keep echoing throughout the world。

⑧“起一種回顧‘過去’的感想”意即“懷念過去”，故譯they become nostalgic about yesterday。

⑨“此派人唯一的希望在復古”譯為They place their only hope on turning the clock back to days of old，其中除turning the clock back to days of old外，還有以下可供選用：reviving the old day、returning to the past、reliving yesterday等。

⑩“無志趣無意識”意即“胸無大志，麻木不仁”，故譯are generally apathetic and lack high aspirations。

?“喪失‘今’的好處”意即“未能善用今”或“辜負了今”，現(xiàn)譯abuse the present，其中abuse意同misuse。

?“前者為企望‘將來’的動機;后者為反顧‘過去’的動機”可按“前者屬企盼將來;后者屬思念過去”之意譯為The former case has to do with future expectations, and the latter with past memories。

?“若以企望‘將來’的動機，而盡‘現(xiàn)在’的努力，則厭‘今’思想?yún)s大足為進化的原動”意即“對將來的企望如能與當前的努力結合起來，不滿現(xiàn)狀就可成為進步的巨大努力”，現(xiàn)譯However, given a combination of future expectations and present efforts, dissatisfaction with the present will become a great moving force of social development，其中given一詞作“假如有”解。又，“進化”在此作“進步”或“社會發(fā)展”解，故譯social development或social progress。

?“由‘今’所造的功德罪孽，永久不滅”意即“我們今天的功過，都將給將來留下長遠的影響”，故譯Our deeds of today, good or bad, (或Our merits and demerits of today) will have an everlasting impact on the future。

?“隨實在之進行”可理解為“跟隨時代潮流”而譯之為keep up with the trend of the times。

? Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American philosopher, essayist and poet.

? Li Sao, a long poem of patriotism authored by Qu Yuan (c.340-277BC), poet and statesman of Chu during the Warring States Period and one of China's earliest poets.