弗朗西斯.培根《论读书》Of-Studies(译文对比)

对比Of Studies的四种译文。哪种译文在风格上与原文更“切近”?你最喜欢哪一种?为什么?

OF STUDIES

Francis Bacon

Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgement, and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots, and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies, is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgement wholly by their rules, is the humour of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men condemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be, only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of book; else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man’s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing, to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers’ cases; so every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

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谈读书(译文1)

读书可以怡情养性,可以摭拾文采,可以增长才干。在幽居独处的时候,最能体现其怡情养性的作用;在友朋交谈中,最能体现其摭拾文采的作用;在处世论事之际,最能体现其增长才干的作用。阅历丰富的人虽能逐一判断或处理具体问题,但出谋划策,统筹全局,唯有博学之士最能胜任。读书费时过多则懒散;过于追求文采显得矫揉造作;全凭书中条条框框论事,未免书生气过重。须知读书固可补天然之不足,而经验又补读书之不足。因为天生才干犹如天然花木,需靠读书修枝剪叶。而书本知识如不以经验相制约,其教导也难免过于笼统。有实际才干的人鄙薄书本;头脑简单的人羡慕书本;只有聪明人才会运用书本。因为书籍本身并不教人如何运用,运用之道,乃在书外,且高于书本,唯有通过观察才能学到。读书时不可存心与作者辩难,不可以轻信盲从,也不可寻章摘句,作为谈助,而须权衡与琢磨。有的书浅尝即可,有的书可以狼吞虎咽,少数书籍则需咀嚼消化。换言之,有的书只须阅读一部分,另一些读时可不求甚解,但少数则须通读,且须勤勉而专心。有的书也可以请人代读,然后读其所作摘要;但仅限于题材比较次要以及比较寻常的书。否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏,成为淡而无味的东西。读书使人充实,讨论使人机敏,作笔记使人精确。不常作笔记的人须有很强的记忆力,不常讨论的人须有急智,不常读书的人则须十分乖巧,方能不知而佯作知之。读历史使人明智,读诗使人机灵,数学使人周密,自然科学使人深刻,伦理学使人庄重,逻辑与修辞使人能言善辩。专心致学者,性格也受陶冶。心智方面的种种障碍,无不可读适当之书加以排除,正如身体百病,皆可以适当的运动治疗。滚球利睾肾,射箭利胸肺,慢步利肠胃,骑术利头脑,诸如此类。如若思想不能集中,可让他学数学;因为在演算时思想少有旁骛,就须重新做起。如若不善于析难辨异,可让他学经院哲学,因为那些哲学家无不讲究细节。如若他粗枝大叶,不善于以一事论证和阐述另一事,可让他读律师的案卷。由此可见心智方面的任何缺陷都有良方可治。

谈读书(译文2)

读书给人乐趣、文雅和能力。人们独居或退隐的时候,最能体会到读书的乐趣;谈话的时候,最能表现出读书的文雅;判断和处理事物的时候,最能发挥由读书而获得的能力。那些有实际经验而没有学识的人,也许能够一一实行或判断某些事物的细微末节,但对于事业的一般指导、筹划与处理,还是真正有学问的人才能胜任。耗费过多时间去读便是迟滞,过分用学问自炫便是矫揉造作,二全凭学理判断一切,则是书呆子的癖好。学问能美化人性,经验又能充实学问。天生的植物需要人工修剪,人类的本性也需要学问诱导,而学问本身又必须以经验来规范,否则便太迂阔了。技巧的人轻视学问,浅薄的人惊服学问,聪明的人却能利用学问。因为学问本身并不曾把它的用途教给人,至于如何去应用它,那是在学问之外,超越学问之上、由观察而获得的一种聪明呢!读书不是为着要辩驳,也不是要盲目信从,更不是去找寻谈话的资料,而是要去权衡和思考。有的书只需浅尝,有的书可以狼吞,有的书要细嚼烂咽,慢慢消化。也就是说,有的书只需选读,有的书只需浏览,有的书却必须全部精读。有的书不必去读原本,读读它们的节本就够了,但这仅限于内容不太重要的二流书籍;否则,删节过的往往就像蒸馏水一样,淡而无味。读书使人渊博,辩论使人机敏,写作使人精细。如果一个人很少写作,他就需要有很强的记忆力;如果他很少辩论,就需要有急智;如果他很少读书,就需要很狡猾,对自己不懂的事情,假装知道。历史使人聪明,诗歌使人富于想象,数学使人精确,自然哲学使人深刻,伦理学使人庄重,逻辑学和修辞学使人善辩。

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总之,读书能陶冶个性。不仅如此,读书并且可以铲除一切心理上的障碍,正如适当的运动能够矫治身体上的一些疾病一般。例如:滚球游戏有益于肾脏;射箭有益于胸肺;散步有益于肠胃;骑马有益于头部等等。因此,假若一个人心神散乱,最好让他学习数学,因为在演算数学题目的时候,一定得全神贯注,如果注意力稍一分散,就必得再从头做起。假若一个人拙于辨别差异,就让他去请教那些演绎派的大事们,因为他们正是剖析毫发的人。假若一个人心灵迟钝,不能举一反三,最好让他去研究律师的案件。所以每一种心理缺陷都有一种特殊的补救良方。

谈读书(译文3)

读书足以怡情,足以傅彩,足以长才。其怡情也,最见于独处幽居之时;其傅彩也,最见于高谈阔论之中;其长才也,最见于处世判事之际。练达之士虽能分别处理细事或一一判别枝节,然纵观统筹、全局策划,则舍好学深思者莫属。读书费时过多易惰,文采藻饰太盛则矫,全凭条文断事乃学究故态。读书补天然之不足,经验又补读书之不足,盖天生才干犹如自然花草,读书然后知如何修剪移接;而书中所示,如不以经验范之,则又大而无当。有一技之长者鄙读书,无知者羡读书,唯明智之士用读书,然书并不以用处告人,用书之智不在书中,而在书外,全凭观察得之。读书时不可存心诘难作者,不可尽信书上所言,亦不可只为寻章摘句,而应推敲细思。书有可浅尝者,有可吞食者,少数则须咀嚼消化。换言之,有只须读其部分者,有只须大体涉猎者,少数则须全读,读时须全神贯注,孜孜不倦。书亦可请人代读,取其所作摘要,但只限题材较次或价值不高者,否则书经提炼犹如水经蒸馏、淡而无味矣。读书使人充实,讨论使人机智,笔记使人准确。因此不常作笔记者须记忆特强,不常讨论者须天生聪颖,不常读书者须欺世有术,始能无知而显有知。读史使人明智,读诗使人灵秀,数学使人周密,科学使人深刻,伦理学使人庄重,逻辑修辞之学使人善辩:凡有所学,皆成性格。人之才智但有滞碍,无不可读适当之书使之顺畅,一如身体百病,皆可借相宜之运动除之。滚球利睾肾,射箭利胸肺,慢步利肠胃,骑术利头脑,诸如此类。如智力不集中,可令读数学,盖演题须全神贯注,稍有分散即须重演;如不能辨异,可令读经院哲学,盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人;如不善求同,不善以一物阐证另一物,可令读律师之案卷。如此头脑中凡有缺陷,皆有特药可医。

论学问(译文4)

读书为学底用途是娱乐、装饰和增长才识。在娱乐上学问底主要用处是幽居养静;在装饰上学问底用处是辞令;在长才上学问底用处是对于事物的判断和处理。因为富于经验的人善于实行,也许能够对个别的事情一件一件地加以判断;但是最好的有关大体的议论和对事物的计划与布置,乃是从有学问的人来的。在学问上费时过多是偷懒;把学问过于用作装饰是虚假;完全依学问上的规则而断事是书生底怪癖。学问锻炼天性,而其本身又受经验底锻炼;该人底天赋犹如野生的花草,他们需要学问底修剪;而学问底本身,若不受经验底限制,则其所指示的未免过于笼统。多诈的人渺视学问,愚鲁的人羡慕学问,聪明的人运用学问;因为学问底本身并不教人如何用它们:这种运用之道乃是学问以外,学问以上的一种智能,是由观察体会才能得到的。不要为了辩驳而读书,也不要为了信仰与盲从;也不要为了言谈与议论;要以能权衡轻重、审查事理为目的。有些书可供一尝,有些书可以吞下,有不多的几部则应当咀嚼消化;这就是说,有些书只要读它们底一部分就够了,有些书可以全读,但

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