subject弗朗西斯.培根《论读书》Of-Studies(译文对比)

2021年1月21日发(作者：dfi)
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 d
efect 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< br>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< br>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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