中英双语阅读：若成为负担 我会考虑安乐死

Prof Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, has argued that keeping someone alive against their own wishes is the “ultimate indignity”.In an interview with Dara O’Briain, for a new BBC programme, the world-renowned scientist disclosed he suffered bouts of loneliness, because people can be afraid to talk to him or let him answer.

In 2013, he offered his public support to the discussion of assisted dying, saying: “We don't let animals suffer, so why humans?"

霍金患有运动神经元疾病，他主张，违背他人意愿强留其生命是对人“莫大的侮辱”。在接受BBC一档节目的访谈时，霍金这一举世闻名的科学家向主持人达拉·奥布莱恩透露道，他频遭寂寞孤单之苦，因为人们害怕他和谈话，害怕他的回答。

2013年的时候，霍金公开支持讨论安乐死，他说，“我们不忍心看动物受苦，所以更何况人呢?”

Professor Stephen Hawking tells Dara O'Briain he would consider assisted dying only if he were in great pain or had nothing left to contribute to the world and was merely a burden.

But, he added: "I am damned if I'm going to die before I have unravelled more of the universe.”

斯蒂芬·霍金教授告诉达拉·奥布莱恩说，仅当他深陷痛苦、对世界无所贡献又徒增负担时，才会考虑安乐死。

但是霍金补充道，“我要是还没来得急解开宇宙的谜团就死去，就忒不应该了。”

He is not in pain, he said, but suffers occasional discomfort because he cannot adjust his own position.O’Briain, a comedian and broadcaster who has a degree in theoretical physics, praised Prof Hawking for his “impressively honest answers, even to the most direct questions”.

He also asked the 73-year-old physicist, who communicates through his famous speechsynthesiser, whether he ever finds life lonely.

他其实并不痛苦，霍金说道，但偶尔不适，因为他没法调整姿势。主持人达拉·奥布莱恩既是喜剧演员又是播音员，持理论物理学文凭，大赞霍金教授“坦诚面对单刀直入的问题，令人印象至深”。

奥布莱恩还问了霍金，这位73岁的物理学家可曾觉得人生孤单。众所周知，霍金需要通过语音合成器才能与人交流。

“At times I get very lonely because people are afraid to talk to me or don't wait for me to write a response,” said Prof Hawking, who is currently trialling even more sophisticated communication technology.“I'm shy and tired at times. I find it difficult to talk to people I don't know."

When asked about what he misses about being able-bodied, he added: "I like to be able to swim again. When my children were young, I missed not being able to play with them physically."

霍金答道，“有时候我觉得孤单，是因为人们害怕和我交流，有时甚至不等我写下回复”。霍金目前正在尝试更复杂精密的通信技术，“我有时候胆怯、感到很累，我觉得和不认识的人交流很难”。

问及可曾怀念昔日健康的体魄，霍金补充说，“我希望可以重回泳池。我孩子还小的时候，我都没能和他们一起玩儿。”