培根经典散文双语

弗朗西斯·培根是英国文艺复兴时期最重要的散文家、哲学家。他不但在文学、哲学上多有建树，在自然科学领域里，也取得了重大成就。他的第一部重要著作《随笔》最初发表于1597年，以后又逐年增补。该书文笔言简意赅、智睿夺目，它包含许多洞察秋毫的经验之谈，其中不仅论及政治而且还探讨许多人生哲理。下面小编为大家带来培根经典散文双语，希望大家喜欢!

培根经典散文双语：论敏捷

Affected dispatch is one of the most dangerous things to business that can be. It is like that, which the physicians call predigestion, or hasty digestion; which is sure to fill the body full of crudities, and secret seeds of diseases. Therefore, measure not dispatch by the times of sitting, but by the advancement of the business.

过于求速是作事上最大的危险之一。它有如医家所谓的“前消化”或过速消化一样，一定会使人体中满含酸液与各种难察的病根的。因此，不可以作事底时间之多寡为敏捷底标准而当以事业进展之程度为标准。

And as in races, it is not the large stride, or high lift, that makes the speed: so in business, the keeping close to the matter, and not taking of it too much at once, procureth dispatch. It is the care of some, only to come off speedily for the time; or to contrive some false periods of business, because they may seem men of dispatch.

譬如在赛跑中，速度并不靠步武之大与举足之高;同此，在事业上，达到敏捷的方法在乎专心治事而不在一次包揽许多事务也。有些人一心只要显露自己能在短时期内做许多事;或者把未办完的事设法掩饰成了结的样子，以图外表上显出他们是敏捷的人。

But it is one thing, to abbreviate by contracting, another by cutting off: and business so handled at several sittings or meetings, goeth commonly backward and forward, in an unsteady manner. I knew a wise man, that had it for a by-word, when he saw men hasten to a conclusion; Stay a little, that we may make an end the sooner.

然而以紧密的手段缩短作事的时间为一事，以省略的手段缩短时间为又一事也。类此，以数次会议办理的事务常是往返多次，无固定的处理之方者也。我认得一位智者，他在看见人家急欲达到一个决议的时候，常有一句成语，就是，“稍待一会，如此我们就可以早点完事了”。

On the other side, true dispatch is a rich thing. For time is the measure of business, as money is of wares: and business is bought at a dear hand, where there is small dispatch. The Spartans, and Spaniards, have been noted to be of small dispatch; Mi venga la muerta de Spagna;

在另一方面，真正的敏捷是一件很有价值的事。因为时间是衡量事业的标准，一如金钱是衡量货物的标准;所以在作事不敏捷的时候，那事业底代价一定是很高的。斯巴达人和西班牙人曾以迟缓著名;“让我底死亡来自西班牙”;

Let my death come from Spain; for then it will be sure to be long in coming.Give good hearing to those that give the first information in business; and rather direct them in the beginning, than interrupt them in the continuance of their speeches: for he that is put out of his own order, will go forward and backward, and be more tedious while he waits upon his memory, than he could have been, if he had gone on in his own course.

因为如果这样的话，那我底死亡一定是来得很慢也。对于那些关于事务直接有所报告的人应当好好听取其言;如有指示当在报告之前说明，而不可在他们说话之中插嘴;因为被人搅乱自己谈话底次序的人将不免反复言之，并且在追忆欲说而经人打断话头的时候比他能顺着自己底路子说下去的时候将更为冗长可厌也

But sometimes it is seen, that the moderator is more troublesome than the actor. Iterations are commonly loss of time: but there is no such gain of time, as to iterate often the state of the question: for it chaselh away many a frivolous speech, as it is coming forth. Long and curious speeches are as fit for dispatch, as a robe or mantle with a long train, is for race.Prefaces, and passages, and excusations, and other speeches of reference to the person, are great wastes of time; and though they seem to proceed of modesty, they are bravery. Yet beware of being too material, when there is any impediment or obstruction in men's wills; for pre-occupation of mind ever requireth preface of speech;like a fomentation to make the unguent enter.

但有时常见抑制他人发言的人较发言者本身更为可厌。重复言说多半是一种时间上的损失。但是再没有比常常重述问题底性质之更为节省时间者，因为这种办法把许多空虚无关的话语在将要说出之时都驱逐掉了。冗长而过细的言辞其适于敏捷就如同宽袍长裙之适于赛跑一样。序文、承转的套语、自解的话以及其他关于一个人自身的言语都是大为浪费时间的东西;并且，它们虽然好象是出自谦虚而其实是架子排场。然而在他人有阻挠或反对之意的时候，却应当留神，不可过于直截，因为怀有先入之见的心智总是需要先容的言辞的，就好象一种要使药膏生效而先用的蒸罨剂一样。

Above all things, order, and distribution, and singling out of parts, is me life of dispatch; so as the distribution be not too subtle: for he mat doth not divide will never enter well into business; and he that divideth too much will never come out of it clearly. To choose time is to save time; and an unseasonable motion is but beating the air.

最要者，次序、分配、与选择乃是敏捷之所系，只要分析得不要过精就是了。因为那不善分析的人永不会治事而分析过细的人则永不会把事情办得清楚也。选择时间就等于节省时间;而不合乎时的举动则等于乱打空气

There be three parts of business: the preparation; the debate, or examination; and the perfection. Whereof, if you look for dispatch, let the middle only be the work of many, and the first and last the work of few. The proceeding upon somewhat conceived in writing, doth for the most part facilitate dispatch: for though it should be wholly rejected, yet that negative is more pregnant of direction than an indefinite; as ashes are more generative than dust

治事有三个部分;准备，讨论或审察，和完成。如果你要敏捷的话，在这三项之中，惟有中间的一项可以作为多人底工作，其头一项与末一项则当为少数人底工作。把要讨论的事先写个大要然后依这个所写的东西而商议，大多是很有助于敏捷的;因为即令所写的那些意见或计划被完全抛弃了，然而有所否定的决议总比漫无定见的谈论易于遵循;有如柴灰之比尘埃较能肥田也。

培根经典散文双语：论伪智

It hath been an opinion, that the French are wiser than they seem;and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are. But howsoever it be between nations, certainly it is so between man and man. For as the apostle saith of godliness; Having a show of godliness, but denying the power thereof; so certainly, there are in points of wisdom, and sufficiency, that do nothing or little, very solemnly; magno conatu nugas.

从来有一种意见，以为法国人实际比外表聪明，西班牙人外表比实际聪明。但是不论两国之间的情形是否如此，人与人之间的情形却实是如此的。圣保罗关于敬虔有言：“有敬虔的外貌，却背了敬虔的实意”。同此，世间尽有人在聪明能力上没有什么作为或所为甚少，而外貌是很庄严的：“以大力作细事”。

It is a ridiculous thing, and fit for a satire, to persons of judgement, to see what shifts these formalists have, and what prospectives, to make superficies to seem body, that hath depth and bulk. Some are so close and reserved, as they will not show their wares, but by a dark light: and seem always to keep back somewhat: and when they know within themselves, they speak of that they do not well know, would nevertheless seem to others, to know of that which they may not well speak.

这些徒务形式的人有什么手腕并利用甚么样的法术和机械，以使虚浮的表面竟如有深度有体积之实体，在一个有识见的人看来，真是一件可笑而堪人讽刺文章的事。有些人是很隐秘的，隐秘得好象他们底货物非在暗处不拿出来给人看似的;他们并且好象常常心里有话而不肯明言似的;并且在他们心里明白所说的事自己并不甚知道的时候，他们却要装模作样，要让人家以为他们知道许多不能明说的事情。

Some help themselves with countenance, and gesture, and are wise by signs; as Cicero saith of Piso, that when he answered him, he fetched one of his brows up to his forehead, and bent the other down to his chin: respondes,ahero ad fronton sublato, altero ad mention depresso supercilio, cnudelitatem tibi non placere

有些人借助于面容手势，他们底聪明是靠着姿势的;就和西塞罗说皮索的话一样，当皮索与西塞罗答话的时候，他把一条眉毛耸到前额上，把另一条眉毛弯到下巴上去了;“你答道——你底一条眉毛耸到前额，另一条眉毛弯到下颏——你不是爱残酷的人”。

Some think to bear it, by speaking a great word, and being peremptory; and go on, and take by admittance that which they cannot make good. Some, whatsoever is beyond their recall, will seem to despise or make light of it, as impertinent, or curious; and so would have their ignorance seem judgement. Some are never without a difference, and commonly by amusing men with a

subtlety, blanch the matter; of whom A. Gellius saith; hominem delirum, qui verborum minutiis rerum frangit pondera. Of which kind also, Plato in his Protagoras bringeth in Prodicus, in scorn, and maketh him make a speech, that consisted! of distinctions from the beginning to the end. Generally, such men in all deliberations find ease to be of the negative side, and affect a credit, to object and foretell difficulties: for when propositions are denied, there is an end of them; but if they be allowed, it requireth a new work: which false point of wisdom is the bane of business.

有些人以为用伟大的字眼儿，说话不容异议，并且继续下去，把自己不能证实的话视为无问题地真确，就可以成为智者。有些人对于任何他们所不懂的事物都装出瞧不起的样子，或者认为是无聊或离奇而蔑视之;为的是这样他们底愚昧就可冒充识见了。有些人总是有不同的见解的，他们通常往往以一种巧辩娱人，借此离开了本题;关于这种人盖利亚斯有言，“一个疯子，一个用字句上的穿凿而破坏大事的人”。关于这一种人，柏拉图在他底《普罗塔高拉斯》一篇中，曾引入普罗第喀斯一人，以为嘲笑之资。柏拉图使他说了一篇话，这一篇话从头到尾全是分别异同之辞。一般言之，这样的人在议论中，总是喜欢站在否定的一方面，并且希冀以能反对及预示艰难得名;因为各种提案一经否决就算完了，但是如果它们一被通过，那就需要新的工作了;这种的假聪明乃治事之大害也。

To conclude, there is no decaying merchant, or inward beggar, hath so many tricks, to uphold the credit of their wealth, as these empty persons have, to maintain the credit of their sufficiency. Seeming wise men may make shift to get opinion: but let no man choose them for employment; for certainly, you were better take for business a man somewhat absurd than over formal.

总之，没有一个生意萧条的商人或倾家荡产的浪子，为了支持他们底财名，能象这种虚伪的人之为了保持他们底才名而有一般多的诡计也。假聪明的人也许可以设法得到名声;但是谁也顶好不要任用他们;因为，无疑地，为了治事，即令任用一个有点荒唐的人，也比用一个过重外表的人强也。