精美英文欣赏:真假纯朴 True and False Simplicity

True and False Simplicity¹

真假纯朴

Simplicity is an uprightness of soul that has no reference to self;it is different from sincerity², and it is a still higher virtue³.

纯朴是无私的灵魂中一种正直的品质；它不同于真诚，并高于真诚。

We see many people who are sincere,without being simple;

许多人真诚，但绝不纯朴；

they only wish to pass for what they are,and they are unwilling⁴ to appear what they are not;

他们只是想以本来面目示人，并不想虚假；

they are always thinking of themselves,measuring their words, recalling their thoughts,and reviewing their actions,from the fear that they have done too much or too little.

他们总是思量过多，字斟句酌，反省所思，瞻前顾后，唯恐有过之或有不及。

These persons are sincere, but they are not simple;

这些人很真诚，却不纯朴；

1111111111111111111_副本.jpgthey are not at ease with others,and others are not at ease with them;

与人相处时，他们总是难以放松，别人对他们也十分拘谨；

they are not free, ingenuous⁵, natural;

他们不随意、不率真、不自然；

we prefer people who are less correct, less perfect,and who are less artificial.

我们更喜欢偶尔犯点错误、不那么完美、不那么做作的人们。

This is the decision of man,and it is the judgment⁶ of God,who would not have us so occupied with ourselves,and thus, as it were,always arranging our features in a mirror.

这是人的天性使然，也是神的旨意所归；上帝不愿我们如此深陷于自我，如同整日对着镜子搔首弄姿。

To be wholly occupied with others, never to look within,is the state of blindness of those who are entirely⁷ engrossed⁸ by what is present and addressed to their sense; this is the very reverse of simplicity.

完全集中注意他人而不自省，是某些人的又是一种盲目状态；这些人全神贯注于眼前事物以及感官感受到的一切；这恰好是纯朴的反面。

To be absorbed in self and in whatever engages us,whether we are laboring⁹ for our fellow being or for God-to-be wise in our own eyes reserved,and full of ourselves,troubled at the least thing that disturbs our self-complacency,is the opposite extreme.

另一种人是，不管为同类还是为上帝效力，均全然忘我地投入-自以为聪明含蓄，心中充满自我，只要自满的情绪受到丝毫干扰便心烦意乱，是另一种极端。

This is false wisdom, which, with all its glory,is but little less absurd than that folly,which pursues only pleasure.

这是虚假的聪明；表面上堂而皇之，实际上与纯为追求享乐的愚蠢同样荒唐。

Simplicity consists in a just medium,in which we are neither too much excited,nor too composed.

纯朴是一种适度的中庸。纯朴的人既不会兴奋过度，也不会过于镇静。

The soul is not carried away by outward things,so that it cannot make all necessary reflections;neither does it make those continual references to self,that a jealous sense of its own excellence¹⁰ multiplies to infinity¹¹.

灵魂不会受外物牵引以致无力做必要的内省；也不会时刻以自我为中心，以致对自己所谓的美好品质无穷无尽的患得患失。

That freedom of the soul,which looks straight onward¹² in its path,losing no time to reason upon its steps,to study them,or to contemplate¹³ those that it has already taken,is true simplicity.

真正的纯朴，是一种灵魂的自由，它直视前方的道路，不会浪费时间仔细权衡或研究自己的脚步，也不会去沉思已经走过的道路。

1 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

2 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

3 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。

4 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

5 ingenuous   

adj.纯朴的，单纯的；天真的；坦率的

参考例句：

• Only the most ingenuous person would believe such a weak excuse!只有最天真的人才会相信这么一个站不住脚的借口！
• With ingenuous sincerity,he captivated his audience.他以自己的率真迷住了观众。

6 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

7 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

8 engrossed   

adj.全神贯注的

参考例句：

• The student is engrossed in his book.这名学生正在专心致志地看书。
• No one had ever been quite so engrossed in an evening paper.没人会对一份晚报如此全神贯注。

9 laboring   

n.劳动，操劳v.努力争取(for)( labor的现在分词 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转

参考例句：

• The young man who said laboring was beneath his dignity finally put his pride in his pocket and got a job as a kitchen porter. 那个说过干活儿有失其身份的年轻人最终只能忍辱，做了厨房搬运工的工作。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• But this knowledge did not keep them from laboring to save him. 然而，这并不妨碍她们尽力挽救他。 来自飘（部分）

10 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

11 infinity   

n.无限，无穷，大量

参考例句：

• It is impossible to count up to infinity.不可能数到无穷大。
• Theoretically,a line can extend into infinity.从理论上来说直线可以无限地延伸。

12 onward   

adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先

参考例句：

• The Yellow River surges onward like ten thousand horses galloping.黄河以万马奔腾之势滚滚向前。
• He followed in the steps of forerunners and marched onward.他跟随着先辈的足迹前进。

13 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。