纪录片《文明》 第2期 创世纪的第二个瞬间（2）

and attached a placard identifying him as director of idolatry.

还张贴了告示 称其为邪神崇拜的始作俑者

Or we might say, protector of what needs to be saved,

而在我们眼中 他是珍贵宝藏的守护者

cherished, passed on as the work of civilisation¹.

守住了瑰丽的文明 守住了传世的杰作

A lot of us spend our days talking about art.

我们许多人会花时间谈论艺术

I doubt very many of us

但我怀疑大多数人

are prepared to lay down our lives for it,

都没有为艺术献出生命的觉悟

but for Khaled al-Asaad,

但对哈立德·阿萨德来说

the stones and statues and columns of Palmyra

巴尔米拉的这些石头 雕像和石柱

were more than simply an ensemble² of antiquity³.

并不只是简单的古董集合

He didn't need a UNESCO certificate to tell him

他并不需要联合国教科文组织的证书来告诉他

that the significance of Palmyra

巴尔米拉的重要意义

was at once both local and universal.

并不局限于一地一区 而是属于全世界

It's there for believers and unbelievers,

它既属于信徒 也属于不信教的人

for East and West,

既属于东方 也属于西方

and somehow it had fallen to him

而鬼使神差般地

to be the guardian⁴ of that inheritance.

守护这份遗产的重任就落到了他的肩上

We can spend a lot of time debating

我们可以花上许久来争论

what civilisation is or isn't,

什么是文明 什么不是

but when it's opposite shows up in all its brutality⁵ and cruelty

但当文明的对立面将其全部的粗暴与残忍

and intolerance and lust⁶ for destruction,

狭隘与毁灭欲展现在我们眼前时

we know what civilisation is.

我们便知道了文明为何物

1 civilisation   

n.文明，文化，开化，教化

参考例句：

• Energy and ideas are the twin bases of our civilisation.能源和思想是我们文明的两大基石。
• This opera is one of the cultural totems of Western civilisation.这部歌剧是西方文明的文化标志物之一。

2 ensemble   

n.合奏(唱)组；全套服装；整体，总效果

参考例句：

• We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
• It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐，每人担任一部分。

3 antiquity   

n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹

参考例句：

• The museum contains the remains of Chinese antiquity.博物馆藏有中国古代的遗物。
• There are many legends about the heroes of antiquity.有许多关于古代英雄的传说。

4 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

5 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

6 lust   

n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望

参考例句：

• He was filled with lust for power.他内心充满了对权力的渴望。
• Sensing the explorer's lust for gold, the chief wisely presented gold ornaments as gifts.酋长觉察出探险者们垂涎黄金的欲念，就聪明地把金饰品作为礼物赠送给他们。