双语散文欣赏:培根《论嫉妒》

      Men of noble birth, are noted to be envious towards new men, when they rise. For the distance is altered, and it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on, they think themselves, go back.

      贵族中人对新进之人当其腾达之时常露嫉妒之情。因为两者之间的距离改变了；好象一种视觉上的错觉一样，别人往前来而自己以为自身是后退了。

      Deformed persons, and eunuchs, and old men, and bastards, are envious. For he that cannot possibly mend his own case, will do what he can, to impair another's; except these defects light upon a very brave, and heroical nature, which thinketh to make his natural wants part of his honor; in that it should be said, that an eunuch, or a lame man, did such great matters; affecting the honorof a miracle; as it was in Narses the eunuch, and Agesilaus and Tamberlanes, that were lame men.

      残疾之人、宦官、老人与私生子均善妒。因为无法补救自己底情形的人一定要竭力损坏别人底情形的，除非这些缺陷落在一种甚为勇敢和伟大的天性上，那种天性是要以他底天生的缺陷为其荣耀之一部的；他们要人家说一个宦官或一个跛子竟作了这样的大事；这种事情底荣耀直有如一件奇迹底荣耀了；例如宦官拿尔西斯和跛人阿盖西劳斯及帖木儿是也。

      The same is the case of men, that rise after calamities and misfortunes. For they are as men fallen out with the times; and think other men's harms, a redemption of their own sufferings.

      同此，经过大祸与不幸而再起的人也富于嫉妒心，因为这些人与那些不合时宜的人一样，他们以为别人受到的损害等于自己底痛苦之赔偿也。

      They that desire to excel in too many matters, out of levity and vain glory, are ever envious. For they cannot want work; it being impossible, but many, in some one of those things, should surpass them. Which was the character of Adrian the Emperor; that mortally envied poets, and painters, and artificers, inworks wherein he had a vein to excel.

      现在且一谈那些多少受人嫉妒的人。第一，德行高的人们，其德愈增则受人嫉妒之机会愈减。因为他们底幸福看来是他们应得的；没有人嫉妒债务之得偿，所嫉者多是报酬过当之赏赐也。又嫉妒总是与人我底比较俱来的；没有比较的地方就没有嫉妒；因此帝王除了受帝王底嫉妒外不受他人底嫉妒。然而应当注意的是微末之人在初升贵显的时候最受嫉妒，到后来较能克服之：反之，有功有业的人在福祉绵延之时最受嫉妒。因为到了那个时节虽然他们底德行仍旧，但其光辉却不如昔了；因为有新的人物起来把那些德行投入暗处了。

      Lastly, near kinsfolks, and fellows in office, and those that have been bred together, are more apt to envy their equals, when they are raised. For it dothupbraid unto them their own fortunes, and pointeth at them, and cometh oftener into their remembrance, and incurreth likewise more into the note of others; and envy ever redoubleth from speech and fame. Cain's envy was the more vile and malignant, towards his brother Abel, because when his sacrifice was better accepted, there was no body to look on. Thus much for those, that are apt to envy.

      因为浮躁与虚荣而想在过多的事业中出人头地的人总是嫉妒心盛的。因为在那些事业中的某项上，断不能没有多人可以胜过他们的；既如此他们就不缺乏嫉妒底缘由了。这就是埃追安皇帝底特性；他非常妒恨诗人、画家与巧匠；在这些人底事业中皇帝本人是有点过人之才的。