弗朗西斯·培根是英國(guó)文藝復(fù)興時(shí)期最重要的散文家、哲學(xué)家。他不但在文學(xué)、哲學(xué)上多有建樹(shù)，在自然科學(xué)領(lǐng)域里，也取得了重大成就。他的第一部重要著作《隨筆》最初發(fā)表于1597年，以后又逐年增補(bǔ)。該書(shū)文筆言簡(jiǎn)意賅、智睿奪目，它包含許多洞察秋毫的經(jīng)驗(yàn)之談，其中不僅論及政治而且還探討許多人生哲理。下面學(xué)習(xí)啦小編為大家?guī)?lái)培根經(jīng)典散文雙語(yǔ)，希望大家喜歡!

　　培根經(jīng)典散文雙語(yǔ)：論敏捷

　　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.

　　過(guò)于求速是作事上最大的危險(xiǎn)之一。它有如醫(yī)家所謂的“前消化”或過(guò)速消化一樣，一定會(huì)使人體中滿含酸液與各種難察的病根的。因此，不可以作事底時(shí)間之多寡為敏捷底標(biāo)準(zhǔn)而當(dāng)以事業(yè)進(jìn)展之程度為標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。

　　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.

　　譬如在賽跑中，速度并不靠步武之大與舉足之高;同此，在事業(yè)上，達(dá)到敏捷的方法在乎專心治事而不在一次包攬?jiān)S多事務(wù)也。有些人一心只要顯露自己能在短時(shí)期內(nèi)做許多事;或者把未辦完的事設(shè)法掩飾成了結(jié)的樣子，以圖外表上顯出他們是敏捷的人。

　　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.

　　然而以緊密的手段縮短作事的時(shí)間為一事，以省略的手段縮短時(shí)間為又一事也。類此，以數(shù)次會(huì)議辦理的事務(wù)常是往返多次，無(wú)固定的處理之方者也。我認(rèn)得一位智者，他在看見(jiàn)人家急欲達(dá)到一個(gè)決議的時(shí)候，常有一句成語(yǔ)，就是，“稍待一會(huì)，如此我們就可以早點(diǎn)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價(jià)值的事。因?yàn)闀r(shí)間是衡量事業(yè)的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，一如金錢是衡量貨物的標(biāo)準(zhǔn);所以在作事不敏捷的時(shí)候，那事業(yè)底代價(jià)一定是很高的。斯巴達(dá)人和西班牙人曾以遲緩著名;“讓我底死亡來(lái)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?yàn)槿绻@樣的話，那我底死亡一定是來(lái)得很慢也。對(duì)于那些關(guān)于事務(wù)直接有所報(bào)告的人應(yīng)當(dāng)好好聽(tīng)取其言;如有指示當(dāng)在報(bào)告之前說(shuō)明，而不可在他們說(shuō)話之中插嘴;因?yàn)楸蝗藬噥y自己談話底次序的人將不免反復(fù)言之，并且在追憶欲說(shuō)而經(jīng)人打斷話頭的時(shí)候比他能順著自己底路子說(shuō)下去的時(shí)候?qū)⒏鼮槿唛L(zhǎng)可厭也

　　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.

　　但有時(shí)常見(jiàn)抑制他人發(fā)言的人較發(fā)言者本身更為可厭。重復(fù)言說(shuō)多半是一種時(shí)間上的損失。但是再?zèng)]有比常常重述問(wèn)題底性質(zhì)之更為節(jié)省時(shí)間者，因?yàn)檫@種辦法把許多空虛無(wú)關(guān)的話語(yǔ)在將要說(shuō)出之時(shí)都驅(qū)逐掉了。冗長(zhǎng)而過(guò)細(xì)的言辭其適于敏捷就如同寬袍長(zhǎng)裙之適于賽跑一樣。序文、承轉(zhuǎn)的套語(yǔ)、自解的話以及其他關(guān)于一個(gè)人自身的言語(yǔ)都是大為浪費(fèi)時(shí)間的東西;并且，它們雖然好象是出自謙虛而其實(shí)是架子排場(chǎng)。然而在他人有阻撓或反對(duì)之意的時(shí)候，卻應(yīng)當(dāng)留神，不可過(guò)于直截，因?yàn)閼延邢热胫?jiàn)的心智總是需要先容的言辭的，就好象一種要使藥膏生效而先用的蒸罨劑一樣。

　　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、與選擇乃是敏捷之所系，只要分析得不要過(guò)精就是了。因?yàn)槟遣簧品治龅娜擞啦粫?huì)治事而分析過(guò)細(xì)的人則永不會(huì)把事情辦得清楚也。選擇時(shí)間就等于節(jié)省時(shí)間;而不合乎時(shí)的舉動(dòng)則等于亂打空氣

　　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

　　治事有三個(gè)部分;準(zhǔn)備，討論或?qū)彶?，和完成。如果你要敏捷的話，在這三項(xiàng)之中，惟有中間的一項(xiàng)可以作為多人底工作，其頭一項(xiàng)與末一項(xiàng)則當(dāng)為少數(shù)人底工作。把要討論的事先寫個(gè)大要然后依這個(gè)所寫的東西而商議，大多是很有助于敏捷的;因?yàn)榧戳钏鶎懙哪切┮庖?jiàn)或計(jì)劃被完全拋棄了，然而有所否定的決議總比漫無(wú)定見(jiàn)的談?wù)撘子谧裱?有如柴灰之比塵埃較能肥田也。

　　培根經(jīng)典散文雙語(yǔ)：論偽智

　　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.

　　從來(lái)有一種意見(jiàn)，以為法國(guó)人實(shí)際比外表聰明，西班牙人外表比實(shí)際聰明。但是不論兩國(guó)之間的情形是否如此，人與人之間的情形卻實(shí)是如此的。圣保羅關(guān)于敬虔有言：“有敬虔的外貌，卻背了敬虔的實(shí)意”。同此，世間盡有人在聰明能力上沒(méi)有什么作為或所為甚少，而外貌是很莊嚴(yán)的：“以大力作細(xì)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.

　　這些徒務(wù)形式的人有什么手腕并利用甚么樣的法術(shù)和機(jī)械，以使虛浮的表面竟如有深度有體積之實(shí)體，在一個(gè)有識(shí)見(jiàn)的人看來(lái)，真是一件可笑而堪人諷刺文章的事。有些人是很隱秘的，隱秘得好象他們底貨物非在暗處不拿出來(lái)給人看似的;他們并且好象常常心里有話而不肯明言似的;并且在他們心里明白所說(shuō)的事自己并不甚知道的時(shí)候，他們卻要裝模作樣，要讓人家以為他們知道許多不能明說(shuō)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勢(shì)，他們底聰明是靠著姿勢(shì)的;就和西塞羅說(shuō)皮索的話一樣，當(dāng)皮索與西塞羅答話的時(shí)候，他把一條眉毛聳到前額上，把另一條眉毛彎到下巴上去了;“你答道——你底一條眉毛聳到前額，另一條眉毛彎到下頦——你不是愛(ài)殘酷的人”。

　　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.

　　有些人以為用偉大的字眼兒，說(shuō)話不容異議，并且繼續(xù)下去，把自己不能證實(shí)的話視為無(wú)問(wèn)題地真確，就可以成為智者。有些人對(duì)于任何他們所不懂的事物都裝出瞧不起的樣子，或者認(rèn)為是無(wú)聊或離奇而蔑視之;為的是這樣他們底愚昧就可冒充識(shí)見(jiàn)了。有些人總是有不同的見(jiàn)解的，他們通常往往以一種巧辯娛人，借此離開(kāi)了本題;關(guān)于這種人蓋利亞斯有言，“一個(gè)瘋子，一個(gè)用字句上的穿鑿而破壞大事的人”。關(guān)于這一種人，柏拉圖在他底《普羅塔高拉斯》一篇中，曾引入普羅第喀斯一人，以為嘲笑之資。柏拉圖使他說(shuō)了一篇話，這一篇話從頭到尾全是分別異同之辭。一般言之，這樣的人在議論中，總是喜歡站在否定的一方面，并且希冀以能反對(duì)及預(yù)示艱難得名;因?yàn)楦鞣N提案一經(jīng)否決就算完了，但是如果它們一被通過(guò)，那就需要新的工作了;這種的假聰明乃治事之大害也。

　　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.

　　總之，沒(méi)有一個(gè)生意蕭條的商人或傾家蕩產(chǎn)的浪子，為了支持他們底財(cái)名，能象這種虛偽的人之為了保持他們底才名而有一般多的詭計(jì)也。假聰明的人也許可以設(shè)法得到名聲;但是誰(shuí)也頂好不要任用他們;因?yàn)?，無(wú)疑地，為了治事，即令任用一個(gè)有點(diǎn)荒.唐的人，也比用一個(gè)過(guò)重外表的人強(qiáng)也。