培根《論厄運》原文和譯文

原文：

Of Adversity(論厄運)

It was an high speech of Seneca (after the manner of the Stoics), that the good things, which belong to prosperity, are to be wished; but the good things, that belong to adversity, are to be admired. Bona rerum secundarum optabilia; adversarum mirabilia. Certainly if miracles be the command over nature, they appear most in adversity. It is yet a higher speech of his, than the other (much too high for a heathen), It is true greatness, to have in one the frailty of a man, and the security of a God. Vere magnum habere fragilitatem hominis, securitatem Dei. This would have done better in poesy, where transcendences are more allowed. And the poets indeed have been busy with it; for it is in effect the thing, which figured in that strange fiction of the ancient poets, which seemeth not to be without mystery; nay, and to have some approach to the state of a Christian; that Hercules, when he went to unbind Prometheus (by whom human nature is represented), sailed the length of the great ocean, in an earthen pot or pitcher; lively describing Christian resolution, that saileth in the frail bark of the flesh, through the waves of the world. But to speak in a mean. The virtue of prosperity, is temperance; the virtue of adversity, is fortitude; which in morals is the more heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old Testament; adversity is the blessing of the New; which carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer revelation of God’s favor. Yet even in the Old Testament, if you listen to David’s harp, you shall hear as many hearse-like airs as carols; and the pencil of the Holy Ghost hath labored more in describing the afflictions of Job, than the felicities of Solomon. Prosperity is not without many fears and distastes; and adversity is not without comforts and hopes. We see in needle-works and embroideries, it is more pleasing to have a lively work, upon a sad and solemn ground, than to have a dark and melancholy work, upon a lightsome ground: judge therefore of the pleasure of the heart, by the pleasure of the eye. Certainly virtue is like precious odors, most fragrant when they are incensed, or crushed: for prosperity doth best discover vice, but adversity doth best discover virtue.

譯文：

“好的運氣令人羨慕，而戰勝厄運則更令人驚歎。”這是塞尼卡得之於斯多葛派哲學的名言。確實如此,超越自然的奇蹟，總是在對厄運的征服中出現的。塞尼卡又曾説：“真正的偉人，是像神那樣無所畏懼的凡人”。這是一句宛如詩一樣美的妙語。古代詩人在他們的神話中曾描寫過：當赫克里斯去解救普羅米修斯的`時候，他是坐在一個瓦盆裏飄洋過海的。這個故事其實正是對於人生的象徵：因為每一個基督徒也正是架着血肉之軀的輕舟，橫渡波濤翻滾的生活之海的。幸運所需要的美德是節制，而厄運所需要的美德是堅忍；後者比前者更為難能可貴。《聖經》的《舊約》啟示給人們以幸福，而《新約》則啟示人們通過戰勝苦難去獲取幸福。在聖詩中，哀歌是與頌歌相伴的，而聖靈對約伯所受苦難的刻畫比對所羅門財富的刻畫要更動人。一切幸運都並非沒有煩惱，而一切厄運也決非沒有希望。最美的刺繡，是以明麗的花朵映襯於暗淡的背景，而絕不是以暗淡的花朵映襯於明麗的背景。從這圖象中去汲取啟示吧。人的美德猶如名貴的香料，在烈火焚燒中散發出最濃郁的芳香。正如惡劣的品質可以在幸運中暴露一樣，最美好的品質也正是在厄運中被顯示的。