On Good and Evil 关于善与恶

On Good and Evil 

By Kahlil Gibran 

Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil.

For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? 我只能说你的善，无法说你的恶。因为恶只不过是善受到自身的饥渴的折磨啊！

Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts it drinks even of dead waters.

说到底，当善饥饿的时候，祂甚至会到黑暗的山洞寻找食物；当祂口渴的时候，祂甚至会到死水处喝水。

You are good when you are one with yourself. 你是善的，当你与自己同在。

Yet when you are not one with yourself you are not evil. 可你也不是恶的，当你不与自己同在。

For a divided house is not a den of thieves; it is only a divided house. 因为一所被分隔的房子并不是一个贼窝；它只是一所被分隔的房子。

And a ship without rudder may wander aimlessly among perilous isles yet sink not to the bottom. 而一艘没有舵的船，会在充满危险的岛屿间的水域漂荡，可也没有沉没到海底。

You are good when you strive to give of yourself. 你是善的，当你尽力去施舍。

Yet you are not evil when you seek gain for yourself. 可你也不是恶的，当你为自己索求。

For when you strive for gain you are but a root that clings to the earth and sucks at her breast. 因为当你尽力去索求时，你也只不过是一条依附着大地的根，在吮吸着祂的乳房。

Surely the fruit cannot say to the root, “Be like me, ripe and full and ever giving of your abundance.” 大树的果实肯定不能对树根说：“像我一样吧，成熟而饱满，不停施舍自己所富有的。”

For to the fruit giving is a need, as receiving is a need to the root. 因为对成熟的果实而言，大方施舍是一种需要；对树根而言，接受施舍是一种需要。

You are good when you are fully awake in your speech, 你是善的，当你完全清醒地说话。

Yet you are not evil when you sleep while your tongue staggers without purpose. 可你也不是恶的，当你睡着而且说着梦话。

And even stumbling speech may strengthen a weak tongue. 而且就算是不流利的说话，对舌头也是一种锻炼。

You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps. 你是善的，当你稳健地大步迈向你的目标。

Yet you are not evil when you go thither limping. 可你也不是恶的，当你跛脚前行。

Even those who limp go not backward. 就算是跛脚前行的人，也没有向后退啊。

But you who are strong and swift, see that you do not limp before the lame, deeming it kindness. 但是强壮而快速的人，要明白的是，不可在跛脚者前面跛行，而又误以为那是一种善行。

You are good in countless ways, and you are not evil when you are not good, 你在无数方面是善的，可你也不是恶的，当你够不上善的时候。

You are only loitering and sluggard. 你只是习惯游荡、懒散而已。

Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles. 慈悲啊，矫健的公鹿没法教会乌龟飞快奔跑。

In your longing for your giant self lies your goodness: and that longing is in all of you. 在你对巨大自我的内心渴望中，蕴藏着你的善良：而这种内心渴望你们全部都有。

But in some of you that longing is a torrent rushing with might to the sea, carrying the secrets of the hillsides and the songs of the forest. 然而，你们有些人的内心渴望，就像是一股曾经听过群山的秘密与森林的歌咏的激流，猛然地冲进大海。

And in others it is a flat stream that loses itself in angles and bends and lingers before it reaches the shore. 至于其他人，它是一道平缓的小溪，在转弯转角处逐渐消失，并且在到达海岸之前徘徊逗留。

But let not him who longs much say to him who longs little, “Wherefore are you slow and halting?”

For the truly good ask not the naked, “Where is your garment?” nor the houseless, “What has befallen your house?” 然而，内心渴望多的请不要问内心渴望少的：“为什么你这么慢，而且停下来？” 真正好的也不要问赤身裸体的：“你的衣服呢？” 或问无家可归的：“你的屋子哪里去了？”