培根的《論讀書(shū)》英漢對照
培根的《論讀書(shū)》老成煉達，王佐良的譯文信達雅兼備，水天同的譯文流暢可讀。
Bacon On Studies
王佐良譯《論讀書(shū)》
水天同《論學(xué)問(wèn)》
STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability.
讀書(shū)足以怡情，足以傅彩，足以長(cháng)才。
讀書(shū)為學(xué)的用途是娛樂(lè )、裝飾和增長(cháng)才識。
Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of business.
其怡情也，最見(jiàn)于獨處幽居之時(shí)；其傅彩也，最見(jiàn)于高談闊論之中；其長(cháng)才也，最見(jiàn)于處世判事之際。
在娛樂(lè )上學(xué)問(wèn)的主要的用處是幽居養靜；在裝飾上學(xué)問(wèn)的用處是辭令；在長(cháng)才上學(xué)問(wèn)的用處是對于事務(wù)的判斷和處理。
For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned.
練達之士雖能分別處理細事或一一判別枝節，然縱觀(guān)統籌、全局策劃，則舍好學(xué)深思者莫屬。
因為富于經(jīng)驗的人善于實(shí)行，也許能夠對個(gè)別的事情一件一件地加以判斷；但是最好的有關(guān)大體的議論和對事務(wù)的計劃與布置，乃是從有學(xué)問(wèn)的人來(lái)的。
To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar.
讀書(shū)費時(shí)過(guò)多易惰，文采藻飾太盛則矯，全憑條文斷事乃學(xué)究故態(tài)。
在學(xué)問(wèn)上費時(shí)過(guò)多是偷懶；把學(xué)問(wèn)過(guò)于用作裝飾是虛假；完全依學(xué)問(wèn)上的規則而斷事是書(shū)生的怪癖。
They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning, by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience.
讀書(shū)補天然之不足，經(jīng)驗又補讀書(shū)之不足，蓋天生才干猶如自然花草，讀書(shū)然后知如何修剪移接；而書(shū)中所示，如不以經(jīng)驗范之，則又大而無(wú)當。
學(xué)問(wèn)鍛煉天性，而其本身又受經(jīng)驗的鍛煉；蓋人的天賦有如野生的花草，他們需要學(xué)問(wèn)的修剪；而學(xué)問(wèn)的本身，若不受經(jīng)驗的限制，則其所指示的未免過(guò)于籠統。
Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation.
有一技之長(cháng)者鄙讀書(shū)，無(wú)知者羨讀書(shū)，唯明智之士用讀書(shū)，然書(shū)并不以用處告人，用書(shū)之智不在書(shū)中，而在書(shū)外，全憑觀(guān)察得之。
多詐的人渺視學(xué)問(wèn)，愚魯的人羨慕學(xué)問(wèn)，聰明的人運用學(xué)問(wèn)；因為學(xué)問(wèn)的本身并不教人如何用它們；這種運用之道乃是學(xué)問(wèn)以外，學(xué)問(wèn)以上的一種智能，是由觀(guān)察體會(huì )才能得到的。
Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider.
讀書(shū)時(shí)不可存心詰難作者，不可盡信書(shū)上所言，亦不可只為尋章摘句，而應推敲細思。
不要為了辯駁而讀書(shū)，也不要為了信仰與盲從；也不要為了言談與議論；要以能權衡輕重、審察事理為目的。
Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.
書(shū)有可淺嘗者，有可吞食者，少數則須咀嚼消化。換言之，有只須讀其部分者，有只須大體涉獵者，少數則須全讀，讀時(shí)須全神貫注，孜孜不倦。
有些書(shū)可供一嘗，有些書(shū)可以吞下，有不多的幾部書(shū)則應當咀嚼消化；這就是說(shuō)，有些書(shū)只要讀讀他們的一部分就夠了，有些書(shū)可以全讀，但是不必過(guò)于細心地讀；還有不多的幾部書(shū)則應當全讀，勤讀，而且用心地讀。
Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them bothers; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things.
書(shū)亦可請人代讀，取其所作摘要，但只限題材較次或價(jià)值不高者，否則書(shū)經(jīng)提煉猶如水經(jīng)蒸餾、淡而無(wú)味矣。
有些書(shū)也可以請代表去讀，并且由別人替我作出摘要來(lái)；但是這種辦法只適于次要的議論和次要的書(shū)籍；否則錄要的書(shū)就和蒸餾的水一樣，都是無(wú)味的東西。
Reading make a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.
讀書(shū)使人充實(shí)，討論使人機智，筆記使人準確。
閱讀使人充實(shí)，會(huì )談使人敏捷，寫(xiě)作與筆記使人精確。
And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know, that he doth not.
因此不常作筆記者須記憶特強，不常討論者須天生聰穎，不常讀書(shū)者須欺世有術(shù)，始能無(wú)知而顯有知。
因此，如果一個(gè)人寫(xiě)得很少，那末他就必須有很好的記性；如果他很少與人會(huì )談，那么他就必須有很敏捷的機智；并且假如他讀書(shū)讀得很少的話(huà)，那么他就必須要有很大的狡黠之才，才可以強不知以為知。
Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtitle; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores.
讀史使人明智，讀詩(shī)使人靈秀，數學(xué)使人周密，科學(xué)使人深刻，倫理學(xué)使人莊重，邏輯修辭之學(xué)使人善辯：凡有所學(xué)，皆成性格。
史鑒使人明智；詩(shī)歌使人巧慧；數學(xué)使人精細；博物使人深沉；倫理之學(xué)使人莊重；邏輯與修辭使人善辯。“學(xué)問(wèn)變化氣質(zhì)”。
Nay, there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the body, may have appropriate exercises.
人之才智但有滯礙，無(wú)不可讀適當之書(shū)使之順暢，一如身體百病，皆可借相宜之運動(dòng)除之。
不特如此，精神上的缺陷沒(méi)有一種是不能由相當的學(xué)問(wèn)來(lái)補救的：就如同肉體上各種的病患都有適當的運動(dòng)來(lái)治療似的。
Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like.
滾球利睪腎，射箭利胸肺，慢步利腸胃，騎術(shù)利頭腦，諸如此類(lèi)。
踢球有益于結石和腎臟；射箭有益于胸肺；緩步有益于胃；騎馬有益于頭腦；諸如此類(lèi)。
So if a man\'s wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again.
如智力不集中，可令讀數學(xué)，蓋演題須全神貫注，稍有分散即須重演；
同此，如果一個(gè)人心志不專(zhuān)，他頂好研究數學(xué)；因為在數學(xué)的證理之中，如果他的精神稍有不專(zhuān)，他就非從頭再做不可。
If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectors.
如不能辨異，可令讀經(jīng)院哲學(xué)，蓋是輩皆吹毛求疵之人；
如果他的精神不善于辨別異同，那么他最好研究經(jīng)院學(xué)派的著(zhù)作，因為這一派的學(xué)者是條分縷析的人；
If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers\' cases.
如不善求同，不善以一物闡證另一物，可令讀律師之案卷。
如果他不善于推此知彼，旁征博引，他頂好研究律師們的案卷。
So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.
如此頭腦中凡有缺陷，皆有特藥可醫。
如此看來(lái)，精神上各種的缺陷都可以有一種專(zhuān)門(mén)的補救之方了。
