Seven times have I despised my soul

-----Kahil Gibran

The first time when I saw her being meek that she might attain height.

The second time when I saw her limping before the crippled.

The third time when she was given to choose between the hard and the easy, and she choose the easy.

The fourth time when she committed a wrong, and comfored herself that others also commit wrong.

The fifth time when she forbore for weakness, and she attributed her patience to strength.

The sixth time when she despised the ugliness of a face, and knew not that it was the one of her own masks.

And the seventh time when she sang a song of praise, and deemed it a virtue

---

生词释义：

1.meek: 温顺的；谦恭的。

2.limping: n.跛行;v.跛行。limp: 柔软的，无力的。

3.crippled: 残废的，跛腿的。

4.commit: v.犯错误，犯罪。

5.forbore: v.forbear过去式，忍耐，克制。

6.praise: n.赞扬，称赞。

7.demm: v.认为，视作，相信。

8.virtue: n.美德。

---

译文

第一次，当它本可进取时，却故作谦卑；

第二次，当它在空虚时，用爱欲来填充；

第三次，在困难和容易之间，它选择了容易；

第四次，它犯了错，却借由别人也会犯错来宽慰自己；

第五次，它自由软弱，却把它认为是生命的坚韧；

第六次，当它鄙夷一张丑恶的嘴脸时，却不知那正是自己面具中的一副；

第七次，它侧身于生活的污泥中，虽不甘心，却又畏首畏尾。