The Autobiography (节选)by Benjamin Franklin--美国语文

那么近,这么远,我和你隔着一座山呀一座山。英文阅读这座山真难翻,不过铁路边的孩子结束了。读到Bobbie在车站迎到父亲的那一幕的确感人,像一只小哨子在心底吹响。这本书断断续续感觉读了很长时间,就如同作者说的,当孩子们的日子终于回归到平时,仿佛来到Three Chimneys兵荒马乱的第一天,早晨的苹果派,烧干的热水壶如同很久很久以前。故事很温馨,带有点童话性质,特别捣蛋的Peter, 时不时鞋带开的Phyllis,作为老大总是最懂事的Bobbie,还有坚强勇敢的妈妈,努力支撑家庭,给孩子写诗,出了稿费会有小圆面包吃的小惊喜。一切随着父亲的回来,门关上完美落幕了。We may just take one last look, over our shoulders, at the white house where neither we nor anyone else is wanted now.

笔记不多,很多是生词。书中有几处表达很鲜活随手摘几条。

Crying is catching, I believe, like measles and whooping-cough. 情绪会传染

Praise helps people very much sometimes.赞赏是一剂良药

You’ll excuse my shoving my oar in, won’t you? 别介意我多管闲事

I’ve got a pain in my front with being so hungry.饿的难受

因为今天要开始补之前的计划,所以就不过多赘述了。本身The Railway Children也挺长。昨天睡前开始听 War Horse,Dan Steven的声音塑造能力服气。一耳朵停不下来,需要再加几个耳朵。脑海会不断浮现电影中的场景,如果上本的读书体验是让我虐的热泪盈眶,那这一本完全是被情节打动。所以选书一定慎重。


今天继续美国语文,因为刚读过富兰克林的格言,所以进行一篇《富兰克林自传》的节选。说实在的,读得有点无聊。先出第一部分。

以下正文



It was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wished to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into.

这一篇不是特别好读,豹豹也是对照着前后看。因为不是特别感兴趣,但勉强听了些解析,所以大致自行标注了一下,尝试不精准查词来一次速读。有些地方不一定完全贴切,请只作为参考,别照搬,望见谅。

黑体词汇的注释部分来自柯林斯,特注。

也就是这个时候"我"酝酿了这个大胆而艰巨的任务:达到道德上的完美。希望任何时候都能不犯错,克服天然的,或身边人带来的影响(犯错)因素。

这段时间富兰克林应该犯了一个错,因为某件事情和朋友也决裂了。(请自行查询,富兰克林这本自传是真的自传,不掩饰曾经的错误。)或许这是一个契机?虽不知道后续,而且因为任用裙带关系晚节不保,在豹豹看来他的确做到了13条美德中的大部分,最起码财务自由了。

arduous:difficult

natural inclination在此处类似原生家庭一类形成的性格或自我习惯一类的影响。

company:friends(有点cronies的感觉)



As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task  of more difficulty than I had imagined.

人生的犯错有时即使刻意注意,也会像打地鼠一样,摁下这个弹起那个。总之不能很好的规避,所以对富兰克林来说这个任务比想象中的艰难。

When you undertake a task or job, you start doing it and accept responsibility for it. 着手做; 从事; 承担




While my care was employed in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason.

还有一种文本While my Attention was taken up in guarding against one Fault, I was often surpris'd by another.

总之均是说改掉坏的习惯,培养好的品质是一件艰难的事。因为自然的倾向性比理智强大太多。

inattention:pay no atrention, ignorance

最后得出结论:that contrary habits(bad habits) must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct.

不破不立。

Rectitude is a quality or attitude that is shown by people who behave honestly and morally according to accepted standards. 正直; 公正; 诚实



于是富兰克林开始寻找需要的自我要求标准,这也是他很有名的13条美德。

In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite,(胃口),inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition.

在不同的阅读中,"我"发现不同的作者会给同一个名词做出不同的定义,这让人有些理解混乱。比如说节制--不仅仅指饮食,还包括愉悦身心,意愿,野心等等。

enumeration: When you enumerate a list of things, you name each one in turn. 列举; 枚举

Temperance:节制

avarice: greed



I propos'd to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annex'd to each, than a few names with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues all that at that time occurr'd to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept, which fully express'd the extent I gave to its meaning.

于是富兰克林尝试了另一种做法,将条目列多一些,但是定义少下一些,这样会更清晰。其实很符合现在的脑科学记忆方式。



下面是富兰克林罗列的13条,因为罗列之后还有一大段他自己对其中几条的一些看法,豹豹觉得完全可以归纳在一块。

1. Temperance

Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

dullness:stupidity

吃饭吃到八分饱,饮酒不要贪杯

Temperance first, as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations.

只有先有了节制,头脑才会清醒,才能保证警惕(vigilance),来预防恶习的吸引,向其倾斜。



2. Silence.

Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

沉默是金。

trifling:unimportant

Silence would be more easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge at the same time that I improv'd in virtue, and considering that in conversation it was obtain'd rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue, and therefore wishing to break a habit I was getting into of prattling, punning, and joking, which only made me acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence the second place.

这里解释了为什么将沉默放在第二个位置,多听少说。也包含了一定的人际关系处理,不要将宝贵的时光浪费在不必要的闲谈和不足道的人际交往中。提升自我才是重要的事情。



3.Order.

Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

有序,突然想起演讲中的一句话

And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.



4. Resolution.

Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

人要有一鼓作气的勇气。

Resolution, once become habitual, would keep me firm in my endeavours to obtain all the subsequent virtues;

有了决心果断才有后续品质的获得。



5. Frugality.

Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i. e., waste nothing.

节俭是美德,不该花的就不应花。



6. Industry.

Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

industry在这里是勤劳的意思,hard-working

并且富兰克林将5和6放在一起做了总结。

Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt, and producing affluence and independence, would make more easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, ...

只有节俭和勤劳(开源节流)才有财务保障,只有有了经济基础才能讨论其他。才更大可能保证7和8Sincerity and Justice(真诚和公正)的存在性。所以古话说得好,穷生奸计富长良心还是有一定的道理,当然豹豹认为也只是有一定道理。



7. Sincerity.

Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly; and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

做人要真诚,说话要有据。但这里Use no hurtful deceit很有意思,并不是不说谎,善意的谎言还是有其必要性。



8. Justice.

Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

不损人利己,履行应尽义务。



9. Moderation.

Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

适度,避免极端。



10. Cleanliness.

Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.

讲究个人卫生



11.Tranquillity.

Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

莫名想起瑜伽和太极。讲究内心的平和。不被外物的烦琐打扰。



12.Chastity.

这一段网上都给割舍了……有啥不能说的啊!算了为了避免意外,我也不说了。另一方面的节制。



13. Humility.

Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

谦虚,像...和苏格拉底一样谦虚。



这篇文上半部分就结束了,后面一段是关于如何列表格,如何进行自我检验等等。豹豹觉得如果人想做一件事,是无论如何也会去的,如果不想,往被窝里扔炮仗也不见得能炸醒逃避的心。

之前看到几条推送,对于各guo的行为表示无语。怎么都像是拿着魔幻的剧本一样。

最后想说,这篇文最最后有点沉不住气了,不仅仅是长时间整理更因为看到的现实,突然觉得这本书不香了。只一句"华姐,怼的漂亮!"

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