本书简介:
《沉思录》是古罗马皇帝奥勒留写给自己的书,内容大部分是他在鞍马劳顿中写成的。作品来自奥勒留对身羁宫廷的自己和自己所处混乱世界的感受,追求一种冷静而达观的生活。这部著作是斯多葛学派的一个里程碑,亦是温总理放在枕边,读了不下百遍的书。
本书原文由古希腊文而作,英文版选择比较权威的George Long的版本,中文版选择何怀宏的版本作参考。笔记中的英文释义摘自《牛津高阶英汉双解词典》

 作者简介:
马可•奥勒留(Marcus Aurelius,公元121—180年),著名的“帝王哲学家”,古罗马帝国皇帝,在希腊文学和拉丁文学、修辞、哲学、法律、绘画方面受过很好的教育,晚期斯多葛学派代表人物之一。奥勒留也许是西方历史上唯一的一位哲学家皇帝。他是一个比他的帝国更加完美的人,他的勤奋工作最终并没有能够挽救古罗马,但是他的《沉思录》却成为西方历史上的伟大名著。

卷六01

6.1 THE substance of the universe is obedient and compliant; and the reason which governs it has in itself no cause for doing evil, for it has no malice, nor does it do evil to anything, nor is anything harmed by it. But all things are made and perfected according to this reason.

6.2 Let it make no difference to thee whether thou art cold or warm, if thou art doing thy duty; and whether thou art drowsy or satisfied with sleep; and whether ill-spoken of or praised; and whether dying or doing something else. For it is one of the acts of life, this act by which we die: it is sufficient then in this act also to do well what we have in hand.

6.3 The universe is either a confusion, and a mutual involution of things, and a dispersion; or it is unity and order and providence. If then it is the former, why do I desire to tarry in a fortuitous combination of things and such a disorder? And why do I care about anything else than how I shall at last become earth? And why am I disturbed, for the dispersion of my elements will happen whatever I do. But if the other supposition is true, I venerate, and I am firm, and I trust in him who governs.

 Notes:
tarry [v](old use or literary)to stay in a place, especially when you ought to leave; to delay coming to or going from a place.

 先尝试自己翻译一下吧,参考译文见下:

中文翻译:
6.1 宇宙的实体是忠顺和服从的,那支配着它的理性自身没有任何原因行恶,因为它毫无恶意,它也不对任何事物行恶,不损害任何事物。而所有的事物都是根据这一理性而创造而完善的。

6.2 如果你在履行你的职责,那么不管你是冻馁还是饱暖、嗜睡还是振作,被人指责还是被人赞扬,垂死还是做别的什么事情,让它们对你都毫无差别。因为这是生活中的活动之一,我们赴死要经过这一活动,那么在这一活动中做好我们手头要做的事就足够了。

6.3 宇宙要么是一种混乱,一种诸多事物的相互缠结和分散;要么是统一、秩序和神意。如果前者是真,为什么我愿意留在一种各事物的偶然结合和这样一种无秩序中呢?为什么我除了关心我最终将怎样化为泥土之外还关心别的事情呢?为什么我要因为不管我做什么我的元素最终都是要分解的而烦扰自己呢?而如果后者是真,我便崇拜、坚定地信任那主宰者。

回顾:《沉思录》读书笔记系列>>