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。

卷五07

5.14 Reverence that which is best in the universe; and this is that which makes use of all things and directs all things. And in like manner also reverence that which is best in thyself; and this is of the same kind as that. For in thyself also, that which makes use of everything else, is this, and thy life is directed by this.

 Notes:
reverence [n]~(for somebody/something) (formal) a feeling of great respect or admiration for somebody/something
                e.g.:The poem conveys his deep reverence for nature.

5.15 That which does no harm to the state, does no harm to the citizen. In the case of every appearance of harm apply this rule: if the state is not harmed by this, neither am I harmed. But if the state is harmed, thou must not be angry with him who does harm to the state. Show him where his error is.

5.16 Often think of the rapidity with which things pass by and disappear, both the things which are and the things which are produced. For substance is like a river in a continual flow, and the activities of things are in constant change, and the causes work in infinite varieties; and there is hardly anything which stands still. And consider this which is near to thee, this boundless abyss of the past and of the future in which all things disappear. How then is he not a fool who is puffed up with such things or plagued about them and makes himself miserable? for they vex him only for a time, and a short time.

 Notes:
puff [v]
1  to smoke a cigarette, pipe, etc
           2 to make smoke or steam blow out in clouds; to blow out in clouds
           3  (+ speech) (informal) to breathe loudly and quickly, especially after you have been running
           4 [intransitive] + adverb/preposition to move in a particular direction, sending out small clouds of smoke or steam
  IDIOMS
be puffed up with pride, etc.: to be too full of pride, etc
e.g.: He felt grown-up, puffed up with self-importance.
puff and pant (also puff and blow, informal) to breathe quickly and loudly through your mouth after physical effort
e.g.: Eventually, puffing and panting, he arrived at the gate.

 先尝试自己翻译一下吧,参考译文见下:

中文翻译:
5.14 尊重那宇宙中最好的东西,这就是利用和指引所有事物的东西。同样,也要尊重你自身中最好的东西,它具有跟上面所说的同样的性质。因为那利用别的一切事物的东西也在你自身中,你的生活受它指导。

5.15 那不损害国家的事情,也不会损害公民。对所有看来是损害的现象都来应用这一规则:如果国家不受其损害,那我也没有受到损害。但如果国家被损害,你不要对损害国家的人愤怒,而是向他展示他的错误。

5.16 经常想想那存在的事物和被产生的事物变化和消失得多么迅速。因为实体就像一条湍急地流动的河,事物的活动处在不断的变化之中,各种原因也在无限的变化之中起作用,几乎没有什么是保持静止的。考虑那接近于你的东西,那所有事物都消失于其中的过去和未来的无尽深渊。那么,那自得于这些事物或为它们发愁、把自己弄得很悲惨的人不是很傻吗?因为这些事物仅仅烦扰他一段时间,一段短暂的时间。

回顾:《沉思录》读书笔记系列>>