培根散文隨筆集第23章：Of Wisdom for a Man/'s Self 論自謀（中英對照）
培根散文隨筆集中英對照，通過閱讀文學名著學語言，是掌握英語的絕佳方法。既可接觸原汁原味的英語，又能享受文學之美，一舉兩得，何樂不為？
23 of wisdom for a man's self 論自謀
an ant is a wise creature for itself; but it is a shrewd thing, in an orchard, or garden. and certainly, men that are great lovers of themselves, waste the public.
螞蟻是一種為自己打算起來很聰明的動物，但是在一座果園或花園里它就是一種有害的動物了。那深愛自身的人的確是有害于公眾的。
divide with reason between self-love, and society: and be so true to thy self, as thou be not false to others; specially to thy king, and country. it is a poor centre of a man's actions, himself. it is right earth. for that only stands fast upon his own centre; whereas all things that have affinity with the heavens, move upon the centre of another, which they benefit. the referring of all to a man's self, is more tolerable in a sovereign prince; because themselves are not only themselves; but their good and evil, is at the peril of the public fortune. but it is a desperate evil in a servant to a prince, or a citizen in a republic.
所以一個人應當把利己之心與為人之心以理智分開，對自己忠實，要做到無欺于人的地步，尤其是對他底君主與國家為然。把一個人底私利，作為他底行動底中心，是很不好的。那就完全和地球一樣。因為只有地球是固定在自己底中心上的；而一切與天體有關之物則是依他物底中心而行動的，并且對這些別的物體是有利的。對一切事物都拿自己做標準，這在一個君主方面是較為可恕的，因為君主們底自身并不就是個人而已，反之，他們底善惡乃是公眾底安危之所系也。但是這種情形若在一位君主底臣仆身上或在一個共和國底公民身上有之，則是一件極壞的惡事。
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