林語堂譯作欣賞

《幽夢影》——

林語堂譯（人生卷一）（摘錄）

人生——之一

情之一字，所以維持世界；才之一字，所以粉飾乾坤。

Passion holds up the bottom of the universe, and the poet gives it a new dress.

人生——之二

情必近于癡而始真，才必兼乎趣而始化。

Love is not true love without a form of madness. A literary artist must have zest in life to enter into nature's spirit.

人生——之三

律己宜帶秋氣，處世宜帶春氣。

One should discipline oneself in the spirit of autumn and live with others in the spirit of spring.

人生——之四

能閑世人之所忙者，方能忙世人之所閑。

Only those who take leisurely what the people of the world are busy about can be busy about what the people of the world take leisurely.

人生——之五

人莫樂于閑，非無所事事之謂也。閑則能讀書，閑則能游名勝，閑則能交益友，閑則能飲酒，閑則能著書。天下之樂，孰大于是？

Of all things one enjoys leisure most, not because one does nothing. Leisure confers upon one the freedom to read, to travel, to make friends, to drink, and to write. Where is there a greater pleasure than this?

人生——之六

妾美不如妻賢，錢多不如境順。

I think it is better to have an understanding wife than a pretty concubine, and better to have peace of mind than wealth.

人生——之七

值太平世，生湖山郡，官長廉靜，家道優(yōu)裕，娶妻賢淑，生子聰慧，人生如此，可云全福。

The perfect life: to live in a world of peace in a lake district where the magistrate is good and honest, and to have an understanding wife and bright children.

人生——之八

有功夫讀書，謂之福；有力量濟人，謂之福；有學問著述，謂之福；無是非到耳，謂之福；有多聞直諒之友，謂之福。

Blessed are those who have time for reading, money to help others, the learning and ability to write, who are not bothered with gossip and disputes, and who have learned friends frank with advice.