Character of a Happy Life
Henry Wotten (1568-1639)
How happy is he born or taught
That serveth not another's will;
Whose armour is his honest thought,
And silly1 truth his highest skill!
Whose passions not his masters are,
Whose soul is still prepared for death;
United unto the world with care
Of princely love or vulgar breath;
Who hath his life from rumours freed,2
Whose conscience is his strong retreat;
Whose state can neither flatters feed,
Nor ruin make accusers great;3
Who envieth none whom chance doth raise
Or vice; who never understood
How deepest wounds are given with praise;
Nor rules of state, but rules of good:
Who God doth late and early pray
More of his grace than gifts to lend;4
Who entertains the harmless day
With a well-chosen book or friend;
—This man is free from servile bands
Of hope to raise, or fear to fall;
Lord of himself, though not of lands;
And having nothing, he hath all.
幸福生活的品质
亨利·沃顿
何等幸福,他天生不会,
也没学会服务别人的意志;
诚实的思想是他的护身甲胄,
最高的技艺就是讲究真实!
他不受激情的支配,
灵魂总是作好死的准备;
他与世界融为一体,带着
贵人的爱心或平民的气息;
他从不相信也不散布流言蜚语,
良知是他坚强的归属地;
他的尊严既不能使他去阿谀,
即使毁灭也不使指控者得益;
他不羡慕任何人因机遇而升迁
或沦丧道德;他从不会用赞扬
给人带来深刻创伤;也不懂什么
统治国家的条例,只知善的规章:
他早晚祈祷上帝
赐他中国足彩网慈悲而非礼物;
他和一本好书或和一位知己
把有益无害的日子欢度;
这种人没有奴颜婢膝的约束,
不望升迁,也不怕贬抑;
他主宰着自己,自己虽不是地主;
他一无所有,却拥有一切。
1 silly: simple.
2 这句话的意思是:他既不听流言蜚语,也不传播流言蜚语。
3 正常词序是"Nor (whose) ruin (can) make accusers great"。在罗马帝国时期,控告有钱有势的人,控告者若能获胜,就可获得受控人的一大笔财产。
4 这两行的正常词序应是:"Who doth pray late and early God to lend (him) more of his grace than gifts."
中国足彩网信息请查看英语美文写作