[C-E 練習] 楊絳：讀書苦樂

　　讀書鑽研學問，當然得下苦功夫。為應考試、為寫論文、為求學位，大概都得苦讀。陶淵明好讀書。如果他生於當今之世，要去考大學，或考研究院，或考什麼「托福兒」，難免會有些困難吧？我只愁他政治經濟學不能及格呢，這還不是因為他「不求甚解」。

　　我曾挨過幾下「棍子」，說我讀書「追求精神享受」。我當時只好低頭認罪。我也承認自己確實不是苦讀。不過，「樂在其中」並不等於追求享受。這話可為知者言，不足為外人道也。

　　我覺得讀書好比串門兒——「隱身」的串門兒。要參見欽佩的老師或拜謁有名的學者，不必事前打招呼求見，也不怕攪擾主人。翻開書面就闖進大門，翻過幾頁就升堂入室；而且可以經常去，時刻去，如果不得要領，還可以不辭而別，或者另找高明，和他對質。不問我們要拜見的主人住在國內國外，不問他屬於現代古代，不問他什麼專業，不問他講正經大道理或聊天說笑，都可以挨近前去聽個足夠。我們可以恭恭敬敬旁聽孔門弟子追述夫子遺言，也不妨淘氣地笑問「言必稱『亦曰仁義而已矣』的孟夫子」，他如果生在我們同一個時代，會不會是一位馬列主義老先生呀？我們可以在蘇格拉底臨刑前守在他身邊，聽他和一夥朋友談話；也可以對斯多葛派伊匹克悌忒斯（Epictetus）的《金玉良言》思考懷疑。我們可以傾聽前朝列代的遺聞逸事，也可以領教當代最奧妙的創新理論或有意驚人的故作高論。反正話不投機或言不入耳，不妨抽身退場，甚至砰一下推上大門——就是說，拍地合上書面——誰也不會嗔怪。這是書以外的世界里難得的自由！
　　
　　壺公懸挂的一把壺裡，別有天地日月。每一本書——不論小說、戲劇、傳記、遊記、日記，以至散文詩詞，都別有天地，別有日月星辰，而且還有生存其間的人物。我們很不必巴巴地趕赴某地，花錢買門票去看些仿造的贗品或「栩栩如生」的替身，只要翻開一頁書，走入真境，遇見真人，就可以親親切切地觀賞一番。

　　儘管古人把書說成「浩如煙海」，書的世界卻真正的「天涯若比鄰」，這話絕不是唯心的比擬。世界再大也沒有阻隔。佛說「三千大千世界」，可算大極了。書的境地呢，「現在界」還加上「過去界」，也帶上「未來界」，實在是包羅萬象，貫通三界。而我們卻可以足不出戶，在這裡隨意閱歷，隨時拜師求教。誰說讀書人目光短淺，不通人情，不關心世事呢！這裡可得到豐富的經歷，可認識各時各地、多種多樣的人。經常在書里「串門兒」，至少可以脫去幾分愚昧，多長几個心眼兒吧？

　　可惜我們「串門」時「隱」而猶存的「身」，畢竟只是凡胎俗骨。我們沒有如來佛的慧眼，把人世間幾千年積累的智慧一覽無餘，只好時刻記住莊子「生也有涯而知也無涯」的名言。我們只是朝生暮死的蟲豸（還不是孫大聖毫毛變成的蟲兒），鑽入書中世界，這邊爬爬，那邊停停，有時遇到心儀的人，聽到愜意的話，或者對心上懸挂的問題偶有所得，就好比開了心竅，樂以忘言。這個「樂」和「追求享受」該不是一回事吧？

第一段原文：
讀書鑽研學問，當然得下苦功夫。為應考試、為寫論文、為求學位，大概都得苦讀。陶淵明好讀書。如果他生於當今之世，要去考大學，或考研究院，或考什麼「托福兒」，難免會有些困難吧？我只愁他政治經濟學不能及格呢，這還不是因為他「不求甚解」。
試譯：
Reading to become learned necessarily involves painstaking efforts. Reading to pass exams, write papers, or get a degree can also be a painful experience. Tao Yuanming, a poet lived in ancient China, is known for his obsession with joyful reading. However, if he lived today, he would probably feel uncomfortable being asked to do things like-- prepare for college entrance exams, get admitted in a graduate program, or pass a foreign language test called "TOFEL". For no other reasons but his adoption to a "reading with no pain" philosophy, I worry that he would fail a modern political economy course.


第二段原文：
我曾挨過幾下「棍子」，說我讀書「追求精神享受」。我當時只好低頭認罪。我也承認自己確實不是苦讀。不過，「樂在其中」並不等於追求享受。這話可為知者言，不足為外人道也。
試譯：
I have been criticized for "seeking obsessive pleasure" from reading, a lash for failing to stick to ideological doctrines. At the time, I admitted that I faulted. Since I did enjoy reading, the accusation was not unreasonable. However, "seeking joy from reading" is subtly different from seeking obsessive pleasure. I could share this view with my friends who also enjoyed reading but would definitely not mention it to those who opposed the idea of reading for joy.


第三段原文：
我覺得讀書好比串門兒——「隱身」的串門兒。要參見欽佩的老師或拜謁有名的學者，不必事前打招呼求見，也不怕攪擾主人。翻開書面就闖進大門，翻過幾頁就升堂入室；而且可以經常去，時刻去，如果不得要領，還可以不辭而別，或者另找高明，和他對質。不問我們要拜見的主人住在國內國外，不問他屬於現代古代，不問他什麼專業，不問他講正經大道理或聊天說笑，都可以挨近前去聽個足夠。我們可以恭恭敬敬旁聽孔門弟子追述夫子遺言，也不妨淘氣地笑問「言必稱『亦曰仁義而已矣』的孟夫子」，他如果生在我們同一個時代，會不會是一位馬列主義老先生呀？我們可以在蘇格拉底臨刑前守在他身邊，聽他和一夥朋友談話；也可以對斯多葛派伊匹克悌忒斯（Epictetus）的《金玉良言》思考懷疑。我們可以傾聽前朝列代的遺聞逸事，也可以領教當代最奧妙的創新理論或有意驚人的故作高論。反正話不投機或言不入耳，不妨抽身退場，甚至砰一下推上大門——就是說，拍地合上書面——誰也不會嗔怪。這是書以外的世界里難得的自由！
試譯：
Reading a book is like calling upon a neighbor-- an invisible call though. You can pay a visit on a senior writer or a renowned scholar without fear that you didn't make an appointment or you will interrupt him.  When you open up a book, you have stridden through the front door into a neighbor's house. A couple pages turned over, you are in his study room already. Of course, you can revisit as often as you like, and why not? You can leave without saying a word when you are dissatisfied, or confront him with a more satisfactory argument you have learned from visit to another house.

The person we are going to visit can live abroad or at home, be a contemporary or classical figure, be specialized in any field, talk seriously or lightly. None of these matters. Just take a closer seat and hear what he says. We can sit and listen respectfully to a Confucian scholar recounting details of lectures given by the great Master, or ask mischievously with a smile: Will Mencius, who liked to stress "Benevolence and righteousness would suffice," be a Mr. Marxist if he lives concurrently with us? We have the opportunity to stay with Socrates and hear his conversation with his friends just before the execution, or ponder on the validity of Epictetus' Golden Sayings, thoughts from the Stoic school. We can be a solicitous audience of anecdotes handed down from previous dynasties. We can also try to comprehend the most innovative and profound theories of our era or switch to hearing remarks made in a pretentious and exaggerating . Our advantage as a visitor is that we can walk out anytime when we are tired of or fed up with what we have heard. It doesn't matter if we slam the door-- nobody will hear the bang as we clamp the book shut. This is a freedom rarely seen outside the world of books.


第四段原文：
壺公懸挂的一把壺裡，別有天地日月。每一本書——不論小說、戲劇、傳記、遊記、日記，以至散文詩詞，都別有天地，別有日月星辰，而且還有生存其間的人物。我們很不必巴巴地趕赴某地，花錢買門票去看些仿造的贗品或「栩栩如生」的替身，只要翻開一頁書，走入真境，遇見真人，就可以親親切切地觀賞一番。
試譯：
The legendary Hugong carried a pot that could create a lively world. Similarly, a book-- be it a novel, a play, a biography, a diary, or a collection of travel notes or of poetry and prose-- can as well create a lively world with Heaven, Earth, Sun, Moon, stars, and men and women living therein. We need not go all the way to a far place, buying tickets there to see imitations or life-like substitutes. The moment we open up a book, we enter a world and meet people there that are accurate and vivid-- get a close contact with books and enjoy what you see.


第五段原文：
儘管古人把書說成「浩如煙海」，書的世界卻真正的「天涯若比鄰」，這話絕不是唯心的比擬。世界再大也沒有阻隔。佛說「三千大千世界」，可算大極了。書的境地呢，「現在界」還加上「過去界」，也帶上「未來界」，實在是包羅萬象，貫通三界。而我們卻可以足不出戶，在這裡隨意閱歷，隨時拜師求教。誰說讀書人目光短淺，不通人情，不關心世事呢！這裡可得到豐富的經歷，可認識各時各地、多種多樣的人。經常在書里「串門兒」，至少可以脫去幾分愚昧，多長几個心眼兒吧？
試譯：
In the ancient times, books were compared with an open sea. It is not an idealistic analogy, but this open sea of knowledge can really shorten the distance of the physical world to as close to you as the house of a neighbor of yours. The real world is boundless outward and inward. The Buddha says "it is infinitely expandable." With this said, one can verbally add to its voluminousness no more. How are the boundaries of the world of books set? With the present, the past, and the future included, the world of books is all-encompassing and timeless. With books, we can stay at home while strolling through a virtual world to have an experience and find a knowledgeable source to learn from. A person who lives in the world of books will never become shortsighted, unreasonable, or indifferent. Rather, he will enrich his experience and learn from people of various kinds at places and times to his convenience in that world. If you go there often, you can read to become more intelligent and sophisticated, not mentioning other advantages.


第六段原文：
可惜我們「串門」時「隱」而猶存的「身」，畢竟只是凡胎俗骨。我們沒有如來佛的慧眼，把人世間幾千年積累的智慧一覽無餘，只好時刻記住莊子「生也有涯而知也無涯」的名言。我們只是朝生暮死的蟲豸（還不是孫大聖毫毛變成的蟲兒），鑽入書中世界，這邊爬爬，那邊停停，有時遇到心儀的人，聽到愜意的話，或者對心上懸挂的問題偶有所得，就好比開了心竅，樂以忘言。這個「樂」和「追求享受」該不是一回事吧？
試譯：
Although we drop around in the virtual world of books without a physical involvement, we are limited in our intellectual capacity. The Buddha has an insightful eye that can discern the truthful from faulty at no time. But we don't. It is impossible that we can find all that is useful from a depository containing thousands of years of human experience, and learn them overnight. In absence of a better solution, we turn to the famous teaching of Chuangtse, "Human life is limited but knowledge is limitless," for help. We are mere insects with a very short life-span (not even up to the ones that are reversibly transformed from the body hair of Monkey King, a legendary immortal in classic Chinese literature), that wander in the world of books, looking and thinking amusedly. Occasionally, we meet people we admire, hear words that are comforting, or come across enlightening remarks. That makes us feel like we have a new intellectual eye opened up. The joy we have is enormous. Now, it is quite clear that enjoying reading books is not seeking obsessive pleasure.

[ 本帖最後由 Adelyn 於 2006-11-30 05:17 編輯 ]

Being lazy I didn't bother to check out some cultural background in this article. I may interpreting simply by own understanding and be not accurate.

讀書苦樂  Sweet Bitter World of Books

讀書鑽研學問，當然得下苦功夫。為應考試、為寫論文、為求學位，大概都得苦讀。陶淵明好讀書。如果他生於當今之世，要去考大學，或考研究院，或考什麼「托福兒」，難免會有些困難吧？我只愁他政治經濟學不能及格呢，這還不是因為他「不求甚解」。
Studying calls for hard work, which I believe most people will agree.  Passing an exam, writing a thesis or acquiring a degree are all painstaking tasks. Tao Yuanming, an ancient Chinese Poet, is famous for his love of books. But should he live in the modern world and has to be bothered with all kinds of exams like college entry exam or TOEFL, would he still be passionate about books so much? I would worry for him that he might fail the political economics course, thanks to his reading approach of "sweeping over but not probing deep".
我曾挨過幾下「棍子」，說我讀書「追求精神享受」。我當時只好低頭認罪。我也承認自己確實不是苦讀。不過，「樂在其中」並不等於追求享受。這話可為知者言，不足為外人道也。
I had been accused of being "seeking spiritual comfort" from books, and speechless with defense I had to plead guilty.  It is true that I don't read to a degree of painfulness. But there is a difference between enjoying oneself and seeking comfort. The difference, however, may be known only to myself and not be appreciated by the others.
　　我覺得讀書好比串門兒——「隱身」的串門兒。要參見欽佩的老師或拜謁有名的學者，不必事前打招呼求見，也不怕攪擾主人。翻開書面就闖進大門，翻過幾頁就升堂入室；而且可以經常去，時刻去，如果不得要領，還可以不辭而別，或者另找高明，和他對質。不問我們要拜見的主人住在國內國外，不問他屬於現代古代，不問他什麼專業，不問他講正經大道理或聊天說笑，都可以挨近前去聽個足夠。我們可以恭恭敬敬旁聽孔門弟子追述夫子遺言，也不妨淘氣地笑問「言必稱『亦曰仁義而已矣』的孟夫子」，他如果生在我們同一個時代，會不會是一位馬列主義老先生呀？我們可以在蘇格拉底臨刑前守在他身邊，聽他和一夥朋友談話；也可以對斯多葛派伊匹克悌忒斯（Epictetus）的《金玉良言》思考懷疑。我們可以傾聽前朝列代的遺聞逸事，也可以領教當代最奧妙的創新理論或有意驚人的故作高論。反正話不投機或言不入耳，不妨抽身退場，甚至砰一下推上大門——就是說，拍地合上書面——a誰也不會嗔怪。這是書以外的世界里難得的自由！
　I may liken reading to visiting a neighbor, except that you are an invisible guest.  There is no need to make an appointment or to worry about interrupting something when wishing to visit a famous scholar or somebody that you admire. Opening the book cover and you will be inside his door; brushing over a few more pages and you are now sitting in his living room. You may go there as often as you like and at any time you desire. Still puzzled at your question, you may just take an abrupt leave, or look for other masters to argue with him. 　Not to be bothered about when and where he lives or what is his field of study, and either is he elaborating on a majestic theory or joking in an eased manner, we may just come up close and listen to what our host has to say.  We may stand aside respectfully listening to Confucius's students recalling their teacher's words in his honor; or we may pose a lighthearted question such as if Menfucius, an unswerving advocate of benevolence and righteousness, had lived in today's world, would there be any chance he might be converted to a Marxism or Leninism upholder? We may sit around Socrates at his last moment, listening to him talking to friends in his prison; or we may speak out our doubts about Epictetus 's <<Remarks of Truth and Wisdom>>. Topics on either unofficial stories of ancient history or the latest theories of the most audacious and abstract nature, even though some may be too innovative to be true or convincing, are all of pleasure to our ears. At any time when debate is heated and words become offensive, you may excuse yourself or just shut those people out - that is, to close your book. Nobody will raise an eyebrow. This is some freedom that is hard to be found anywhere other than the world of books!
　　壺公懸挂的一把壺裡，別有天地日月。每一本書——不論小說、戲劇、傳記、遊記、日記，以至散文詩詞，都別有天地，別有日月星辰，而且還有生存其間的人物。我們很不必巴巴地趕赴某地，花錢買門票去看些仿造的贗品或「栩栩如生」的替身，只要翻開一頁書，走入真境，遇見真人，就可以親親切切地觀賞一番。
The legend of Hu Gong goes that in the small pot always tied to his waist there is a whole universe, same as the world we live in with heave and earth, Sun and Moon and many other stars. Every book, be it a novel, play, biography, travel notes, diary, poem or essay, is like that pot of Hu Gong, containing a world of its own and having all kinds of people living inside.  Instead of  trudging all the way and buying a entrance ticket only to see some duplicates, although bearing amazing resemblance to the originals they may be, we can simply open up a book and feast ourselves with the endearing views of real settings and real people.
　　儘管古人把書說成「浩如煙海」，書的世界卻真正的「天涯若比鄰」，這話絕不是唯心的比擬。世界再大也沒有阻隔。佛說「三千大千世界」，可算大極了。書的境地呢，「現在界」還加上「過去界」，也帶上「未來界」，實在是包羅萬象，貫通三界。而我們卻可以足不出戶，在這裡隨意閱歷，隨時拜師求教。誰說讀書人目光短淺，不通人情，不關心世事呢！這裡可得到豐富的經歷，可認識各時各地、多種多樣的人。經常在書里「串門兒」，至少可以脫去幾分愚昧，多長几個心眼兒吧？
Although our ancestors commented that books were "as innumerous as the stars and as infinite as the sea", books, actually bring to us a world that everything becomes so close. I am not being Platonic here. The vast world of books provides with us expedient access to everywhere. Buddhism philosophy says that the universe consists of three thousands worlds, which is indeed colossal. Yet in comparison, the terrains of books transcend time and space, reaching back to past and forward to future, leaving not a single subject uncovered. In this world we may sit at home while studying what intrigues us and learning from the masters.  Who would believe that a man of reading is narrow-minded, poor in dealing with people or that he does not care about what is going on in the real world? By calling upon his "neighbors" from time to time, one would have broaden his experience and come to meet people of all types of personalities and, from different places and times. Even a slow-witted, in so doing, will certainly grow a little smarter.
　　可惜我們「串門」時「隱」而猶存的「身」，畢竟只是凡胎俗骨。我們沒有如來佛的慧眼，把人世間幾千年積累的智慧一覽無餘，只好時刻記住莊子「生也有涯而知也無涯」的名言。我們只是朝生暮死的蟲豸（還不是孫大聖毫毛變成的蟲兒），鑽入書中世界，這邊爬爬，那邊停停，有時遇到心儀的人，聽到愜意的話，或者對心上懸挂的問題偶有所得，就好比開了心竅，樂以忘言。這個「樂」和「追求享受」該不是一回事吧？
It is a pity that although we are able to make the "invisible visits", we are still nothing but normal human beings. Having not a Buddha』s vision to see through the wisdom of thousands of years of human civilization, we just have to find comfort in that famous saying of Zhuangzi, an ancient Chinese Taoist, that " My life has an end yet the way of learning is infinite".  We are like worms, however not immortal like those bugs turned into life by Monkey King with a spell, creep our way into the world of books, linger here and wander there.  Whenever we see someone we admire, hear something we appreciate, or come upon a solution to the problem that has been haunting us, we find our minds clearing up and sensational joy overwhelms us. For a moment that ecstasy stops us from uttering any words. This moment of joy, I reckon, bears nothing similar to the 「seeking of comfort」 that I had been accused of.

[ 本帖最後由 haoone 於 2006-10-9 20:36 編輯 ]

Hello Adelyn, are you also a ..., why I saw your translation there?

[ 本帖最後由 Adelyn 於 2006-10-10 09:56 編輯 ]

haoone, i have edited your above posting to hide away some info. please check your 短消息 on the upper part of the penal when you exit from this thread and return to the "table of contents" page. have a good day!

nice job.