伊壁鸠鲁《致美诺西斯的信》

伊壁鸠鲁《致美诺西斯的信》LettertoMenoeceus致美诺西斯的信ByEpicurus伊壁鸠鲁TranslatedbyRobertDrewHicks希英翻译：罗伯特?D?希克斯，汉英翻译：张江南Greeting.致敬Letnoonebeslowtoseekwisdomwhenheisyoungnorwearyinthesearchthereofwhenheisgrownold.Fornoageistooearlyortoolateforthehealthofthesoul.Andtosaythattheseasonforstudyingphilosophyhasnotyetcome,orthatitispastandgone,islikesayingthattheseasonforhappinessisnotyetorthatitisnownomore.Therefore,botholdandyoungoughttoseekwisdom,theformerinorderthat,asagecomesoverhim,hemaybeyoungingoodthingsbecauseofthegraceofwhathasbeen,andthelatterinorderthat,whileheisyoung,hemayatthesametimebeold,becausehehasnofearofthethingswhicharetocome.Sowemustexerciseourselvesinthethingswhichbringhappiness,since,ifthatbepresent,wehaveeverything,and,ifthatbeabsent,allouractionsaredirectedtowardattainingit.一个人年轻时，别让他怠于追寻智慧；一个人年老时，也别让他厌倦探求智慧。心灵的健康不分老幼，借口研究哲学还太早或已经太迟，就好比说现在还不需要幸福或者现在已经不需要幸福了一样荒谬。因此，无论老幼，都应该追寻智慧。对幼者而言，追寻智慧可以让他记住曾经的优雅，当岁月开始侵袭时，仍能够对美好的事物保持一颗年轻的心；对老者而言，追寻智慧可以使他在年轻时心灵就已成熟，因为他不再会害怕衰老的来临。所以我们必须专注在能带来幸福的事物，在其中锻炼自己，因为，如果幸福出现了，我们就一无所求了；如果幸福还没有踪影，那么我们所有的行为都应该指向获得幸福这个目标。ThosethingswhichwithoutceasingIhavedeclaredtoyou,thosedo,andexerciseyourselfinthose,holdingthemtobetheelementsofrightlife.FirstbelievethatGodisalivingbeingimmortalandhappy,accordingtothenotionofagodindicatedbythecommonsenseofhumankind;andsoofhimanythingthatisatagreesnotwithabouthimwhatevermayupholdbothhishappynessandhisimmortality.Fortrulytherearegods,andknowledgeofthemisevident;buttheyarenotsuchasthemultitudebelieve,seeingthatpeopledonotsteadfastlymaintainthenotionstheyformrespectingthem.Notthepersonwhodeniesthegodsworshippedbythemultitude,buthewhoaffirmsofthegodswhatthemultitudebelievesaboutthemistrulyimpious.Fortheutterancesofthemultitudeaboutthegodsarenottruepreconceptionsbutfalseassumptions;henceitisthatthegreatestevilshappentothewickedandthegreatestblessingshappentothegoodfromthehandofthegods,seeingthattheyarealwaysfavorabletotheirowngoodqualitiesandtakepleasureinpeopleliketothemselves,butrejectasalienwhateverisnotoftheirkind.我一刻不停向你灌输的那些东西确有价值，用他们磨练你自己，把他们看成构成正确人生的要素。首先，遵照人类常识所预示的神的概念，要相信神是一个不朽、幸福的活生生的存在;其次，我们为神所做的一切对提升神的幸福和不朽毫无意义，因为诸神是真实存在的，有关他们的知识即明证；但诸神并没有成为群氓的信仰，因为他们并没有坚持习俗观念，尊重神。不是否定群氓所信仰诸神的人，而是肯定群氓所信仰诸神的人才是真正不虔诚的。群氓有关诸神的言论并非真正的预言，而是虚假的猜测；因此，诸神总是把最大的灾难降给邪恶者，把最大的恩赐降给善良者，因为神对自己具有的品质珍爱无比，对和他们相像的人也关爱有加，而对异于他们的任何东西，都一概摒弃。Accustomyourselftobelievethatdeathisnothingtous,forgoodandevilimplyawareness,anddeathistheprivationofallawareness;thereforearightunderstandingthatdeathisnothingtousmakesthemortalityoflifeenjoyable,notbyaddingtolifeanunlimitedtime,butbytakingawaytheyearningafterimmortality.Forlifehasnoterror;forthosewhothoroughlyapprehendthattherearenoterrorsfortheminceasingtolive.Foolish,therefore,isthepersonwhosaysthathefearsdeath,notbecauseitwi11painwhenitcomes,butbecauseitpainsintheprospect.Whatevercausesnoannoyancewhenitispresent,causesonlyagroundlesspainintheexpectation.让你自己习惯于相信，死亡对我们一无所是，因为善恶隐含对意识的要求，而死亡是对所有意识的剥夺；因此正确理解死亡对我们而言一无所是，可以让我们凡人的生活快乐逍遥，这靠的不是长生不老，而是靠打消人们对不朽的渴望，生命由此没有了恐惧；对那些能够完全理解这一点的人，在生命终结时不会有任何恐惧。然而，声称害怕死亡的人是愚蠢的，这不是因为在死亡来临之时他会感到痛苦，而是在预想死亡时他会感到痛苦。死亡来临时，无论如何，绝对不会带来烦恼，只有在预想中才会带来一种没有理由的痛苦。Death,therefore,themostawfulofevils,isnothingtous,seeingthat,whenweare,deathisnotcome,and,whendeathiscome,wearenot.Itisnothing,then,eithertothelivingortothedead,forwiththelivingitisnotandthedeadexistnolonger.Butintheworld,atonetimepeopleshundeathasthegreatestofallevils,andatanothertimechooseitasarespitefromtheevilsinlife.Thewisepersondoesnotdeprecatelifenordoeshefearthecessationoflife.因而，死亡这一所有罪恶中最可畏者，对我们而言，一无所是，因为，当我们在世时，死亡无影无踪，当死亡到来的时候，我们已驾鹤而去，因此，死亡无论对生者还是死者，都一无所是，因为它无法与生者相伴，也无法与死者共眠。但曾几何时，世间的人们就像躲避最大的恶一样躲避死亡，而另一些时候，又把死亡当成人生中缓解罪恶的手段。智者既不会藐视生命，也不会惧怕死亡。Thethoughtoflifeisnooffensetohim,noristhecessationofliferegardedasanevil.Andevenaspeoplechooseoffoodnotmerelyandsimplythelargerportion,butthemorepleasant,sothewiseseektoenjoythetimewhichismostpleasantandnotmerelythatwhichislongest.Andhewhoadmonishestheyoungtolivewellandtheoldtomakeagoodendspeaksfoolishly,notmerelybecauseofthedesirabilityoflife,butbecausethesameexerciseatonceteachestolivewellandtodiewell.Muchworseishewhosaysthatitweregoodnottobeborn,butwhenonceoneisborntopasswithallspeedthroughthegatesofHades.Forifhetrulybelievesthis,whydoeshenotdepartfromlife?Itwereeasyforhimtodoso,ifoncehewerefirmlyconvinced.Ifhespeaksonlyinmockery,hiswordsarefoolishness,forthosewhohearbelievehimnot.对他而言，生不为过，死亦不为罪，当民众面对面包与快乐，抉择仅仅是更大块的面包时，智者追寻的是更多的快乐，他宁可一日行乐也不愿苦难一世。说那些教导青年人要幸福生活,老年人要得善终的人胡言乱语、不仅因为他们宣扬生命是可以人为欲求的，还因为他们的教导同时要求人们活要幸福，死要得善终。更糟糕的是那些宣称人最好不要出生的人，他们认为假如人已经出生，那么就应该尽可能快地走进冥府大门，如果他真的相信这些，那他自己为何不去死？如果他对此坚信不移，这应该是轻而易举的。如果他只是说笑话，那他愚蠢无比，因为听到他话的人将不再信任他。Wemustrememberthatthefutureisneitherwhollyoursnorwhollynotours,sothatneithermustwecountuponitasquitecertaintocomenordespairofitasquitecertainnottocome.我们必须记住，未来既不完全属于我们，也不完全不属于我们，所以，我们既不能仰赖于它的必然到来，也不能绝望于它的必然不到来。Wemustalsoreflectthatofdesiressomearenatural,othersaregroundless;andthatofthenaturalsomearenecessaryaswellasnatural,andsomenaturalonly.Andofthenecessarydesiressomearenecessaryifwearetobehappy,someifthebodyistoberidofuneasiness,someifweareeventolive.Hewhohasaclearandcertainunderstandingofthesethingswilldirecteverypreferenceandaversiontowardsecuringhealthofbodyandtranquillityofmind,seeingthatthisisthesumandendofahappylife.我们也必须思考这样的事实：有些欲望是自然的，有些是毫无理由的；自然的欲望中有些是自然而且必要的，有些仅仅只是自然的，必要的欲望中，有些对我们快乐生活是必要的，有些对我们的身体除弃病痛是必要的，有些对我们的生存是必要的，对此有明确理解的人将以此指导自己的每一个行为和偏好，以确保身体的健康和精神的平和，因为幸福人生的含义和目的不外乎如此。Fortheendofallouractionsistobefreefrompainandfear,and,whenoncewehaveattainedallthis,thetempestofthesoulislaid;seeingthatthelivingcreaturehasnoneedtogoinsearchofsomethingthatislacking,nortolookanythingelsebywhichthegoodofthesoulandofthebodywillbefulfilled.Whenwearepainedpleasure,then,andthenonly,dowefeeltheneedofpleasure.Forthisreasonwecallpleasurethealphaandomegaofahappylife.Pleasureisourfirstandkindredgood.Itisthestarting-pointofeverychoiceandofeveryaversion,andtoitwecomeback,inasmuchaswemakefeelingtherulebywhichtojudgeofeverygoodthing.Andsincepleasureisourfirstandnativegood,forthatreasonwedonotchooseeverypleasurewhatever,butoftenpassovermanypleasureswhenagreaterannoyanceensuesfromthem.Andoftenweconsiderpainssuperiortopleasureswhensubmissiontothepainsforalongtimebringsusasaconsequenceagreaterpleasure.因为我们所有行为的目的就是摆脱痛苦和恐惧，一旦我们达到了目的，心灵的风暴就平息了；因为活着的人没有必要奢望自己没有的东西，没有必要向外追求那些我们灵魂和身体的善能够实现的东西。当我们让快乐遭受痛苦时，这时，只有这时，我们才感觉到快乐的必要。由此，我们把快乐称为幸福人生的全部，快乐是我们首要而亲密的善，它是一切好恶的起点，我们回归快乐，因为是快乐让我们对判断好坏的标准有了切身体验。由于快乐是我们首要的和自然的爱好，因此我们不追逐一切快乐，很多快乐可能产生更大的烦恼，我们放弃这些快乐。长期痛苦折磨之后，我们会体验到更大的快乐，这让我们以为痛苦比快乐更根本。Whilethereforeallpleasurebecauseitisnaturallyakintousisgood,notallpleasureisworthyofchoice,justasallpainisanevilandyetnotallpainistobeshunned.Itis,however,bymeasuringoneagainstanother,andbylookingattheconveniencesandinconveniences,teatallthesemattersmustbejudged.Sometimeswetreatthegoodasanevil,andtheevil,onthecontrary,asagood.Again,weregard,independenceofoutwardthingsasagreatgood,notsoasinallcasestouselittle,butsoastobecontentedwithlittleifwehavenotmuch,beinghonestlypersuadedthattheyhavethesweetestenjoymentofluxurywhostandleastinneedofit,andthatwhateverisnaturaliseasilyprocuredandonlythevainandworthlesshardtowin.因为快乐与我们有着自然的联系，因此快乐都是善的，然而并非所有快乐都值得追求，正如所有痛苦都是恶的，但并非所有痛苦都要逃避一样，对必须作出判断的事情，我们判断的标准因时因地因情况而异，有时我们把善当成恶对待，有时相反，把恶当成善对待。尽管与我们无关的外在之物对我们几乎完全没有用处，但我们还是把它当成至宝，真的听从别人的话,认为那些无用的东西可以给我们带来最甜蜜的快乐，凡自然的东西都能轻而易举获得，而虚妄而无价值之物则很难赢得，以致当我们没有这些东西时就会觉得很不满足。Plainfaregivesasmuchpleasureasacostlydiet,whenonethepainofwanthasbeenremoved,whilebreadanwaterconferthehighestpossiblepleasurewhentheyarebroughttohungrylips.Tohabituateone\，ssetherefore,tosimpleandinexpensivedietsuppliesalthatisneedfulforhealth,andenablesapersontomeetthenecessaryrequirementsoflifewithoutshrinkinganditplacesusinabetterconditionwhenweapproachatintervalsacostlyfareandrendersusfearlessoffortune.就填饱肚子而言，家常便餐和豪华大宴给人的快乐是一样的，对饥饿的嘴唇而言，面包和水即最大的快乐。因此，让我们习惯简单廉价的饮食，这种饮食既能维持健康，满足人们生存的必需不致匮乏，还让我们在有规律的间隔后享受佳肴胃口大开，还不必为钱袋担心。Whenwesay,then,thatpleasureistheendandaim,wedonotmeanthepleasuresoftheprodigalorthepleasuresofsensuality,asweareunderstoodtodobysomethroughignorance,prejudice,orwillfulmisrepresentation.Bypleasurewemeantheabsenceofpaininthebodyandoftroubleinthesoul.Itisnotanunbrokensuccessionofdrinking-boutsandofmerrymaking,notsexuallove,nottheenjoymentofthefishandotherdelicaciesofaluxurioustable,whichproduceapleasantlife;itissoberreasoning,searchingoutthegroundsofeverychoiceandavoidance,andbanishingthosebeliefsthroughwhichthegreatestdisturbancestakepossessionofthesoul.Ofallthisthedisprudence.Forthisreasonprudenceisamorepreciousthingeventhantheothervirtues,foradalifeofpleasurewhichisnotalsoalifeofprudence,honor,andjustice;norleadalifeofprudence,honor,andjustice,whichisnotalsoalifeofpleasure.Forthevirtueshavegrownintoonewithapleasantlife,andapleasantlifeisinseparablefromthem.当我们说快乐是目标和目的时，并不意味着追逐放荡不拘和感官享受，有些人出于无知、偏见和有意的误传，就是这么做的，对此我们很清楚。我们所谓的快乐是指身体无病痛，灵魂无搅扰，而不是通宵达旦的狂饮和寻欢作乐，也不是性爱、更不是在豪华的餐桌上享用山珍海味，满足口腹之欲的所谓快乐生活；快乐是一种清醒的理性，它探究我们所作一切选择的背后的根据，把可能给灵魂带来最大困扰的那些信仰抛弃，这就是审慎，因此，审慎比其他美德更加宝贵，因为快乐的人生必定是审慎、荣誉、正义的人生，缺乏审慎、荣誉、正义的人生不可能是快乐的人生，这些美德和快乐的人生已经融为一体，它们水乳交融，不可分割。Who,then,issuperiorinyourjudgmenttosuchaperson?Heholdsaholybeliefconcerningthegods,andisaltogetherfreefromthefearofdeath.Hehasdiligentlyconsideredtheendfixedbynature,andunderstandshoweasilythelimitofgoodthingscanbereachedandattained,andhoweitherthedurationortheintensityofevilsisbutslight.Destinywhichsomeintroduceassovereignoverallthings,helaughstoscorn,affirmingratherthatsomethingshappenofnecessity,othersbychance,othersthroughourownagency.Forheseesthatnecessitydestroysresponsibilityandthatchanceorfortuneisinconstant;whereasourownactionsarefree,anditistothemthatpraiseandblamenaturallyattach.Itwerebetter,indeed,toacceptthelegendsofthegodsthantobowbeneathdestinywhichthenaturalphilosophershaveimposed.Theoneholdsoutsomefainthopethatwemayescapeifwehonorthegods,whilethenecessityofthenaturalistsisdeaftoallentreaties.Nordoesheholdchancetobeagod,astheworldingeneraldoes,f