We will add this in general, touching the affection of envy, that of all other affections it is the most importune and continual. For of other affections there is occasion given but now and then. *And therefore it was well said, Invidia(注釋2) festos dies non agit, for it is ever working upon some or other. *And it is also noted that love and envy do make a man pine, which other affections do not, because they are not so continual. It is also the vilest affection, and the most depraved, for which cause it is the proper attribute of the devil, who is called the envious man, that soweth tares amongst the wheat by night; as it always cometh to pass that envy worketh subtly and in the dark, and to the prejudice of good things, such as is the wheat.
白話翻譯:關(guān)于嫉妒之情,我們還要補充一點:在所有其他情感中,它是最頑固、最持久的。因為其他的情感,只是偶爾才有。因此有人說得好:“嫉妒(注釋2)是永不湮滅的,因為它總是在這個或那個人身上工作?!比藗冞€注意到,愛情和嫉妒的確會使人消瘦,而其他感情則不會,因為它們不像愛情和嫉妒那樣持續(xù)不斷。嫉妒也是最卑鄙最墮落的感情,因此它是魔鬼的固有屬性,魔鬼被稱為在他們中間撒稗子的嫉妒者。
精翻:最后筆者再就嫉妒之情泛泛補充幾句。在人類所有情感中,嫉妒是一種最糾纏不休的感情,因其他感情的生發(fā)都有特定的時間場合,只是偶爾為之。所以古人說得好:嫉妒從不休假,如影隨形扎根在某些人心里時時在作祟。世人還注意到,愛情和嫉妒的確會使人衣帶漸寬,而其他感情卻不致如此,原因是其他感情都不像愛情和嫉妒那樣寒暑無間。嫉妒亦是最卑劣最墮落的一種感情,因此它是魔鬼的固有屬性,魔鬼就是“那個趁黑夜在麥田里撒稗種的嫉妒者”(注釋1)。而就像一直所發(fā)生的那樣,嫉妒也總是在暗中施展詭計,偷偷損害像麥黍之類的天下良物。
請看注釋:
- 語出《新約·馬太福音》第13章第25節(jié),但該節(jié)原文并無“嫉妒者”字樣。
2.本該是快樂慶祝的雅典節(jié)日,亞格勞洛斯卻是整日埋怨赫爾賽,密涅瓦(Minerva)便派遣忌妒女神-因維迪亞(Invidia)折磨亞格勞洛斯,最后把亞格勞洛斯變成大理石Etc.
Importune [??mp??r?tu?n] 糾纏/再三要求
Now and then 偶爾 時而 不時
“Invidia festos dies non agit.”英語古語 :嫉妒如影隨行永不休假