第21章：Of Delays 论迟延（中英对照）

培根散文随笔集中英对照，通过阅读文学名著学语言，是掌握英语的绝佳方法。既可接触原汁原味的英语，又能享受文学之美，一举两得，何乐不为？
21 of delays 论迟延
fortune is like the market; where many times, if you can stay a little, the price will fall. and again, it is sometimes like sybilla's offer, which at first offereth the commodity at full, then consumeth part and part, and still holdeth up the price.
幸运有如市场，在其间你如果能够多等一会儿，物价就会下落的。可是，有时它又象西比拉底卖书一样，她起初先出售整个的物品，然后就一部分一部分地减少，而同时仍坚持同一的价格。
for occasion (as it is in the common verse) tumefh a bald noddle, after he hath presented her locks in front, and no hold taken: or at least tumeth the handle of the bottle, first to be received, and after the belly, which is hard to clasp. there is surely no greater wisdom, then well to time the beginnings and onsets of things.
因为（如常谚所说），机会先把前额的头发给你捉而你不捉之后，就要把秃头给你捉了；或者至少它先把瓶子的把儿给你拿，如果你不拿，它就要把瓶子滚圆的身子给你，而那是很难捉住的。在开端起始时善用时机，再没有比这种智慧更大的了。

dangers are no more light, if they once seem light:and more dangers have deceived men, than forced them. nay, it were better, to meet some dangers half way, though they come nothing near, than to keep too long a watch upon their approaches; for if a man watch too long, it is odds he will fall asleep.
危险如果有一次看来无关紧要，那就不复是无关紧要的了；而骗的危险比逼人的危险为多。不但如此，虽然危险并未临近，而迎头邀击比长久注视其前来的好，因为如果一个人注视过久，他是很有睡觉的可能的。
on the other side, to be deceived, with too long shadows (as some have been, when the moon was low, and shone on their enemies back), and so to shoot off before the time; or to teach dangers to come on, by over early buckling towards them, is another extreme. the ripeness, or unripeness of the occasion (as we said) must ever be well weighed; and generally, it is good, to commit the beginnings of all great actions to argos with his hundred eyes; and the ends to briareus with his hundred hands: first to watch, and then to speed. for the helmet of pluto, which maketh the politic man go invisible, is secrecy in the counsel, and celerity in the execution.
在另一方面，如果受过长的影子底欺骗（如在月亮很低而且照着敌人底脊背的时候，有人就曾如此受经过）而放射过早；或者以过早的警备而招致危险；那又是一种极端了。如上所述，时机之成熟与否必须永远熟虑，而一般言之，最好把一切大事底起始交给百眼的阿加斯而把终结交给百手的布瑞阿瑞欧斯；这两位之中，头一位底职务是注视，第二位底职务是速行。因为使从政之人隐身潜形的普鲁托之盔，就是在议论中秘密而在执行上迅速也。

for when things are once come to the execution, there is no secrecy comparable to celerity; like the motion of a bullet in the air, which flieth so swift, as it outruns the eye.
事情到了执行的时候，迅速就是最好的保密之方；这就好象一颗弹丸在空气中的行动一样，其飞行之迅速为人目所不及也。