第34章：Of Riches 论财富（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？
34 of riches 论财富
i cannot call riches better than the baggage of virtue. the roman word is better, impedimenta. for as the baggage is to an army, so is riches to virtue. it cannot be spared, nor left behind, but it hindreth the march; yea, and the care of it, sometimes, loseth or disturbed! the victory: of great riches, there is no real use, except it be in the distribution; the rest is but conceit so saith solomon; where much is, there are many to consume it; and what hath the owner, but the sight of it with his eyes?
对于财富我叫不出更好的名字来，只能把它叫做“德能底行李”。罗马话里的字眼更好——impedimenta（障物、辎重、行李）。因为财富之于德能正如辎重之于军队。辎重是不可无，也不可抛弃于后的，但是它阻碍行军；并且，有时候因为顾虑辎重而失却或扰乱胜利。巨大的财富并没有什么真实的用处，它只有一种用处，就是施众，其余的全不过是幻想而已。所以所罗门说：“大富之所在，必有许多人消耗之，而它底主人除了能用眼睛看它以外，还有什么享受呢？”

the personal fruition in any man, cannot reach to feel great riches: there is a custody of them; or a power of dole and donative of them; or a fame of them; but no solid use to the owner. do you not see, what feigned prices are set upon little stones, and rarities? and what works of ostentation are undertaken, because there might seem to be some use of great riches? but then you will say, they may be of use, to buy men out of dangers or troubles.
一个人底财富达到了某种限度之后，便为个人底享受所不能及，他可以储藏这种财富，他可以分配并赠送它；或者因此而出名；但是于他本人，这些财富是没有实在的用处的。不见世人对于小小的石头或希有之物予以多大的虚价么？又不见世人担任多少为虚荣的工作，为的好让巨大的财富似乎有用么？但是你也许说，这种财富可以买通关节，使人出于危险或困难。

as solomon saith; riches are as a strong hold, in the imagination of the rich man. but bus is excellently expressed, that it is in imagination, and not always in fact for certainly great riches have sold more men, than they have bought out. seek not proud riches, but such as thou mayest get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly. yet have no abstract nor friarly contempt of them. but distinguish, as cicero saith well of rabirius postumus; in studio rei amplificandae apparebat non avaritiae praedam, sed instumenturn bonitati, quaeri. hearken also to solomon, and beware of hasty gathering of riches: qidfestinat ad divitias, non erit insons.
如所罗门说的：“在富人底想象中，财富有如一座坚城”。这话却是说得极妙，因为这在想象中是如此，在事实上则未必然也。因为“多财”所卖之人的确是多于买活的人也。不要追求炫耀的财富，仅寻求你可以用正当手段得来，庄重地使用、愉快地施与、安然地遗留的那种财富。然而也不要有一种遁世的或乞僧式的对财富的轻视。应当善为分别，如西塞罗关于拉比瑞亚斯·波斯丢玛斯之言是也。“他对财富底追求，显得他所求者并不是为满足贪婪，而是要得到一种为善的工具”。还应当听从所罗门之言，不可急于敛财致富；“欲急速致富者将不免于不义”。

the poets feign that when plutus (which is riches) is sent from jupiter, he limps, and goes slowly; but when he is sent from pluto, he runs, and is swift of foot. meaning, that riches gotten by good means, and just labour, pace slowly; but when they come by the death of others (as by the course of inheritance, testaments, and the like), they come tumbling upon a man. but it mought be applied likewise to pluto, taking him for the devil. for when riches come from the devil (as by fraud, and oppression, and unjust means), they come upon speed. the ways to enrich are many, and most of them foul.
诗人们底寓言说，当普卢塔斯（就是财神）为久辟特（天帝）所派遣的时候，他步武蹒跚，行走迟缓；但是当普卢陶（阎罗）派遣他的时候，他就跑得很快。这个寓言底意思就是，用善良的方法和正当的工作得来的财富是来得很慢的；但是由别人底死亡而来的财富（如遗产，承继等）则是骤然落在身上的。但是若把普卢陶当做魔鬼，这个寓言也用得上。因为当财富是从魔鬼那里来的时候（如由诈欺、压迫和其他不正当的手段而来的财富是也），他们是来得很快的。致富之术很多，而其中大多数是卑污的。

parsimony is one of the best, and yet is not innocent: for it withholdeth men from works of liberality, and charity. the improvement of the ground, is me most natural obtaining of riches; for it is our great mother's blessing, the earth's; but it is slow. and yet, where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it muldplieth riches exceedingly. i knew a nobleman in england, that had the greatest audits of any man in my time: a great grazier, a great sheep-master, a great timber man, a great collier, a great corn-master, a great lead-man, and so of iron, and a number of the like points of husbandry. so as the earth seemed a sea to him, in respect of the perpetual importation. it was truly observed by one, that himself came very hardly to a little riches, and very easily to great riches. for when a man's stock is come to that, that he can expect the prime of markets, and overcome those bargains, which for their greatness are few men's money, and be partner in the industries of younger men, he cannot but increase mainly. the gains of ordinary trades and vocations are honest; and furthered by two things, chiefly: by diligence; and by a good name, for good and fair dealing. but the gains of bargains are of a more doubtful nature; when men shall wait upon others' necessity, broke by servants and instruments to draw them on, put off others cunningly that would be better chapmen, and the like practices, which are crafty and naught as for the chopping of bargains, when a man buys not to hold, but to sell over again, that commonly grindeth double, both upon the seller and upon the buyer. sharings do greatly enrich, if the hands be well chosen, that are trusted. usury is the certainest means of gain, though one of the worst; as that, whereby a man doth eat his bread; in sudore vultus alieni: and besides, doth plough upon sundays. but yet, certain though it be, it hath flaws; for that the scriveners and brokers do value unsound men, to serve their own turn.
吝啬是其中最好的一种，然而也不能算纯洁无罪；因为吝啬底手段使人不肯施舍救贫。发展地中的产物是最自然的致富术，因为这些产物是我们大家底母亲——大地——底赏赐，但是用这种方法发财是很慢的。然而若是有钱的人肯屈就农牧矿产之事，则其财富底倍增是非常厉害的。我从前认得一位英国底贵族，他底钱财是时人中最多的；他是一位大草原主人，大牧场主人，大森林主人，大煤矿主人，大铅矿主人，大铁矿主人和许多其他类此的产物底主人。因为这个原故，土地之于这位贵族直如一片大海，因为它给他的进款是源源而来，永不枯竭也。有人说，他自己致小富的时候很难，致大富的时候很容易，这话是很真的，因为一个人如果已经富有到可以坐待市场好转，并且作成常人无钱办理的交易，又能与年轻一点的人底事业合作的时候，他底财富是非大增不可的。由普通的各种生意和职业得来的财富是诚实的，其增加底主要原因有二，一是勤勉，二是在交易上正直公平的好名誉。那用奸诈的手腕作成的生意其所获的利益却是比较可疑的：如乘人之急需而抬高价格，贿赂某人底仆役和亲幸，用诡计使别的较为公道的商人无从与之接近，而你得以与之作成生意，诸如此类，都是奸诈卑劣的。至于那龂龂论价，购买贱货，而目的不在自己保有这种货物，却在重售于他人的事情，乃是榨取现在的售者与以后的购者双方的。合股的生意，如果所托的人选择得当，是很能致富的。放高利债乃是获利底最可靠的方法之一，虽然它是最坏的方法之一：因为这种方法，可说是使放债的人借他人底汗流满面而果自己之腹的；不但如此，这种人并且是在安息日耕田的。然而放高利债虽是很靠得住的致富术，这种方法也不无缺陷；因为介绍人和中人之流常常为了自己底利益会替信用不佳的人夸其财富的。

the fortune, in being the first in an invention, or in a privilege, doth cause sometimes a wonderful overgrowth in riches; as it was with the first sugar man, in the canaries: therefore, if a man can play the true logician, to have as well judgement as invention, he may do great matters; especially if the times be fit he that resteth upon gains certain, shall hardly grow to great riches: and he that puts all upon adventures, doth often times break, and come to poverty: it is good therefore, to guard adventures with certainties, that may uphold losses. monopolies, and coemption of wares for resale, where they are not restrained, are great means to enrich; especially if the party have intelligence what things are like to come into request, and so store himself beforehand. riches gotten by service, though it be of the best rise, yet when they are gotten by flattery, feeding humours, and other servile conditions, they may be placed amongst the worst. as for fishing for testaments and executorships (as tacitus saith of seneca; testamenta et orbos, tanquam indagine capi) it is yet worse; by how much men submit themselves to meaner persons than in service.
在某种发明或特权上占有优先权，这种幸运有时能使人奇富，如加那利群岛之第一个糖业家是也。因此，如果一个人能作真正的论理学家，就是，既有发明之才，又有判断之能力，他是可以成大富的；尤其是在好的时代为然。专靠固定的收入的人是不容易致富的；把一切财产都搁在经济冒险上的人往往会倾家荡产的；因此最好能有以某种固定的收入为冒险事业底防卫，以便如有损失，可有相当的支持。专利与独家承售某货之事如没有束缚，是很好的致富之术，尤其是做这种事的人若能知道某种货物将要有广大的需求因而预为购存的时候为然。由服务而得来的财富，虽然来路最为高尚，然而这种财富假如是由谄谀逢迎以及其他的奴婢行为而得来的，则可算是一种最卑劣的财富了。至于图谋遗嘱及遗产监理权之事（如泰西塔斯关于塞奈喀的话：“无子嗣者和他们底遗产都被他捉住，如入网中”）。则较上述之事更为卑劣；因为在这种情形里，人们所卑躬屈节以奉承的人乃是卑贱之流，不如在服务中所奉承的人乃是王公贵人也。

believe not much them, that seem to despise riches: for they despise them, that despair of them; and none worse, when they come to them. be not penny-wise; riches have wings, and sometimes they fly away of themselves, sometimes they must be set flying to bring in more. men leave their riches, either to their kindred; or to the public: and moderate portions prosper best in both. a great state left to an heir, is as a lure to all the birds of prey round about, to seize on him, if he be not the better established in years and judgement likewise glorious gifts and foundations are like sacrifices without salt; and but the painted sepulchres of alms, which soon will putrefy, and corrupt inwardly. therefore, measure not thine advancements by quantity, but frame them by measure; and defer not charities till death: for certainly, if a man weigh it rightly, he that doth so, is rather liberal of another man's, than of his own.
不要相信那些表面上蔑视财富的人；他们蔑视财富的原故是因为他们对财富绝望；若是他们有了财的时候，再没有比这般人爱财的了。不要爱惜小钱；钱财是有翅膀的，有时它自己会飞去，有时你必须放它出去飞，好招引更多的钱财来。人们通常把钱财或留给亲属，或留给公家；在两方面都以适中的数目为收效最好。给子嗣留一分大家业而如果他于年龄和识见上都不坚固的话，则这分家业无异于一种鸟饵，是诱致一切的鸷鸟使之环聚于你底子嗣之旁以图捕噬的东西。类此，为虚荣而赠与的捐款，基金等，有如没有盐的祭品；并且不过是“施与”之粉刷过的坟墓，不久就会从内部腐败起来的。因此，不要以数量为你底赠与底标准，而应当使之适度。再者，也不可把捐款于慈善事业的事情延迟到死后；因为，假如把这件事正当地考虑一下，则可以看得出这样做的人实是慷他人之慨，所花的乃是别人底钱而不是自己底钱也。