評論
打印
Curiously enough, it never occurred to me to call Greek patronymics "queer."
不過說來也怪，我從來不覺得希臘神話無趣。
But how shall I speak of the glories I have since discovered in the Bible? For years I have read it with an ever-broadening sense of joy and inspiration; and I love it as I love no other book. Still there is much in the Bible against which every instinct of my being rebels, so much that I regret the necessity which has compelled me to read it through from beginning to end. I do not think that the knowledge which I have gained of its history and sources compensates me for the unpleasant details it has forced upon my attention. For my part, I wish, with Mr. Howells, that the literature of the past might be purged of all that is ugly and barbarous in it, although I should object as much as any one to having these great works weakened or falsified.
但我又該如何言說《圣經》中的智慧與榮耀呢？很多年來，我一直懷著莫大的喜悅和感動閱讀《圣經》，我愛這本書勝過愛其他任何書；但是《圣經》中的很多地方都同我的本性相抵觸。因此，我是帶著愧疚的心情迫使自己把這本書從頭到尾讀完的。同它強加于我的種種不快相比，我并不認為我從書中獲得的歷史知識對我是一種補償。就我本人而言，我希望能同豪厄爾斯先生一起，將古代文學中所有丑陋粗鄙的一面徹底肅清。當然，像任何人一樣，我也十分反對把這些偉大的著作進行曲解或篡改。
There is something impressive, awful, in the simplicity and terrible directness of the book of Esther. Could there be anything more dramatic than the scene in which Esther stands before her wicked lord? She knows her life is in his hands; there is no one to protect her from his wrath. Yet, conquering her woman's fear, she approaches him, animated by the noblest patriotism, having but one thought: "If I perish, I perish; but if I live, my people shall live."
在極其率真而樸素的《以斯帖記》中，你會發現某種令人震撼的情節。還有什么比以斯帖面對邪惡的君王時更具戲劇性的場面呢？她知道她的生命就攥在王的手心里。沒有人能保護她逃脫王的憤怒。然而，她還是克服了女人的恐懼心理，懷著視死如歸的愛國主義情懷。她接近王，她的心里只有一個念頭：“如果我毀滅，僅只毀滅我一人而已；但是如果我活著，我的族人就將活著。”
The story of Ruth, too—how Oriental it is! Yet how different is the life of these simple country folks from that of the Persian capital!
《路得記》也屬于這樣的故事——這是一個多么具有東方情調的故事啊！然而這些淳樸的鄉下（猶太）人又是多么難以融入波斯人的首都！
