• 為了享受人生，人類應該盡量減少物質的需求；減少物質的需求，就能減少工作的時間。(7, 9)

 

• 人自己對自己的想法，才是決定他命運的東西。(8, -3)

What a man thinks of himself, that it is which determines, or rather indicates, his fate. (7, 24)

•  拋棄自己的偏見永遠不嫌太遲。(9, 8)

It is never too late to give up our prejudices. (8, 24)

•  大部分的奢侈品，還有許多所謂的生活上的享受，不僅不是不可少的，而是難以克服的障礙，阻礙了人的提升。就奢侈與享受方面而言，有史以來最智慧的一些人總是過著相當單純甚至貧窮的生活。(15, 8)

Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts, of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have ever lived a more simple and meager life than the poor. (16, 19)

•  要分享於別人的，應該是我們的勇氣，不該是我們的絕望；應該是健康和安逸，不應是病痛，且要留意不讓這種情狀傳染蔓延下去。(102, 5)

We should impart our courage, and not our despair, our health and ease, and not our disease, and take care that this does not spread by contagion. (100, 10)

•  即使在天堂裡，喜歡吹毛求疵的人，也會吹毛求疵。….即使在貧民院裡，你也可有些愉快興奮光榮的時光。從救濟院窗口所反射的落日，與從富人宅第所反射的落日，同等光亮；兩者門前的積雪，春到時也同時融化。只有心情寧靜的人，才能住在貧民院裡，像住在宮殿裡一樣知足，一樣快樂。(329, 4)

The faultfinder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in poorhouse. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the springs. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace. (433, 4)

•  多餘的財富只能買多餘的東西，靈魂必需之物，無需錢買。(330, 1)

Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul. (434, 23)

  

－摘自梭羅 Thoreau，《湖濱散記 Walden 》

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【四、五月作家】梭羅Thoreau 說書

  

所謂經典，若不是人類思想最高貴的紀錄又是什麼呢？她們是唯一未腐朽的神諭，她們對大部分現代的疑問都提出了德爾菲與杜冬納永未提出的答案。若說她們古老就不研究，那大自然也可以不研究了，因為她更古老。

For what are the classics but the noblest recorded thoughts of man? They are the only oracles which are not decayed, and there are such answers to the most modern inquiry in them as Delphi and Dodona never gave. We might as well omit to study Nature because she is old.

 

正確的讀書，這是說，用真確的精神讀真確的書，乃是一種高貴的訓練，比時尚所推崇的任何訓練都更能礪煉讀者。它需要讀者經歷的訓練就像運動員經歷的一樣，幾乎要把整個生命投在這個目標上，注意力堅持不墜。讀一本書的時候必須像那本書寫作的時候那樣深思熟慮，那樣謹慎。

To read well, that is , to read true books in a true spirit, is a noble exercise, and one that will task the reader more than any exercise which the customs of the day esteem. It requires a training such as the athletes underwent, the steady intention almost of the whole life to this object. Books must be read as deliberately and reservedly as they were written. (132, 18)

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