原翻译
我的心曾悲伤七次
----卡里·纪伯伦 Kahlil Gibran
第一次,当它本可进取时,却故作谦卑;
第二次,当它在空虚时,用爱欲来填充;
第三次,在困难和容易之间,它选择了容易;
第四次,它犯了错,却借由别人也会犯错来宽慰自己;
第五次,它自由软弱,却把它认为是生命的坚韧;
第六次,当它鄙夷一张丑恶的嘴脸时,却不知那正是自己面具中的一副;
第七次,它侧身于生活的污泥中,虽不甘心,却又畏首畏尾。
对照了一下英文原文,很多翻译似乎不符合原意,于是试着重新翻译了一下
Seven times have I despised my soul:
我的灵魂曾七次沉沦
Kahlil Gibran,1883—1931
The first time when I saw her being meek that she might attain height.
第一次,在她本可进取,却畏惧退缩之时
The second time when I saw her limping before the crippled.
第二次,在她毫无悲悯,于残者前跛足而行之时
The third time when she was given to choose between the hard and the easy, and she chose the easy.
第三次,在她于困难和容易之间选择容易之时
The fourth time when she committed a wrong, and comforted herself that others also commit wrong.
第四次,在她籍由别人犯错,而原谅自己的错误之时
The fifth time when she forbore for weakness, and attributed her patience to strength.
第五次,在她把对现状无奈的忍耐,矫饰为自己的坚韧之时
The sixth time when she despised the ugliness of a face, and knew not that it was one of her own masks.
第六次,在她以己之不欲,反施于人之时
And the seventh time when she sang a song of praise, and deemed it a virtue.
第七次,在她自颂赞歌,最后竟信以为真之时