Letter to a Young Friend
by Benjamin Franklin
I know of no medicine fit to diminish the violent, natural, inclination you mention.
我不知道有药物适合消除你提到的暴力的自然倾向。
And if I did, I think I should not communicate it to you.
如果我知道,我想我也不应该告诉你。
Marriage is the proper remedy, it is the most natural state of man, and therefore the state in which you will find solid happiness.
婚姻是合适的治疗方式,它是人类最自然的状态,因此你可以在这种状态中找到最坚实的幸福。
Your reason against entering into it at present appears to be not well founded.
你目前不想结婚的原因显然不是很充分。
The circumstantial advantages you have in view by postponing it, are not only uncertain, but they are small in comparison with the thing itself, the being married and settled.
你所考虑的(in view)间接的(circumstantial)关于延迟(postponing)结婚的好处,不仅是不确定的,而且它们和婚姻本身(the thing itself)以及婚姻后的安定相比较(in comparison)是微不足道的(small)。
It is the man and woman united that makes the complete human being.
男人和女人结合起来共同组成了完整的人类。
Separate she wants his force of body and strength of reason.
单独而言,她希向往他身体的力量和推理能力。
He, her softness, sensibility and acute discernment.
而他,向往她的柔软、感性和精准的洞察力(dis-cern-ment)。
Together they are most likely to succeed in the world, a single man has not nearly the value he would have in that state of union.
男人和女人结合在一起更容易获取现实世界的成功,一个单独个体是无法实现TA在Union状态下的价值的。
He is an incomplete animal.
他是不完整的动物。
He resembles the odd half of a pair of scissors.
他像是一对剪刀的一半。
If you get a prudent, health wife, your industry in your profession with her good economy, will be a fortune sufficient.
如果你得到一个精明/谨慎的(pru-dent)、健康的妻子,你在你的专业上所获得的产业,结合她的经济(头脑),你们将会得到一笔充足的(su-ffi-cient)财富。
Your Affectionate Friend
您真挚的朋友