One young man of my acquaintance, who has inherited some acres, told me that he thought he should live as I did, if he had the means . I would not have any one adopt my mode of living on any account; for, beside that before he has fairly learned it I may have found out another for myself, I desire that there may be as many different persons in the world as possible; but I would have each one be very careful to find out and pursue his own way, and not his father's or his mother's or his neighbor's instead. The youth may build or plant or sail, only let him not be hindered from doing that which he tells me he would like to do. It is by a mathematical point only that we are wise, as the sailor or the fugitive slave keeps the polestar in his eye; but that is sufficient guidance for all our life. We may not arrive at our port within a calculable period, but we would preserve the true course.

（徐迟译） 我认识一个 继承了几英亩地的 年轻人，他告诉我他愿意像我一样生活， 如果他有办法的话 。我却不愿意任何人由于任何原因，而采用我的生活方式；因为， 也许 他还没有学会我的这一种，说不定我已经找到了另一种方式，我希望世界上的人，越不相同越好；但是我愿意每一个人都能谨慎地找出并坚持他自己的合适方式，而不要 采用 他父亲的，或母亲的，或邻居的方式。年轻人可以建筑，也可以耕种，也可以航海，只要不阻挠 他去做他告诉我他愿意做的事 ，就好了。 人是聪明的，因为他能计算 ；水手和逃亡的奴隶都知道眼睛盯住北极星， 这些观点是管保用上一辈子的了 。我们也许不能够在一个预定的时日里到达目的港，但我们总可以走在一条真正的航线上。

1 ） One young man of my acquaintance, who has inherited some acres, told me that …

这里的定语从句是非限定性的，是补充说明的关系，徐译作前置定语，就成了不可或缺的信息。

some acres 若译“几英亩”，似乎是说继承的土地太少，可否译成“一些地产”？

2 ） if he had the means .

这里的 means 是带有定冠词的。徐译“ 如果他有办法的话 ”及戴译“ 有点本事的话 ”都是不定（冠词）的。王译“那种谋生的手段的话”接近。

Ken Kifer 评道：请注意“ if he had the means ”（即足够的财富）这话里的反讽。这故事与《圣经》里的一个故事相类：一个富有的年青人问耶稣怎么办。《圣经》里的答案是把财产给穷人，拿起他的十字架，追随耶稣去。与此相对，梭罗不要追随者。另一方面，他肯定不会说“你想做什么就做什么。”而是很清楚地要他说“坚定眼中的目标”——换句话说，就是为真理所引导。因此，《瓦尔登湖》并非一蓝图，而是梭罗的洞见之集合。（ Note the irony in, "if he had the means" (i.e., enough wealth). This story is similar to one in the Bible in which a wealthy young man asks Jesus what to do. The answer there was to give his property to the poor, take up his cross, and follow Jesus. Thoreau, in contrast, doesn't want followers. On the other hand, he is hardly saying, "Do whatever you want to do." Instead, he very clearly asks him to "keep the polestar in his eye" -- in other words, be guided by the truth. Walden , then is a collection of the insights Thoreau found, but not a blueprint. ）

3 ） for, beside that before he has fairly learned it I may have found out another for myself, I desire that there may be as many different persons in the world as possible

这里的 for 所表原因主要是“ I desire that ”，而“ beside that ”虽说也是原因之一，但毕竟不是要强调的。因此，戴译“因为，或许 …… 。我希望 …… ”句子中间断以句号，就将句子断为两截了。

be as many different persons in the world as possible 说得清楚，是“ different persons ”。

4 ） to find out and pursue his own way, and not his father's or his mother's or his neighbor's instead. 这里“ not ”一词省略当是上一句里的“（ find out and ） pursue ”。

5 ） It is by a mathematical point only that we are wise, as the sailor or the fugitive slave keeps the polestar in his eye; but that is sufficient guidance for all our life.

这句问题最多。首先，句中有强调句式“ It is … that … ”，译时要有所体现。其次，英语原文“ we are wise ”中的“ we ”上升到“人（类）”的高度，似乎没有必要。第三，这句里并没有“人是聪明的，因为 ……（徐译） ”的因果关系，也没有“人无疑是聪明的”那种肯定。第四， mathematical point 可能不是“从数学的角度”，而是“小数点”。第五， by … only 应该是说“差距小”，“仅聪明一点点”。——这正好与下句的“ but ”形成照应。第六，“ that is sufficient guidance ”中的“ that ”并不是指“这些观点（徐译）”，从单数形式上就可知道，也不是“这种（戴译）”，而是指“我们聪明的那一点点”。

（戴欢译）我认识一位年轻人，他继承了几英亩土地。他告诉我，他 情 愿像我一样生活，如果他“ 有点本事的话 ”。我并不希望任何人以任何借口模仿我的生活方式。因为，或许还没等他学会我的这一种生活方式，我又换了另一种生活方式。我希望世上的人， 生活越千姿百态越好 。但我更愿每一个人都能慎重地寻找到并坚持他独有的生活方式，而不要 去采纳 他父亲的、或是他母亲的、或他邻居的生活方式。这位年轻人可以去从事建筑，或去种地，或去航海，只是不要 妨碍他做乐意去做的事情 就行了。 从数学的角度来看，人无疑是聪明的 ，因为水手和逃跑的奴隶都知道 靠北极星来判断方向 ， 这种方法足以指引我们一生了 。我们或许不能在预期之内抵达预定的港口，但我们仍然保持着正确的航向。