朴实无华突出智慧的力量

[Extracts from lines 289−336]

Some to conceit alone their taste confine, 有些人只一味追求奇思异想

And glittering thoughts struck out at every line; 每一行的构思都要突出闪光；

 

Pleased with a work where nothing's just or fit, 作品既不合理又不适宜却独自喜悦，

 

One glaring chaos and wild heap of wit实乃炫目混乱一团，粗野智慧堆砌。

 

Poets, like painters, thus unskilled to trace诗人，也像画家一样，无能力去描绘

 

 

The naked nature and the living grace, 真实的大自然和活生生之优美，

With gold and jewels over every part, 就用金玉宝石把每一部分掩盖住，

 

And hide with ornaments their want of art. 用装饰手法掩盖他们的艺术不足。

 

True wit is Nature to advantage dressed, 真正的智慧是保持自然的最佳状况，

 

What oft was thought, but ne'er so well expressed; 思想是平常的，但无人表达得这么恰当。

 

Something whose truth convinced at sight we find, 我们发现有些真实的东西一看就信服

That gives us back the image of our mind. 因为它与我们脑海中想象的形象无误

 

 

 

As shades more sweetly recommend the light, 正如阴影能更美好地衬托出亮光，

So modest plainness sets off sprightly wit; 因此，朴实无华突出智慧更有力量。

 

For works may have more wit than does them good, 作品里奇思异想过多并无好处，

 

As bodies perish through excess of blood. 正如体内血液过多反会走上死路。

 

Others for language all their care express, 还有一些人只关心语言风采

And value books, as women men,for dress. 评价书本像女人评价男人只看穿戴。

 

，

 

Their praise is still—the style is excellent; 他们的赞扬总是说——文采何等杰出，

The sense they humbly take upon content1.. 对作品的意义勉强满足而低估。

 

Words are like leaves; and where they most abound, 词语像树叶，哪里长得最繁多，

 

Much fruit of sense beneath is rarely fo und. 下方就很难找到有意义的硕果。

 

 

False eloquence, like the prismatic glass, 虚假的雄辩，像多棱镜的色彩，

Its gaudy colors spreads on every place; 华丽的光线向每个地方散开；

 

The face of Nature we no more survey, 我们无须去察看大自然的表层，

 

All glares alike, without distinction gay. 都一样闪光，没有明显的区分。

 

 

But true expression_r, like the unchanging sun, 真实的表达形式像不变的阳光，

Clears and improves whate'er it shines upon; 照到哪里，那里就清晰而明朗；

 

It gilds all objects, but it alters none. 它给万物镀金，但不改他们模样。

 

expression_r is the dress of thought, and still语言的表达形式是思想的外衣，

 

Appears more decent as more suitable. 它总是越是适合，就越是得体。

 

 

A vile conceit in pompous words expressed一个拙劣的奇思用了华丽的辞藻，

Is like a clown in regal purple dressed; 宛如小丑穿着一身豪华的紫袍：

 

For different styles with different subjects sort, 因为不同风格应与不同事物一致，

 

As several garbs with country, town, and court. 正如乡村、城市、宫廷服饰有异。

 

 

Some by old words to fame have made pretense, 有些人用旧词矫装，沽名钓誉：

Ancients in phrase, mere moderns in their sense. 现代人的思想，古代人的词语。

 

Such labored nothings, in so strange a style, 无价值的矫作，风格如此古怪，

 

Amaze the unlearn'd, and make the learned smile; 使无知者惊奇，把博学者笑坏；

 

Unlucky as Fungoso2 in the play, 这些花花公子像剧中的凡果索，

 

These sparks with awkward vanity display虽然显得难堪但虚荣心理执着，

 

What the fine gentleman wore yesterday; 总喜欢展示昨天绅士们的衣钵。

 

And but so mimic ancient wits at best, 学我们的祖先模样穿紧身上衣。

 

As apes our grandsires in their doublets dressed. 好模仿的古人充其量只知如此

 

In words as fashions the same rule will hold, 用词语和风尚的规律都一样，

 

Alike fantastic if too new or old: 无论太新或太旧都同样荒唐：

 

Be not the first by whom the new are tried, 不要第一个去使用时新的东西，

 

Nor yet the last to lay the old aside. 也不要最后一个把古旧的丢弃。