培根散文隨筆美文：Of Atheism 論無神論

培根散文隨筆集中英對照，通過閱讀文學名著學語言，是掌握英語的絕佳方法。既可接觸原汁原味的英語，又能享受文學之美，一舉兩得，何樂不為?

　　16 Of Atheism 論無神論

　　I had rather believe all the fables in the Legend, and the Talmud, and the Alcoran, than that this universal frame is without a mind. And therefore, God never wrought miracle to convince atheism, because his ordinary works convince it It is true, that a little philosophy inclineth man\'s mind to atheism; but depth in philosophy bringelh men\'s minds about to religion: for while the mind of man looketh upon second causes scattered, it may sometimes rest in them, and go no further: but when it beholdeth the chain of them, confederate and linked together, it must needs fly to providence, and deity. Nay, even mat school which is most accused of atheism, doth most demonstrate religion; that is, the school of Leucippus, and Democritus, and Epicurus.

　　我寧愿相信《金傳》，《塔爾木經(jīng)》及可蘭經(jīng)中的一切寓言，而不愿相信這宇宙底體構(gòu)是沒有一個主宰的精神的。同此，上帝從沒有創(chuàng)造奇跡以服無神論，因為神所造的日常的一切就足以駁倒無神論了。一點點兒哲學使人傾向于無神論，這是真的;但是深究哲理，使人心又轉(zhuǎn)回到宗教去.因為當一個人底精神專注意許多不相聯(lián)貫的次因的時候，那精神也許有時會停留在這些次因之中而不再前進;但是當它看見那一串的次因相連相系的時候，它就不能不飛向天與神了。不特此也，就是那最以無神論見詬的哲學學派(即萊歐西帕斯，德謨克瑞塔斯，埃辟寇拉斯一派)也最為證實宗教

　　For it is a thousand times more credible, that four mutable elements, and one immutable fifth essence, duly and eternally placed, needs no God, than mat an army of infinite small proportions, or seeds unplaced, should have produced this order, and beauty, without a divine marshal.

　　因為主張這宇宙萬物底秩序與美是不經(jīng)一位神圣的領袖之主持而由四種可變易的原素和一種不可變易的第五原素，適如其分而永久如此地安排的，造成的，這種學說較之那主張這宇宙萬物底秩序與美是全仗著一大群無限小，無定位的原子之說，其可信當在千倍也。

　　The scripture saith; The fool hath said in his heart, mere is no God: it is not said; The fool hath thought in his heart: so as, he rather saith it by rote to himself, as that he would have, than (hat he can thoroughly believe it, or be persuaded of it For none deny there is a God, but those, for whom it maketh that there were no God. It appeareth in nothing more, mat atheism is radher in die lip, man in die heart of man, man by this; dial atheists will ever be talking of that their opinion, as if they fainted in it, within themselves, and would be glad to be strengthened, by me consent of others: nay more, you shall have atheists strive to get disciples, as it faredh with other sects: and, which is most of all, you shall have of mem, mat will suffer for adieism, and not recant; whereas, if they did truly think, mat mere were no such dung as God, why should diey trouble themselves? Epicurus is charged, that he did but dissemble, for his credit\'s sake, when he affirmed, there were blessed natures, but such as enjoyed themselves, without having respect to the government of the world.

　　圣經(jīng)》上說：“愚頑人心里說沒有神”但是并不曾說：“愚頑人心里想”;其意思就是這話是愚頑的人從著習慣給自己說了，以為是他愿意相信的，而并不是他能夠完完全全地相信的。因為除了那些主張無神可以于自己有利的人們之外，沒有人否認神底存在的。無神論者總在談論他們底主張，好象他們自己心中覺得不甚妥實而樂意有別人底贊同來扶助自己似的，由此最可見無神論是口頭上的而不是心里的。不特此也，誰都看得見無神論者努力吸收信徒，和別的宗教派別一樣。并且，最要者，你還可以看見他們之中有些寧愿為無神論受刑而不愿反悔;然而如果他們真相信沒有神這樣東西，為什么他們要給自己找苦惱呢?埃辟寇拉斯曾說神明是有的，不過他們是逍遙自在，不問世事的。以此見責于世，以為他說這話的時候不過為了他底名譽的緣故而作偽罷了。

　　Wherein, they say, he did temporise; though in secret, he thought, there was no God. But certainly, he is traduced; for his words are noble and divine: non deos vulgi negare profanum, sed vulgi opines diis applicare prcfanum.

　　人說他這話旨在騎墻;其實他心底里以為是沒有神的。但是，無疑地，他這是受誹謗了，他底話是高貴而且虔誠的。“瀆神之舉不在否認世俗所謂的神靈，而在以世俗之見加之于神靈”。

　　Plato could have said no more. And although he had the confidence to deny the administration, he had not the power todeny the nature. The Indians of the West have names for their particular gods, though they have no name for God: as if the heathens should have had the names Jupiter, Apollo, Mars, &c., but not the word deus: which shows, that even those barbarous people have the notion, though they have not the latitude, and extent of it So that against atheists, the very savages take part, with the very subtlest philosophers. The contemplative atheist is rare; a Diagoras, a Bion, a Lucian perhaps, and some others; and yet they seem to be more than they are; for that, all that impugn a received religion, or superstition, are by the adverse part branded with the name of atheists.

　　就是柏拉圖也不能說得比這更好。再者，埃辟寇拉斯雖然有膽量否認神底施為，卻沒有能力否認神底性質(zhì)。西印度人有他們底各神底名字，卻沒有上帝底名字(就好象假設異教徒有久辟特、阿波羅、馬斯等等名字而沒有“神”之一字似的);這就足見甚至這些野蠻人也有關于神的觀念，雖然這些觀念是沒有文明人關于神的觀念之廣大與精深的。因此，在反對無神論者這一宗事上，野蠻人和最深遠的哲學家是在一起的。思想家的神論者是很少的：一個戴俄高拉斯、一個巴昂、也許一個魯先和其他的幾位而已;然而就連他們也好象外表勝于實際，因為凡是對于既立的宗教或迷信倡異議的人總被反對者加以無神論者之名也。

　　But me great atheists, indeed, are hypocrites; which are ever handling holy things, but without feeling. So as they must needs be cauterised in the end. The causes of atheism are; divisions in religion, if they be many; for any one main division addeth zeal to both sides; but many divisions introduce atheism.

　　但是實實在在的無神論者乃是偽善者;他們老在搬弄神圣的東西而毫無所感;因此他們終久是要被炙的。無神論底原因是：宗教分成多派(因為任何分為主要的兩大派是會增加人底熱誠的;但是派別過多就要引起無神論了)。

　　Another is, scandal of priests; when it is come to that, which St Bernard saith; mon est ian dicere, ut populus ,sic sacerdos:quia nes populus,ut sacerdos. A third is, custom of profane scoffing in holy matters; which doth, by little and little, deface the reverence of religion. And lastly, learned times, specially with peace, and prosperity: for troubles and adversities do more bow men\'s minds to religion.

　　還有一個原因是僧侶底失德;就如圣波納所說的情形一樣：“我們現(xiàn)在不能說僧侶有如一般人，因為一般人現(xiàn)在是比僧侶強了”。第三個原因是一種褻瀆和嘲弄神圣事物的風習，這種風習一點一點地毀損了宗教底尊嚴。最后還有一種理由，就是學術昌盛的時代，尤其是同時享有太平與繁榮的時代;因為禍亂與困厄較能使人心傾向宗教也。

　　They that deny a God, destroy man\'s nobility; for certainly, man is of kin to the beasts, by his body; and if he be not of kin to God, by his spirit, he is a base and ignoble creature. It destroys likewise magnanimity, and the raising of human nature: for take an example of a dog; and mark what a generosity and courage he will put on, when he finds himself maintained by a man; who to him is in stead of a God, or melior natura: which courage is manifestly such as that creature, without that confidence of a better nature than his own, could never attain. So man, when he resteth and assureth himself upon divine protection, and favour, gathereth a force and faith; which human nature, in itself, could not obtain.

　　否認有神的人是毀滅人類底尊貴的;因為人類在肉體方面的確是與禽獸相近的;如果人類在精神方面再不與神相類的話，那末人就是一種卑污下賤的動物了。同樣，無神論也毀滅英雄氣概與人性底提高;如以一條狗為例，看他在發(fā)現(xiàn)自己受一個人底護持的時候顯得是如何的高貴勇武，一個人對于他就是一位神靈，或者是一種更高的品性;這是由于那條狗對于一種較自己底天性更高的天性有信仰的原故。這種勇武顯然是那個動物若無這種信仰則永不能達到的。人也是這樣，當他信賴神靈底保護及恩惠，并以之自勵的時候，就能聚積一種力量和信心來，這種力量和信心單憑人性底本身是得不到的。

　　Therefore, as atheism is in all respects hateful, so in this, that it depriveth human nature of the means to exalt itself, above human frailty. As it is in particular persons, so it is in nations: never was there such a state, for magnanimity, as Rome: of this state hear what Cicero saith; Quam volumus licet. patres conscripti, nos amemus, tamen nec numero Hispans, nec robore Gallos, mec calliditate Poems, nec artibus Graecos.nec denique hoc ipso huius gentis et terrae domestico nativoque sensu Itlos ipsos et Latinos; sed pietate, ac religione, atque hac una sapientia, quod deorum imortalium numine omnia regi gubernarique perspeximus, ormes gentes nationesque superavimus.

　　因此，無神論在一切的方面可恨，在這一方面也如此，就是它削奪了人性所賴以自拔于人類底弱點的助力。這在個人如此，在民族亦如此，從來沒有一個國家有如羅馬之壯偉者。關于這個國家且聽西塞羅之所言：“無論我們自視多高，然而我們在人數(shù)上勝不過西班牙人，在體力上勝不過高爾人，在狡黠上勝不過迦太基人，在藝術上勝不過希臘人，并且在那些天生的，屬于人民與土地的鄉(xiāng)土之感上，連土著的意大利人和拉丁人也勝不過;然而在慈孝上，在宗教上，并且在那唯一的大智慧上——就是認明世間底一切是由眾神底意志管理并支配的——在這些上我們是勝過一切的國家與民族的”。