The Confessions of St. Augustine — Page 7

English → Chinese BOOK I Level 9/10

For then I knew but to suck; to repose in what pleased, and cry at what offended my flesh; nothing more.

因为那时我只知道吮吸；安歇于令我舒适之物，哭泣于令我肉体不快之物；仅此而已。

Afterwards I began to smile; first in sleep, then waking: for so it was told me of myself, and I believed it; for we see the like in other infants, though of myself I remember it not.

此后我开始微笑；先是在睡梦中，继而在清醒时：因为这是别人告诉我关于我自己的事，我便信以为真；因为我们在其他婴儿身上也见到同样的情形，尽管我自己并不记得。

Thus, little by little, I became conscious where I was; and to have a wish to express my wishes to those who could content them, and I could not; for the wishes were within me, and they without; nor could they by any sense of theirs enter within my spirit.

如此，渐渐地，我开始意识到自己身处何处；并且渴望向那些能够满足我心愿的人表达我的心愿，然而我却无法做到；因为心愿在我内心深处，而他们在外；他们也无法凭借自身任何感官进入我的内心。

So I flung about at random limbs and voice, making the few signs I could, and such as I could, like, though in truth very little like, what I wished.

于是我随意挥动四肢，发出声音，尽我所能地做出少许手势，虽然这些手势与我所希望表达的实在相去甚远。

And when I was not presently obeyed (my wishes being hurtful or unintelligible), then I was indignant with my elders for not submitting to me, with those owing me no service, for not serving me; and avenged myself on them by tears.

当我的心愿未能立即得到顺从时（因为我的心愿或有害，或令人费解），我便对长辈们不肯顺服于我而感到愤慨，对那些并不欠我服侍的人不肯侍奉我而感到恼怒；并以眼泪向他们报复。

Such have I learnt infants to be from observing them; and that I was myself such, they, all unconscious, have shown me better than my nurses who knew it.

这是我通过观察婴儿所了解到的他们的本性；而我自己也曾如此，这一点，他们在浑然不觉之中，比那些明知此事的乳母们向我揭示得更为清楚。

And, lo! my infancy died long since, and I live.

瞧，我的婴儿期早已逝去，而我依然生活着。

Vocabulary

因为: yīnwèi — because; due to the reason that
那时: nà shí — at that time; back then
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun
只: zhǐ — only; merely; just
知道: zhīdào — to know; to be aware of something
于: yú — at; in; on; classical preposition
令: lìng — to cause; to make; to order
舒适: shūshì — comfortable; cozy; pleasant and at ease
之: zhī — classical possessive particle; of
物: wù — thing; object; matter
哭泣: kūqì — to cry; to weep; to sob
肉体: ròutǐ — the physical body; flesh
不快: bùkuài — discomfort; unhappiness; displeasure
仅此而已: jǐn cǐ ér yǐ — that is all; nothing more than this
此后: cǐhòu — after this; from then on; thereafter
开始: kāishǐ — to begin; to start; a beginning
微笑: wēixiào — to smile; a gentle smile
先是: xiān shì — first; at first; initially
在: zài — at; in; located at; existing
睡梦: shuìmèng — sleep and dreams; while dreaming
中: zhōng — in; within; middle; among
继而: jì'ér — then; subsequently; followed by
清醒: qīngxǐng — awake; clear-headed; lucid and alert
时: shí — when; at the time of; moment
这是: zhè shì — this is; used to identify or introduce
别人: biérén — other people; others; someone else
告诉: gàosu — to tell; to inform; to let know
关于: guānyú — regarding; about; concerning a topic
自己: zìjǐ — oneself; self; one's own
的: de — possessive/attributive particle; of
事: shì — matter; affair; thing; event
便: biàn — then; thereupon; as a result
信以为真: xìn yǐ wéi zhēn — to take as true; to believe without question
我们: wǒmen — we; us; first-person plural pronoun
其他: qítā — other; the rest; other things or people
婴儿: yīng'ér — infant; baby; newborn child
身上: shēnshang — on one's body; on a person
也: yě — also; too; as well
见到: jiàndào — to see; to catch sight of
同样: tóngyàng — same; identical; in the same way
情形: qíngxíng — situation; circumstance; state of affairs
尽管: jǐnguǎn — even though; although; despite
并不: bìng bù — not at all; actually not; emphatically not
记得: jìde — to remember; to recall; to recollect
如此: rúcǐ — like this; such; so; in this way
渐渐: jiànjiàn — gradually; little by little; slowly
地: de — adverbial particle; modifies verbs or adjectives
意识到: yìshi dào — to become aware of; to realize something
身处: shēnchǔ — to be situated in; to find oneself in
何处: héchù — where; what place; which location
并且: bìngqiě — and; moreover; furthermore; in addition
渴望: kěwàng — to yearn for; to desire eagerly; longing
向: xiàng — toward; to; in the direction of
那些: nàxiē — those; those things or people
能够: nénggòu — to be able to; to be capable of
满足: mǎnzú — to satisfy; to fulfill; contentment
心愿: xīnyuàn — wish; desire; cherished aspiration
人: rén — person; people; human being
表达: biǎodá — to express; to convey feelings or thoughts
然而: rán'ér — however; yet; but; nevertheless
却: què — but; yet; however; on the contrary
无法: wúfǎ — unable to; no way to; cannot
做到: zuò dào — to manage to do; to achieve; accomplish
内心: nèixīn — inner heart; innermost feelings; mind
深处: shēnchù — deep within; the depths of something
而: ér — and; yet; but; classical conjunction
他们: tāmen — they; them; third-person plural pronoun
外: wài — outside; external; beyond
凭借: píngjiè — to rely on; by means of; through
自身: zìshēn — oneself; one's own self; itself
任何: rènhé — any; whatever; whichever
感官: gǎnguān — sense organs; the five senses
进入: jìnrù — to enter; to go into; to access
于是: yúshì — therefore; so; as a result; thereupon
随意: suíyì — freely; casually; at will; arbitrarily
挥动: huīdòng — to wave; to swing; to brandish limbs
四肢: sìzhī — four limbs; arms and legs
发出: fāchū — to emit; to produce; to give out sound
声音: shēngyīn — sound; voice; noise
尽: jìn — to exhaust; to the utmost; all of
所能: suǒ néng — what one is able to do; one's ability
做出: zuòchū — to make; to produce; to carry out
少许: shǎoxǔ — a little; a small amount; a few
手势: shǒushì — gesture; hand signal; sign with hands
虽然: suīrán — although; even though; despite the fact
这些: zhèxiē — these; these things or people
与: yǔ — and; with; together with
所: suǒ — classical particle before verb; that which
希望: xīwàng — to hope; to wish; hope; aspiration
实在: shízài — really; truly; in reality; indeed
相去甚远: xiāng qù shèn yuǎn — far apart; greatly different; a wide gap
当: dāng — when; at the time; while; as
未能: wèi néng — unable to; failed to; could not
立即: lìjí — immediately; at once; right away
得到: dédào — to obtain; to receive; to get
顺从: shùncóng — compliance; obedience; to submit to
或: huò — or; either; perhaps; alternatively
有害: yǒuhài — harmful; detrimental; injurious
令人费解: lìng rén fèijiě — baffling; hard to understand; puzzling
对: duì — toward; regarding; in response to
长辈们: zhǎngbèimen — elders; seniors; older generation people
不肯: bù kěn — unwilling to; refuse to; not willing
感到: gǎndào — to feel; to sense; to experience emotionally
愤慨: fènkǎi — indignant; resentful; filled with righteous anger
欠: qiàn — to lack; to owe; insufficient
服侍: fúshi — to attend to; to serve; to wait upon
恼怒: nǎonù — angry; irritated; furious; annoyed
并: bìng — and; also; furthermore; in addition
以: yǐ — with; by means of; using; classical particle
眼泪: yǎnlèi — tears; teardrops from crying
报复: bàofù — to retaliate; to take revenge; retribution
通过: tōngguò — through; by means of; to pass through
观察: guānchá — to observe; to watch carefully; observation
了解: liǎojiě — to understand; to learn about; to know
到: dào — to arrive; to reach; up to; result complement
本性: běnxìng — innate nature; true character; natural disposition
也曾: yě céng — also once; had also; used to as well
这: zhè — this; these; referring to nearby thing
一点: yīdiǎn — a little; a bit; a point
浑然不觉: húnrán bù jué — completely unaware; totally oblivious to something
之中: zhī zhōng — within; in the middle of; among
比: bǐ — compared to; than; more than
明知: míngzhī — to know clearly; knowing full well
此事: cǐ shì — this matter; this affair; this thing
揭示: jiēshì — to reveal; to disclose; to illuminate
得: de — structural particle; indicating degree or result
更为: gèng wéi — even more; more so; to a greater degree
清楚: qīngchǔ — clear; distinct; to understand clearly
瞧: qiáo — look; see; to take a look at
婴儿期: yīng'ér qī — infancy; the period of being a baby
早已: zǎoyǐ — long ago; already; for a long time
逝去: shìqù — to pass away; to elapse; to be gone
依然: yīrán — still; as before; unchanged; yet
生活: shēnghuó — life; to live; daily living
着: zhe — progressive aspect particle; ongoing action

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