The Prince — Page 11

English → Chinese Preface Level 8/10

And because Dante says:

又因为但丁说过：

Knowledge doth come of learning well retained, Unfruitful else,

知识来自于学而能记，否则便是徒劳，

I have noted down what I have gained from their conversation, and have composed a small work on 'Principalities,' where I pour myself out as fully as I can in meditation on the subject, discussing what a principality is, what kinds there are, how they can be acquired, how they can be kept, why they are lost:

我将从他们的谈话中所获得的心得记录下来，并写成了一部关于《君主论》的小作品，在其中我尽我所能地倾注心血，沉思这一主题，探讨君主国是什么、有哪些种类、如何获取、如何维系、以及为何失去：

and if any of my fancies ever pleased you, this ought not to displease you: and to a prince, especially to a new one, it should be welcome: therefore I dedicate it to his Magnificence Giuliano.

如果我的任何奇思妙想曾令您满意，这部作品也应不会令您失望：对于一位君主，尤其是一位新君，它应当是值得一读的：因此我将它献给尊贵的朱利亚诺。

Filippo Casavecchio has seen it; he will be able to tell you what is in it, and of the discourses I have had with him; nevertheless, I am still enriching and polishing it."

菲利波·卡萨韦基奥已经看过了；他能够告诉您其中的内容，以及我与他之间的讨论；尽管如此，我仍在对它加以充实和润色。"

The "little book" suffered many vicissitudes before attaining the form in which it has reached us.

这部"小书"在达到流传至今的形态之前，历经了许多曲折变化。

Various mental influences were at work during its composition; its title and patron were changed; and for some unknown reason it was finally dedicated to Lorenzo de' Medici.

在其写作过程中，各种思想影响交互作用；书名和献呈对象均有所更改；出于某种不明原因，它最终被献给了洛伦佐·德·美第奇。

Although Machiavelli discussed with Casavecchio whether it should be sent or presented in person to the patron, there is no evidence that Lorenzo ever received or even read it: he certainly never gave Machiavelli any employment.

尽管马基雅维利曾与卡萨韦基奥商讨是否应将其寄送或亲自呈献给赞助人，但没有证据表明洛伦佐曾收到甚至读过此书：他肯定从未给予马基雅维利任何职位。

Although it was plagiarized during Machiavelli's lifetime, _The Prince_ was never published by him, and its text is still disputable.

尽管《君主论》在马基雅维利生前曾遭剽窃，但他本人从未将其付梓出版，其文本至今仍存有争议。

Vocabulary

又: yòu — again; once more; in addition
因为: yīnwèi — because; due to a reason
说过: shuōguo — have said; previously stated something
知识: zhīshi — knowledge; learning; information acquired
来自于: láizìyú — comes from; originates from a source
否则: fǒuzé — otherwise; or else; if not
便是: biàn shì — then it is; amounts to; equals
徒劳: túláo — futile effort; labor in vain
我: wǒ — I; me; first-person singular pronoun
将: jiāng — will; about to; going to do
从: cóng — from; following; since a point
他们: tāmen — they; them; third-person plural pronoun
的: de — structural particle indicating possession or description
谈话: tánhuà — conversation; talk; discussion between people
中: zhōng — in; within; inside a scope
所: suǒ — particle used before verb indicating result
获得: huòdé — to obtain; to gain; to acquire
心得: xīndé — insights gained; personal understanding from experience
记录: jìlù — to record; written account of events
下来: xiàlai — down; resultative complement indicating completion
并: bìng — and; also; furthermore connecting clauses
写成: xiěchéng — to write and complete; compose into form
了: le — particle indicating completed action or change
一部: yī bù — one volume; one work (literary classifier)
关于: guānyú — about; regarding; concerning a topic
小: xiǎo — small; little; minor in size
作品: zuòpǐn — work; literary or artistic creation
在: zài — in; at; located at a place
其中: qízhōng — among them; within it; therein
尽: jìn — to exhaust; to the utmost extent
所能: suǒ néng — what one is capable of; one's ability
地: de — adverbial particle linking adverb to verb
倾注: qīngzhù — to pour into; to devote fully
心血: xīnxuè — painstaking effort; heart and blood devoted
沉思: chénsī — to ponder deeply; deep contemplation or thought
这一: zhè yī — this; this particular (emphasizing a subject)
主题: zhǔtí — theme; main topic or subject matter
探讨: tàntǎo — to explore; to inquire into a topic
是: shì — to be; is; am; are
什么: shénme — what; which thing; interrogative pronoun
有: yǒu — to have; there is; to exist
哪些: nǎxiē — which ones; what kinds; interrogative plural
种类: zhǒnglèi — types; categories; kinds of things
如何: rúhé — how; in what way; what manner
获取: huòqǔ — to acquire; to obtain; to get
维系: wéixì — to maintain; to hold together; sustain
以及: yǐjí — and; as well as; along with
为何: wèihé — why; for what reason
失去: shīqù — to lose; to no longer have something
如果: rúguǒ — if; in the event that; supposing
任何: rènhé — any; whatever; any kind of
奇思妙想: qísī miàoxiǎng — brilliant and creative ideas; inspired imaginative thoughts
曾: céng — once; previously; at some past time
令: lìng — to cause; to make someone feel something
您: nín — you (respectful form); polite second person
满意: mǎnyì — satisfied; pleased; content with something
这部: zhè bù — this volume; this work (referring to book)
也: yě — also; too; as well; likewise
应: yīng — should; ought to; must
不会: bù huì — will not; unlikely to; cannot
失望: shīwàng — disappointed; to lose hope; let down
对于: duìyú — regarding; with respect to; as for
一位: yī wèi — one person (polite classifier for individuals)
君主: jūnzhǔ — monarch; ruler; prince or sovereign
尤其是: yóuqí shì — especially; particularly; most notably
它: tā — it; third-person singular for objects
应当: yīngdāng — should; ought to; must do something
值得一读: zhídé yī dú — worth reading; deserves to be read
因此: yīncǐ — therefore; consequently; as a result
献给: xiàngěi — to dedicate to; to present as gift
尊贵: zūnguì — noble; esteemed; honorable and distinguished
已经: yǐjīng — already; previously completed action
看过: kànguo — have seen; have read; previously viewed
他: tā — he; him; third-person singular male
能够: nénggòu — to be able to; capable of doing
告诉: gàosu — to tell; to inform; to let know
内容: nèiróng — content; substance; what something contains
与: yǔ — and; with; together with
之间: zhījiān — between; among; in the middle of
讨论: tǎolùn — to discuss; to talk over; debate
尽管如此: jǐnguǎn rúcǐ — even so; nevertheless; despite this fact
仍在: réng zài — still in the process of; continuing to
对: duì — toward; regarding; directed at something
加以: jiāyǐ — to carry out; to apply; to perform on
充实: chōngshí — to enrich; to fill out; make substantial
和: hé — and; together with; peaceful
润色: rùnsè — to polish; to refine writing style
小书: xiǎo shū — little book; small written work or pamphlet
达到: dádào — to reach; to achieve; to attain
流传至今: liúchuán zhìjīn — passed down to the present day; survived historically
形态: xíngtài — form; shape; state of appearance
之前: zhīqián — before; prior to; ahead of time
历经: lìjīng — to go through; to experience over time
许多: xǔduō — many; a lot of; numerous
曲折变化: qūzhé biànhuà — twists and turns; complex changes and transformations
其: qí — its; their; that; third-person possessive
写作: xiězuò — writing; the act of composing text
过程: guòchéng — process; course of events; procedure
各种: gèzhǒng — various kinds; all sorts of things
思想: sīxiǎng — thought; ideology; ideas and beliefs
影响: yǐngxiǎng — influence; effect; impact on something
交互: jiāohù — mutual; interactive; reciprocal between parties
作用: zuòyòng — function; role; effect or influence
书名: shūmíng — title of a book; book's name
对象: duìxiàng — target; recipient; object of an action
均: jūn — all; each; without exception; equally
有所: yǒusuǒ — to some extent; somewhat; have some degree
更改: gēnggǎi — to change; to alter; to modify
出于: chūyú — out of; stemming from; due to motive
某种: mǒu zhǒng — a certain kind; some type of
不明: bùmíng — unclear; unknown; not understood reason
原因: yuányīn — reason; cause; explanation for something
最终: zuìzhōng — ultimately; in the end; finally
被: bèi — passive marker; by (someone); subjected to
尽管: jǐnguǎn — although; even though; despite the fact
商讨: shāngtǎo — to discuss; to deliberate; to consult on
是否: shìfǒu — whether or not; if something is true
寄送: jìsòng — to send by mail; to deliver to someone
或: huò — or; either; alternatively
亲自: qīnzì — personally; in person; by oneself
给: gěi — to give; for; to a recipient
赞助人: zànzhùrén — patron; sponsor; one who provides financial support
但: dàn — but; however; yet; nevertheless
没有: méiyǒu — do not have; there is no; lacking
证据: zhèngjù — evidence; proof; supporting documentation
表明: biǎomíng — to indicate; to show; to make clear
收到: shōudào — to receive; to get; to obtain something sent
甚至: shènzhì — even; so much as; going as far as
读过: dúguo — have read; previously gone through text
此书: cǐ shū — this book; this particular written work
肯定: kěndìng — certainly; definitely; to affirm something
从未: cóngwèi — never; at no time ever; not once
给予: jǐyǔ — to give; to grant; to bestow upon
职位: zhíwèi — position; post; official role or job
生前: shēngqián — during one's lifetime; before death
遭: zāo — to suffer; to encounter misfortune; subjected to
剽窃: piāoqiè — to plagiarize; to steal another's work
本人: běnrén — oneself; the person in question; personally
出版: chūbǎn — to publish; to release a printed work
文本: wénběn — text; written document; textual version
至今: zhìjīn — to this day; up until now; still
仍: réng — still; yet; continue to be
存有: cúnyǒu — there exist; to have remaining; to retain
争议: zhēngyì — controversy; dispute; disagreement over something

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