← Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience

Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience — Page 7

English → Chinese Full Text Level 8/10

It is very evident what mean and sneaking lives many of you live, for my sight has been whetted by experience; always on the limits, trying to get into business and trying to get out of debt, a very ancient slough, called by the Latins _æs alienum_, another's brass, for some of their coins were made of brass; still living, and dying, and buried by this other's brass; always promising to pay, promising to pay, tomorrow, and dying today, insolvent; seeking to curry favor, to get custom, by how many modes, only not state-prison offences; lying, flattering, voting, contracting yourselves into a nutshell of civility or dilating into an atmosphere of thin and vaporous generosity, that you may persuade your neighbor to let you make his shoes, or his hat, or his coat, or his carriage, or import his groceries for him; making yourselves sick, that you may lay up something against a sick day, something to be tucked away in an old chest, or in a stocking behind the plastering, or, more safely, in the brick bank; no matter where, no matter how much or how little.

你们许多人过着何等卑鄙苟且的生活，这一点显而易见，因为我的眼光已被经验磨砺得锐利；总是徘徊在生计的边缘，既想闯入商界，又想摆脱债务——那是一个极为古老的泥淖，拉丁人称之为_æs alienum_，意为"他人之铜"，因为他们的一些钱币是用铜铸造的；就这样活着、死去，乃至被埋葬，全靠的是他人之铜；总是许诺还钱，许诺还钱，说明天还，今天却已资不抵债地死去；千方百计地逢迎讨好，招揽生意，用尽种种手段，只差没有触犯刑律；撒谎、奉承、投票拉票，要么把自己收缩进一个虚礼的果壳之中，要么膨胀成一团稀薄而虚浮的慷慨气氛，只为说服邻人让你为他制鞋、制帽、制衣，或为他打造马车，或为他代购杂货；把自己累得积劳成疾，只为能为病倒之日积攒些什么，一些可以藏进旧箱子里的东西，或是塞进墙灰后面的长筒袜里，或者更稳妥地存进砖砌的银行；不管藏在何处，不管多少，不管多寡。

I sometimes wonder that we can be so frivolous, I may almost say, as to attend to the gross but somewhat foreign form of servitude called Negro Slavery, there are so many keen and subtle masters that enslave both north and south.

我有时不禁纳罕，我们竟能如此轻浮——我几乎可以这样说——去关注那种粗显却又略显遥远的奴役形式，即所谓的黑人奴隶制，而事实上，无论南方还是北方，奴役人心的精明而隐秘的主人比比皆是。

Vocabulary

你们: nǐmen — You (plural), second person plural pronoun.
许多: xǔduō — Many, a large number of things or people.
人: rén — Person, human being, people.
过着: guòzhe — Living (a life), currently experiencing a lifestyle.
何等: héděng — What kind of, how (emphatic exclamatory expression).
卑鄙: bēibǐ — Despicable, mean, morally contemptible.
苟且: gǒuqiě — Muddling along, living carelessly without principles.
的: de — Structural particle indicating possession or modification.
生活: shēnghuó — Life, daily living, lifestyle.
这: zhè — This, demonstrative pronoun referring to nearby thing.
一点: yīdiǎn — A little, a bit, one point or aspect.
显而易见: xiǎn ér yì jiàn — Obviously, clearly evident, easy to see.
因为: yīnwèi — Because, since, giving reason or cause.
我: wǒ — I, me, first person singular pronoun.
眼光: yǎnguāng — Vision, insight, discernment, one's perspective.
已: yǐ — Already, previously, indicating completed state.
被: bèi — Passive marker, indicating action done to subject.
经验: jīngyàn — Experience, knowledge gained through practice.
磨砺: mólì — To sharpen, hone, temper through hardship.
得: de — Structural particle linking verb to complement.
锐利: ruìlì — Sharp, keen, incisive, penetrating.
总是: zǒngshì — Always, invariably, at all times.
徘徊: páihuái — To waver, linger, hover indecisively around something.
在: zài — At, in, on; preposition indicating location or time.
生计: shēngjì — Livelihood, means of making a living.
边缘: biānyuán — Edge, margin, brink of a situation.
既: jì — Both, already; used in paired conjunctions.
想: xiǎng — To want, think, desire, intend.
闯入: chuǎngrù — To break into, force one's way into.
商界: shāngjiè — Business world, commercial circles, trade sector.
又: yòu — Again, also, and; indicating addition or repetition.
摆脱: bǎituō — To break free from, shake off, escape.
债务: zhàiwù — Debt, financial obligations owed to others.
那是: nà shì — That is, referring to something just mentioned.
一个: yīgè — One (general measure word), a single item.
极为: jíwéi — Extremely, exceedingly, to a great degree.
古老: gǔlǎo — Ancient, very old, of great antiquity.
泥淖: nínào — Quagmire, muddy bog, difficult inescapable situation.
称之为: chēng zhī wéi — Called it, referred to it as.
意为: yì wéi — Meaning, defined as, signifying.
他人: tārén — Other people, others, third parties.
之: zhī — Possessive particle (literary), equivalent to 的.
铜: tóng — Copper, bronze; used as early currency metal.
他们: tāmen — They, them, third person plural pronoun.
一些: yīxiē — Some, a few, a certain amount of.
钱币: qiánbì — Coins, currency, monetary coins.
是: shì — To be; copula verb linking subject and predicate.
用: yòng — To use, employ, with (instrumental).
铸造: zhùzào — To cast, mint, manufacture metal objects by molding.
就: jiù — Just, then, exactly; indicating immediacy or result.
这样: zhèyàng — Like this, in this way, thus.
活着: huózhe — Living, being alive, still existing.
死去: sǐqù — To die, pass away, cease living.
乃至: nǎizhì — Even, and even, up to and including.
埋葬: máizàng — To bury, inter, entomb the dead.
全靠: quánkào — Entirely dependent on, relying wholly upon.
许诺: xǔnuò — To promise, pledge, make a commitment.
还钱: huán qián — To repay money, pay back a debt.
说: shuō — To say, speak, tell, talk.
明天: míngtiān — Tomorrow, the day after today.
还: huán / hái — To return/repay; also means 'still' or 'yet'.
今天: jīntiān — Today, the current day.
却: què — But, yet, however; indicating contrast.
资不抵债: zī bù dǐ zhài — Insolvent, assets insufficient to cover debts.
地: de — Adverbial particle linking adverb to verb.
千方百计: qiān fāng bǎi jì — By every possible means, using all stratagems.
逢迎: féngyíng — To flatter, fawn upon, ingratiate oneself with.
讨好: tǎohǎo — To curry favor, please, win approval from.
招揽: zhāolǎn — To solicit, attract customers, drum up business.
生意: shēngyi — Business, trade, commercial dealings.
用尽: yòngjìn — To exhaust, use up all of something.
种种: zhǒngzhǒng — All kinds of, various sorts of methods.
手段: shǒuduàn — Means, methods, tactics, measures employed.
只差: zhǐ chà — Only short of, just stopping before something.
没有: méiyǒu — Not have, did not, without.
触犯: chùfàn — To violate, infringe upon, break a law.
刑律: xínglǜ — Criminal law, penal code, legal statutes.
撒谎: sāhuǎng — To lie, tell falsehoods, be dishonest.
奉承: fèngcheng — To flatter, fawn, say complimentary things insincerely.
投票: tóupiào — To vote, cast a ballot.
拉票: lāpiào — To canvass votes, solicit support for election.
要么: yàome — Either, or else; presenting alternatives.
把: bǎ — Disposal marker; also handle, handful.
自己: zìjǐ — Oneself, self, one's own person.
收缩: shōusuō — To shrink, contract, draw inward.
进: jìn — Into, enter, go inside.
虚礼: xūlǐ — Empty formality, hollow courtesy, superficial etiquette.
果壳: guǒké — Nutshell, outer shell of a fruit.
之中: zhī zhōng — Within, in the middle of, inside.
膨胀: péngzhàng — To expand, inflate, swell outward.
成: chéng — To become, turn into, result in.
一团: yītuán — A mass, a lump, a clump of something.
稀薄: xībó — Thin, sparse, rarefied, lacking substance.
而: ér — And, yet, but; connecting clauses.
虚浮: xūfú — Hollow and floating, insubstantial, superficially showy.
慷慨: kāngkǎi — Generous, magnanimous; also fervent and impassioned.
气氛: qìfēn — Atmosphere, ambiance, overall mood of a place.
只为: zhǐ wèi — Only in order to, solely for the purpose.
说服: shuōfú — To persuade, convince someone of something.
邻人: línrén — Neighbor, person living nearby.
让: ràng — To let, allow, cause someone to do.
你: nǐ — You, second person singular pronoun.
为: wèi — For, on behalf of, in order to.
他: tā — He, him, third person singular male pronoun.
或: huò — Or, either, alternatively.
打造: dǎzào — To forge, craft, build, create something.
马车: mǎchē — Horse-drawn carriage, horse cart.
代购: dàigòu — To purchase on behalf of someone, proxy buying.
杂货: záhuò — Groceries, sundry goods, miscellaneous merchandise.
累得: lèi de — Tired to the point of, exhausted so that.
积劳成疾: jī láo chéng jí — Falling ill from accumulated overwork and fatigue.
能: néng — Can, be able to, capable of.
病倒: bìngdǎo — To fall ill, be struck down by sickness.
之日: zhī rì — The day of, on the occasion of (literary).
积攒: jīzǎn — To accumulate, save up gradually over time.
些: xiē — Some, a few, a small quantity of.
什么: shénme — What, something, anything (interrogative/indefinite).
可以: kěyǐ — Can, may, be permitted to do.
藏进: cángjìn — To hide inside, conceal within a place.
旧: jiù — Old, used, worn, not new.
箱子: xiāngzi — Box, chest, trunk, suitcase.
里: lǐ — Inside, within, interior.
东西: dōngxi — Thing, object, stuff.
或是: huòshì — Or, alternatively, either.
塞进: sāijìn — To stuff into, cram inside, push into.
后面: hòumiàn — Behind, at the back, rear side.
或者: huòzhě — Or, alternatively, perhaps.
更: gèng — Even more, still more, to a greater degree.
稳妥: wěntuǒ — Safe and reliable, secure, prudent.
存进: cúnjìn — To deposit into, put savings into a bank.
银行: yínháng — Bank, financial institution for deposits and loans.
不管: bùguǎn — Regardless of, no matter, despite.
藏在: cáng zài — Hidden at, stored in a particular place.
何处: héchù — Where, what place (literary expression).
多少: duōshao — How much, how many, quantity.
多寡: duōguǎ — Amount, quantity, more or less (literary).
有时: yǒushí — Sometimes, at times, occasionally.
不禁: bùjīn — Cannot help but, unable to refrain from.
纳罕: nàhǎn — To be puzzled, marvel, feel surprised and wonder.
我们: wǒmen — We, us, first person plural pronoun.
竟能: jìng néng — Actually able to, surprisingly capable of.
如此: rúcǐ — Like this, so, to such an extent.
轻浮: qīngfú — Frivolous, flippant, lacking seriousness.
几乎: jīhū — Almost, nearly, on the verge of.
去: qù — To go, indicating directional or purposive action.
关注: guānzhù — To pay attention to, focus on, concern oneself with.
那种: nà zhǒng — That kind of, that type of.
却又: què yòu — Yet also, but at the same time.
略显: lüèxiǎn — Slightly appearing, somewhat seeming.
遥远: yáoyuǎn — Distant, far away, remote.
奴役: núyì — Enslavement, subjugation, to enslave others.
形式: xíngshì — Form, format, outward appearance or structure.
即: jí — Namely, that is, i.e. (literary).
所谓: suǒwèi — So-called, what is known as, the so-called.
黑人: hēirén — Black person, African-descent person.
奴隶制: núlìzhì — Slavery system, institution of enslaving people.
事实上: shìshí shàng — In fact, actually, in reality.
无论: wúlùn — Regardless of, no matter whether.
南方: nánfāng — The South, southern region or direction.
还是: háishi — Or, still, whether... or (in choices).
北方: běifāng — The North, northern region or direction.
人心: rénxīn — Human hearts, people's minds, public sentiment.
精明: jīngmíng — Shrewd, astute, clever in practical matters.
隐秘: yǐnmì — Hidden, secret, covert, concealed.
主人: zhǔrén — Master, owner, host, one in control.
比比皆是: bǐbǐ jiē shì — Everywhere, found at every turn, extremely common.

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