OnHouses
卡裡·紀伯倫/KahlilGibran
Buildofyourimaginingsabowerinthewildernessbeforeyoubuildahousewithinthecitywalls,forevenasyouhavehome-comingsinyourtwilight,sohasthewandererinyou,theeverdistantandalone.
Yourhouseisyourlargebody.Itgrowsinthesunandsleepsinthestillnessofthenight;anditisnotdreamless.Doesnotyourhousedream?Anddreaming,leavethecityforgroveorhilltop?
WouldthatIcouldgatheryourhousesintomyhand,andlikeasowerscattertheminforestandmeadow.
Wouldthevalleyswereyourstreets,andthegreenpathsyouralleys,thatyoumightseekoneanotherthroughvineyards,andcomewiththeflagranceoftheearthinyourgarments.
Butthesethingsarenotyettobe.
Intheirfearyourforefathersgatheredyoutooneartogether.Andthatfearshallendurealittlelonger.Alittlelongershallyourcitywallsseparateyourhearthsfromyourfields.
Andtellme,peopleofOrphalese,whathaveyouinthesehouses?Andwhatisityouguardwithfasteneddoors?
Haveyoupeace,thequieturgethatrevealsyourpower?
Haveyouremembrances,theglimmeringarchesthatspanthesummitsofthemind?
Haveyoubeauty,thatleadstheheartfromthingsfashionedofwoodandstonetotheholymountain?
Tellme,haveyoutheseinyourhouses?Orhaveyouonlycomfort,andthelustforcomfort,thatstealthythingthatentersthehouseaguest,andthenbecomesahost,andthenamaster?
Ay,anditbecomesatamer,andwithhookandscourgemakespuppetsofyourlargerdesires.Thoughitshandsaresilken,itsheartisofiron.Itlullsyoutosleeponlytostandbyyourbedandjeeratthedignityoftheflesh.Itmakesmockofyoursoundsenses,andlaystheminthistledownlikefragilevessels.Verilythelustforcomfortmurdersthepassionofthesoul,andthanwalksgrinninginthefuneral.
Butyou,childrenofspace,yourestlessinrest,youshallnotbetrappednortamed.
Yourhouseshallbenotananchorbutamast;itshallnotbeaglisteningfilmthatcoversawound,butaneyelidthatguardstheeye.Youshallnotfoldyourwingsthatyoumaypassthroughdoors,norbendyourheadsthattheystrikenotagainstaceiling,norfeartobreathelestwallsshouldcrackandfalldown.
Youshallnotdwellintombsmadebythedeadfortheliving.Andthoughofmagnificenceandsplendoor,yourhouseshallnotholdyoursecretnorshelteryourlonging.
Forthatwhichisboundlessinyouabidesinthemansionofthesky,whosedooristhemorningmistandwhosewindowsarethesongsandthesilencesofnight.
在你們打算在城裡建房子之前，先用你們的想像力在曠野裡建一座涼亭。因為你們在遲暮之年回歸家園時，那在遠方孤單漂泊的心也會歸來。
房屋是你們更大的軀殼，它在陽光下成長，在夜的寂靜中安歇，而它並非沒有夢想。難道你們的房子沒有夢嗎？它們不正夢想著遠離都市，前往林中或山間嗎？
我願將你們的房子聚集在手中，像播種般將它們撒向森林和草地。
我願山谷成為你們的街道，綠徑成為你們的小巷，這樣你們就可以穿過葡萄園彼此尋訪，衣上帶著泥土的芳香歸來。
然而這尚未實現。
因為恐懼，先輩將你們緊密地聚集在一起，如今這恐懼依舊持續著，城牆依舊阻隔著你們的家庭和土地。
告訴我，奧菲裡斯城的人們，你們房子裡有什麼？你們大門緊閉，是在守護什麼？
你們擁有安寧嗎？——那足以在沉靜的驅動下顯出強大力量的平安？
你們擁有回憶嗎？——那跨越意志巔峰的依稀閃爍的拱門？
你們擁有美嗎？——那將心靈從木石所在之地引向聖山的嚮導？
告訴我，你們的房子是否擁有這些？或者，其中只有安逸和追求安逸的熱望——這鬼祟之物進來做客，卻反客為主，成為統帥？
唉，它又化作馴獸師，用鐵鉤和皮鞭使你們更強烈的慾望變作傀儡。儘管它的手細膩如絲，它的心卻堅硬如鐵；它哄你們入睡，只為站在你們床邊譏嘲肉體的尊嚴；它嘲笑你們健全的感官，置它們於易碎的容器之下。事實上，對安逸的慾望扼殺了靈魂的激情，而它還在葬禮上咧嘴大笑。
但你們，蒼穹之子，只有在安逸中時刻警醒，才不會被誘惑或馴化。
你們的房子不是錨，而是桅。它不是掩飾傷口的亮光薄膜，而應是保護眼睛的眼瞼。你們不應只為穿過房門而斂起羽翼，不應因怕撞到天花板而低下頭顱，也不應因擔心牆壁破裂坍塌而屏住呼吸。
不應住在死者為生者築造的墳墓中。儘管你們的宅邸富麗堂皇，但無法隱藏你們的秘密，無法遮蔽你們的渴望。
因為那以晨霧為門、以黑夜的歌聲和靜謐為窗的——你們無限的潛能，仍逗留在蒼穹中。
1.Your_________isyourlargebody.Itgrowsinthe_________andsleepsinthestillnessofthenight;anditisnotdreamless.Doesnotyourhouse_________?Anddreaming,_________thecityforgroveorhilltop?
2.Tellme,haveyou_________inyourhouses?Orhaveyou_________comfort,andthelustforcomfort,thatstealthythingthat_________thehouseaguest,andthenbecomesa_________,andthenamaster?
3.Youshallnot_________yourwingsthatyoumaypassthrough_________,norbendyourheadsthattheystrikenotagainstaceiling,nor_________tobreathelestwallsshouldcrackandfalldown.
1.我願將你們的房子聚集在手中，像播種般將它們撒向森林和草地。
2.你們擁有美嗎？——那將心靈從木石所在之地引向聖山的嚮導？
3.事實上，對安逸的慾望扼殺了靈魂的激情，而它還在葬禮上咧嘴大笑。
1.Itlullsyoutosleeponlytostandbyyourbedandjeeratthedignityoftheflesh.
standby：站在旁邊；袖手旁觀；待命
2.Itmakesmockofyoursoundsenses,andlaystheminthistledownlikefragilevessels.
makemockof：嘲笑某人；愚弄