東方哲學 - 孔子：英語精讀講義

We know very little for certain 片語搭配

我們確切知曉的

about the life of the Chinese philosopher Confucius.

關於中國哲學家孔子生平的資訊少之又少。

He's said to have been born in 551 BC in China. 文法

據說他於公元前551年出生在中國。

He may have been a student of the Daoist master Laozi. 文法

他可能是道家大師老子的學生。

According to tradition, 表達脈絡

根據傳說，

he began government service and served many roles,

他開始在政府任職並擔任過多個職務，

including Minister of Crime under Duke Ding

包括在魯國定公手下

in the state of Lu.

擔任大司寇。

However,

然而，

Confucius and the duke fell out 片語動詞

孔子和定公鬧翻了，

after the duke received a present from a neighboring ruler,

因為定公收到了鄰國君主送來的禮物，

80 beautiful women and 124 horses.

80個美女和124匹馬。

The duke spent all his time riding horses 文法

定公把所有的時間都花在騎馬上，

and being entertained by the women,

沉溺於女色之中，

which Confucius found deeply improper for a ruler. 文法

孔子認為這對於一個君主來說極不合體統。

So, he left the court and wandered for years. 用詞

於是，他離開了朝廷，周遊列國多年。

Around between the third and fifth century BC,

大約在公元前三到五世紀之間，

Confucius's works were collected into The Analects, 文化背景

孔子的著作被彙編成了《論語》，

a collection of sayings written down by his followers. 片語動詞

這是由他的追隨者記錄下來的一本語錄。

Some of the morals Confucius taught are easily recognizable,

孔子教導的一些道德規範很容易被認同，

most notably his version of the Golden Rule. 文化背景

最著名的就是他的黃金法則（恕道）。

Do not do unto others what you don't want done to yourself. 用詞

己所不欲，勿施於人。

But some of them also sound very strange or old-fashioned to modern ears, 慣用語

但其中有些對現代人來說聽起來很奇怪或老派，

especially to Western ones.

尤其是對西方人而言。

But we need his advice all the more for this.

但正因如此，我們才更加需要他的建議。

It serves as an antidote to the troubles we currently face. 慣用語

它能成為我們目前所面臨困境的一劑良藥。

Here are a few examples of what Confucius helps us to remember. 表達脈絡

以下是孔子幫助我們銘記的幾個例子。

1. Ceremony is important.

1. 禮儀很重要。

The Analects are filled with strange conversations

《論語》中充滿了這樣奇怪的對話，

between Confucius and his disciples like this one.

發生在孔子和他的弟子之間，比如這一段。

Zigong wished to do away with the offering of a sheep. 片語動詞

子貢想廢除告朔之餼羊。

Confucius said, "Zi,

孔子說，『賜，

you love the sheep,

你愛惜那隻羊，

I love the ceremony."

我卻愛惜那種禮。』

At first, this is baffling,

乍一看，這讓人很困惑，

if not also humorous. 文法

甚至覺得有點好笑。

Why not save the sheep? 語氣意圖

為什麼不把羊救下來呢？

But Confucius is reminding Zi and us about the importance of ceremony.

但孔子是在提醒子貢和我們禮儀的重要性。

In the modern world,

在現代社會，

we tend to shun ceremony and see this as a good thing, 片語搭配

我們往往會迴避禮儀，並認為這是一件好事，

a sign of intimacy or a lack of pretension.

是親密無間或不加掩飾的象徵。

But Confucius believed in the value of ceremonies over sheep because he valued what he called ritual propriety. 文化背景

但孔子認為禮儀比羊更有價值，因為他看重他所說的『禮』（合乎禮節）。

This might seem a very outdated and conservative idea,

這似乎是一個非常過時和保守的觀念，

but in fact, many of us long for particular rituals, 片語動詞

但事實上，我們中很多人都渴望特定的儀式，

that meal mum cooked for us whenever we were sick,

比如每次生病時媽媽為我們做的飯菜，

or the yearly birthday outing,

或者是每年生日時的出遊，

or our wedding vows.

或者是我們的結婚誓言。

We understand that certain premeditated,

我們明白，某些預先想好的、

deliberate, and precise gestures stir our emotions deeply. 片語搭配

刻意的、精確的舉動會深深觸動我們的情感。

Rituals make our intentions clear, 片語搭配

儀式能讓我們的意圖變得清晰，

and they help us to understand how to behave.

它們幫助我們懂得該如何行事。

2. We should treat our parents with reverence. 片語搭配

2. 我們應該懷著敬畏之心對待父母。

In particular,

特別是，

Confucius had a very strict idea about how we should behave towards our parents.

孔子對於我們應該如何對待父母有非常嚴格的標準。

He believed that we should obey them when we are young,

他認為我們在年輕時應該順從他們，

care for them when they are old, 片語動詞

在他們年老時照顧他們，

mourn at length when they die, 片語搭配

在他們死後要長期服喪，

and make huge sacrifices in their memory thereafter. 片語搭配

並在那之後為紀念他們進行隆重的祭祀。

He even said that we shouldn't travel far away while our parents are alive

他甚至說，父母在世時我們不應該遠遊，

and should cover for them if they steal a sheep. 片語動詞

並且如果他們偷了羊，我們要為他們掩護。

This attitude is known as filial piety. 文化背景

這種態度被稱為『孝』。

This sounds strange now,

這在現在聽起來很奇怪，

when many of us leave our parents' home as teenagers and rarely return to visit.

因為我們中很多人在十幾歲時就離開父母家，很少回去探望。

We may even see them as strangers arbitrarily thrust upon us by fate. 慣用語

我們甚至可能把他們看作是命運任意強加給我們的陌生人。

After all, 表達脈絡

畢竟，

our parents are so out of touch, 慣用語

我們的父母是如此脫節，

so pitifully human in their shortcomings,

在缺點上是如此令人可憐的凡夫俗子，

so difficult, so judgmental,

如此難相處，如此愛評判人，

and they have such bad taste in music.

而且他們對音樂的品味是如此糟糕。

Yet Confucius recognized that in many ways,

然而，孔子認識到，在很多方面，

moral life begins in the family.

道德生活始於家庭。

We cannot truly be caring, 文法

我們無法真正做到關愛、

wise, grateful, and conscientious

明智、感恩和有責任心，

unless we remember mum's birthday and meet dad for lunch.

除非我們記得媽媽的生日並和爸爸共進午餐。

3. We should be obedient to honorable people.

3. 我們應該順從值得尊敬的人。

Modern society is very egalitarian.

現代社會是非常崇尚平等的。

We believe that we're all born equal and should ultimately be able to say and do whatever we like. 文法

我們相信人生而平等，並最終能夠想說什麼就說什麼，想做什麼就做什麼。

We reject many rigid hierarchical roles. 用詞

我們拒絕許多僵化的等級角色。

Yet Confucius told his followers,

然而孔子告訴他的追隨者，

"Let the ruler be a ruler, 文化背景

『君君，

the subject a subject,

臣臣，

a father a father,

父父，

and a son a son."

子子。』

This might sound jarring,

這聽起來可能很刺耳，

but it is in fact important to realize that there are people worthy of our deep veneration, 片語搭配

但實際上，重要的是要認識到，有些人值得我們深深的敬仰，

even our simple and humble obedience.

甚至是我們簡單而謙卑的順從。

We need to be modest enough to recognize the people whose experience or accomplishments outweigh our own. 講解

我們需要足夠謙虛，以承認那些在經驗或成就上超越我們的人。

We should also practice peaceably doing what these people need,

我們也應該心平氣和地去實踐這些人所需要的、

ask or command.

要求的或命令的事情。

Confucius explained,

孔子解釋說，

"The relation between superiors and inferiors 用詞

『君子之德風，小人之德草。

is like that between the wind and the grass. 慣用語

草上之風，

The grass must bend when the wind blows across it."

必偃。』

Bending gracefully is in fact not a sign of weakness, 文法

優雅地彎腰其實並不是軟弱的表現，

but a gesture of humility and respect.

而是謙遜和尊重的姿態。

4. Cultivated knowledge can be more important than creativity.

4. 後天修養的學識可能比創造力更重要。

Modern culture places a lot of emphasis on creativity, 片語搭配

現代文化非常強調創造力，

unique insights that come to us suddenly.

也就是我們突然產生的獨特見解。

But Confucius was adamant about the importance of the universal wisdom 用詞

但孔子堅信普遍智慧的重要性，

that comes from years of hard work and reflection.

那是來自於多年的刻苦努力和反思的。

He listed benevolence, ritual propriety,

他將仁、禮、

righteousness, wisdom, integrity,

義、智、信，

as the five constant virtues. 文化背景

列為五常之德。

While Confucius believed that people were inherently good,

雖然孔子相信人性本善，

he also saw that virtues like these must be constantly cultivated, 慣用語

但他也看到了像這樣的美德必須不斷培養，

just like plants in a garden.

就像花園裡的植物一樣。

He spoke about moral character and wisdom

他談到道德品質和智慧

as the work of a lifetime. 慣用語

是一生的功課。

We can see now why he had such reverence for his elders.

現在我們可以明白他為什麼對長輩如此敬重了。

Of course,

當然，

a burst of inspiration 片語搭配

靈感的爆發

may well be what we need to start our business 文法

很可能是我們創業、

or redo our rough draft

重做草稿

or reinvent our life.

或重塑生活所需要的。

But if we're being very honest with ourselves, 語氣意圖

但是，如果我們對自己非常誠實的話，

we'll have to admit that we also need to devote more energy 片語搭配

我們將不得不承認，我們還需要投入更多的精力

to slowly changing our habits.

來慢慢改變我們的習慣。

This, more than anything else, 表達脈絡

正是這點，比其他任何事情都

is what prevents us from becoming truly intelligent, 片語搭配

更阻礙我們成為真正聰明、

accomplished, and wise.

卓越且充滿智慧的人。

Confucius died without reforming the decadent duke and his officials.

孔子去世時並未能使腐敗的定公及其官員改變。

But after his death,

但在他死後，

his followers created schools and temples in his honor 片語搭配

他的追隨者為紀念他建立學校和孔廟，

across East Asia,

遍佈東亞，

passing his teachings along for over 2,000 years. 片語動詞

將他的教誨傳承了兩千多年。

Today,

今天，

millions of people still follow Confucius's teachings

數以百萬計的人仍遵循孔子的教誨，

as a spiritual or religious discipline. 用詞

將其作為一種精神或宗教修行。

And his thought has been a huge influence 片語搭配

他的思想產生了巨大的影響，

on Eastern political ideas about morality,

對東方關於道德、

obedience, and good leadership.

服從和優秀領導力的政治觀念。

We might find Confucian virtues a bit strange or old-fashioned,

我們可能會覺得儒家美德有點奇怪或過時，

but this is what ultimately makes them all the more important. 片語搭配

但這正是使它們最終顯得更加重要的原因。

We need them as a corrective to our own excesses. 用詞

我們需要它們來糾正我們自身的過度行為。

The modern world is almost surprisingly totally un-Confucian,

現代世界幾乎完全不符合儒家思想，這令人驚訝，

informal, egalitarian,

它不拘小節、崇尚平等、

and full of innovation.

充滿了創新。

So, we're conversely at risk of becoming impulsive, 片語搭配

因此，反過來說，我們就有陷入衝動、

irreverent, and thoughtless

不敬和粗心大意的危險，

without a little advice from Confucius

如果沒有一點來自孔子的建議，

about good behavior and sheep. 表達脈絡

關於良好行為和羊的建議。