忆回首，灯火阑珊处，《沉思录》的哲理依旧回味无穷（灰烬战线MuvLuvAlternative）

THAT which rules within, when it is according to nature, is so affected with respect to the events which happen, that it always easily adapts itself to that which is and is presented to it. For it requires no definite material, but it moves towards its purpose, under certain conditions however; and it makes a material for itself out of that which opposes it, as fire lays hold of what falls into it, by which a small light would have been extinguished: but when the fire is strong, it soon appropriates to itself the matter which is heaped on it, and consumes it, and rises higher by means of this very material.
那在我们心中的支配部分，当它合乎本性时是如此爱好那发生的事情，以致它总是容易地使自己适应于那可能发生和呈现于它的东西。因为它不要求任何确定的手段，而是在无论什么条件下都趋向于自己的目标；它甚至从它对立的东西中为自己获得手段，就像火抓住落进火焰中的东西一样。爝火会被落在它上面的东西压熄，但当火势强大时，它很快就占有和吞噬了投在它上面的东西，借助于这些东西越烧越旺。

Let no act be done without a purpose, nor otherwise than according to the perfect principles of art.
让任何行为都不要无目的地做出，也不要不根据完善的艺术原则做出。

Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores, and mountains; and thou too art wont to desire such things very much. But this is altogether a mark of the most common sort of men, for it is in thy power whenever thou shalt choose to retire into thyself. For nowhere either with more quiet or more freedom from trouble does a man retire than into his own soul, particularly when he has within him such thoughts that by looking into them he is immediately in perfect tranquility; and I affirm that tranquility is nothing else than the good ordering of the mind. Constantly then give to thyself this retreat, and renew thyself; and let thy principles be brief and fundamental, which, as soon as thou shalt recur to them, will be sufficient to cleanse the soul completely, and to send thee back free from all discontent with the things to which thou returnest. For with what art thou discontented? With the badness of men? Recall to thy mind this conclusion, that rational animals exist for one another, and that to endure is a part of justice, and that men do wrong involuntarily; and consider how many already, after mutual enmity, suspicion, hatred, and fighting, have been stretched dead, reduced to ashes; and be quiet at last.- But perhaps thou art dissatisfied with that which is assigned to thee out of the universe.- Recall to thy recollection this alternative; either there is providence or atoms, fortuitous concurrence of things; or remember the arguments by which it has been proved that the world is a kind of political community, and be quiet at last.- But perhaps corporeal things will still fasten upon thee.- Consider then further that the mind mingles not with the breath, whether moving gently or violently, when it has once drawn itself apart and discovered its own power, and think also of all that thou hast heard and assented to about pain and pleasure, and be quiet at last.- But perhaps the desire of the thing called fame will torment thee.- See how soon everything is forgotten, and look at the chaos of infinite time on each side of the present, and the emptiness of applause, and the changeableness and want of judgement in those who pretend to give praise, and the narrowness of the space within which it is circumscribed, and be quiet at last. For the whole earth is a point, and how small a nook in it isthis thy dwelling, and how few are there in it, and what kind of people are they who will praise thee.
人们寻求隐退自身，他们隐居于乡村茅屋，山林海滨；你也倾向于渴望这些事情。但这完全是凡夫俗子的一个标记，因为无论什么时候你要退入自身你都可以这样做。因为一个人退到任何一个地方都不如退入自己的心灵更为宁静和更少苦恼，特别是当他在心里有这种思想的时候，通过考虑它们，他马上进入了完全的宁静。我坚持认为：宁静不过是心灵的井然有序。那么你不断地使自己做这种隐退吧，更新你自己吧，让你的原则简单而又基本，这样，一旦你要诉诸它们，它们就足以完全地净化心灵，使你排除所有的不满而重返家园。因为，你是对什么不满呢？是对人们的邪恶不满吗？那就让你的心灵回忆起这一结论吧：理性的动物是互相依存的，忍受亦是正义的一部分，人们是不自觉地行恶的；考虑一下有多少人在相互敌视、怀疑、仇恨、战斗之后已经死去而化为灰烬；那就会终于使你安静下来。－但也许你是不满于从宇宙中分配给你的东西－那么转而回忆一下这一思想：想想要末是神存在，要末是原子，即事物的偶然配合存在；或者想想这些论据，它们证明了这个世界是一个政治社会，那最终会使你安静。－但也许有形的事物还是要抓住你－那么进一步考虑一下：当心灵一旦使自己与身体分开，发现了它自己的力量，它就不论是在平缓还是激烈地活动中，都不会使自己与呼吸相混；也再想想你在痛苦和快乐方面所有你听到的和同意的；你将最终使你安静。－但也许对于所谓名声的愿望将要折磨你－那么看一看一切事物是多么快地被忘却，看一看过去和未来的无限时间的混沌；看一看赞美的空洞，看一看那些装作给出赞扬的人们判断的多变和贫乏，以及赞扬所被限定的范围的狭隘，那么最终使你自己安静吧。因为整个地球是一个点，你居住的地方又是地球上一个多么小的角落啊，在它上面存在的东西是多么的少啊，而要赞扬你的人又是什么样的人呢？

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