《朱自清·沉默》原文英译

原文

沉默是一种处世哲学，用得好时，又是一种艺术。

谁都知道口是用来吃饭的，有人却说是用来接吻的。我说没有错儿；但是若统计起来，口的最多的（也许不是最大的）用处，还应该是说话，我相信。按照时下流行的议论，说话大约也算是一种“宣传”，自我的宣传。所以说话彻头彻尾是为自己的事。若有人一口咬定是为别人，凭了种种神圣的名字；我却也愿意让步，请许我这样说：说话有时的确只是间接地为自己，而直接的算是为别人！

自己以外有别人，所以要说话；别人也有别人的自己，所以又要少说话或不说话。于是乎我们要懂沉默。你若念过鲁迅先生的《祝福》，一定会立刻明白我的意思。

一般人见生人时，大抵会沉默的，但也有不少例外。常在火车轮船里，看见有些人迫不及待似地到处向人问讯、攀谈，无论那是搭客或茶房，我只有羡慕这些人的健康；因为在中国这样旅行中，竟会不感觉一点儿疲倦！见生人的沉默，大约由于原始的恐惧，但是似乎也还有别的。假如这个生人的名字，你全然不熟悉，你所能做的工作，自然只是有意或无意的防御——像防御一个敌人。沉默便是最安全的防御战略。你不一定要他知道你，更不想让他发现你的可笑的地方——一个人总有些可笑的地方不是？——你只让他尽量说他所要说的，若他是个爱说的人。末了你恭恭敬敬和他分别。假如这个生人，你愿意和他做朋友，你也还是得沉默。但是得留心听他的话，选出几处，加以简短的，相当的赞词；至少也得表示相当的同意。这就是知己的开场，或说起码的知己也可。假如这个人是你所敬仰的或未必敬仰的“大人物”，你记住，更不可不沉默！大人物的言语，乃至脸色眼光，都有异样的地方；你最好远远地坐着，让那些勇敢的同伴上前线去。——自然，我说的只是你偶然地遇着或随众访问大人物的时候。若你愿意专诚拜谒，你得另想办法；在我，那却是一件可怕的事。——你看看大人物与非大人物或大人物与大人物间谈话的情形，准可以满足，而不用从牙缝里迸出一个字。说话是一件费神的事，能少说或不说以及应少说或不说的时候，沉默实在是长寿之一道。至于自我宣传，诚哉重要——谁能不承认这是重要呢？——但对于生人，这是白费的；他不会领略你宣传的旨趣，只暗笑你的宣传热；他会忘记得干干净净，在和你一鞠躬或一握手以后。

朋友和生人不同，就在他们能听也肯听你的说话——宣传。这不用说是交换的，但是就是交换的也好。他们在不同的程度下了解你，谅解你；他们对于你有了相当的趣味和礼貌。你的话满足他们的好奇心，他们就趣味地听着；你的话严重或悲哀，他们因为礼貌的缘故，也能暂时跟着你严重或悲哀。在后一种情形里，满足的是你；他们所真感到的怕倒是矜持的气氛。他们知道“应该”怎么做；这其实是一种牺牲，“应该”也“值得”感谢的。但是即使在知己的朋友面前，你的话也还不应该说得太多；同样的故事，情感，和警句，隽语，也不宜重复的说。《祝福》就是一个好榜样。你应该相当的节制自己，不可妄想你的话占领朋友们整个的心——你自己的心，也不会让别人完全占领呀。你更应该知道怎样藏匿你自己。只有不可知，不可得的，才有人去追求；你若将所有的尽给了别人，你对于别人，对于世界，将没有丝毫意义，正和医学生实习解剖时用过的尸体一样。那时是不可思议的孤独，你将不能支持自己，而倾仆到无底的黑暗里去。一个情人常喜欢说：“我愿意将所有的都献给你！”谁真知道他或她所有的是些什么呢？第一个说这句话的人，只是表示自己的慷慨，至多也只是表示一种理想；以后跟着说的，更只是“口头禅”而已。所以朋友间，甚至恋人间，沉默还是不可少的。你的话应该像黑夜的星星，不应该像除夕的爆竹——谁稀罕那彻宵的爆竹呢？而沉默有时更有诗意。譬如在下午，在黄昏，在深夜，在大而静的屋子里，短时的沉默，也许远胜于连续不断的倦怠了的谈话。有人称这种境界为“无言之美”，你瞧，多漂亮的名字！——至于所谓“拈花微笑”，那更了不起了！

可是沉默也有不行的时候。人多时你容易沉默下去，一主一客时，就不准行。你的过分沉默，也许把你的生客惹恼了，赶跑了！倘使你愿意赶他，当然很好；倘使你不愿意呢，你就得不时的让他喝茶，抽烟，看画片，读报，听话匣子，偶然也和他谈谈天气，时局——只是复述报纸的记载，加上几个不能解决的疑问——总以引他说话为度。于是你点点头，哼哼鼻子，时而叹叹气，听着。他说完了，你再给起个头，照样的听着。但是我的朋友遇见过一个生客，他是一位准大人物，因某种礼貌关系去看我的朋友。他坐下时，将两手笼起，搁在桌上。说了几句话，就止住了，两眼炯炯地直看着我的朋友。我的朋友窘极，好容易陆陆续续地找出一句半句话来敷衍。这自然也是沉默的一种用法，是上司对属僚保持威严用的。用在一般交际里，未免太露骨了；而在上述的情形中，不为主人留一些余地，更属无礼。大人物以及准大人物之可怕，正在此等处。至于应付的方法，其实倒也有，那还是沉默；只消照样笼了手，和他对看起来，他大约也就无可奈何了罢？

英译

Silence is a philosophy of life, and an art in the right hands. Everyone knows that the mouth is for food, but someone thinks it.s for kissing. However, statistics indicate that the most (maybe not the best) use of the mouth is speaking. In the current prevailing view, speaking becomes an effort of“publicity”, especially self-publicity. In this way, speaking is totally for our own business. If someone in various sacred names insists that he speaks for others, then I.m willing to believe that sometimes we speak for ourselves indirectly but directly for others.

Besides ourselves there are others, so we need to speak for ourselves. Others have their own stories, so we should speak less or keep mute in order to leave some spaces for others. Therefore, we should learn the importance of silence. If you have ever read the short story The New Year.s Sacrifice written by the Chinese famous writer Lun Xun, you would understand what I mean.

Most people intend to keep silent when meeting a stranger, there are quite a few exceptions though. On the train or ship, I usually see some people either passengers or stewards inquiring information around or chatting with others. They should not feel tired at all though they.ve been through such a long journey. I am envious of their strength. The original fear may be the reason why we tend to be silent when meeting a stranger, or there are some other reasons. If you have never heard of his name, then all you can do is defend intentionally or instinctively, just like defending against an enemy. The best defense strategy is silence. You don.t need to await his acquaintance and want even less for him to discover your ridiculousness or absurdness; you know everyone has something to be laughed at. Whether he is talkative, you.d better fulfill his desire and let him speak freely. At last, you say goodbye to him politely. If you want to make friends with him, silence is still the best choice. But you should pay attention to his words and give brief compliments on his speech, or at least you must quite agree with him, which is the beginning of making confidants or friends. Whether he is a“big pot”that you admire or not, remember, you.d better keep silent! There is something unusual in higher-ups.words, faces or even their eyes. So you.d better stay far away and give the opportunity to your brave companions. Of course, what I discuss here is just limited to the occasion that you encounter with the dignitary or follow others to visit; something else must be done if you pay a formal visit to him. For me, it.s a totally horrible thing. You.ll understand what I mean when you see that one dignitary meets an ordinary person or another dignitary. Speaking involves much attention, so when you can keep mute, then keep yourself mute. It will definitely benefit your health. As to self-publicity, it.s truly important, however, it means nothing for a stranger. He.ll even snicker at your craze for propaganda rather than appreciate your claim. He will leave all behind after a bow or a hand shaking with you (=saying goodbye to you).

The difference between friends and strangers is that friends have the patience and willingness to listen to your story. Needless to say, it is the result of exchange between friends, but it is still better than strangers.ignorance. More or less friends understand or accept, and they show much interest and respect to you. They.ll listen intently to your interesting words, and out of politeness they will behave sorrowfully or solemnly for your woeful or grave words. In the latter case, you are satisfied while they, I am afraid, feel nothing but reservation. They know what they“should”do, it is actually a sacrifice. Sometimes“should”also deserves our appreciation. But even with your confidant, you.d better not speak too much. Same story, feelings as well as aphorism shouldn.t be mentioned twice. Here The New Year.s Sacrifice sets a good example. You must restrain yourself fairly and can.t expect your words to occupy friends.whole heart. Similarly, you won.t allow others to fully occupy your heart either. Since people intend to go after the unpredictable or the unavailable things, you should know how to conceal yourself. If you expose yourself totally under the sun, just like the corpses used by medical students for autopsy, you will mean nothing to the world, at that moment you will be surrounded by loneliness and surrender to the endless dark. A lover usually says,“all I have belongs to you!”who can tell me what the“all”represents? The first person who said this just expressed his or her generosity, or at most an ideal. The following people mostly regard it as a“tag”. So silence is indispensable between friends, even lovers. We should learn from stars in the sky rather than fireworks on New Year.s Eve—nobody cares about the fireworks burning through the night. On the contrary, silence sometimes makes life poetic. For instance, in the afternoon, at dusk or late at night, temporary silence means much more than the constant languorous talking in a large and tranquil house. Someone calls it“wordless beauty”, what a lovely name! And“communicating through smile”represents another, higher level.

But silence doesn.t work all the while. You can keep silent when there are lots of people. However, when treating a guest, you.ll find silence doesn.t make sense. Too much silence annoys your guest and drives him off. If you don.t care, it.s fine; but if you.d like him to stay, then you have to ask him to drink tea, smoke, appreciate pictures, read newspapers or listen to the radio. Sometimes you need to talk with him about the weather, the current political situation—just retelling the stories in the newspaper and posing several insoluble questions at the same time. Remember, always encourage him to speak. You just need to listen and sometimes nod, snort or sigh. One topic he finishes, you throw him another, and then remain listening. My friend once treated an unfamiliar guest who is truly a dignitary. After sitting, he crossed his hands together and put them on the desk, looked straight at my friend after a few words. My friend was so embarrassed that he managed to search for several words to prevaricate. Here silence is served for the superior to show his dignity and keeps a certain distance from his subordinates. Used in such a common communication, it seems rather obvious. In this case, the dignitary.s behavior just shows his indecorum. So you can see, here, the devilishness of higher-ups and real big shots is apparent. As for the solution, here it is: silence. You just need to behave like him, crossing hands together and looking straight into him, then maybe he.ll feel embarrassed.