On Pleasure 论快乐

伊壁鸠鲁

Since pleasure is the first good and natural to us, for this very reason we do not choose every pleasure, but sometimes we pass over many pleasures, when greater discomfort accrues to us as the result of them: and similarly we think many pains better than pleasures, since a greater pleasure comes to us when we have endured pains for a long time. Every pleasure then because of its natural kinship to us is good, yet not every pleasure is to be chosen; even as every pain also is an evil, yet not all are always of a nature to be avoided. Yet by a scale of comparison and by the consideration of advantages and disadvantages we must form our judgment on all these matters. For the good on certain occasions we treat as bad, and conversely the bad as good.

....

We must consider that of desires some are natural, others vain, and of the natural some are necessary and others merely natural; and of the necessary some are necessary for happiness, others for the repose of the body, and others for very life....

Unhappiness comes either through fear or through vain and unbridled desire; but if a man curbs these, he can win for himself the blessedness of understanding.... Of desires, all that do not lead to a sense of pain, if they are not satisfied, are not necessary, but involve a craving which is easily dispelled, when the object is hard to procure or they seem likely to produce harm.... Wherever in the case of desires which are natural, but do not lead to a sense of pain, if they are not fulfilled, the effort is intense, such pleasures are due to idle imagination, and it is not owing to their own nature that they fail to be dispelled, but owing to the empty imaginings of the man....

The disturbance of the soul cannot be ended nor true joy created either by the possession of the greatest wealth or by honor and respect in the eyes of the mob or by anything else that is associated with causes of unlimited desires.... We must not violate nature, but obey her; and we shall obey her if we fulfill the necessary desires and also the natural, if they bring no harm to us, but sternly reject the harmful.... The man who follows nature and not vain opinions is independent in all things. For in reference to what is enough for nature every possession is riches, but in reference to unlimited desires even the greatest wealth is not riches but poverty.

Insofar as you are in difficulties, it is because you forget nature; for you create for yourself unlimited fears and desires. It is better for you to be free of fear lying upon a pallet, than to have a golden couch and a rich table and be full of trouble.

快乐于我们乃至善且自然之追求，正因为此，我们并不选择每一种快乐，而是偶尔放弃多种快乐，因为这些快乐会带来更大的不安；同样，我们认为许多痛苦优于快乐，因为当我们长期忍受痛苦之后，更大的快乐便随之而来。就其与我们之自然联系而言，每一种快乐都是善的，然而并非每一种快乐都是可取的；同理，虽然每一种痛苦都是恶的，但并非每一种痛苦从本质上都应当加以躲避。不过，我们必须依据某种鉴别的尺度，通过权衡利弊来形成对一切事物的判断。因此我们有时将好事视为坏事，反之则将坏事视为好事。

……

必须看到，有些欲望是自然的，而另一些欲望则是无益的；在自然的欲望之中，有些是必需的，而另一些纯属自然而已；在必需的欲望之中，有些是幸福之所需，有些是身体安康之所需，而另一些则旨在维持生计。……

苦恼或源于恐惧，或源于无益的毫无节制的欲望。然而，倘若一个人能克制欲望，他便为自己赢得了彻悟人生的至福。……在种种欲望之中，所有那些即使无法满足也并不导致痛苦者，均属不必需之列；而当其所求之目标难以实现或似乎有可能带来危害时，此类欲望随即烟消云散。……有些自然的欲望即使无法实现也并不带来痛苦之感，而人们却求之不舍，此类快乐均源于无聊的想象，其所以未能驱散，并非本质使然，实乃根因于人之幻想。……

无论是拥有巨额财富，还是荣誉，还是纭纭众生的仰慕，或任何其他导致无穷欲望的身外之物，都无法了结心灵的烦扰，更不能带来真正的快乐。……我们不可悖逆天性，而应顺性而为；而所谓顺性，乃是去满足必需的欲望，以及自然的欲望，如果后者并不带来危害，反之则应严加抵御。……顺性而不为妄言蛊惑者，可独立于天地之间。凡满足天性者，一点一滴便足以使人富有；而若是填补欲壑，纵然是万贯家财，所带来的也不是富有，而是贫困。

你之所以困难重重，乃因为忘却天性；是你为自己设置了无穷的恐惧与欲望。与其锦衣玉食却忧心忡忡，不如粗茶淡饭却无忧无虑。

更多信息请查看英语美文写作