Love is an activity, not a passive affect; it is a “standing in”， not a “falling for”。

爱是一种积极的活动，并不是一种被动的情感;它是主动地“站进去”的活动，而不是盲目地“沉迷上”的情感。

In the most general way, the active character of love can be described by stating that love is primarily giving, not receiving.

如果用最通常的方式来描述爱的主动特征，那么，它主要是给予而不是获取。

The most important sphere of giving, however,

然而，给予最重要的意义，

is not that of material things, but lies in the specifically human realm.

并不在于物质方面，而尤其在于人性方面。

What does one person give to another?

一个人给予另一个人什么东西呢?

He gives of himself, of the most precious thing he has, he gives of his life.

他把他自己给予别人，把自己拥有的最珍贵的东西给予别人，把自己的生命给予别人。

This does not necessarily mean that he sacrifices his life for the other—but that he gives him of that which is alive in him.

这不一定意味着他要为别人而牺牲自己的生命，而是指他把自己身上存在的东西给予别人。

He gives him of his joy, of his understanding, of his knowledge, of his humor, of his sadness — of all expressions and manifestations of that which is alive in him.

把自己的快乐、理解、知识、幽默、哀愁，把他身上存在的所有东西表露和显现给别人。

In thus giving of his life, he will like the other person, he enhances the other's sense of aliveness by enhancing his own sense of aliveness.

通过提高自己的生存感，他会提高别人的生存感。

He does not give in order to receive; giving is in itself exquisite joy.

他不是为了获取才给予;给予本身就是一种强烈的快乐。