Of Friendship 論友誼(5)

  But when all is done, the help of good counsel is that which setteth business straight.  然而能使事業(yè)趨于正軌者還數(shù)忠言。   And if any man think that he will take counsel, but it shall be by pieces; asking counsel in one business of one man, and in another business of another man; it is well (that is to say, better perhaps than if he asked none at all); but he runneth two dangers: one, that he shall not be faithfully counselled; for it is a rare thing, except it be from a perfect and entire friend, to have counsel given, but such as shall be bowed and crooked to some ends, which he hath that giveth it The other, that he shall have counsel given, hurtful, and unsafe (though with good meaning), and mixed, partly of mischief, and partly of remedy: even as if you would call a physician, that is thought good, for the cure of the disease you complain of, but is unacquainted with your body; and therefore, may put you in way for a present cure, but overthroweth your health in some other kind;and so cure the disease, and kill the patient But a friend that is wholly acquainted with a man\'s estate, will beware by furthering any present business, how he dasheth upon other inconvenience.  又，假如有人想采納別人底忠告，而愿意零碎采納，在某一件事上問某一人，在另一件事上問另一人，這樣的辦法也好（這就是說，總比他全不問人的或者好一點(diǎn)）；可是他冒著兩種危險(xiǎn)；一是他將得不到忠實(shí)的進(jìn)言；因?yàn)樗�進(jìn)的言論必須是來自一位完全誠(chéng)心的朋友的才好，否則鮮有不被歪屈而傾向于進(jìn)言人之私利者也。另一種危險(xiǎn)是他所得的進(jìn)言，將為一種有害而不安全的言論（雖然用意是好的）一半是招致禍患的而一半是救濟(jì)或預(yù)防禍患的；有如你生病請(qǐng)醫(yī)，而這位醫(yī)生是雖被認(rèn)為善治你所患的病癥，卻是不熟悉你底體質(zhì)的；因此他也許會(huì)使你目前的疾病可以痊愈而將危害你健康的另一方面；結(jié)果是治了病癥而殺了病人。一個(gè)完全通曉你底事業(yè)境遇的朋友則不然，他將小心注意，以免因?yàn)橥七M(jìn)你目前的某種事業(yè)而使你在別的方面突受打擊。   And therefore, rest not upon scattered counsel; they will rather distract, and mislead, than seme, and direct After these two noble fruits of frendship (peace in the affections and support of the judgement) followeth the last fruit; which is like the pomegranate full of many kernels; I mean aid and bearing a part in all actions and occasions. Here, the best way to represent to life the manifold use of frendship is to cast and see, how many things there are, which a man cannot do himself; and then it will appear, that it was a sparing speech of the ancients, to say that a friend is another himself: for that a friend is far more than himself.  所以最好不要依靠零零碎碎的忠告；它們擾亂和誤引底可能多于安定和指導(dǎo)底可能也。在友誼底這兩種高貴的功效（心情上的平和與理智上的扶助）之后還有那最末的一種功效：這種功效有如石榴之多核。這句話的意思就是朋友對(duì)于一個(gè)人底各種行為，各種需要，都有所幫助，有所參加也。在這一點(diǎn)上，若要把友誼底多種用途很顯明生動(dòng)地表現(xiàn)出來，最好的方法是計(jì)算一下，看看一個(gè)人有多少事情是不能靠自己去辦理的：這樣計(jì)算一下之后，我們就以看得出古人所謂“朋友者另一己身也”的那句話是一句與事實(shí)相較還很不夠的話；因?yàn)橐粋�(gè)朋友比較一個(gè)人底己身用處還要大得多。   Men have their time, and die many times in desire of some things, which they principally take to heart; the bestowing of a child, the finishing of a work, or the like. If a man have a true friend, he may rest almost secure, that the care of those things will continue after him. So that a man hath as it were two lives in his desires. 人底生命有限，有許多人在沒有達(dá)到最大的心愿——如子女底婚事，工作之完成，等——之前就死了。要是一個(gè)人有了一位真心的朋友，那末他就大可安心，知道這些事件在他死后還是有人照料的。如此，一個(gè)人在完成心愿上簡(jiǎn)直是有兩條性命了。   A man hath a body, and that body is confined to a place; but where friendship is, all offices of life are as it were granted to him, and his deputy. For he may exercise them by his friend. How many things are there, which a man cannot, with any face or comeliness, say or do himself? A man can scarce allege his own merits with modesty, less extol them: a man cannot sometimes brook to supplicate or beg: and a number of the like. But all these things, are graceful in a friend\'s mouth, which are blushing in a man\'s own. So again, a man\'s person hath many proper relations, which he cannot put off. A man cannot speak to his son, but as a father, to his wife, but as a husband; to his enemy, but upon terms: whereas a friend may speak, as the case requires, and not as it sorteth with the person. But to enumerate these things were endless: I have given the rule, where a man cannot fitly play his own part: if he have not a friend, he may quit the stage.