英译《生于忧患，死于安乐》

柒 歌

《生于忧患，死于安乐》选自《孟子·告子下》，是一篇论证严密、雄辩有力的说理散文。作者先列举六位经过贫困、挫折的磨炼而终于担当大任的人的事例，证明忧患可以激励人奋发有为，磨难可以促使人有新成就。接着，作者从一个人的发展和一个国家的兴亡两个不同的角度进一步论证忧患则生、安乐则亡的道理。最后水到渠成，得出“生于忧患，而死于安乐”的结论。

文中几个人物故事解析：

舜未发迹前，在历山耕田有道，当地人都愿意靠近他居住，不争田界，互相谦让，因此被四岳一致举荐给当时年事已高的部落联盟领袖尧做继承人。

傅说本为囚犯，在傅岩劳改筑城期间，因与商王武丁的“求贤梦”中的圣人形象相像而被举荐为相。

胶鬲是泰州祭祀“盐宗”的庙里供奉的三位盐宗之一，曾被周文王举荐给商纣王，同时深受文王、纣王（以至武王）的器重，最终协助周文王作内应完成伐纣大业。

管夷吾即管仲，曾亲率三十乘兵车到莒国通往齐国的路上去截击赶路继位的齐桓公，后被好友鲍叔牙成功举荐给贤达大度的齐桓公为相。

孙叔敖河南省淮滨人，曾倾尽家资，主持淮河治水，修筑了很多利民至今的水利工程，据说是从海滨隐居之地被举用进朝廷的。

百里奚曾被晋献公用做陪嫁的奴隶，一度逃离秦国，但最终还是被秦穆公用五张黑羊皮从市井之上换回。

生于忧患，死于安乐

【先秦】孟子

舜发于畎亩之中，傅说举于版筑之间，胶鬲举于鱼盐之中，管夷吾举于士，孙叔敖举于海，百里奚举于市。故天将降大任于是人也，必先苦其心志，劳其筋骨，饿其体肤，空乏其身，行拂乱其所为，所以动心忍性，曾益其所不能。

人恒过，然后能改；困于心，衡于虑，而后作；征于色，发于声，而后喻。入则无法家拂士，出则无敌国外患者，国恒亡。然后知生于忧患而死于安乐也。

Adversity Leads to Prosperity

Shun was employed from farming fields, Fu Yue was recommended out of a mason of the walling site. Jiao Ge was appointed while he was a merchant of fish and salt business. Guan Yiwu was rescued by a prison official and later got promoted. Sun Shuao was selected from his reclusive place. Bai Lixi was redeemed from the slave market.

When the God is to grant a man with greater responsibility, he'd first blight his spirit and will , to toil his flesh and bones, to starve and impoverish, to confound his actions, so that he will be persistent and dauntless, thus to enhance and excel his capabilities.

One who often makes mistakes, may be corrected and elevated later; When one's mind is perplexed, thought is blocked, he would figure his way out. Only if anger of others is shown on face, the resentment is expressed in words, and then can be known. If a country is lack of ministers who hold fast to the laws, and wise advisers next to the king at home, and a country has no comparable countervailing powers abroad and foreign aggressive evils, she would be heading toward the perdition of the state.

Ultimately it will be learned that one prospers in worries and hardships and perishes in ease and comfort.



白话译文：

舜从田野耕作之中被任用，傅说从筑墙的劳作之中被任用，胶鬲从贩鱼卖盐中被任用，管夷吾被从狱官手里救出来并受到任用，孙叔敖从海滨隐居的地方被任用，百里奚被从奴隶市场里赎买回来并被任用。

所以上天要把重任降临在这个人，一定先要使他心意苦恼，使他筋骨劳累，使他忍饥挨饿，使他受尽贫困之苦，使他所做的事情颠倒错乱，用来使他的内心受到震撼，使他性情坚韧起来，增加他所不具备的能力。

一个人，常常发生错误，这样以后才能改正；在内心里困惑，思虑阻塞．然后才能知道有所作为；别人愤怒表现在脸色上，怨恨吐发在言语中，然后才能被人所知晓。（如果）一个国家，在国内没有坚守法度的大臣和足以辅佐君王的贤士，在国外没有实力相当、足以抗衡的国家和来自国外的祸患，这样的国家就常常会走向灭亡。

这样以后才知道忧虑祸患能使人（或国家）生存发展，而安逸享乐会使人（或国家）走向灭亡的道理了。