《先知》 THE PROPHET - Kahlil Gibran 東岐明 譯
〈施予第五〉 5. Giving
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amidha.yang@msa.hinet.net 東岐明
◎施予第五
那時，一名富人說：『向我們講說施予吧！』
接著他說：
『當你佈施財物擁有，你僅是微行施予。
當你佈施自己本人，你才是真行施予[1]。
因為啊！
除了你為擔憂來日之需，所保管守護的，又有什麼是你所擁有呢？
而來日！來日又要帶來什麼[2]，給那隻過於算計的狗？
─當它跟隨朝聖者行赴聖城時，還埋藏骨頭在無跡可尋的沙裏！
除了需求本身，又有什麼對於需求的擔憂呢？
那不止的渴求！不就是在你泉源滿溢時還恐懼乾渴嗎？
有些人施予了他們富饒擁有中的微許─而且還是為了名聞報償才施予。
他們私隱的欲望，玷污了他們的施贈[3]。
有些人僅有微許，而全部用來施予。
這些人才是生命及生命慷慨的信徒，他們錢箱從不匱乏。
有些人懷著喜悅去施予，那喜悅就是他們的報償。
有些人懷著痛苦去施予，那痛苦就是他們的洗禮。
有些人去施予，既不覺痛苦，也不求喜悅，又不念念於善行。
他們那施予，如同遠方山谷裏的桃金孃，吐露芬芳到虛空之中。
藉由像他們那樣的行動，神主正在言語。
從由他們眼光之後，祂正對著凡塵微笑。
因有請求而行施予，固然是好，
但更好是，未有請求即行施予─基於了解而施予；
對於慷慨出手[4]者而言，尋找一位應得受予之人，此種喜悅更勝施予。
而有任何東西是你要保留的嗎？
一切你的所有，必有一天都要施出；
所以現在就行施予！讓那施予時機屬於你，而非你的繼承人。
你時常說：「我要施予，但只給那值得受贈的人。」
你果園裏的樹不那樣說，你牧場的牲畜也不那樣說。
它們由於施予才能活命，若是有所保留就要滅亡。
他既然配得一己生涯的日日夜夜，當然也就配得由你而予的其他一切。
他既然已經該由那生命之洋領飲，也就該由你這微流來注滿他的杯盞。
要有怎樣的乾蕪荒漠，才會如此廣闊而超越了在接受施予上，
那勇氣、那自信、甚至是那慈善寬厚，的荒漠乾蕪[5]？
而你是誰？竟要人們扯破胸襟而揭露自尊，
讓你可以看見他們的赤裸價值與無赧尊傲[6]！
先看看你自己是否配作一名施予者、及一個施予器。
因為事實上，那是生命在對生命施予─
而自許為施予者的你，只不過是一名見證者。
而你們這些受予者─你們全然是受予者─
莫要承受那感恩的重擔，否則就會為你自己，也為施予的他，套上枷軛。
寧可同施予者一起，藉由他的施贈而昇華，如同藉由羽翼而飛昇[7]。
因為啊！太過掛念你這負債，就是去懷疑他那慷慨─
他那有寬宏[8]大地為母、有神主為父的慷慨。』
《先知》The Prophet 〈施予第五〉 終
【譯註】
[1] give of 意指“慷慨供給”，並非是如 give 僅指“給予”。為了要使 give 與
give of 在全文中能夠意義連貫，所以我將 give 譯為“施予”， give of 譯為
“佈施”，以“施”此字貫通兩詞。“佈施”，或作“布施”，原是佛家所譯詞彙，
屬於六度波羅密─佈施、持戒、忍辱、精進、禪定、般若。
[2] shall 在此疑問句中，表示說者(先知)向聽者(富人)的詢問意見。“未來又要帶來
什麼”此句的完整意義，應是“你要我讓未來又要帶來什麼”，但如此語氣不是中文的
表達方式，所以未譯出完整意涵。舉例來說， Shall he open the door ? 可譯為“要
他開門嗎？”，但 shall 在此表達的完整意涵應是“你要我讓他幫你開門嗎？”。
[3] hidden desire 考慮上下文意，所以譯為“私隱的欲望”。 gift 在此乃是對應
give ，作為 give 的名詞意涵，所以譯為“施贈”。
[4] open-handed 原意是指“攤開手掌的”，而又意味“大方慷慨的”。因為中文觀念
裏的“攤手”並不對應著“慷慨”的意涵，所以用“出手”而譯為“慷慨出手的”。
[5] And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the
courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving. 此句若解除問句倒
裝，就是 And there shall be what desert greater than that which lies in the
courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving. 此句隱喻較深，所
以其中含攝的完整原意，很難用中文辭句直接表達。句中的 desert 是對應著上一句的
ocean 與 stream。上一句用“海洋”與“溪流”來比喻施予，而此句的第一個“沙漠”
是比喻“不願施予的吝嗇”，第二個“沙漠”(以 that which 代表)是比喻“缺乏”。
此句一開始的 And what desert greater shall there be 是先知在質問聽者，用沙漠
廣大做為譬喻，意謂說“你想要多麼吝嗇啊？”。接下來的 than that which lies in
，就是將這聽者(施予者)在施予上的意願缺乏，和那受予者在受予上的意願缺乏，兩者
相互比較。兩者比較的意思是指，受予者接受施捨也是要放下面子，戰勝自己的羞愧；
相較之下，難道施予者自心要戰勝的吝嗇，竟然還會更困難嗎(沙漠還更大嗎)？接下來
的 the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving. 就是指受予
者在接受施捨時，所要具備的自信、勇氣、甚至是 charity。 Charity 本是指“慈善”
、“施捨”、“善行”，用在此處 charity of receiving ，是將“接受施捨”也當成
是一種施捨的善行，意謂著要放下自尊來接受他人施捨，也是另一種施捨的慈善行為。
[6] 此句中的兩個 pride ，不是指“對於別人的驕傲”，而是指“個人的尊嚴傲骨”
，所以視句中上下文意，而分別譯為“自尊”及“尊傲”。
[7] 此句中只有一個 rise ，但為了文氣通暢，所以在對應的兩處 gifts, wings 分別
譯為“昇華”、“飛昇”。
[8] free-hearted 此處意謂“寬大”、“慷慨”，考慮上下文氣，所以譯為“寬宏”。
GIVING
Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of Giving."
And he answered: You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them to morrow? And to-morrow, what shall to-morrow bring to the ovcr-prudent dog burying bones in the track less sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city? And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable? There are those who give little of the much which they have-and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome. And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism. And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles Upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving. And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall some day be given; Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.
You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving." The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish. Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you. And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream. And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving? And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed? See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving. For in truth it is life that gives unto life-while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers-and you are all receivers- assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; For to be overmindful of your debt is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.
