文章目录
- 翻译
- 第一段
- 第二段
- 第三段
- 第四段
- 第五段
- 第六段
- 纯中文译文
- 纯英文试炼
该文章选自Tom Butler-Bowdon(汤姆·巴特勒·鲍登) 所著的50 Self-Help Classics （《50部自励经典》）一书。
篇章结构
翻译
第一段
With its theme that “Mind is the master weaver,” creating our inner character and outer circumstances , the book As a Man Thinketh by James Allen is an in-depth exploration of the central idea of self-help writing.
“思维意识是编织大师”，它创造了我们的内在性格和外部环境，围绕这一主题，詹姆斯·艾伦《思考的人》一书深入地探索了自助类读物的核心思想。
词汇助记：weaver 编织工，纺织工；动词为weave，编织；编造
第二段
【Allen’s contribution was to take an assumption we all share–that because we are not robots we therefore control our thoughts----and reveal its erroneous nature】. Because most of us believe that mind is separate from matter, we think that thoughts can be hidden and made powerless; this allows us to think one way and act another. However, Allen believed that the unconscious mind generates as much action as the conscious mind, and 【while we may be able to sustain the illusion of control through the conscious mind alone, in reality we are continually faced with a question: " Why connot I make myself do this or achieve that? "】
学习:
公认的假设 ： the assumption we all share ,这里 we all share 翻译成 我们都承认，我们都这么认为
reveal its erroneous nature :揭示其错误的本质
take an assumption we all share 抓住了一个我们公认的假设
【Allen’s contribution was to take an assumption we all share–that because we are not robots we therefore control our thoughts----and reveal its erroneous nature】【译：艾伦的贡献在于，他抓住了“我们并非机器人，因此能掌握自己的思想”这一公认的假设，并揭示了其错误的本质】.
注：这里需要注意的是 take 和 reveal 是并列的 ,后者省略了to ,句子结构实 Allen’s contribution was to take an assumption … and (to ) reveal …Allen的贡献在于抓住了… 的假设，并且揭露了…。
Because most of us believe that mind is separate from matter, we think that thoughts can be hidden and made powerless; this allows us to think one way and act another.
因为我们大多数人相信，意识和物质是分开的，所以我们认为思想可以被隐藏起来，丧失力量；这使得我们的想法和行动不一致。
However, Allen believed that the unconscious mind generates as much action as the conscious mind, and 【while we may be able to sustain the illusion of control through the conscious mind alone, in reality we are continually faced with a question: " Why connot I make myself do this or achieve that? "】
但是Allen认为，潜意识和显意识产生的作用一样大。尽管我们或许可以仅仅通过显意识来维持这种能够控制思想的错觉，但现实中我们却总是面临这样一个问题： ”为什么我不能让自己做这件事或者完成那件事呢？“
翻译成人话：尽管我们可以用显意识来维持错觉，但是现实中却出现不符合这种错觉的事情。（两者矛盾）
注：这里的the illusion of control ，control什么呢？ control的宾语是control of thoughts （在前文中有，控制思想）
第三段
Since desire and will are damaged by the presence of thoughts that do not accord with desire, Allen concluded: “We do not attract what we want, but what we are .” Achievement happens because you as a person embody the external achievement;you don’t “get” success but become it. There is no gap between mind and matter.
翻译：
Since desire and will are damaged by the presence of thoughts that do not accord with desire, Allen concluded: “We do not attract what we want, but what we are .”
由于与欲望不一致的思想的出现会摧毁我们的欲望和意志，所以艾伦总结道，”我们吸引的不是我们所想，而是我们本身所是。“
Achievement happens because you as a person embody the external achievement;you don’t “get” success but become it.
成功的到来是因为，作为一个人，你自身体现了外在的成功品质；你不是”获得“成功，而是变得成功。
There is no gap between mind and matter.
物质与意识之间没有差距。
词汇注释： embody： 体现；包含
embody in 在……体现，表现；包含
embody a spirit 体现一种精神
what we are
Like it or not, our families shape our lives and make us what we are
不管我们愿不愿意，家庭环境会影响我们人生的发展方向，使我们变成现在的样子。–《柯林斯高阶英汉双解学习词典》
The true wealth does not consist in what we have, but in what we are.
真正的财富不在于我们拥有什么，而在于我们的人格。–百度翻译例句库
第四段
Part of the fame of Allen’s book is its contention that "Circumstances do not make a person; they reveal him. " 【This seems a justification for neglect of those in need, and a rationalization of exploitation, of the superiority of those at the top and the inferiority of those at the bottom.】
翻译：
Part of the fame of Allen’s book is its contention that "Circumstances do not make a person; they reveal him. "
艾伦的书，出名的部分原因在于书中的论点，即”环境不能造就一个人，但可以反映一个人。“
词汇注释
contention （尤指争论时的）看法，观点；争吵 近义词 dispute n. 争论
词组：in contention for sth. 有机会赢得 例句： I would reject that contention. 我不会同意那种观点。
【This seems a justification for neglect of those in need, and a rationalization of exploitation, of the superiority of those at the top and the inferiority of those at the bottom.】
这似乎是在为忽视贫困人群的行为作辩护，为剥削、为社会上层人群的优越以及社会底层人群的卑微找理由。
the superiority of those at the top and the inferiority of those at the bottom.
上流人士的优越和底层人的卑微
词汇注释：
in need :在穷困中；在危难中 例：people in need 贫困者
rationalization 合理化 例： a need for rationalization of the industry. 对这一行业进行合理化改革的必要性
inferiority 劣势；劣等 inferior次的
superiority 优势；优越
例： a sense of inferiority 自卑感
at the bottom 最底部，最底层 例： start at the bottom 从基层干起
难点分析
| 英文词汇或表达 | 可接受的译法 | 不能接受的译法 |
|---|---|---|
| justification | 辩护；正当的理由 | 合理公正；证明 |
| those in need | 贫困人群，困难人群 | 必需的，那些有需要的 |
| rationalization | 合理化；有理由 | 理智，理性；理性的 |
| exploitation | 剥削 | 开发，开采 |
| those at the top | 社会上层人 | 那些上面的 |
| those at the bottom | 社会下层人 | 那些底下的 |
第五段
This ,however, would be a knee-jerk reaction to a subtle argument. Each set of circumstances ,however bad ,offers a unique opportunity for growth. If circumstances always determined the life and prospects of people, then humanity would never have progressed. In fact, cir【cumstances seem to be disigned to bring out the best in us, and if we feel that we have been “wronged” then we are unlikely to begin a conscious effort to escape from our situation. 】 Nevertheless, as any biographer knows, a person’s early life and its conditions are often the greatest gift to an individual.
翻译
This ,however, would be a knee-jerk reaction to a subtle argument.
然而，这种观点是对一个微妙论点的本能反应。
词汇注释：
a knee-jerk reaction 本能反应，未加思索作出的反应
例句： It was a knee-jerk reaction to his part. 这是他未加思索作出的反应。
Each set of circumstances ,however bad ,offers a unique opportunity for growth.
每一种环境，无论多么糟糕，都为人的发展提供了独特的机会。
If circumstances always determined the life and prospects of people, then humanity would never have progressed.
如果环境一直决定人的生活和未来，那么人类就不会进步。
In fact, 【circumstances seem to be designed to bring out the best in us, and if we feel that we have been “wronged” then we are unlikely to begin a conscious effort to escape from our situation. 】
实际上，环境似乎旨在激发我们自身的最大潜能，如果我们觉得自己遭受了”不公“，就不太可能有意识地去努力摆脱自己的处境。
词汇注释：
be designed to 本义是 ”被设计做……“，一般习惯翻译为”旨在……“。
bring out: 使显现；使表现出 例句：All children should be encouraged to bring out their full potential . 应当鼓励所有的儿童充分发挥他们的潜力。
bring out the best in us, 使表现出我们最好的一面，即激发我们自身的最大潜能。
wrong 做动词时，常用被动形式，意为”被不公正地对待“，故这部分可以翻译为 ”“如果我们感觉‘不公平’” 或者 “如果我们觉得自己遭受了“不公””
escape from our situation： 摆脱现在的处境
Nevertheless, as any biographer knows, a person’s early life and its conditions are often the greatest gift to an individual.
不然的话，正如任何一位专家作家所知道的那样，一个人的早期生活和那时的环境往往是他得到的最珍贵的礼物。
第六段
The sobering aspect of Allen’s book is that we have no one else to blame for our present condition except ourselves. 【The upside is the possibilities contained in knowing that everything is up to us; where before we were experts in the array of limitations, now we become authorities of what is possible.】
翻译
The sobering aspect of Allen’s book is that we have no one else to blame for our present condition except ourselves.
艾伦书中发人深省的方面是：对于自身现状，我们不能责怪别人，只能归咎于自己。
词汇注解:
sobering :令人警醒的，发人深省的
present condition 现状，现在的状况
【The upside is the possibilities contained in knowing that everything is up to us; where before we were experts in the array of limitations, now we become authorities of what is possible.】
积极的一面是：既然知道一切都取决于我们自己，那么就存在无限可能；此前我们是深谙各种局限的专家，现在我们成了驾驭各种可能性的权威。
这里两个并列句，地位相当。
where before we were experts in the array of limitations, now we become authorities of what is possible.这里的主句是后面，从句是前面。
where 引导状语从句，暗含主句和从句之间有对比之意，可翻译为“而”或者不译。
before是时间状语，可译为“以前，此前”；
array 意为“一系列”， the array of limitations 则可译为“各种局限”或“一系列局限”。
词汇注解
array ： n.大堆；大量； v布置；排列
arrayed： a.穿着(尤指漂亮衣服的)；布置的；
例句： a vast array of bottles 一大堆瓶子
纯中文译文
“思维意识是编织大师”，它创造了我们的内在性格和外部环境，围绕这一主题，詹姆斯·艾伦《思考的人》一书深入地探索了自助类读物的核心思想。
艾伦的贡献在于，他抓住了“我们并非机器人，因此能掌握自己的思想”这一公认的假设，并揭示了其错误的本质。因为我们大多数人相信，意识和物质是分开的，所以我们认为思想可以被隐藏起来，丧失力量；这使得我们的想法和行动不一致。但是Allen认为，潜意识和显意识产生的作用一样大。尽管我们或许可以仅仅通过显意识来维持这种能够控制思想的错觉，但现实中我们却总是面临这样一个问题： ”为什么我不能让自己做这件事或者完成那件事呢？“
由于与欲望不一致的思想的出现会摧毁我们的欲望和意志，所以艾伦总结道，”我们吸引的不是我们所想，而是我们本身所是。“成功的到来是因为，作为一个人，你自身体现了外在的成功品质；你不是”获得“成功，而是变得成功。物质与意识之间没有差距。
艾伦的书，出名的部分原因在于书中的论点，即”环境不能造就一个人，但可以反映一个人。“这似乎是在为忽视贫困人群的行为作辩护，为剥削、为社会上层人群的优越以及社会底层人群的卑微找理由。
然而，这种观点是对一个微妙论点的本能反应。每一种环境，无论多么糟糕，都为人的发展提供了独特的机会。如果环境一直决定人的生活和未来，那么人类就不会进步。实际上，环境似乎旨在激发我们自身的最大潜能，如果我们觉得自己遭受了”不公“，就不太可能有意识地去努力摆脱自己的处境。不然的话，正如任何一位专家作家所知道的那样，一个人的早期生活和那时的环境往往是他得到的最珍贵的礼物。
艾伦书中发人深省的方面是：对于自身现状，我们不能责怪别人，只能归咎于自己。积极的一面是：既然知道一切都取决于我们自己，那么就存在无限可能；此前我们是深谙各种局限的专家，现在我们成了驾驭各种可能性的权威。
纯英文试炼
[1] With its theme that “Mind is the master weaver,” creating our inner character and outer circumstances , the book As a Man Thinketh by James Allen is an in-depth exploration of the central idea of self-help writing.
[2]【Allen’s contribution was to take an assumption we all share–that because we are not robots we therefore control our thoughts----and reveal its erroneous nature】. Because most of us believe that mind is separate from matter, we think that thoughts can be hidden and made powerless; this allows us to think one way and act another. However, Allen believed that the unconscious mind generates as much action as the conscious mind, and 【while we may be able to sustain the illusion of control through the conscious mind alone, in reality we are continually faced with a question: " Why connot I make myself do this or achieve that? "】
[3]Since desire and will are damaged by the presence of thoughts that do not accord with desire, Allen concluded: “We do not attract what we want, but what we are .” Achievement happens because you as a person embody the external achievement;you don’t “get” success but become it. There is no gap between mind and matter.
[4]Part of the fame of Allen’s book is its contention that "Circumstances do not make a person; they reveal him. " 【This seems a justification for neglect of those in need, and a rationalization of exploitation, of the superiority of those at the top and the inferiority of those at the bottom.】
[5]This ,however, would be a knee-jerk reaction to a subtle argument. Each set of circumstances ,however bad ,offers a unique opportunity for growth. If circumstances always determined the life and prospects of people, then humanity would never have progressed. In fact, cir【cumstances seem to be disigned to bring out the best in us, and if we feel that we have been “wronged” then we are unlikely to begin a conscious effort to escape from our situation. 】 Nevertheless, as any biographer knows, a person’s early life and its conditions are often the greatest gift to an individual.
[6]The sobering aspect of Allen’s book is that we have no one else to blame for our present condition except ourselves. 【The upside is the possibilities contained in knowing that everything is up to us; where before we were experts in the array of limitations, now we become authorities of what is possible.】
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