1The joys of parents are secret, and so are their griefs and fears;父母的喜悦是隐秘的,他们的悲伤和恐惧也是如此;句法分析:并列句结构,使用"and so are"倒装结构表示"也是如此"。词源分析:"secret"源自拉丁语secretus,意为"分开、隐藏"。
2they cannot utter the one, nor they will not utter the other.他们不能诉说前者,也不愿诉说后者。语法结构:并列否定句,使用"nor"连接两个否定分句。词源分析:"utter"源自古英语ūtian,意为"说出",与"out"同源。
3Children sweeten labors, but they make misfortunes more bitter;子女使劳苦变甜,但使不幸更加苦涩;修辞手法:对比结构,使用"sweeten"和"bitter"形成鲜明对比。词源分析:"sweeten"源自原始日耳曼语swōtijanan,意为"使变甜"。
4they increase the cares of life, but they mitigate the remembrance of death.他们增加生活的牵挂,但减轻对死亡的记忆。哲学观点:培根对子女价值的辩证思考。词源分析:"mitigate"源自拉丁语mitigare,由mitis(温和)和agere(做)组成,意为"使缓和"。
5The perpetuity by generation is common to beasts;通过繁殖实现的永续是野兽所共有的;生物学观察:指出生物共有的繁殖特性。词源分析:"perpetuity"源自拉丁语perpetuitas,由per(通过)和petere(寻求)组成,意为"永恒"。
6but memory, merit, and noble works, are proper to men:但记忆、功绩和高尚作品是人类特有的:人文主义观点:强调人类特有的精神品质。词源分析:"merit"源自拉丁语meritum,意为"应得的奖赏",与merere(值得)相关。
7and surely a man shall see the noblest works and foundations have proceeded from childless men,而且确实可以看到,最高尚的作品和基金会来自无子嗣的人,历史观察:指出无子女者往往创造伟大事业。词源分析:"foundations"源自拉丁语fundatio,由fundus(底部)衍生,意为"基础、机构"。
8which have sought to express the images of their minds where those of their bodies have failed;他们寻求表达自己心灵的意象,以弥补身体意象的缺失;心理学洞察:说明无子女者的补偿心理机制。词源分析:"express"源自拉丁语exprimere,由ex(出)和premere(压)组成,意为"表达"。
9so the care of posterity is most in them that have no posterity.因此,对后代的关怀在最没有后代的人身上最为强烈。悖论表达:培根式的智慧悖论。词源分析:"posterity"源自拉丁语posteritas,由posterus(后来的)衍生,意为"后代"。
10They that are the first raisers of their houses are most indulgent towards their children,那些家族的第一代创立者最纵容子女,社会观察:指出第一代创业者的教育特点。词源分析:"indulgent"源自拉丁语indulgens,由in(向)和dulgere(温柔对待)组成,意为"纵容"。
11beholding them as the continuance, not only of their kind, but of their work;将他们视为不仅是血脉的延续,也是事业的延续;心理分析:解释第一代创业者对子女的特殊期待。词源分析:"continuance"源自拉丁语continuantia,由continere(保持在一起)衍生,意为"持续"。
12and so both children and creatures.因此既是子女也是创造物。精妙总结:双重身份的深刻洞察。词源分析:"creatures"源自拉丁语creatura,由creare(创造)衍生,意为"被创造物"。
13The difference in affection of parents towards their several children is many times unequal, and sometimes unworthy, especially in the mother;父母对不同子女的情感差异往往不平等,有时甚至不恰当,尤其在母亲身上;家庭观察:指出父母偏心的普遍现象。词源分析:"affection"源自拉丁语affectionem,由ad(向)和facere(做)组成,意为"情感"。
14as Solomon saith, “A wise son rejoiceth the father, but an ungracious son shames the mother.”如所罗门所说:"智慧之子使父亲欢乐,愚昧之子使母亲蒙羞。"圣经引用:出自《箴言》10:1。词源分析:"ungracious"由un-(不)和gracious(优雅的)组成,gracious源自拉丁语gratiosus,意为"令人愉快的"。
15A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons;可以看到,在一个多子女的家庭中,一两个最年长的受尊重,最年幼的被宠坏;家庭动态描述:长子与幼子的不同待遇。词源分析:"wantons"源自古英语wan-(缺少)和togen(培养),字面意思"缺乏管教"。
16but in the midst some that are, as it were, forgotten, who many times, nevertheless, prove the best.但中间的一些孩子似乎被遗忘,然而他们往往证明是最优秀的。教育洞察:中间子女往往独立成才。词源分析:"nevertheless"由never(从不)+ the + less(更少)组成,意为"尽管如此"。
17The illiberality of parents, in allowance towards their children, is a harmful error,父母在给子女零用钱上的吝啬是有害的错误,教育观点:批评经济上的过度限制。词源分析:"illiberality"由il-(不)和liberality(慷慨)组成,liberality源自拉丁语liberalis,意为"慷慨的"。
18makes them base, acquaints them with shifts, makes them sort with mean company, and makes them surfeit more when they come to plenty;使他们卑劣,使他们熟悉诡计,使他们与卑劣之人为伍,并在他们富裕时更加放纵;排比结构:四个"makes them"形成强烈修辞效果。词源分析:"surfeit"源自盎格鲁法语surfait,由sur(超过)和fait(做)组成,意为"过度"。
19and, therefore, the proof is best when men keep their authority towards their children, but not their purse.因此,最好的证明是人们对子女保持权威但不控制钱袋。教育建议:权威与经济支持的平衡。词源分析:"authority"源自拉丁语auctoritas,由auctor(作者、创造者)衍生,意为"权威"。
20Men have a foolish manner (both parents, and schoolmasters, and servants), in creating and breeding an emulation between brothers during childhood,人们(包括父母、教师和仆人)有一种愚蠢的方式,即在童年时期在兄弟间制造和培养竞争,教育批评:反对兄弟间的过度竞争。词源分析:"emulation"源自拉丁语aemulationem,由aemulari(竞争)衍生,意为"竞争、仿效"。
21which many times sorteth to discord when they are men, and disturbeth families.这往往在他们成年时导致不和,并扰乱家庭。后果分析:童年竞争的长远影响。词源分析:"discord"源自拉丁语discordia,由dis-(分开)和cor(心)组成,意为"不和"。
22The Italians make little difference between children and nephews, or near kinsfolk;意大利人对子女和侄子或其他近亲几乎不加区别;文化比较:意大利的家庭观念。词源分析:"kinsfolk"由kin(亲属)和folk(人们)组成,kin源自古英语cynn,意为"家族"。
23but so they be of the lump, they care not, though they pass not through their own body;只要他们属于同一家族,他们就不在乎,即使不是自己亲生;家族观念:重视家族整体而非直系血缘。词源分析:"lump"源自古英语lumpe,可能源自日耳曼语,意为"块、整体"。
24and, to say truth, in nature it is much a like matter;而且说实话,在本质上这是非常相似的事情;生物学观点:直系与旁系血缘的相似性。词源分析:"nature"源自拉丁语natura,由nasci(出生)衍生,意为"自然、本质"。
25insomuch that we see a nephew sometimes resembleth an uncle or a kinsman more than his own parent, as the blood happens.以至于我们看到侄子有时比像自己父母更像叔伯或亲戚,这是血缘使然。遗传观察:旁系遗传现象。词源分析:"resembleth"源自古法语resembler,由re-(再)和sembler(相似)组成,意为"相似"。
26Let parents choose betimes the vocations and courses they mean their children should take, for then they are most flexible;让父母及早选择他们希望子女从事的职业和道路,因为那时他们最具可塑性;教育建议:早期职业规划的重要性。词源分析:"vocations"源自拉丁语vocatio,由vocare(呼叫)衍生,意为"职业、天职"。
27and let them not too much apply themselves to the disposition of their children, as thinking they will take best to that which they have most mind to.但不要过于迎合子女的性情,以为他们会最喜欢他们最有意向的事情。教育平衡:既要引导也不要过度迎合。词源分析:"disposition"源自拉丁语dispositionem,由dis-(分开)和ponere(放置)组成,意为"性情、安排"。
28It is true, that if the affection or aptness of the children be extraordinary, then it is good not to cross it;确实,如果子女的喜好或天赋非凡,那么最好不要违背它;教育例外:对待特殊天赋的灵活性。词源分析:"aptness"源自古英语æpte,意为"适合的、有天赋的"。
29but generally the precept is good, “Optimum elige, suave et facile illud faciet consuetudo.”但通常这条箴言是好的:"选择最好的,习惯会使它变得愉快和容易。"拉丁引用:强调习惯的力量。词源分析:"precept"源自拉丁语praeceptum,由prae-(前)和capere(拿)组成,意为"规诫、箴言"。
30Younger brothers are commonly fortunate, but seldom or never where the elder are disinherited.弟弟通常幸运,但在长子被剥夺继承权的情况下很少或从不幸运。社会观察:继承权对弟弟命运的影响。词源分析:"disinherited"由dis-(剥夺)和inherit(继承)组成,inherit源自拉丁语hereditare,意为"继承"。