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第8章

a confession(忏悔录)-第8章

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will; is; of course; nothing; but on the other hand; for those in

whom the will has turned and renounced itself; this so real world

of ours with all its suns and milky way is nothing。〃

     〃Vanity of vanities〃; says Solomon  〃vanity of vanities 

all is vanity。  What profit hath a man of all his labor which he

taketh under the sun?  One generation passeth away; and another

generation commeth: but the earth abideth for ever。。。。The thing

that hath been; is that which shall be; and that which is done is

that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun。 

Is there anything whereof it may be said; See; this is new? it hath

been already of old time; which was before us。  there is no

remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any

remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come

after。  I the Preacher was King over Israel in Jerusalem。  And I

gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that

is done under heaven:  this sore travail hath God given to the sons

of man to be exercised therewith。  I have seen all the works that

are done under the sun; and behold; all is vanity and vexation of

spirit。。。。I communed with my own heart; saying; Lo; I am come to

great estate; and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have

been before me over Jerusalem: yea; my heart hath great experience

of wisdom and knowledge。  And I gave my heart to know wisdom; and

to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation

of spirit。  For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that

increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow。

     〃I said in my heart; Go to now; I will prove thee with mirth;

therefore enjoy pleasure: and behold this also is vanity。 I said of

laughter; It is mad:  and of mirth; What doeth it?  I sought in my

heart how to cheer my flesh with wine; and while my heart was

guided by wisdom; to lay hold on folly; till I might see what it

was good for the sons of men that they should do under heaven the

number of the days of their life。  I made me great works; I builded

me houses; I planted me vineyards; I made me gardens and orchards;

and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruits: I made me pools

of water; to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared: I

got me servants and maidens; and had servants born in my house;

also I had great possessions of herds and flocks above all that

were before me in Jerusalem: I gathered me also silver and gold and

the peculiar treasure from kings and from the provinces: I got me

men singers and women singers; and the delights of the sons of men;

as musical instruments and all that of all sorts。  So I was great;

and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also

my wisdom remained with me。  And whatever mine eyes desired I kept

not from them。  I withheld not my heart from any joy。。。。Then I

looked on all the works that my hands had wrought; and on the

labour that I had laboured to do: and; behold; all was vanity and

vexation of spirit; and there was no profit from them under the

sun。  And I turned myself to behold wisdom; and madness; and

folly。。。。 But I perceived that one even happeneth to them all。 

Then said I in my heart; As it happeneth to the fool; so it

happeneth even to me; and why was I then more wise?  then I said in

my heart; that this also is vanity。  For there is no remembrance of

the wise more than of the fool for ever; seeing that which now is

in the days to come shall all be forgotten。  And how dieth the wise

man? as the fool。  Therefore I hated life; because the work that is

wrought under the sun is grievous unto me: for all is vanity and

vexation of spirit。  Yea; I hated all my labour which I had taken

under the sun: seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall

be after me。。。。 For what hath  man of all his labour; and of the

vexation of his heart; wherein he hath laboured under the sun?  For

all his days are sorrows; and his travail grief; yea; even in the

night his heart taketh no rest。  this is also vanity。  Man is not

blessed with security that he should eat and drink and cheer his

soul from his own labour。。。。 All things come alike to all: there is

one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to

the evil; to the clean and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth

and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good; so is the sinner;

and he that sweareth; as he that feareth an oath。  This is an evil

in all that is done under the sun; that there is one event unto

all; yea; also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil; and

madness is in their heart while they live; and after that they go

to the dead。  For him that is among the living there is hope: for

a living dog is better than a dead lion。  For the living know that

they shall die: but the dead know not any thing; neither have they

any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten。  also their

love; and their hatred; and their envy; is now perished; neither

have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done

under the sun。〃

     So said Solomon; or whoever wrote those words。  'Footnote:

tolstoy's version differs slightly in a few places from our own

Authorized or Revised version。  I have followed his text; for in a

letter to Fet; quoted on p。 18; vol。 ii; of my 〃Life of Tolstoy;〃

he says that 〃The Authorized English version 'of Ecclesiastes' is

bad。〃  A。M。'

     And this is what the Indian wisdom tells:

     Sakya Muni; a young; happy prince; from whom the existence of

sickness; old age; and death had been hidden; went out to drive and

saw a terrible old man; toothless and slobbering。  the prince; from

whom till then old age had been concealed; was amazed; and asked

his driver what it was; and how that man had come to such a

wretched and disgusting condition; and when he learnt that this was

the common fate of all men; that the same thing inevitably awaited

him  the young prince  he could not continue his drive; but

gave orders to go home; that he might consider this fact。  So he

shut himself up alone and considered it。  and he probably devised

some consolation for himself; for he subsequently again went out to

drive; feeling merry and happy。  But this time he saw a sick man。 

He saw an emaciated; livid; trembling man with dim eyes。  The

prince; from whom sickness had been concealed; stopped and asked

what this was。  And when he learnt that this was sickness; to which

all men are liable; and that he himself  a healthy and happy

prince  might himself fall ill tomorrow; he again was in no mood

to enjoy himself but gave orders to drive home; and again sought

some solace; and probably found it; for he drove out a third time

for pleasure。  But this third time he saw another new sight: he saw

men carrying something。  'What is that?'  'A dead man。'  'What does

*dead* mean?' asked the prince。  He was told that to become dead

means to become like that man。  The prince approached the corpse;

uncovered it; and looked at it。  'What will happen to him now?'

asked the prince。  He was told that the corpse would be buried in

the ground。  'Why?'  'Because he will certainly not return to life;

and will only produce a stench and worms。'  'And is that the fate

of all men?  Will the same thing happen to me?  Will they bury me;

and shall I cause a stench and be eaten by worms?'  'Yes。'  'Home! 

I shall not drive out for pleasure; and never will so drive out

again!'

     And Sakya Muni could find no consolation in life; and decided

that life is the greatest of evils; and he devoted all the strength

of his soul to free himself from it; and to free others; and to do

this so that; even after death; life shall not be renewed any more

but be completely destroyed at its very roots。  So speaks all the

wisdom of India。

     These are the direct replies that human wisdom gives when it

replies to life's question。

     〃The life of the body is an evil and a lie。  Therefore the

destructio

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