培根散文阅读欣赏：论结婚与独身（带翻译）
英语课
of marriage & single life 论结婚与独身
he that hath wife and children, hath given hostages to fortune; for they are impediment to great enterprises, either of virtue 1, or mischief 2. certainly, the best works, and of greatest merit for the public, have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; which both in affection, and means, have married and endowed the public. yet it were great reason, that those that have children, should have greatest care of future times; unto which, they know, they must transmit their dearest pledges. some there are, who though they lead a single life, yet their thoughts do end with themselves, and account future times impertinences. nay 3, there are some other, that account wife and children but as bills of charges. nay more, there are some foolish rich covetous 4 men, that take a pride in having no children, because they may be thought so much the richer.
有妻与子的人已经向命运之神交了抵押品了;因为妻与子是大事底阻挠物，无论是大善举或大恶行。无疑地，最好，最有功于公众的事业是出自无妻或无子的人的;这些人在情感和金钱两方面都可说是娶了公众并给以奁资了。然而依理似乎有子嗣的人应当最关心将来，他们知道他们一定得把自己最贵重的保证交代给将来的。有些人虽然过的是独身生活，他们的思想却仅限于自身，把将来认为无关紧要。并且有些人把妻与子认为仅仅是几项开销。尤有甚者，有些愚而富的悭吝人竟以无子嗣自豪，以为如此则他们在别人眼中更显得富有了。
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
- He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
- You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹
- Nobody took notice of the mischief of the matter. 没有人注意到这件事情所带来的危害。
- He seems to intend mischief.看来他想捣蛋。
adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者
- He was grateful for and proud of his son's remarkable,nay,unique performance.他为儿子出色的，不，应该是独一无二的表演心怀感激和骄傲。
- Long essays,nay,whole books have been written on this.许多长篇大论的文章，不，应该说是整部整部的书都是关于这件事的。
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