6)On Eating and Drinking(飲食)

The Prophet(先知)
Kahlil Gibran(哈利勒‧紀伯倫)

6)On Eating and Drinking(飲食)

Then an old man, a keeper of an inn, said,
接著，一個年老的客棧頭家說︰
Speak to us of Eating and Drinking.
跟我們說一說飲食吧。
And he said:
他便說︰
Would that you could live on the fragrance of the earth,
願你能借著大地的芬芳而生存，
and like an air plant be sustained by the light.
就像寄生菌類一樣靠陽光而生存。
But since you must kill to eat,
但既然你們必須殺生而食，
and rob the newly born of its mother's milk to quench your thirst,
而且奪取初生之犢的母奶止渴，
let it then be an act of worship.
那麼，就把這視為一種崇拜奉獻的行為吧﹗
And let your board stand an altar
把你們的餐桌視為祭壇，
on which the pure and the innocent of forest and plain are sacrificed for that
which is purer and still more innocent in man.
讓森林和田野之中純潔與無邪之動物，為那人類中更純潔無邪的人而犧牲吧﹗
When you kill a beast say to him in your heart:
當你殺一只野獸時，心裡且對它說︰
"By the same power that slays you, I too am slain; and I too shall be consumed.
「殺死你的那個力量，也必同樣殺死我；我自己也同樣終將被消滅。
For the law that delivered you into my hand shall deliver me into a mightier hand.
因為把你交到我手中的法則，同樣會把我交到更有力者的手中。
Your blood and my blood is naught but the sap that feeds the tree of heaven."
你我的血只不過是滋養天堂之樹的汁液。」
And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart:
當你用牙齒咬一個蘋果時，心裡對它說︰
"Your seeds shall live in my body,
「你的種子會在我體內生長，
And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,
你未來的嫩芽會在我心中開花，
And your fragrance shall be my breath,
你的芬芳會成為我的氣息，
And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons."
我們將一同愉悅地度過所有的季節。」
And in the autumn, when you gather the grapes of your vineyards for the winepress,
到了秋天，當你採集葡萄園裡的葡萄以備榨汁時，
say in your heart:
就在你心裡說︰
"I too am a vineyard, and my fruit shall be gathered for the winepress,
「我也是一個葡萄園，我的果實將被採集來榨汁，
And like new wine I shall be kept in eternal vessels."
而我將如新酒一般，被收藏在永恆的酒壺之中。」
And in winter, when you draw the wine, let there be in your heart a song for each cup;
到了冬天，你汲酒而飲時，在你心中為每一杯酒都唱首歌吧；
And let there be in the song a remembrance for the autumn days, and for the vineyard, and for the winepress.
在歌曲中都蘊含著對秋季、葡萄園和榨汁器的懷念吧﹗