作品原文

金圣华 《书与人》

有朋友在情场上轰轰烈烈地驰骋了一阵，终于累了，最后，收拾情心，悄悄退回书斋之中，终日与书本为伍。

再不听到他唉声叹气，只觉得他心情平和，仿佛一切都豁然开朗，天地广阔了许多。

把自己的喜怒哀乐，完全寄托在另外一个人身上，原是一件十分危险的事。对方喜则自己心花怒放，对方怒则自己心惊胆战，对方的一笑一颦，完全控制着自己的情绪起落，这又何苦呢？

面对书本，则完全没有这种麻烦。

择书比择友简单得多。不善辞令、厌恶应酬的人，可以自由自在地徜徉于书林之中，游目四顾，俯拾皆友。

看书，可以博览，可以细嚼，没有人会怪你喜新厌旧，也没有人要求你从一而终。你大可以从一本换到另一本，喜爱的书，不妨一读再读；不耐看的书，又可随手抛下，谁也不会因此而伤心失望。人际关系错综复杂，那“书际关系”呢？只要花点时间去了解，再高深的学问也弄得明白。

手持一书，吟哦于四壁之中，神游于四海之外，既可以与老庄谈心，又可以跟柏拉图对话。心情烦闷时，济慈、雪莱在你耳畔喁喁细语，巴尔扎克为你搬演《人间喜剧》，还有李白、杜甫、王尔德、莎士比亚……一大堆才华横溢的朋友等着你呼唤前来。

找不到朋友时，为什么不翻翻书？

英文译文

Books and Man
Jin Shenghua

A friend of mine, having been actively involved in the arena of love for some time, finally became weary of it and, containing himself, quietly retired to his study to spend time with books all day long.

He was no longer heard sighing deeply. On the contrary, he now had a peaceful mind and felt everything was bright and clear and the world wide and open.

It is very dangerous to let somebody be master of your sentiments, such as joy, anger, pleasure and sorrow. For example, you are elated simply because the other party looks cheerful, you are jumpy simply because the other party looks put out. Consequently, you are completely at the mercy of the other party as regards your own mood. Is it worth it?

As to books, things are entirely different.

It is much easier to choose a book than a friend. One who is poor at speech and shuns socializing will nevertheless feel like being surrounded by friends while sauntering freely in the midst of books.

Some books are to be read cursorily, and some are to be chewed and digested. None will ever call you fickle-minded, and none will ever demand that you be constant in your affection. You can go from one book to another. And you can read your favorite book over and over again. When you lay aside the book you dislike, none will ever feel hurt or disappointed. While interpersonal relations are most complicated, what about your relations with books? Devote your time to studies, and you will be able to acquire any knowledge no matter how profound it is.

While being confined to your small room with a book in your hand, your mind will be roaming throughout the world. You will not only have a heart-to-heart chat with Laozi and Zhuangzi, but also converse with Plato. When you are in a mood, Keats and Shelley will whisper to you soothingly, and Balzac will stage for you stories from his La Comedie Humaine. And a galaxy of talented friends like Li Bai, Du Fu, Oscar Wilde, Shakespeare…will come to you at your call.

If you are lonely, why not seek the company of books?