有位女子说“给我们讲讲欢乐与忧伤吧。”

And he answered:

于是智者回答：

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.

要快乐先释放你的忧伤。

And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.

欢乐和悲伤同源。

And how else can it be?

它还能怎样呢？

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

痛苦愈甚，欢乐愈多、

Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven?

你手中所持之杯，不恰恰是高温烧就？

And is not the lute that soothes your spirit, the very wood that was hollowed with knives?

抚慰你心灵的琵琶，不恰恰是那块千刀镂空的木头？

When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.

欢乐时细细思量，原来你之喜悦源自你为之所苦。

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.

悲伤时再想想，你所为之泪流的恰是你曾经的欢乐。

Some of you say, "Joy is greater than sorrow," and others say, "Nay, sorrow is the greater." 有人说“生活之乐大于悲苦，”还有人说，“不，人生之忧伤远甚于欢乐”

But I say unto you, they are inseparable.

而我要对你说，欢乐与忧伤相倚相生

Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.

他们一起走来。一个在甲板上伴你孤坐的时刻，另一个正在你的床上安眠。

Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy.

你好比是忧伤和欢乐的夹心层。

Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced.

只有空静之况，才能将两者平衡。

When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise or fall.

倘若掌管珠宝者指定你来称量他的金银，那么你之忧喜必将随之起落不定。