To go into solitude, a man needs to retire as much from his chamber as from society.

 

走入孤独，远离书斋，如同远离社会一样重要。

I am not solitary whilst I read and write, though nobody is with me.

纵然无人在我身旁，当我读书或写作时，并非独处一隅。

But if a man would be alone, let him look at the stars.

如果一个人渴望独处，就请他抬头仰望星空。

The rays that come from those heavenly worlds, will separate between him and what he touches.

那从天界下行的光芒，使人们得以出离可触摸的现世。

One might think the atmosphere was made transparent with this design, to give man, in the heavenly bodies, the perpetual presence of the sublime.

可以这样说，我们假想，大气之所以透明，就是为了让人们看到天国的灿烂光芒。

Seen in the streets of cities, how great they are!

从普通城市的街道向上看，它们是如此深邃伟岸。

If the stars should appear one night in a thousand years, how would men believe and adore;

假如星辰千年一现，人类关于上帝之城的记忆，必将世代相传，

and preserve for many generations the remembrance of the city of God which had been shown!

为人们长久地信仰着，珍存着，崇拜着。

But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile.

然而，每一晚，这些美的使者都会降临，以它们无可置疑的微笑，照亮宇宙。