读书可以陶冶情操，可以藻饰文采，也可以长才益智。读书的作用于陶冶情操而言，常见于幽居独处之时；于藻饰文采而言，常见于高谈阔论之中；至于长才益智，则表现在裁断事物之上。

　　For expert men can execute,and perhaps judge of particulars,one bye one ; but the general counsels,and the plots and marshaling of affairs,come best from those that are learned.

　　富于经验之士虽能就事物之枝节一一处理或辨明是非，但纵观全局，运筹帷幄惟有博学之士最能胜任。

　　To spend too much time in studies,is sloth;to use them too much for ornament,is affectation;to make judgment only by their rules,is the humor of a scholar.

　　读书耗时过多为懒惰；文采藻饰过滥则显造作；只循章办事，实为学究怪僻。

　　They perfect nature,and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants that need pruning by study; and studies themselves do give forth directions too much at large,except they be bounded in by experience.

　　读书可完善天性之不足，而经验又可弥补读书之不足；因为人的天性犹如自然界之草木，需借助学识予以修整；读书本身漫无边际，需通过经验加以制约。

　　Crafty men contemn studies,simple men admire them,and wise men use them;for they teach not their own use;but that is wisdom without them,and above them,won by observation.

　　投机取巧者轻视学习，无知者羡慕学习，明智者则学以致用。因为学问本身并未教人如何加以运用；学以致用的智慧不在书中，而在书外，全凭观察所得。

　　Read not to contradict and confute;nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse;but to weigh and consider.

　　读书时不要对作者吹毛求疵；也不要轻信、盲从书中所言；更不要寻章摘句作为炫耀之本；而应权衡轻重，斟酌推敲。

　　Some books are to be tasted,others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is ,some books are to be read only in parts;others to be read,but not curiously;and some few to be read wholly,and with diligence and attention.

　　有些书浅尝即可，有些书只需吞食，而有少数书则应细细咀嚼，将其消化。换言之，有些书只需读其中部分章节足以；有些书可通读，但无需太认真；而少数书则应认真细致地通读。

　　Some books also may be read by deputy,and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments,and the meaner sort of books;else distilled books are like common distilled waters,flashy things.

　　有些书还可以请人代读，摘录其中要点即可；但这只限于不甚重要的内容和较次的书籍；否则，经过摘录的书就犹如蒸馏水般淡而无味。

　　Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man;and writing an exact man.

　　读书使人充实；交谈使人机敏；笔记使人精确。

　　And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little,he had need have a present wit;and if he read little,he had need have much cunning, to seem to know that he doth not.

　　因此，不常做笔记者读书时需有超群的记忆；不常交谈者则应有随机应变之才；不常阅读者则需要取巧有术，以让自己的无知显得有知。

　　Histories make men wise; poets witty;the mathematics subtle;natural philosophy deep;moral grave;logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay,there is no stand or impediment in the wit,but may be wrought out by fit studies.

　　历史使人明智，诗歌使人灵秀；数学使人缜密；物理使人深刻；道德使人庄重；逻辑与修辞使人能言善辩；读书可以陶冶性情。读书得当，绝不会使人心智受损，只会益智增才。

　　Nay there is no stand or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies: like as diseases of the body may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach ; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. (Hair-splitters sim-mini sek-torr-es) If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind may have a special receipt.

　　人之才智但有滞碍，无不可读适当之书使之顺畅，一如身体百病，皆可借相宜之运动除之。滚球利睾肾，射箭利胸肺，慢步利肠胃，骑术利头脑，诸如此类。如智力不集中，可令读数学，盖演题全神贯注，稍有分散即须重演；如不能辩异，可令读经院哲学，盖是辈皆吹毛求疵之人；如不善求同，不善以一物阐证另一物，可令读律师之案卷。如此头脑中凡有缺陷，皆有特效可医。