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吉爾達斯
不列顛的毀滅 第 2 章
拉丁文原文．4 節．部分字詞可點開查義
2:1
In hoc libro. quidquid deflendo potius quam de- D secutus, ne quis me affectu cunctos spernentis, om-' ciamando (viti licet stylo, tamen benigno) fuero pro- nibusve melioris (quippe qui commune bonorum dispendium malorumque cumulum lacrymosis querelis defleam), sed condolentis patriæ incommoditatibus miseriisque ejus, ac remediis condelectantis, edicturum putet, quia vero:. non tam fortissimorum militum enuntiare trucis belli pericula mihi statutum est, quam desidiosorum. Silui (fateor) cum immenso dolore mentis b et animi compunctione cordisque.
在這卷書中，凡我以哀歎而非以慷慨陳詞所陳明的——雖以卑微的文筆，卻是慈和的——願無人以為我是出於那藐視眾人、或自以為比眾人更好之人的心態說話（因我實在以含淚的怨訴，哀悼善人共同的損失，與惡人堆積如山的惡），乃是出於一個為自己家國的不幸與苦難而同悲、又為其補救而同樂之人；因為我心中實在已定意，要陳述的與其說是最勇敢的兵丁所打的兇悍戰爭之危難，不如說是那些怠惰之人的危難。我曾默不作聲（我承認），心思中懷著無比的憂傷，靈裡刺痛，心中痛悔，
In this book, whatever I shall have set forth by lamenting rather than by declaiming — in a humble style, yet a kindly one — let no one suppose that I am to speak out of the disposition of one who despises all men, or who counts himself better than the rest (since indeed I bewail with tearful complaints the common loss of the good and the heaped-up mass of the wicked), but rather as one who grieves with his country's misfortunes and miseries, and rejoices together in its remedies; because in truth it is fixed in my purpose to declare not so much the perils of fierce war waged by the bravest soldiers, as those by the slothful. I kept silence (I confess) with immense grief of mind and compunction of soul and contrition of heart,
2:2
contritione, et attonito sensu saepius hæc omnia in animo revolvere 1 et (ut mihi renum scrutator est Dominus) spatio bilustri temporis, vel eo amplius praetereuntis: imperitia, sicut et nunc, una cum ebarissimis c mei amicis imperantibus, ut qualemcunque gentis Britannicae historiolam sive admonitiunculam scriberem. In zelo igitur domus Domini, sacrae legis seu cogitatuum rationibus, vel fratrum religiosis precibus coactus, nunc persolvo debitum, multo tempore antea exactum, vile quidem stylo a, sed fidele (ut puto) et amicale quibusque. egregiis Christianis; grave vero et importabile apostatis insipientibus.
並以驚愕所擊打的心思，屢屢將這一切在心中翻覆思想，並且（願那鑒察人肺腑的主作我的見證）歷經十年過去、甚或更久——我的淺薄，如今依然，加上我最親愛的朋友們催促，要我寫下不論怎樣的一篇不列顛民族小史或簡短勸誡。因此，我在為主家所發的熱心中，被聖律或我自己思量的緣由所驅，或被弟兄們敬虔的禱告所迫，如今便償還這早就被催索的虧欠；其文筆固然卑微，卻是忠實的（如我所想），對一切美好的基督徒滿有友愛，但對愚昧的背道者卻是沉重而難以承擔的。
and with a sense smitten with astonishment I more often turned all these things over in my mind, and (as the Lord, the searcher of the reins, is my witness) over the space of ten years passing by, or even more — my inexperience, as also now, together with my dearest friends commanding that I should write whatever sort of little history or brief admonition of the British nation. In zeal therefore for the house of the Lord, and constrained by the reasons of the sacred law or of my own reflections, or by the religious prayers of the brethren, I now pay the debt long before exacted, cheap indeed in style, but faithful (as I think) and friendly to all excellent Christians, but grievous and unbearable to foolish apostates.
2:3
Quorum priores (ni fallor) cum lacrymis forte quas ex Dei charitate profluunt, alii cum tristitia (sed quae de indignatione et pusillanimitate deprebensæ conscientiae extorquetur) illud excipient. Igitur b, Deo volente, pauca, i. De situ, 2. De contumacia, 3. De subjectione, 4. De rebellione, 5. De secunda subjectione ac duro c famulatu, 6. De religione, 7. De persecutione, 8. De sanctis martyribus, 9. De diversis haeresibus, 10. De tyrannis, i. De duabus gentibus victricibus d, de prima vastatione e, 12. De defensione, 13. De secunda vastatione f, 14. De secunda ultione, 15. De tertia vastatione, 16. De fame, 17. De epistolis g, 18. De victoria, 19. De sceleribus, 20.
在這些人當中，前者（若我沒有錯）或許要以眼淚領受它，就是那從愛神而流出的眼淚；而後者則要以憂愁領受——但這憂愁乃是從被當場揭穿之有罪良心的憤恨與怯懦中被擠壓出來的。因此，神若許可，我必留意述說幾件事：一、論地理形勢；二、論頑梗；三、論臣服；四、論叛亂；五、論第二次臣服與嚴苛奴役；六、論信仰；七、論逼迫；八、論聖潔的殉道者；九、論各樣異端；十、論暴君；十一、論兩個得勝的民族，論第一次蹂躪；十二、論防禦；十三、論第二次蹂躪；十四、論第二次報復；十五、論第三次蹂躪；十六、論饑荒；十七、論書信；十八、論勝利；十九、論罪行；二十、
Of these, the former (unless I am mistaken) will receive it perhaps with tears, such as flow from the love of God; the others with sorrow — but such as is wrung out from the indignation and faintheartedness of a guilty conscience caught out. Therefore, God willing, I shall take care to speak of a few things: 1. Of the situation, 2. Of the obstinacy, 3. Of the subjection, 4. Of the rebellion, 5. Of the second subjection and harsh servitude, 6. Of religion, 7. Of the persecution, 8. Of the holy martyrs, 9. Of the various heresies, 10. Of the tyrants, 11. Of the two victorious nations, of the first devastation, 12. Of the defense, 13. Of the second devastation, 14. Of the second vengeance, 15. Of the third devastation, 16. Of the famine, 17. Of the letters, 18. Of the victory, 19. Of the crimes, 20.
2:4
De nuntiatis subito boatibus, 21. De famosa peste, 22. De consilio, 23. De saeviore multo primis hoste, 24. De urbium subversione, 25. De reliquiis, 26. De postrema pace, h quae postrema victoria temporibus nostris Dei nutu douata est, dicere curabo i.
論那突然傳報的吼叫聲；二十一、論那著名的瘟疫；二十二、論那計謀；二十三、論那比先前兇猛得多的仇敵；二十四、論諸城的傾覆；二十五、論餘剩之民；二十六、論末了的和平——這末了的勝利，是按神的旨意賜給我們這時代的——我必留意述說這些事。
Of the sudden bellowings announced, 21. Of the famous pestilence, 22. Of the counsel, 23. Of the enemy far fiercer than the first, 24. Of the overthrow of the cities, 25. Of the remnants, 26. Of the final peace — which final victory has been granted to our times by the will of God — I shall take care to speak.