「 As a Man Thinketh 」を現代の米国英語で、中学3年生レベルの語彙と文法をコンセプトに英訳を作成しています。
第七章「SERENITY」です。原文と日本語解説もつけています。
SERENITY (Modernized Version)
① A calm mind is a precious part of wisdom. It comes from long and patient practice of self-control. It shows experience and a clear understanding of how thoughts work.
② The more they understand themselves as beings shaped by thought, the calmer they become. Because such knowledge requires the understanding that others also exist as the result of thought. As they gain right understanding and see more clearly the links of cause and effect, they stop being upset, angry, worried, or sad. They stay calm, steady, and peaceful.
③ The calm person has learned to control themselves, so they also know how to get along with others. People respect their inner strength and feel they can learn from them and trust them. The calmer a person becomes, the more success, influence, and power for good they have. Even an ordinary shopkeeper will see their business grow as they gain more self-control and calmness, because people prefer to deal with someone whose attitude is steady and calm.
④ The strong and calm person is always loved and respected. They are like a tree that gives shade in a desert, or a rock that gives shelter in a storm. Who does not love a harmonious heart and a balanced life? It does not matter if it rains or shines, or what changes come, people with these gifts stay kind, gentle, and calm. This fine balance of character, which we call serenity, is the last lesson of culture and the fruit of the soul. It is as precious as wisdom, and more valuable than gold, even pure gold. A calm life is one that lives in the great sea of truth, under the waves, safe from storms, and wrapped in eternal silence. Compared to such a life, the pursuit of money looks very small.
⑤ How many people there are who spoil their lives, ruin what is sweet and beautiful with quick tempers, break their balance, and create trouble! Most people seem to spoil their lives and lose their happiness because they lack self-control. How few people we meet who are truly balanced, who have that fine calm which shows a complete character!
⑥ Humanity is often carried away by uncontrolled passions. People are troubled by deep sorrow, and they are tossed about by anxiety and doubt. But the wise person, the one whose thoughts are under control and made pure, can make the winds and storms of the heart obey.
⑦ Storm-tossed souls, wherever you are and whatever life you live, remember this: in the sea of life there are islands of joy, and the sunny shore of your dream is waiting for you. Hold the helm of your thought firmly. In the small boat of your soul rests the true Master; he only sleeps—wake him. Self-control is strength. Right thought is skill. Calmness is power. Say to your soul, “Peace, be still!”
SERENITY (Original text)
(Based on As a Man Thinketh by James Allen)
① Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.
calmness（冷静さ、落ち着き） indication（兆候、しるし） ripen→ripened（熟した）
② A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought evolved being, for such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought, and as he develops a right understanding, and sees more and more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect he ceases to fuss and fume and worry and grieve, and remains poised, steadfast, serene.
evolve（進化する） necessitate（必要とする） cease（やめる） fuss（騒ぎ立てる） fume（腹を立てる） grieve（深く悲しむ） poised（落ち着いた） steadfast（不動の） serene（穏やかな）
③ The calm man, having learned how to govern himself, knows how to adapt himself to others; and they, in turn, reverence his spiritual strength, and feel that they can learn of him and rely upon him. The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Even the ordinary trader will find his business prosperity increase as he develops a greater self-control and equanimity, for people will always prefer to deal with a man whose demeanour is strongly equable.
govern（支配する、統制する） adapt（適応させる） reverence（敬う） rely（頼る） tranquil（穏やかな） equanimity（平静、沈着） demeanour（態度、ふるまい） equable（安定した、落ち着いた）
④ The strong, calm man is always loved and revered. He is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm. “Who does not love a tranquil heart, a sweet-tempered, balanced life? It does not matter whether it rains or shines, or what changes come to those possessing these blessings, for they are always sweet, serene, and calm. That exquisite poise of character, which we call serenity is the last lesson of culture, the fruitage of the soul. It is precious as wisdom, more to be desired than gold—yea, than even fine gold. How insignificant mere money seeking looks in comparison with a serene life—a life that dwells in the ocean of Truth, beneath the waves, beyond the reach of tempests, in the Eternal Calm!
revere（敬う） shade-giving（影を与える） sheltering（避難所となる） tranquil（穏やかな） sweet-tempered（穏やかな気質の） poise（落ち着き、均衡） serenity（静けさ、平静） exquisite（この上なく素晴らしい） fruitage（結果、成果） mere（ほんの、単なる） insignificant（取るに足らない） dwell（住む、存在する） tempests（大嵐、激動） beneath（〜の下に） eternal（永遠の）
⑤ ”How many people we know who sour their lives, who ruin all that is sweet and beautiful by explosive tempers, who destroy their poise of character, and make bad blood! It is a question whether the great majority of people do not ruin their lives and mar their happiness by lack of self-control. How few people we meet in life who are well balanced, who have that exquisite poise which is characteristic of the finished character!
sour（だめにする） ruin（台無しにする） explosive（激しい） temper（気性、かんしゃく） poise（落ち着き、均衡） make bad blood（不和を生む） mar（台無しにする） well balanced（バランスの取れた） exquisite（この上なく素晴らしい） characteristic（特徴的な） finished（完成した、練り上げられた）
⑥ Yes, humanity surges with uncontrolled passion, is tumultuous with ungoverned grief, is blown about by anxiety and doubt only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms of the soul obey him.
humanity（人類、人間性） surge（押し寄せる、湧き上がる） tumultuous（激しい、騒然とした） ungoverned（抑制されない） grief（深い悲しみ）
⑦ Tempest-tossed souls, wherever ye may be, under whatsoever conditions ye may live, know this in the ocean of life the isles of Blessedness are smiling, and the sunny shore of your ideal awaits your coming. Keep your hand firmly upon the helm of thought. In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding Master; He does but sleep: wake Him. Self-control is strength; Right Thought is mastery; Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, “Peace, be still!”
ye（あなたがた〈古風〉） whatsoever（どんな〜でも） isle（小島） blessedness（至福） await（待つ） helm（舵） bark（小舟） recline（横たわる） mastery（熟達、支配）
“Peace, be still!” は聖書のマルコによる福音書（4章39節）に出てくる言葉で、イエスが嵐を静めたときに風と波へ向かって発したものです。James Allen はこれを引用し、心の嵐をも静めよという比喩に使っています。
和訳の要約
現代英語版は、中学レベルの英語ですが、分かりにくい部分があるかもしれません。
ここでアウトラインを掴んでおくとスッと頭に入るはずです！
これは名言と思える箇所は太字にしておきます。
心の静けさ
心の静けさは、知恵が結晶してできた最高の宝であり、忍耐強い知恵そのものの実りでもあります。
それは豊かな経験と、原因と結果の法則を深く理解する者に宿ります。
人はその理解の度合いに応じて心の静けさを得ていくのです。
成熟した魂
自らを治める者は、他者に対しても思慮深く、その精神的な強さゆえに敬われます。
心静かな者は成功をおさめ、影響力を高めます。
それは、砂漠に影を落とす木のように、嵐を遮る岩のように、人々に安らぎを与えるのです。
自制と均衡
多くの人は激情に翻弄され、悲嘆に揺れ、不安や疑いに振り回されて、人生の甘美さを自ら損なっています。自制を欠けば幸福は崩れ去り、調和を失います。
思いを治め清めた者だけが、荒ぶる魂を従わせることができるのです。
しかし、そのような深い均衡を備えた者は希少なのです。
永遠の静穏
翻弄される魂よ。思考という名の舵をとり、奥深くに宿る真の主人を目覚めさせなさい。
自制する心は強さであり、正しく考えることは技術であり、静けさは力なのです。
魂に呼びかけなさい、「平安あれ、静まれ」と。
まとめ
本ブログのポイントは、原文を読みやすい現代英語でリライトした英訳版です。
現代英語版は英語勉強に最適です。覚えるぐらい繰り返し読んで欲しいです。
これをしっかり読み込めば自己啓発の根本である「思考は現実化する」「人は考えた通りの人になる」が理解できるようになります。
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