雙語(yǔ)智慧書(shū)·控制自己的幻想

24．控制自己的幻想
控制自己的幻想。有時(shí)你必須糾正幻想，有時(shí)你要促進(jìn)幻想。這件事關(guān)系到我們是否幸福、是否理智。人的幻想可能橫行霸道，并不滿(mǎn)足于冷眼旁觀(guān)，而會(huì)影響并統(tǒng)治我們的生活。幻想能帶給我們歡樂(lè)，也會(huì)成為我們的負(fù)擔(dān)。這取決于它將我們引向何種荒謬。它可讓我們知足，也會(huì)讓我們對(duì)自己不滿(mǎn)。對(duì)某些人來(lái)說(shuō)，幻想是不斷的懲罰，是讓愚蠢之人苦修的鞭帶；對(duì)另一些人來(lái)說(shuō)，幻想以快樂(lè)的錯(cuò)覺(jué)來(lái)承諾幸福和奇遇。它什么都能做，除非你能通過(guò)最謹(jǐn)慎的克制，而成為它的主人。

24．Keep the imagination under control
Keep the imagination under control; sometimes correcting, sometimes assisting it. For it is all-important for our happiness, and even sets the reason right. It can tyrannize, and is not content with looking on, but influences and even often dominates life, causing it to be happy or burdensome according to the folly to which it leads. For it makes us either contented or discontented with ourselves. Before some it continually holds up the penalties of action, and becomes the mortifying lash of these fools. To others it promises happiness and adventure with blissful delusion. It can do all this unless the most prudent self-control keeps it in subjection.