第十章 极性

"Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything
has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same;
opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree;
extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes
may be reconciled."--The Kybalion.
所有事物都是双重的；所有事物都有两极；所有事物都有相互对立的两面；喜欢和不喜欢是一样的；对立的事物本质上是一模一样的，只是在程度上有所不同；极端的两面总是相连；所有的真理都只是一半正确的真理；所有看似矛盾的说法都可以调和。
——Kybalion

The great Fourth Hermetic Principle
--the Principle of Polarity embodies the truth that all manifested things have "two sides"; "two aspects"; "two poles"; a "pair of opposites," with manifold degrees between the two extremes.

The old paradoxes, which have ever perplexed the mind of men, are explained by an understanding of this Principle.
伟大的赫尔墨斯第四法则
——极性法则，揭示的真理是，所有显化的事物，都有两边；两个方面；两个极性；一个相对的对子，在两个极端之间有许多的等级。

这些古老的矛盾说法，历来困惑着人类的思想，这些可以通过对这个法则的理解得到解决。

Man has always recognized something akin to this Principle, and has endeavored to express it by such sayings, maxims and aphorisms as the following:
"Everything is and isn't, at the same time";
"all truths are but half-truths";
"every truth is half-false";
"there are two sides to everything"
--"there is a reverse side to every shield," etc., etc.
人总是发现有些事物和这个法则相类似，它们被下面这样的讲说、格言、警句，表示出来：
在同一时间，每一事物既是是也是不是。
所有的真理都只是部分真理。
每一个真理都是部分的谬误。
任何事物都有两个方面。
——每一个盾牌都有相反的面。等等，等等。

The Hermetic Teachings are to the effect that the difference between things seemingly diametrically opposed to each other is merely a matter of degree.
赫尔墨斯教导说，在事物之间的差异，表面上的彼此直接对立的效应，只是程度上的问题。

It teaches that "the pairs of opposites may be reconciled,"
and that "thesis and anti-thesis are identical in nature, but different in degree";
and that the "universal reconciliation of opposites" is effected by a recognition of this Principle of Polarity.
它这样教导，相对的两面能够被调和。
以及，正题和反题在本质上是同样的，只是程度上的不同。
还有，相对的宇宙调和是通过对极性法则的认识实现。

The teachers claim that illustrations of this Principle may be had on every hand, and from an examination into the real nature of anything.
教师们宣称，这个法则的证明是在每个人的手里，并且这个证明是来自对任何事物真实本质的查验。

They begin by showing that Spirit and Matter are but the two poles of the same thing, the intermediate planes being merely degrees of vibration.
他们开始先是去展示，精神和物质，是也只是同样事物的两极，中间层面们的存在只是振动程度的不同。

They show that THE ALL and The Many are the same, the difference being merely a matter of degree of Mental Manifestation.
Thus the LAW and Laws are the two opposite poles of one thing.
它们展示了全能者和万物是同样的，差异只存在于精神显化的程度上。
这样，唯一法则和法则们是一个事物的相对两极。

Likewise, PRINCIPLE and Principles. Infinite Mind and finite minds.
同样，法则和法则们也是；无限思想和有限思想也是。

Then passing on to the Physical Plane, they illustrate the Principle by showing that Heat and Cold are identical in nature, the differences being merely a matter of degrees.
那么去到物理层面，它们用热和冷在本质上是同样的，只是等级不同，来阐明这个法则。

The thermometer shows many degrees of temperature, the lowest pole being called "cold," and the highest "heat."
温度计显示了温度的许多等级，最低点被称为冷，最高点被称为热。

Between these two poles are many degrees of "heat" or "cold," call them either and you are equally correct.

在这相对的两极之间，是冷或者热的许多等级。
用哪一个去称呼你都可以是对的。

The higher of two degrees is always "warmer," while the lower is always "colder." There is no absolute standard-all is a matter of degree.
两个程度中较高的总是热乎，较低的总是凉爽。没有绝对的标准——都只是程度的问题。

There is no place on the thermometer where heat ceases and cold begins. It is all a matter of higher or lower vibrations.
在温度计上没有这样一个点，在这里热停止，而冷开始了。都只是较高或者较低的振动。

The very terms "high" and "low," which we are compelled to use, are but poles of the same thing-the terms are relative.
我们被迫使用的，特别词汇高和低，只是同样事物的极性——词汇是相对的。

So with "East and West"--travel around the world in an eastward direction, and you reach a point which is called west at your starting point, and you return from that westward point.
同样在东和西里也是一样——向着东方做环球旅行，你到达了一个从你开始点来说被称为西方之地，你从那个西方之地返回。

Travel far enough North, and you will find yourself traveling South, or vice versa.
向北去，如果够远，你发现你在朝南旅行，反过来也是一样。

Light and Darkness are poles of the same thing, with many degrees between them.
光明和黑暗是同样事物的两极，在它们之间有许多的等级。

The musical scale is the same--starting with "C" you move upward until you reach another "C" and so on, the differences between the two ends of the board being the same, with many degrees between the two extremes.
音乐的标度也是一样——从C开始，你向上到达另一个C，如此下去，键盘的两个端点之间有许多不同的琴键，都是一样的，在两个极端之间的不同程度。

The scale of color is the same-higher and lower vibrations being the only difference between high violet and low red. Large and Small are relative.
So are Noise and Quiet; Hard and Soft follow the rule. Likewise Sharp and Dull.
颜色的标度是同样的——较高和较低的振动，只是最高紫色和最低红色之间的不同程度。大和小是关联着的。
还有，杂乱和宁静；坚硬和柔软，遵循着法则。同样的，锋利和粗顿。

Positive and Negative are two poles of the same thing, with countless degrees between them.
正向和负向，是同样事物的两极，在它们之间有无以计数的等级。

Good and Bad are not absolute--we call one end of the scale Good and the other Bad, or one end Good and the other Evil, according to the use of the terms.
好和坏不是绝对的——我们称标度的一端为好，另一端为坏，或者一端为良善，另一端为邪恶，按照词汇的使用。

A thing is "less good" than the thing higher in the scale; but that "less good" thing, in turn, is "more good" than the thing next below it--and so on, the "more or less" being regulated by the position on the scale.
一个事物较好，那么在标度上比另一个事情有较高的位置；但是相对于较好的事物，更好的是在它的上方——如此下去，多和少被标度上的位置调节。

And so it is on the Mental Plane. "Love and. Hate" are generally regarded as being things diametrically opposed to each other; entirely different; unreconcilable.
在精神层面上也是一样。爱和恨是一般认为彼此直接对立的事物，完全不同，无法调和。

But we apply the Principle of Polarity; we find that there is no such thing as Absolute Love or Absolute Hate, as distinguished from each other.
当我们运用极性法则，我们会发现当辨别彼此两者时，并没有绝对的爱或者绝对的恨这样的事情。这两个只是用于相同事物的相对两极的词汇。

The two are merely terms applied to the two poles of the same thing. Beginning at any point of the scale we find "more love," or "less hate,"
在标度的任何一点开始，当我们沿着标度上升，我们发现较多的爱或者较少的恨；

as we ascend the scale; and "more hate" or "less love" as we descend this being true no matter from what point, high or low, we may start.
当我们沿着标度下降，我们发现较多的恨或者较少的爱，无论从哪一点开始这都是真的，高或者低，我们可以试试。

There are degrees of Love and Hate, and there is a middle point where "Like and Dislike" become so faint that it is difficult to distinguish between them. Courage and Fear come under the same rule.
这是爱和恨的等级，有一个中心点，在这里喜欢和不喜欢变得过于晦暗，难于在两者之间进行区分。勇敢和害怕也是一样。

The Pairs of Opposites exist everywhere. Where you find one thing you find its opposite-the two poles.
相对的对子存在在所有的地方。在哪里你发现一个事物，你就会发现它的相对面——两个极性。

And it is this fact that enables the Hermetist to transmute one mental state into another, along the lines of Polarization.
就是这个事实，使得赫尔墨斯者，沿着极性路线，转化一个精神状态达到另一个精神状态。

Things belonging to different classes cannot be transmuted into each other, but things of the same class may be changed, that is, may have their polarity changed.
属于不同类的事物不能互相转化，但同一类的事物能够被改变，也就是能够进行它们极性的改变。

Thus Love never becomes East or West, or Red or Violet
--but it may and often does turn into Hate and likewise Hate may be transformed into Love, by changing its polarity.
这样，爱从来不会变成东或西，或者红和紫
——但它可以，并且经常被转化为恨，靠着改变极性，

Courage may be transmuted into Fear, and the reverse. Hard things may be rendered Soft. Dull things become Sharp. Hot things become Cold.
同样的，恨可以被转化为爱。勇敢可以被转化为恐惧，反过来也是一样。坚硬的事情可以变得柔软。粗顿可以变得锋利。热可以变为冷。

And so on, the transmutation always being between things of the same kind of different degrees.
如此等等，转化总是存在在不同程度的同类事物之间。

Take the case of a Fearful man. By raising his mental vibrations along the line of Fear- Courage, he can be filled with the highest degree of Courage and Fearlessness.
以恐惧的人为例。通过沿着恐惧和勇敢的路线提升精神振动，他能够被最高程度的勇敢充满，而无所畏惧。

And, likewise, the Slothful man may change himself into an Active, Energetic individual simply by polarizing along the lines of the desired quality.
同样，懒惰的人能够变成活跃、精力充沛的人，只要简单地沿着所渴望的品质的路线极化就是。

The student who is familiar with the processes by which the various schools of Mental Science, etc., produce changes in the mental states of those following their teachings, may not readily understand the principle underlying many of these changes.
对于那些通过不同的精神科学的学院而熟悉这个进程的学生，由于遵循他们的教导而导致的精神状态的改变，这些学生不能马上理解那些改变之下的这个法则。

When, however, the Principle of Polarity is once grasped, and it is seen that the mental changes are occasioned by a change of polarity
－-a sliding along the same scale-the hatter is readily understood.
The change is not in the nature of a transmutation of one thing into another thing entirely different-but is merely a change of degree in the same things, a vastly important difference.

然而，当领会了极性法则，就能够观察到依靠极性的改变，精神变化发生了
——沿着同样标度的滑动
——隐秘被理解了。
改变不是一个事物转化到另一个完全不同性质的事物
——只是在同样事物里的程度的改变，一个非常显著的不同。

For instance, borrowing an analogy from the Physical Plane, it is impossible to change Heat into Sharpness, Loudness, Highness, etc., but Heat may readily be transmuted into Cold, simply by lowering the vibrations.
举个例子，是在物理层面的一个类比，不可能改变热成为锋利，喧闹，高度，等等，但是热能够推移进入冷，只是简单地降低振动。

In the same way Hate and Love are mutually transmutable; so are Fear and Courage. But Fear cannot be transformed into Love, nor can Courage be transmuted into Hate. The mental states belong to innumerable classes, each class of which has its opposite poles, along which transmutation is possible.
用同样的方法，爱和恨可以互相转化。勇敢和恐惧也是一样。但是，恐惧不能被转化成爱，勇敢也不能被转化成恨。精神状态归属于无数类，每类有它相对的极性，沿着相对极性之间的转化是可能的。

The student will readily recognize that in the mental states, as well as in the phenomena of the Physical Plane, the two poles may be classified as Positive and Negative, respectively.
学生要认识到，在精神状态上，正如同在物理层面的现象上，两个极性可以分别划分为正极和负极。

Thus Love is Positive to Hate; Courage to Fear; Activity to Non-Activity, etc., etc.
And it will also be noticed that even to those unfamiliar with the Principle of Vibration, the Positive pole seems to be of a higher degree than the Negative, and readily dominates it. The tendency of Nature is in the direction of the dominant activity of the Positive pole.
这样，爱相对于恨可以是正极；勇敢相对于害怕可以是正极；活跃相对于不活跃可以是正极，等等，等等。
也要注意到，就是对那些不熟悉振动法则的，正极相对负向看起来也是一个较高的程度，愿意去支配它。自然的趋势，是正极处于支配活动的方向上。