“What hath happened unto me?” he asked himself, “something warm and living quickeneth me; it must be in the neighbourhood.
Already am I less alone; unconscious companions and brethren rove around me; their warm breath toucheth my soul.”
When, however, he spied about and sought for the comforters of his lonesomeness, behold6, there were kine there standing7 together on an eminence8, whose proximity9 and smell had warmed his heart. The kine, however, seemed to listen eagerly to a speaker, and took no heed10 of him who approached. When, however, Zarathustra was quite nigh unto them, then did he hear plainly that a human voice spake in the midst of the kine, and apparently11 all of them had turned their heads towards the speaker.
Then ran Zarathustra up speedily and drove the animals aside; for he feared that some one had here met with harm, which the pity of the kine would hardly be able to relieve. But in this he was deceived; for behold, there sat a man on the ground who seemed to be persuading the animals to have no fear of him, a peaceable man and Preacher-on-the-Mount, out of whose eyes kindness itself preached. “What dost thou seek here?” called out Zarathustra in astonishment12.
“What do I here seek?” answered he: “the same that thou seekest, thou mischief-maker; that is to say, happiness upon earth.
To that end, however, I would fain learn of these kine. For I tell thee that I have already talked half a morning unto them, and just now were they about to give me their answer. Why dost thou disturb them?
Except we be converted and become as kine, we shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. For we ought to learn from them one thing: ruminating13.
And verily, although a man should gain the whole world, and yet not learn one thing, ruminating, what would it profit him! He would not be rid of his affliction,
—His great affliction: that, however, is at present called DISGUST. Who hath not at present his heart, his mouth and his eyes full of disgust? Thou also! Thou also! But behold these kine!”—
Thus spake the Preacher-on-the-Mount, and turned then his own look towards Zarathustra—for hitherto it had rested lovingly on the kine—: then, however, he put on a different expression. “Who is this with whom I talk?” he exclaimed frightened, and sprang up from the ground.
“This is the man without disgust, this is Zarathustra himself, the surmounter of the great disgust, this is the eye, this is the mouth, this is the heart of Zarathustra himself.”
And whilst he thus spake he kissed with o’erflowing eyes the hands of him with whom he spake, and behaved altogether like one to whom a precious gift and jewel hath fallen unawares from heaven. The kine, however, gazed at it all and wondered.
“Speak not of me, thou strange one; thou amiable14 one!” said Zarathustra, and restrained his affection, “speak to me firstly of thyself! Art thou not the voluntary beggar who once cast away great riches,—
—Who was ashamed of his riches and of the rich, and fled to the poorest to bestow15 upon them his abundance and his heart? But they received him not.”
“But they received me not,” said the voluntary beggar, “thou knowest it, forsooth. So I went at last to the animals and to those kine.”
“Then learnedst thou,” interrupted Zarathustra, “how much harder it is to give properly than to take properly, and that bestowing16 well is an ART—the last, subtlest master-art of kindness.”
“Especially nowadays,” answered the voluntary beggar: “at present, that is to say, when everything low hath become rebellious17 and exclusive and haughty18 in its manner—in the manner of the populace.
For the hour hath come, thou knowest it forsooth, for the great, evil, long, slow mob-and-slave-insurrection: it extendeth and extendeth!
Now doth it provoke the lower classes, all benevolence19 and petty giving; and the overrich may be on their guard!
Whoever at present drip, like bulgy20 bottles out of all-too-small necks:—of such bottles at present one willingly breaketh the necks.
Wanton avidity, bilious21 envy, careworn22 revenge, populace-pride: all these struck mine eye. It is no longer true that the poor are blessed. The kingdom of heaven, however, is with the kine.”
“And why is it not with the rich?” asked Zarathustra temptingly, while he kept back the kine which sniffed24 familiarly at the peaceful one.
“Why dost thou tempt23 me?” answered the other. “Thou knowest it thyself better even than I. What was it drove me to the poorest, O Zarathustra? Was it not my disgust at the richest?
—At the culprits of riches, with cold eyes and rank thoughts, who pick up profit out of all kinds of rubbish—at this rabble25 that stinketh to heaven,
—At this gilded26, falsified populace, whose fathers were pickpockets27, or carrion-crows, or rag-pickers, with wives compliant28, lewd29 and forgetful:—for they are all of them not far different from harlots—
Populace above, populace below! What are ‘poor’ and ‘rich’ at present! That distinction did I unlearn,—then did I flee away further and ever further, until I came to those kine.”
Thus spake the peaceful one, and puffed30 himself and perspired31 with his words: so that the kine wondered anew. Zarathustra, however, kept looking into his face with a smile, all the time the man talked so severely—and shook silently his head.
“Thou doest violence to thyself, thou Preacher-on-the-Mount, when thou usest such severe words. For such severity neither thy mouth nor thine eye have been given thee.
Nor, methinketh, hath thy stomach either: unto IT all such rage and hatred32 and foaming-over is repugnant. Thy stomach wanteth softer things: thou art not a butcher.
Rather seemest thou to me a plant-eater and a root-man. Perhaps thou grindest corn. Certainly, however, thou art averse33 to fleshly joys, and thou lovest honey.”
“Thou hast divined me well,” answered the voluntary beggar, with lightened heart. “I love honey, I also grind corn; for I have sought out what tasteth sweetly and maketh pure breath:
—Also what requireth a long time, a day’s-work and a mouth’s-work for gentle idlers and sluggards.
Furthest, to be sure, have those kine carried it: they have devised ruminating and lying in the sun. They also abstain34 from all heavy thoughts which inflate35 the heart.”
—“Well!” said Zarathustra, “thou shouldst also see MINE animals, mine eagle and my serpent,—their like do not at present exist on earth.
Behold, thither36 leadeth the way to my cave: be to-night its guest. And talk to mine animals of the happiness of animals,—
—Until I myself come home. For now a cry of distress37 calleth me hastily away from thee. Also, shouldst thou find new honey with me, ice-cold, golden-comb-honey, eat it!
Now, however, take leave at once of thy kine, thou strange one! thou amiable one! though it be hard for thee. For they are thy warmest friends and preceptors!”—
—“One excepted, whom I hold still dearer,” answered the voluntary beggar. “Thou thyself art good, O Zarathustra, and better even than a cow!”
“Away, away with thee! thou evil flatterer!” cried Zarathustra mischievously38, “why dost thou spoil me with such praise and flattery-honey?
“Away, away from me!” cried he once more, and heaved his stick at the fond beggar, who, however, ran nimbly away.
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1
thereby
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| adv.因此，从而 | |
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2
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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5
heartier
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| 亲切的( hearty的比较级 )； 热诚的； 健壮的； 精神饱满的 | |
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behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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8
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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9
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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10
heed
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| v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心 | |
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11
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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12
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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13
ruminating
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| v.沉思( ruminate的现在分词 )；反复考虑；反刍；倒嚼 | |
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14
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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15
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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16
bestowing
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| 砖窑中砖堆上层已烧透的砖 | |
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17
rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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18
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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19
benevolence
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| n.慈悲，捐助 | |
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20
bulgy
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| a.膨胀的；凸出的 | |
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21
bilious
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| adj.胆汁过多的；易怒的 | |
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22
careworn
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| adj.疲倦的，饱经忧患的 | |
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23
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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24
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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25
rabble
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| n.乌合之众，暴民；下等人 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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pickpockets
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| n.扒手( pickpocket的名词复数 ) | |
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28
compliant
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| adj.服从的，顺从的 | |
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29
lewd
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| adj.淫荡的 | |
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30
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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perspired
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| v.出汗，流汗( perspire的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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33
averse
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| adj.厌恶的；反对的，不乐意的 | |
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34
abstain
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| v.自制，戒绝，弃权，避免 | |
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35
inflate
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| vt.使膨胀，使骄傲，抬高（物价） | |
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36
thither
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| adv.向那里；adj.在那边的，对岸的 | |
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37
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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