第25回テキスト

---はじめ---

One, he said, of which I could not expect easily to convince
others. For let me tell you, Socrates, that when a man thinks
himself to be near death, fears and cares enter into his mind
which he never had before; the tales of a world below and the
punishment which is exacted there of deeds done here were
once a laughing matter to him, but now he is tormented with
the thought that they may be true: either from the weakness
of age, or because he is now drawing nearer to that other
place, he has a clearer view of these things; suspicions and
alarms crowd thickly upon him, and he begins to reflect and
consider what wrongs he has done to others. And when he finds
that the sum of his transgressions is great he will many a
time like a child start up in his sleep for fear, and he is
filled with dark forebodings. But to him who is conscious of
no sin, sweet hope, as Pindar charmingly says, is the kind
nurse of his age:

Hope, he says, cherishes the soul of him who lives in justice
and holiness and is the nurse of his age and the companion of
his journey; --hope which is mightiest to sway the restless
soul of man.

---終わり---

> 第25回テキスト
>
> ---はじめ---
>
> One, he said, of which I could not expect easily to convince
> others.

　彼は言った。その一つは私は容易に人を納得させることができないと思う。

> For let me tell you, Socrates, that when a man thinks
> himself to be near death, fears and cares enter into his mind
> which he never had before;

　というのは、私に言わせてくれ。ソクラテスよ。人が自ら死が近いことを知
ると、それまでは一度も抱いたことのないような恐れや心配事が心の中に忍び
込む。

> the tales of a world below and the
> punishment which is exacted there of deeds done here were
> once a laughing matter to him, but now he is tormented with
> the thought that they may be true:

　黄泉の国の話やこの世での行為がそこで厳しく罪が問われることが、かつて
は笑い事であったのに、今では真実ではないかと言う思いに苦しめられる。

> either from the weakness
> of age, or because he is now drawing nearer to that other
> place, he has a clearer view of these things; suspicions and
> alarms crowd thickly upon him, and he begins to reflect and
> consider what wrongs he has done to others.

　年齢による弱さからか、今そのあの世に近づいている意識からか、これらの
ことに関してより明確な観点に立っている。疑念や驚きが彼の上を厚く覆って
いる。そして、他の人に何か悪いことをしたのではないかと反省し考え始める。

> And when he finds
> that the sum of his transgressions is great he will many a
> time like a child start up in his sleep for fear, and he is
> filled with dark forebodings.

　そして、彼が違反した総計が大きいことを知ると、何度も子供のように恐怖
で眠りから突然目覚める。そして彼は暗い予感で満たされる。

> But to him who is conscious of
> no sin, sweet hope, as Pindar charmingly says, is the kind
> nurse of his age:

　しかし、何の罪も意識しない者にとっては、ピンダロスが魅惑的に語ってい
るように、甘い希望が老齢の優しい看護人となる。


> Hope, he says, cherishes the soul of him who lives in justice
> and holiness and is the nurse of his age and the companion of
> his journey; --hope which is mightiest to sway the restless
> soul of man.

　希望は、正しく聖なる生き方をした者の魂を元気づけ、老齢の看護人であり
人生の旅の伴侶である。--希望は、人間の魂の不安を払拭する最大のものであ
る。

> ---終わり---