Seven times I have despised my soul

"Seven times I have despised my soul:
The first time when I saw her being meek that she might attain height. The second time when I saw her limping before the crippled.
The third time when she was given to choose between the hard and the easy, and she chose the easy.
The fourth time when she committed a wrong, and comforted herself that others also commit wrong.
The fifth time when she forbode for weakness, and attributed her patience to strength.
The sixth time when she despised the ugliness of a face, and knew not that it was one of her own masks.
And the seventh time when she sang a song of praise, and deemed it a virtue."
— Khalil Gibran (Sand and Foam)
《我曾七次鄙视我的灵魂》
第一次是当她本可以进取，却故作谦卑；
第二次是当她杞人忧天，未病呻吟；
第三次是当她舍难求易，放宽自己；
第四次是当她宽慰自己人非圣贤，孰能无过；
第五次是当她明知自己的不足，却顺其自然；
第六次是当她看不起某张嘴脸，却不知自己也有一样的表现；
第七次是当她歌功颂德时，却不以之鞭策自己。

当它本可进取时却故作谦卑
当它在空虚时用爱欲来填充
在困难和容易之间它选择了容易
它犯了错却借由别人也会犯错来宽慰自己
它自由软弱却把它认为是生命的坚韧
当它鄙夷所有丑恶的嘴脸时却不知自己正是其中的一员
它侧身于生活的污泥中虽不甘心却又畏首畏尾。