查拉图斯特拉如是说 英文版 Thus Spake Zarathustra
尼采 Friedrich Nietzsche
XXV. The Pitiful.
My friends, there hath arisen a satire on your friend: "BeholdZarathustra! Walketh he not amongst us as if amongst animals?"
But it is better said in this wise: "The discerning one walketh amongstmen AS amongst animals."
Man himself is to the discerning one: the animal with red cheeks.
How hath that happened unto him? Is it not because he hath had to beashamed too oft?
O my friends! Thus speaketh the discerning one: shame, shame, shame--thatis the history of man!
And on that account doth the noble one enjoin upon himself not to abash:bashfulness doth he enjoin on himself in presence of all sufferers.
Verily, I like them not, the merciful ones, whose bliss is in their pity:too destitute are they of bashfulness.
If I must be pitiful, I dislike to be called so; and if I be so, it ispreferably at a distance.
Preferably also do I shroud my head, and flee, before being recognised:and thus do I bid you do, my friends!
May my destiny ever lead unafflicted ones like you across my path, andthose with whom I MAY have hope and repast and honey in common!
Verily, I have done this and that for the afflicted: but something betterdid I always seem to do when I had learned to enjoy myself better.
follies than with thepitiful? ?
Since humanity came into being, man hath enjoyed himself too little: thatalone, my brethren, is our original sin!
And when we learn better to enjoy ourselves, then do we unlearn best togive pain unto others, and to contrive pain.
Therefore do I wash the hand that hath helped the sufferer; therefore do Iwipe also my soul.
For in seeing the sufferer suffering--thereof was I ashamed on account ofhis shame; and in helping him, sorely did I wound his pride.
Great obligations do not make grateful, but revengeful; and when a smallkindness is not forgotten, it becometh a gnawing worm.
"Be shy in accepting! Distinguish by accepting!"--thus do I advise thosewho have naught to bestow.
I, however, am a bestower: willingly do I bestow as friend to friends.Strangers, however, and the poor, may pluck for themselves the fruit frommy tree: thus doth it cause less shame.
Beggars, however, one should entirely do away with! Verily, it annoyethone to give unto them, and it annoyeth one not to give unto them.
And likewise sinners and bad consciences! Believe me, my friends: thesting of conscience teacheth one to sting.
The worst things, however, are the petty thoughts. Verily, better to havedone evilly than to have thought pettily!
To be sure, ye say: "The delight in petty evils spareth one many a greatevil deed." But here one should not wish to be sparing.
Like a boil is the evil deed: it itcheth and irritateth and breakethforth--it speaketh honourably.
"Behold, I am disease," saith the evil deed: that is its honourableness.
But like infection is the petty thought: it creepeth and hideth, andwanteth to be nowhere--until the whole body is decayed and withered by thepetty infection.
To him however, who is possessed of a devil, I would whisper this word inthe ear: "Better for thee to rear up thy devil! Even for thee there isstill a path to greatness!"--
Ah, my brethren! One knoweth a little too much about every one! And manya one becometh transparent to us, but still we can by no means penetratehim.
It is difficult to live among men because silence is so difficult.
And not to him who is offensive to us are we most unfair, but to him whodoth not concern us at all.
If, however, thou hast a suffering friend, then be a resting-place for hissuffering; like a hard bed, however, a camp-bed: thus wilt thou serve himbest.
And if a friend doeth thee wrong, then say: "I forgive thee what thou hastdone unto me; that thou hast done it unto THYSELF, however--how could Iforgive that!"
Thus speaketh all great love: it surpasseth even forgiveness and pity.
One should hold fast one's heart; for when one letteth it go, how quicklydoth one's head run away!
Ah, where in the world have there been greater follies than with thepitiful? And what in the world hath caused more suffering than the folliesof the pitiful?
Woe unto all loving ones who have not an elevation which is above theirpity!
yet cometh unto men aheavy cloud.
Thus spake the devil unto me, once on a time: "Even God hath his hell: itis his love for man."
And lately, did I hear him say these words: "God is dead: of his pity forman hath God died."--
So be ye warned against pity: FROM THENCE there yet cometh unto men aheavy cloud! Verily, I understand weather-signs!
But attend also to this word: All great love is above all its pity: forit seeketh--to create what is loved!
"Myself do I offer unto my love, AND MY NEIGHBOUR AS MYSELF"--such is thelanguage of all creators.
All creators, however, are hard.--
Thus spake Zarathustra.