这是莎士比亚著名作品《哈姆雷特》中的名句
Tobe,ornottobe:thatisthequestion:
Whether'tisnoblerinthemindtosuffer
Theslingsandarrowsofoutrageousfortune,
Ortotakearmsagainstaseaoftroubles,
Andbyopposingendthem.Todie:tosleep;
Nomore;andbyasleeptosayweend
Theheart-ache,andthethousandnaturalshocks
Thatfleshisheirto,'tisaconsummation
Devoutlytobewish'd.Todie,tosleep;
Tosleep:perchancetodream:aye,there'stherub;
Forinthatsleepofdeathwhatdreamsmaycome,
Whenwehaveshuffledoffthismortalcoil,
Mustgiveuspause:there'stherespect
Thatmakescalamityofsolonglife;
Forwhowouldbearthewhipsandscornsoftime,
Theoppressor'swrong,theproudman'scontumely,
Thepangsofdespisedlove,thelaw'sdelay,
Theinsolenceofoffice,andthespurns
Thatpatientmeritoftheunworthytakes,
Whenhehimselfmighthisquietusmake
Withabarebodkin?whowouldfardelsbear,
Togruntandsweatunderawearylife,
Butthatthedreadofsomethingafterdeath,
Theundiscover'dcountryfromwhosebourn
Notravelerreturns,puzzlesthewill,
Andmakesusratherbearthoseillswehave
Thanflytoothersthatweknownotof?
Thusconsciencedoesmakecowardsofusall,
Andthusthenativehueofresolution
Issickliedo'erwiththepalecastofthought,
Andenterprisesofgreatpitchandmoment
Withthisregardtheircurrentsturnawry
Andlosethenameofaction.
翻译为
生存或毁灭,这是个必答之问题:
是否应默默的忍受坎苛命运之无情打击,
还是应与深如大海之无涯苦难奋然为敌,
并将其克服。
此二抉择,就竟是哪个较崇高?
死即睡眠,它不过如此!
倘若一眠能了结心灵之苦楚与肉体之百患,
那么,此结局是可盼的!
死去,睡去...
但在睡眠中可能有梦,啊,这就是个阻碍:
当我们摆脱了此垂死之皮囊,
在死之长眠中会有何梦来临?
它令我们踌躇,
使我们心甘情愿的承受长年之灾,
否则谁肯容忍人间之百般折磨,
如暴君之政、骄者之傲、失恋之痛、法章之慢、贪官之侮、或庸民之辱,
假如他能简单的一刃了之?
还有谁会肯去做牛做马,终生疲於操劳,
默默的忍受其苦其难,而不远走高飞,飘於渺茫之境,
倘若他不是因恐惧身后之事而使他犹豫不前?
此境乃无人知晓之邦,自古无返者。
所以,「理智」能使我们成为懦夫,
而「顾虑」能使我们本来辉煌之心志变得黯然无光,像个病夫。
再之,这些更能坏大事,乱大谋,使它们失去魄力。