TU's Bilingual Blog 涂云新的双语博客

哲学路上的"伤感"告别——我和英格兰哲学家Ralph的最后一次面对面的商谈

The sentimental farewell on the path of philosophy

------- My last face-to-face conversation with the English philosopher Ralph

涂的问候和邀约

I wrote:

Dear Ralph

Another week went away very quietly and quickly. I am sorry for not emailing you last week and sorry to tell you that I will leave Bergen for Oslo next Tue night, then wait for the flight to China on the night of 30th April, then be back in my home university.

I am so thankful for your inspiration on my philosophical enlightenment and I benefited so much from all the lectures and conversations. And I am sure it will benefit me throughout my life.

Your can see what a thirsty heart here it is and how curious and ambitious he is when he draw near to the knowledge. Unfortunately, this young man fell into a fortress besieged, maybe, an abyss which he himself can not easily struggle to escape from alone as you can see that what a hurry it is when he does many things in such a short time.The philosophy style reflects his life to a large extent.

Even if the time is short for me in Bergen, I am very satisfied with my life here, especially the very pleasant conversations which I always feel very short psychologically.

So I would like to have another conversation with you this week on Thursday or Friday, so what is a suitable time for you according to your schedule?

I am afraid this conversation will be the last face-to-face one for us in Bergen. Maybe in many years, I will not come back here due to the geographical distance. If so, I will miss you very much. On the other hand, as globalization is shaping today's world, the possibility for our face-to-face conversation in the near future are also very high. But any how the philosophy of conversation will never end in any case.

I do not want to say goodbye in my heart , it has been such a difficult thing for me recently.

Here is a short poem which may show my feeling

Very quietly I take my leave

As quietly as I came here

Quietly I wave good-bye

To the rosy clouds in the western sky

Thank you, my dear professor! Thank you very very much!

Best Regards!

Yours Tu

Ralph的祝愿和回复

Ralph replied:

Dear Tu,

I am most grateful for your mail. At once I can tell you that the inspiration of our conversations always has been due in equal measure to both of us. That is the beauty of such conversations -- they give the partners in such conversations the chance to give by receiving, and to receive by giving, equally. It is in such conversation that one may be gladly surprised not just by what is said by another, but also by what one finds oneself suddenly being able to say, when responding right away in the immediate light of sparks of inspiration from another during enthusiastic talk. In our conversations, and in the seminars, I have enjoyed every one of the occasion when I have experienced how you express yourself. It is always refreshing to hear how you combine exceptionally clear insight with exceptional powers of very clear expression in English. It shows the authenticity of your attempts to gain understanding as well as of your attempts to express what, so far, you can express while still actively enriching your understanding. All this makes the talk become alive, and stay alive.

It is good to hear that we may have another conversation before you leave. Apart from Thursday, tomorrow, 15.00-17.00, when I take part in a reading circle, any time would be suitable for me. Thursday morning at about 11.00 might be a good time, or Friday at 11.00 or at 13.00. But these are only suggestions -- you are quite free to choose a time that best suits you, for you surely have much to arrange during these days.

Thank you for your mail which I so greatly appreciate, and I look forward to our next talk.

Best regards,

Ralph

第二天，我提前几分钟走到Ralph的办公室门外，最后一次面对面的商谈如约而至........

The second day, I arrived at the office room a few minutes in advance, the last face-to-face conversation came as promised.

整个讨论仍然围绕商谈哲学的主题进行。我和他探讨了相对主义的对商谈哲学的影响以及没有理性支持的感性认识可以走多远的问题........

The whole discussion was about the philosophy of conversation. We talked about relativism and its impact on philosophy of conversation and the other issue we involved was the relationship between perception and emotion.

两个小时促膝长谈在时间的消逝中慢慢结束，我想在临走之前表达我东方式的伤感和感激，但那天我用最大的努力抑制了这样的感情释放.....Ralph站起身来和我握手，我知道这一别不知式多少年后可以再见了，我们要知道中国对一个欧洲人来说是那么的遥远......

The two-hour face-to-face conversation passed away at an unusual high speed, I just wanted to express my Chinese style of sentimental farewell and gratitude, but that day I tried every way to hold my strong emotion…… Ralph stood up and shook hands with me…….I did not know how many years it would be if there was another chance to see each other, we should bear it in mind that how far away it is from China to Europe.

我依然秩序井然的控制着自己的感情.......

I still held on my emotion…..

我转身了.....我就要走到门口.....

I turned around…. I was about to get access to the door…..

走到门口时，我似乎没有了感情（可能丢失了中国那种传统的离别的伤感之情）....

When I was at the door, I was almost unconscious…….

但是，我想到了苏格拉底临死前说得那些话.....和他最为优秀的表现。苏格拉底的伟大可能不仅在于他以超群的智慧点燃了人类文明的火种可能更在于他像孔夫子那样率先垂范了一个真正伟大哲学家的人格和人生......

But, the final words by Socrates hit me…….. Maybe Socrates’ greatness not only lies on that he enlightened people with his exceptional wisdom but also on that he set an outstanding sample with all the excellent characteristics of a philosopher….

高山仰止景行行止.....

虽不能至心向往之.....

In front a sage, we admire him, in front a prophet, we follow him…

Though we can not achieve, our hearts are there. (By Confucius)

我想Ralph从人类古代先哲那里吸取智慧来开启我的心智，在很多时候他是那样富于智慧的冷静和理性。正如苏格拉底告"最终"告别他的学生和朋友时一样，Ralph没有表现得那样的伤感，或许我们的哲学对话就是对我们今天告别最好的送别。所以Ralph一直回避使用goodbye， take a leave 这样的词汇，他有意使用了farewell这个词语，其中的深意正暗合了我们一直花费接近一年时间的哲学讨论主题——商谈哲学(the philosophy of conversation).

I thought Ralph illumined my heart in a particular way, many times he was so quietly and full of wisdom. Just as Socrates left his students and friends, Ralph was quietly as usual, maybe such kind of two-hour conversation was the best way to show his way of farewell. Ralph avoided using those words such as Goodbye, Take a Leave, he used the word Farewell from the beginning to the end. Maybe that was the best English word to escort his students.

离开那个精致的哲学小屋时，我还是时不时的回头了......

When departing that beautiful philosophy room, I turned back again and again…..

再见，我的老师（我只是旁听他的课认识的他，但他却在成了我心中最好的老师）

Farewell, my dear teacher ( I am not a philosophy student, but he is one of best teachers in that university )

先生的智慧永远照亮学子前方的路，还犹豫和留恋什么呢？

The road ahead has been illumed, why should I hesitate to step forward? I thought.

再见了，我深爱的老师！

Farewell, my dear teacher!

我朝着下坡的方向没有回头的走了........

I walked along the downslope without turning back…..