培根：论司法(中英文)

培根散文随笔集第56章：Of judicature论司法|论法官（中英对照）

培根散文随笔集中英对照，通过阅读文学名著学语言，是掌握英语的绝佳方法。既可接触原汁原味的英语，又能享受文学

培根散文随笔集中英对照，通过阅读文学名著学语言，是掌握英语的绝佳方法。既可接触原汁原味的英语，又能享受文学之美，一举两得，何乐不为？

对于喜欢阅读名著的读者，这是一个最好的时代，因为有成千上万的书可以选择；这又是一个不好的时代，因为在浩繁的卷帙中，很难找到适合自己的好书。而培根的散文随笔，浓缩的不仅仅是文学，还是智慧。相信对阅读和写作都有很好的帮助。

Of judicature论司法|论法官

JUDGES ought to remember that their office is jus dicere, and not jus dare; to interpret law, and not to make law, or give law.

法官们必须记住，他们的职权是解释法律而不是制造法律或立法。

Else will it be like the authority, claimed by the Church of Rome, which under pretext of exposition of Scripture, does not stick to add and alter; and to pronounce that which they do not find; and by show of antiquity, to introduce novelty.

如若不然，它将如罗马教会所要求的权力一样；罗马教会不仅假解释《圣经》之名，任意增添与改动，而且借复古之名，标新立异，宣传《圣经》中找不出来的东西。

Judges ought to be more learned than witty, more reverend than plausible,and more advised than confident.

法官应当学问多于机智，严肃多于贫嘴，虚心多于自信。

Above all things, integrity is their portion and proper virtue.

尊严是他们的本分与美德——这是最最重要的。

Cursed (says the law) is he that removes the landmark.

“移动界石者应该受到诅咒”（犹太律说）。

The mislayer of a mere-stone is to blame.

放错界石的人要受到谴责。

But it is the unjust judge that is the capital remover of landmarks when he defines amiss of lands and property.

而不公正的法官，当他对田地与财产做出错误判决时，就是主要的移动界石者。

One foul sentence does more hurt than many foul examples.

一个不公正的判决比多个不正当的案例为害更大。

For these do but corrupt the stream, the other corrupts the fountain.

因为这些坏东西只是弄脏水流，而不公正的、肮脏的判决则败坏水源。

So with Solomon, Fons turbatus, et vena corrupta, est justus cadens in causa sua coram adversario. The office of judges may have reference unto the parties that use, unto the advocates that plead, unto the clerks and ministers of justice underneath them, and to the sovereign or state above them.

因此所罗门说，“正义者在邪恶者面前败诉，如同浑浊之泉，把井水弄浊”（拉丁文）。法官的职权可能跟诉讼者，与辩护者，跟自己下属的司法官吏，跟自己上面的君主或国家都发生关系。

First, for the causes or parties that sue.

第一，先说诉讼的双方。

There be (says the Scripture) that turn judgment into wormwood; and surely there be also that turn it into vinegar; for injustice makes it bitter, and delays make it sour. “有人把审判变为苦艾”（《圣经》这样说）；确实也有人把审判变为酸醋；因为不公正使审判变苦，而迟延使审判变酸。

The principal duty of a judge is to suppress force and fraud; whereof force is the more pernicious, when it is open, and fraud, when it is close and disguised. 法官的主要职责是压制暴力与诈骗；暴力公开时更加恶毒，诈骗秘密时更加险恶。

Add thereto contentious suits, which ought to be spewed out, as the surfeit of courts.

再加上那些好讼者的案件，这种案件应当作为阻塞法庭的东西加以唾弃。

A judge ought to prepare his way to a just sentence, as God uses to prepare his way, by raising valleys and taking down hills: so when there appeares on either side an high hand, violent prosecution, cunning advantages taken, combination, power, great counsel, then is the virtue of a judge seen, to make inequality equal; that he may plant his judgment as upon an even ground.

法官应当为公平的判决开辟道路，像上帝开辟道路那样，填高谷地，削低山峰：所以，当诉讼两方的任何一方出现以势压人、实行暴力、投机取巧、狼狈为奸、动用权力、大施阴谋等情况，法官若能使不公平变得公平，使自己的判断立足于公平的基地，那就可见其才德了。 Qui fortiter emungit, elicit sanguinem; and where the wine-press is hard wrought, it yields a harsh wine that tastes of the grape-stone. “扭鼻子必出血”；榨葡萄汁的机器若圧力过猛，那就会生产出带葡萄核干涩味的葡萄酒。

Judges must beware of hard constructions and strained inferences; for there is no worse torture than the torture of laws.

法官必须留神，不可对法律条文牵强附会，随意推论；因为没有比法律的折磨更恶的折磨了。

Specially in case of laws penal, they ought to have care that what was meant for

terror be not turned into rigor; and that they bring not upon the people, that shower whereof the Scripture speaks, Pluet super eos laqueos; for penal laws pressed, are a shower of snares upon the people. 尤其在刑法案件中，法官应当注意，不要让意在防止恐怖的法律变成虐待人民的刑律。他们不可把《圣经》上所说的那种“网罗之雨”（拉丁文）带给人民；因为刑法过于严厉，就是下在人民身上的网罗之雨。

Therefore let penal laws, if they have been sleepers of long, or if they be grown unfit for the present time, be by wise judges confined in the execution: Judicis officium est, ut res, ita tempora rerum, etc.

所以，刑法中若有久已不用或不适于当前的条例，聪明的法官就应当限制其施行：“法官的职责，不仅在于审察某案的事实，还要审察其时候及环境，等等”。

In causes of life and death, judges ought (as far as the law permits) in justice to remember mercy; and to cast a severe eye upon the example, but a merciful eye upon the person.

在有关人命的案件中，法官应当（在法律容许的范围内）在公平的条件下想到仁慈；以严厉的眼光对事，而以仁慈的眼光对人。

（causes与causes同义，又见本段开头。译者注）

Secondly, for the advocates and counsel that plead.

第二，关于律师与辩护顾问。

Patience and gravity of hearing is an essential part of justice; and an overspeaking judge is no well-tuned cymbal. 耐心与严肃的听取诉讼，是公正办案法的主要部分；而一个过多说话的法官决非和谐的乐器。

It is no grace to a judge, first to find what he might have heard in due time from the bar; or to show quickness of conceit, in cutting off evidence or counsel too short; or to prevent information by questions, though pertinent. 法官的高明与光采，并不在于他最先发现自己在适当时候从律师与诉讼各方听到的案情，或者过早打断见证人或律师（的说话）以表示自己观察敏锐，或者用提问（即使是中肯的问题）诱导或勾引信息。

The parts of a judge in hearing are four: to direct the evidence; to moderate length, repetition, or impertinency of speech; to recapitulate, select and collate the material points, of that which has been said; and to give the rule or sentence.

法官听取诉讼有四部分内容：审查证据；约束发言的长度、重复或空泛；重述、选择、并对照已经发言的要点；提出规则或作出判断。

Whatsoever is above these is too much; and proceeds either of glory and willingness to speak, or of impatience to hear, or of shortness of memory, or of want of a staid and equal attention. 只要超过这些方面，就是过多；而这种情形或出于炫耀口才，或由于听取诉讼不耐心，或因为记忆力差，或由于注意力不能始终如一。

It is a strange thing to see that the boldness of advocates should prevail with judges; whereas they should imitate God, in whose seat they sit; who represses the

presumptuous and gives grace to the modest.

奇怪的事实是，辩护律师的放肆或大胆竟能博得法官的赞许；法官本应当效法上帝，因为他们坐着上帝的座位，而上帝是抑强暴而扶温良的。

But it is more strange that judges should have noted favorites; which cannot but cause multiplication of fees and suspicion of by-ways. 但更奇怪的事实是，法官竟有明显的宠儿（或译“律师居然成为法官的宠儿或亲信”）；这不能不有受贿与后门之嫌。There is due from the judge to the advocate, some commendation and gracing, where causes are well handled and fair pleaded; especially towards the side which obtains not; for that upholds in the client the reputation of his counsel, and beats down in him the conceit of his cause. 如果案件处理得当，辩护有力，法官应当对辩护律师给予表扬或称赞，尤其是对诉讼的不利方；因为这可以维持被辩护律师在委托人心里的威信，并且有助于打消委托人对案件的错误看法。

There is likewise due to the public, a civil reprehension of advocates, where there appears cunning counsel, gross neglect, slight information, indiscreet pressing, or an overbold defence. 同样，如果发现辩护律师有诡辩、重大疏忽、证据过弱，迫求无度，或强词夺理等情况，法官也应当众予以指责。

And let not the counsel at the bar, chop with the judge, nor wind himself into the handling of the cause anew after the judge has declared his sentence; but, on the other side, let not the judge meet the cause half way, nor give occasion to the party, to say his counsel or proofs were not heard.

不能让辩护律师在法庭与法官唇枪舌剑，或者在法官宣判之后大放厥词，重提案件；但另一方面，也不能让法官将审判半途而废，或给诉讼方以口实：说法官不听自己的意见或证据。Thirdly, for what concerns clerks and ministers.

第三，关于法庭的工作人员与庭长。

The place of justice is an hallowed place; and therefore not only the bench, but the foot-place; and precincts and purprise thereof, ought to be preserved without scandal and corruption. 法庭是神圣的地方；因此，不但法官的坐席，就连那立足的台、听证的围栏，都应当没有丑事与腐败行为。

For certainly grapes (as the Scripture says) will not be gathered of thorns or thistles; either can justice yield her fruit with sweetness amongst the briars and brambles of catching and polling clerks and ministers.

的确（如《圣经》所说）“葡萄不会从荆棘中采集”；在贪馋的法庭官吏这种荆棘丛里也不能结出公道的美果。

The attendance of courts is subject to four bad instruments.

法庭受四种坏人的影响。

First, certain persons that are sowers of suits, make the court swell and the country pine.

第一种人包揽诉讼，挑拨是非，使法院臃肿，使国家衰弱。

The second sort is of those that engage courts in quarrels of jurisdiction, and are not truly amici curiae, but parasiti curiae, in puffing a court up beyond her bounds,

for their own scraps and advantage.

第二种人是那些把法院卷入司法争吵的人们，他们不是“法院底朋友”，而是“法院底寄生虫”，他们为了自己的小利，吹捧法院，使之超越自己的权限。

The third sort is of those that may be accounted the left hands of courts; persons that are full of nimble and sinister tricks and shifts, whereby they pervert the plain and direct courses of courts and bring justice into oblique lines and labyrinths.

第三种就是可以叫做“法院的左手”的那些人，他们两面三刀，狡黠多谋，阻挠法院的正当程序，把公理引入邪路与迷阵。

And the fourth is the poller and exacter of fees; which justifies the common resemblance of the courts of justice to the bush whereunto, while the sheep flies for defence in weather, he is sure to lose part of his fleece.

第四种就是收取与敲诈费用者；通常有理由把法院比作灌木丛，一只羊逃向其中躲避风雨的时候，免不了损失一部分羊毛。

On the other side, an ancient clerk, skilful in precedents, wary in proceeding, and understanding in the business of the court, is an excellent finger of a court; and does many times point the way to the judge himself.

另一方面，一个老练的法庭人员，精通律例，办事审慎，通晓院务，他是法院极好的帮手，常常会给法官本人指引道路。

Fourthly, for what may concern the sovereign and estate.

第四，关于国君或国家方面。

Judges ought above all to remember the conclusion of the Roman Twelve Tables; Salus populi suprema lex; and to know that laws, except they be in order to that end, are but things captious, and oracles not well inspired.

法官首先应该记住罗马十二铜标的结语；“人民的幸福就是最高的法律”（拉丁文），并且知道：法律必须达到这个目的，否则就只是一种苛刻的东西，是邪恶的符咒。Therefore it is an happy thing in a state, when kings and states do often consult with judges; and again, when judges do often consult with the king and state: the one, when there is matter of law, intervenient in business of state; the other, when there is some consideration of state, intervenient in matter of law. 因此，国王或国家如果常与法官们商议（在法律对国家事务有妨碍时），而法官们也常与国王或国家商议（在国家的意图对法律有妨碍时），——这是国家之幸。

For many times the things deduced to judgment may be meum and tuum, when the reason and consequence thereof may trench to point of estate: I call matter of estate, not only the parts of sovereignty, but whatsoever introduces any great alteration, or dangerous precedent; or concerns manifestly any great portion of people. 因为导致诉讼的事件往往可能是你我之间的私事，而其原由与影响可能涉及到国事；我所谓国事，不仅指跟王权有关的事，而且包括引起大变革或造成危险的那些因素：或者这些事显然跟大部分人民有关。

And let no man weakly conceive that just laws and true policy have any antipathy; for they are like the spirits and sinews, that one moves with the other. 任何人都不可轻信公平的法律与真实的政策之间有任何的对立性；因为它们二者共同行动，如同精神跟肉体。

Let judges also remember that Solomon’s throne was supported by lions on both sides: let them be lions, but yet lions under the throne; being circumspect that they do not check or oppose any points of sovereignty.

法官们还应当记住，所罗门的王座两边都是由狮子支撑的；即使它们是真狮子，但仍然要位于王座之下；法官们要谨慎小心，他们不可丝毫阻挠或反对王权。

Let not judges also be ignorant of their own right, as to think there is not left to them, as a principal part of their office, a wise use and application of laws. 法官们也不可不知道自己的正当权利，以为自己职务不包括主要的一项，就是聪明的行使法律。For they may remember what the apostle saith of a greater law than theirs; Nos scimus quia lex bona est, modo quis ea utatur legitime.因为他们也许记得，圣徒保罗认为，有一条法律比法官的法律更重要，他说：“我们知道，法律是好的，只要人使用得当”。