Seven times have I despised my soul:

——Kahlil Gibran

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 forbore 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. 

我曾七次鄙视自己的灵魂

纪伯伦 (1883年1月6日—1931年4月10日）

其一：当能进取时，选择了顺从现状;

其二：在瘸子面前跛行;

其三：当面临着困难和容易的选择，选择了后者;

其四：犯错后以其他人皆会犯错为借口;

其五：因软弱而忍耐，并把这种忍耐归于坚强而聊以慰藉;

其六：鄙视丑恶的面孔，却不知自己早已是那副面孔;

其七：唱起颂歌，还以美德自诩。