But where does it come from and what exactly does it mean?

但它從何而來，到底是什麼意思呢？

It is the work of the French 18th century writer and philosopher Voltaire, and it appears

這是法國18世紀作家、哲學家伏爾泰的作品，它出現了

at the end of his legendary novel CANDIDE, written in just three very inspired days in

在他的傳奇小說《CANDIDE》的結尾，他在短短三天內寫下了這篇小說。

1759.

1759.

The clue to its meaning lies in the subtitle of this novel: CANDIDE - OR OPTIMISM.

其意義的線索就在這部小說的副標題中。"CANDIDE "或 "OPTIMISM

Voltaire's goal in writing his book was to destroy the optimism of his times, an optimism

伏爾泰寫這本書的目的，就是要摧毀他那個時代的樂觀主義，這種樂觀主義。

that centered around science, love, technical progress and reason. Voltaire was indignant.

圍繞著科學、愛情、技術進步和理性。伏爾泰憤憤不平。

Of course science wasn't going to improve the world; it would merely give new power

當然，科學並不能改善世界，它只是賦予新的力量而已

to tyrants. Of course philosophy would not be able to explain away the problem of evil;

到暴君。當然哲學是無法解釋掉惡的問題的。

it would only show up our vanity. Of course love was an illusion; humans irredeemably

只會顯出我們的虛榮心。當然，愛情是一種幻覺，人類不可救藥的。

wicked, and the future absurd. Of all this his readers were to be left in no doubt. Hope

邪惡的，和未來的荒謬。對於這一切，他的讀者都不會有任何疑問。希望

was a disease and it was Voltaire's generous goal to try to cure us of it.

是一種病，而伏爾泰的慷慨目標就是試圖治癒我們的病。

Nevertheless, Voltaire's novel is not simply a tragic tale. The book ends on a memorably

然而，伏爾泰的小說並不是一個簡單的悲劇故事。該書的結尾是一個令人難忘的

tender and stoic note. The hero Candide and his companions have travelled the world and

溫柔而沉穩的音符。主角坎迪德和他的同伴們走遍了世界，並。

suffered immensely: they have known persecution, shipwrecks, rapes, earthquakes, smallpox,

他們遭受了巨大的痛苦：他們知道迫害、海難、強姦、地震、天花。

starvation and torture. But they have – more or less – survived and, in the final pages,

飢餓和酷刑。但他們或多或少都活了下來，而且在最後幾頁中：

they find themselves in Turkey – a country Voltaire especially admired – living in

他們發現自己在土耳其--一個伏爾泰特別欽佩的國家--生活在。

a small farm in a suburb of Istanbul. One day they learn of trouble at the Ottoman court:

在伊斯坦布爾郊區的一個小農場裡。有一天，他們得知奧斯曼帝國宮廷的麻煩。

two Viziers and the Mufti have been strangled and several of their associates impaled. The

兩名維齊爾和穆夫提被勒死，幾名同夥被刺死。該

news causes upset and fear in many. But near their farm, Candide, together with his friends

這個消息引起了許多人的不安和恐懼。但在他們的農場附近，坎迪德和他的朋友們一起，

Martin and Pangloss, pass an old man who is peacefully and indifferently sitting under

馬丁和龐洛斯，路過一個老人，他安詳而冷漠地坐著下

an orange bower next to his house. Let's listen to an extract:

他家旁邊的橘子花盆。讓我們來聽一段摘錄。

Pangloss, who was as inquisitive as he was argumentative, asked the old man what the

龐洛斯的好奇心和他的爭論一樣，他問老人家，什麼？

name of the strangled Mufti was. 'I don't know,' answered the worthy man, 'and I

被扼殺的穆夫提的名字是。'我不知道，'這位貴人回答說，'我。

have never known the name of any Mufti, nor of any Vizier. I have no idea what you're

從來不知道任何穆夫提的名字，也不知道任何維茲爾的名字。我不知道你在說什麼

talking about; my general view is that people who meddle with politics usually meet a miserable

我的一般看法是，干政的人通常會有一個悲慘的結局

end, and indeed they deserve to. I never bother with what is going on in Constantinople; I

最後，他們確實應該這樣做。我從不關心君士坦丁堡的情況，我...

only worry about sending the fruits of the garden which I cultivate off to be sold there.'

只擔心把我耕種的園子裡的果實送到那裡去賣'。

Having said these words, he invited the strangers into his house; his two sons and two daughters

說完這些話，他就把這些陌生人請進了自己的家，他的兩個兒子和兩個女兒。

presented them with several sorts of sherbet, which they had made themselves, with kaimak

向他們贈送了他們自己製作的幾種冰沙，還有kaimak。

enriched with the candied-peel of citrons, with oranges, lemons, pine-apples, pistachio-nuts,

豐富的蜜餞皮的檸檬，與橙子，檸檬，松樹蘋果，開心果。

and Mocha coffee… – after which the two daughters of the honest Muslim perfumed the

和摩卡咖啡... ... - 之後，誠實的穆斯林的兩個女兒就在這裡灑香水

strangers' beards. 'You must have a vast and magnificent estate,' said Candide to

陌生人的鬍鬚。"你一定有一個龐大而宏偉的莊園，"坎迪德說。

the turk. 'I have only twenty acres,' replied the old man; 'I and my children

土耳其人。'我只有二十畝地，'老人回答說；'我和我的孩子們。

cultivate them; and our labour preserves us from three great evils: weariness, vice, and

我們的勞動使我們免於三種大禍：疲倦、惡習和。

want.' Candide, on his way home, reflected deeply on what the old man had said. 'This

想要的。坎迪德在回家的路上，深深地反思著老人所說的話。'這

honest Turk,' he said to Pangloss and Martin, 'seems to be in a far better place than

誠實的土耳其人，"他對彭格拉斯和馬丁說，"看來，他的境況要比

kings…. I also know,” said Candide, “that we must cultivate our garden.'

國王們...。我也知道，"坎迪德說，"我們必須耕種我們的花園'。

Voltaire, who liked to stir the prejudices of his largely Christian readers, especially

伏爾泰，他喜歡挑起他的大部分基督教讀者的偏見，特別是。

enjoyed giving the idea for the most important line in his book – and arguably the most

喜歡給他書中最重要的一句話出主意--也可以說是最重要的一句話。

important adage in modern thought – to a Muslim, the true philosopher of the book known

現代思想中的重要格言--對一個穆斯林來說，真正的哲學家的書被稱為

only as 'the turk': Il faut cultiver notre jardin: 'we must cultivate our garden'

只作為 "土耳其人"。Il faut cultiver notre jardin: "我們必須開墾我們的花園

or as it has variously been translated, 'we must grow our vegetables', 'we must tend

或有不同的翻譯，"我們必須種植我們的蔬菜"，"我們必須照顧"。

to our lands' or 'we need to work our fields'.

我們的土地'或'我們需要耕耘我們的田地'。

What did Voltaire mean with his gardening advice? That we must keep a good distance

伏爾泰的園藝建議是什麼意思？我們必須保持良好的距離

between ourselves and the world, because taking too close an interest in politics or public

在我們和世界之間，因為對政治或公共事務太過關心，所以我們必須要有一個良好的環境。

opinion is a fast route to aggravation and danger. We should know well enough at this

輿論是走向激化和危險的捷徑。我們應該清楚地知道，在這個

point that humans are troublesome and will never achieve – at a state level – anything

人類是麻煩的，在國家層面上永遠不會有任何成就。

like the degree of logic and goodness we would wish for. We should never tie our personal

像我們希望的邏輯和善良程度。我們永遠不應該把我們的個人

moods to the condition of a whole nation or people in general; or we would need to weep

情緒到整個國家或整個民族的狀況；否則，我們就需要哭泣

continuously. We need to live in our own small plots, not the heads of strangers. At the

不斷。我們需要生活在自己的小塊土地上，而不是陌生人的頭上。在

same time, because our minds are haunted and prey to anxiety and despair, we need to keep

同時，因為我們的心靈被焦慮和絕望所困擾和獵取，我們需要保持。

ourselves busy. We need a project. It shouldn't be too large or dependent on many. The project

我們需要一個項目我們需要一個項目。它不應該太大，也不應該依賴很多人。這個項目

should send us to sleep every night weary but satisfied. It could be bringing up a child,

應該讓我們每天晚上疲憊但滿足地入睡。可能是帶孩子。

writing a book, looking after a house, running a small shop or managing a little business.

寫書、看家、經營小店或管理小生意。

Or, of course, tending to a few acres. Note Voltaire's geographical modesty. We should

當然，也可以是打理幾畝地。注意伏爾泰在地理上的謙虛。我們應該

give up on trying to cultivate the whole of humanity, we should give up on things at a

放棄努力培養整個人類，我們應該放棄在一個事情

national or international scale. Take just a few acres and make those your focus. Take

國家或國際規模。只需幾畝地，讓這些成為你的重點。以

a small orchard and grow lemons and apricots. Take some beds and grow asparagus and carrots.

一個小果園，種植檸檬和杏子。取一些床位，種植蘆筍和胡蘿蔔。

Stop worrying yourself with humanity if you ever want peace of mind again. Who cares what's

如果你還想心安理得的話，就不要再用人性來擔心自己了。誰在乎什麼是

happening in Constantinople or what's up with the grand Mufti. Live quietly like the

君士坦丁堡發生了什麼事？ 或者大穆夫提是怎麼回事？靜靜地生活，就像

old turk, enjoying the sunshine in the orange bower next to your house. This is Voltaire's

老土耳其人，在你家旁邊的橘子花盆裡享受陽光。這就是伏爾泰的

stirring, ever-relevant form of horticultural quietism. We have been warned – and guided

激動人心的、永遠相關的園藝安靜主義形式。我們已經被警告--並被引導

How to think more effectively is a book about how to optimize our minds so that they can more regularly and generously produce the sort of insights and ideas we need to fulfill our potential and achieve the contentment we deserve.

如何更有效地思考》是一本關於如何優化我們的頭腦的書，使它們能夠更經常、更慷慨地產生我們所需要的那種見解和想法，以發揮我們的潛力，實現我們應得的滿足感。