For most of us, these things are to be avoided, replaced, or at the very least, they're less than desirable.  

對我們大多數人來說，這些事情都應該避免、替換，或者至少是不太理想的。

We turn away from signs of imperfection, of damage, of impermanence.

我們遠離不完美、受損和短暫的跡象。

We yearn for the ideals; the symmetrical and youthful; the timeless and undamaged; the absolute and perfect.

我們渴望理想；對稱和年輕；永恒和未受損；絕對和完美。

Western tradition wields reason and order as its choice of weapons in the war against the universe.

西方傳統以理性和秩序作為對抗宇宙的武器。

So-called laws and truths from battles-thought-won hang over its mantel.

所謂的從戰鬥中獲得的法則和真理掛在它的壁爐上。

Ideals burn in its hearth.  

理想在它的壁爐中燃燒。

But this fire requires constant feeding.

但這種火需要不斷加料。

And it is always on the brink of burning out—collectively and individually.

它總是瀕臨熄滅——集體和個人。

For many of us, it already has—the hope that anything may be discovered or obtained that will make the coldness of the universe go away has been lost.

對我們許多人來說，它已經熄滅了——希望發現或獲得任何可以消除宇宙的冷漠的東西已經失去了。

For others of us, perhaps we've been engulfed by the fire, burning ourselves up with relentless desire. 

對於我們其他人來說，也許我們已經被火焰吞噬了，用無情的欲望把自己燃燒起來。

For those looking to better deal with the hot and cold of existence, who might struggle with impossible goals of perfection, certainty, and permanence, one idea that is tremendously useful is the Japanese concept known as wabi-sabi. 

對於那些想更好地應對存在的冷熱、可能會對完美、確定和永恒的不可能目標感到困惑的人來說，一個非常有用的想法是日本的概念「侘寂」。

In the 12th century, a Japanese Buddhist Monk named Nōnin created the first independent Zen Buddhist school in Japan.

在12世紀，一位名為能仁的日本佛教僧侶在日本創立了第一所獨立的禪宗佛教學派。

This formally introduced ideas and principles from Chan Buddhism to the Japanese world.

這正式地將禪宗佛教的思想和原則引入了日本世界。

Central to Buddhism is the idea that suffering is an inevitable part of existence.

佛教的核心思想是痛苦是存在的必然部分。

More specifically, suffering arises out of the tension between our desire and the nature of reality.

更具體地說，痛苦是由我們的欲望和現實的本質之間的張力引起的。

We desire things like permanence, perfection, and certainty, but the universe (which we are inextricably apart of) is in constant flux, subject to a process of change, transience, and imperfection.

我們渴望永恒、完美和確定，但宇宙（我們不可分割的一部分）在不斷變化，受到變化、短暫和不完美的過程的影響。

As a result of Zen's introduction and development in Japan, over time, this transient and imperfect condition of reality would soon be uniquely viewed as an ally to meditate on and make peace with, rather than an enemy to contend against.  

由於禪宗在日本的引入和發展，隨著時間的推移，現實的這種短暫和不完美的狀態很快就會被獨特地視為一個可以思考和與之和平相處的盟友，而不是一個要對抗的敵人。

By around the 15th century, two terms would come together to embody this view and become a central part of Japanese culture, aesthetics, and philosophy: together, these terms are wabi-sabi. 

到了15世紀左右，兩個詞語將匯集在一起，體現了這種觀點，並成為日本文化、美學和哲學的中心部分：這些詞語是「侘寂」。

Although there is no direct English translation, wabi-sabi essentially describes the view (or experiences) where beauty and virtue are found in the impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete. 

雖然沒有直接的英文翻譯，但「侘寂」基本上描述了在不完美、短暫和不完整中尋找美和美德的觀點（或經歷）。

From an aesthetic point of view, wabi-sabi values what is visually incomplete, worn, damaged, unsymmetrical or minimalistic.

從美學角度來看，侘寂重視視覺上不完整、磨損、受損、不對稱或極簡主義的東西。

Artwork that is considered wabi-sabi often emphasizes the process as opposed to the end result.

被認為是侘寂的藝術品通常強調過程而不是最終結果。

And moreover, the end result is often maintained and used past the point in which it still appears fresh, new, or undamaged.

而且，最終結果通常在它仍然顯得新鮮、新穎或未受損的時候被保持和使用過。

Visual artist Richard Powell said, "Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."

視覺藝術家理查德·鮑威爾說：「侘寂通過承認三個簡單的現實來培育一切真實：沒有什麼是永恒的，沒有什麼是完成的，沒有什麼是完美的。」

For example, a popular style of Japanese pottery that follows the principles of wabi sabi is known as raku pottery.

例如，一種遵循侘寂原則的流行日本陶器風格被稱為樂焦陶器。

This style of pottery is often hand-shaped, fired at low temperatures, and left to cool in the open air, resulting in porous, inconsistent, and uniquely shaped vessels.

這種陶器風格通常是手工製作的，以低溫燒製，然後在室外冷卻，結果是多孔、不一致和獨特形狀的容器。

This outcome and process intentionally puts an emphasis on simplicity and naturalness.  

這種結果和過程故意強調簡樸和自然。

Another Japanse practice known as kintsugi involves the repairing of broken pottery by covering the cracked areas with powdered gold, silver, or platinum, mending the vessel back together.  

另一種被稱為金繼的日本做法涉及用金粉、銀粉或鉑金粉覆蓋破損的陶器，將容器修補好。

The mended cracks are intentionally left prominent, viewed as beautiful, enhanced parts of the piece.

修復的裂痕被故意保留明顯，被視為作品的美麗增強部分。

Through both raku and kintsugi practices, the imperfect and damaged aspects of the ceramic ware are seen as beautiful, positive portrayals of the natural experience of existence. 

通過樂焦和金繼的實踐，陶器的不完美和受損部分被視為自然存在的美麗和積極表現。

From a more philosophical view, mirroring its aesthetics, wabi-sabi values living simply, finding peace in the temporariness of all things, and embracing what is flawed and incomplete in nature, life, and oneself.

從更哲學的角度來看，依照其美學，侘寂重視簡單生活，在一切事物的暫時性中找到平靜，並接受自然、生活和自己的缺陷和不完整。

Signs of these things and ways of living in harmony with them represent a more honest and useful idea of perfection—the perfection of imperfection.

這些事物的跡象和與之和諧生活的方式代表了對完美的更誠實和有用的理解——不完美的完美。

For example, around the 13th to 15th century, Japanese tea ceremonies were popularly used by the ruling class of Shoguns as a way of displaying wealth,

例如，從13到15世紀左右，日本茶道被幕府統治階級廣泛使用作為展示財富的一種方式，

using extravagant ceramic ware to sip tea inside of lavishly ornamented rooms under a full-moon.

使用奢華的陶器在滿月下的華麗裝飾房間裡喝茶。

In 1488, however, Zen monk Murata Shuko would redefine the tea ceremony based on principles of wabi-sabi.  

然而，在1488年，禪僧村田宗興將根據侘寂原則重新定義茶道。

It would soon become customary for the tea ceremony to be conducted using simple ceramic ware produced by Japanese artisans, often using raku or kintsugi practices,

很快，茶道成為了使用日本工匠生產的簡單陶器進行的慣例，通常使用樂焦或金繼技術，

and the tea would be sipped while sitting in minimalistic settings under partial-moons or cloudy night skies.

茶在部分月亮下或多雲的夜空下坐著喝。

The Japanese tea ceremony would become a worship of the simple and imperfect. 

日本茶道將成為對簡單和不完美的崇拜。

Although there are seemingly key attributes to things that we find beautiful, there are also ways of thinking and seeing things that create beauty.

儘管美麗似乎是美的關鍵屬性，但也有一種思考和看待事物的方式創造了美麗。

Beauty is not merely based on what things we are perceiving, but how we are perceiving things—a phenomenon contingent on the mind.  

美不僅僅基於我們所感知的事物，而是我們感知事物的方式——這是一種依賴於心靈的現象。

If we wish to see more beauty in life, as life really is, it is thus up to us to do so.

如果我們希望在生活中看到更多美好，就像生活真實的樣子一樣，那麼這就取決於我們自己。

Wabi-sabi offers a lens through which we can more easily do this; a way to more frequently experience beauty in and derive peace from the true conditions of reality.  

侘寂為我們提供了一種更容易做到這一點的透鏡；一種更經常地從現實的真實條件中體驗美麗並從中獲得平靜的方式。

"Beauty," writes artist Leonard Koren, "can be coaxed out of ugliness. Wabi-sabi is ambivalent about separating beauty from non-beauty or ugliness.

藝術家列昂納德·科倫寫道：「美可以從醜陋中引出。侘寂對於將美與非美或醜陋區分開來持有矛盾的態度。

The beauty of wabi-sabi is in one respect, the condition of coming to terms with what you consider ugly.

侘寂的美在某種程度上是，接受你認為醜陋的東西。

Wabi-sabi suggests that beauty is a dynamic event that occurs between you and something else.  

侘寂建議，美是發生在你和其他事物之間的動態事件。

Beauty can spontaneously occur at any moment given the proper circumstances, context, or point of view.  

美可以在任何時刻在適當的情況、背景或觀點下自發發生。

Beauty is thus an altered state of consciousness, an extraordinary moment of poetry and grace."

因此，美是一種意識的改變狀態，是詩意和優雅的非凡時刻。」

There is nothing inherently wrong with continually striving for something closer to perfection, but in truth, the distance between good and perfect is infinite.

不斷追求接近完美本身並沒有什麼錯，但事實上，善良與完美之間的距離是無限的。

Wabi-sabi reminds us to not depend on ever finally arriving.

侘寂提醒我們不要依賴永遠到達的終點。

It reminds us, rather, that the process is part of the results, that the beauty of things is largely in our mind, and that nothing in nature is perfect, complete, or permanent.

相反，它提醒我們，過程是結果的一部分，事物的美主要存在於我們的心靈中，而自然界中沒有什麼是完美的、完整的或永恆的。

And if nature can't make it that way, why would we think we can? 

如果自然不能讓事物變得完美，我們為什麼要認為我們能夠？

On one hand, wabi-sabi refers to and describes an important part of Japanese history and culture;  

一方面，侘寂指的是和描述了日本歷史和文化的一個重要部分；

but on the other, it refers to a philosophical idea and aesthetic experience deeply relevant to us all.

但另一方面，它指的是一個對我們所有人都深具意義的哲學思想和美學體驗。

Everything we try will fail in some way.

我們嘗試的每件事都會以某種方式失敗。

Everything we finish will be some amount   incomplete.

我們完成的每件事都會有一定程度的不完整。

Everything we know, everything we cherish, everything that works right now, will decay, fall apart, and disappear back into nothingness.

我們所知道的、所珍惜的，現在運作正常的一切，都會腐爛、崩潰，並消失無蹤。

This is something we all must contend with.

這是我們所有人都必須面對的事實。

We can thrash against and resist it, which naturally and inevitably, we will.

我們可我們可以猛烈地反抗和抵抗它，這是自然而然、不可避免的。

But we can also try our best, whenever possible, to accept this reality, to find the beauty and virtue within it.

但我們也可以盡可能地嘗試接受這個現實，找到其中的美和美德。

In learning to embrace things as they are, not how we want them to be, in every crack on a plate, stain on a couch, wrinkle on a face, room slightly askew,

學會接受事物的本來面目，而不是我們希望它們成為的樣子，在碟子上的每一道裂痕、沙發上的每一處污漬、臉上的每一條皺紋、稍稍歪斜的房間裡，

we can see beauty, we can see truth, we can see the oneness of nature that connects all things.

在每一個碎片中，我們都能看到美，看到真理，看到連接一切事物的自然的統一。

In the words of David Foster Wallace: If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable.

用戴維·福斯特·華萊士的話來說：如果你自動地確信你知道現實是什麼，並且你是在你的默認設置上操作，那麼你，就像我一樣，可能不會考慮那些不惱人和悲慘的可能性。

But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options.

但如果你真的學會了如何專注，那麼你就會知道還有其他選擇。

It will actually be within your power to experience . . . situation[s] as not only meaningful, but sacred, on fire with the same force that made the stars: love, fellowship, the mystical oneness of all things deep down.

實際上，你將有能力體驗……情況不僅僅是有意義的，而且是神聖的，充滿了使星星發光的同樣力量：愛、團結、深藏在萬物之中的神秘的統一。

Not that that mystical stuff is necessarily true.

不是說那種神秘的東西必然是真實的。

The only thing that's capital-T True is that you get to decide how you're gonna try to see it.

唯一大寫的「真實」是你決定你要如何去看待它。

Wabi-sabi may not be everyone's taste.

侘寂可能不符合每個人的理念。

And moreover, arguably, even for those for whom it is, no one can ever totally embrace imperfection, impermanence, or incompleteness.

而且，可以爭論的是，即使對於那些喜歡它的人來說，也沒有人能夠完全接受不完美、無常或不完整。

But perhaps in our own imperfect abilities to ever fully embrace imperfection, we are, in a way, nonetheless, still embodying the idea of wabi-sabi perfectly.

但也許在我們自己對永遠無法完全接受不完美的能力中，我們仍然在某種程度上完美地體現了侘寂的理念。