On Eating and Drinking

Then an old man, a keeper of an inn, said, "Speak to us of Eating and Drinking."

And he said:

Would that you could live on the fragerance of the earth, and like an air plant be sustained by the light.

But since you must kill to eat, and rob the young of its mother's milk to quench your thirst, let it then be an act of worship,

And let your board stand an altar on which the pure and the innocent of forest and plain are sacrificed for that which is purer and still more innocent in many.

When you kill a beast say to him in your heart,

"By the same power that slays you, I to am slain; and I too shall be consumed.

For the law that delivered you into my hand shall deliver me into a mightier hand.

Your blood and my blood is naught but the sap that feeds the tree of heaven."

And when you crush an apple with your teeth, say to it in your heart,

"Your seeds shall live in my body,

And the buds of your tomorrow shall blossom in my heart,

And your fragrance shall be my breath,

And together we shall rejoice through all the seasons."

And in the autumn, when you gather the grapes of your vineyard for the winepress, say in you heart,

"I to am a vinyard, and my fruit shall be gathered for the winepress,

And like new wine I shall be kept in eternal vessels."

And in winter, when you draw the wine, let there be in your heart a song for each cup;

And let there be in the song a remembrance for the autumn days, and for the vineyard, and for the winepress.

饮食

　　然后一位老人，客栈的店主说道，请给我们谈谈饮食。

　　他说道：

　　我固然希望你们能靠大地的芬芳生存，如空气中的植物靠阳光延续生命。

　　但既然你们不得不杀生为食，从初生羔犊口中抢夺它们母亲的乳汁以解干渴，那就让这成为一种崇拜方式吧。

　　在你们的案俎上立起一座祭坛，让森林和平原的纯真为人类的更加纯真，在这祭坛上奉献牺牲。

　　当你们宰杀一只畜禽，你们应在心中对它说：

　　"现在屠宰你的力量也将屠宰我，我同样也会被吞食。

　　"因为把你送到我手中的那一规律也将把我送到更强者的手中。

　　"你的血和我的血都不过是滋养天国之树的汁液。"

　　当你们用牙齿咀嚼一只苹果，你们应在心中对它说：

　　"你的种子将在我的体内生存，

　　"你明日的花蕾将在我心中开放，

　　"你的芬芳融入我的气息，

　　"你我将带着喜悦共度每一个季节。"

　　秋日里，当你们采集园中葡萄酿制醇酒，请在你们的心中说：

　　"我也是一座葡萄园，我的果实也将被采摘酿制，

　　"我亦将如新酒，注入永恒的容器。"

　　冬季，当你们斟饮美酒，请在心中为每一杯酒歌上一曲；

　　让歌声忆起秋日，葡萄园，和美酒的酿制。
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