Books to me
我之于书
夏丏尊
二十年来，我生活费中至少十分之一二是消耗在书上的。
For twenties years, at least one tenth to two tenth 10-20 percent of my living cost is on the books.
我的房子里比较贵重的东西就是书。
The most valuable thing things in my house is book are books.
我一向没有对于任何问题作高深研究的野心，因之所买的书范围较广，宗教，艺术，文学，社会，哲学，历史，生物，各方面差不多都有一点。
I do not have the desire to make a deep study on any field and I buy a wide range of books, covering religion, art, literature, society, philosophy, history and biology.
最多的是各国文学名著的译本，与本国古来的诗文集，别的门类只是些概论等类的入门书而已。
I mainly buy translations of famous foreign literary classics and ancient Chinese poem and prose anthologies. The other books are just some introductory enter-level books.
我不喜欢向别人或图书馆借书。
I do not like borrow books from others or from libraries.
借来的书，在我好像过不来瘾似的，必要是自己买的才满足。
I am not satisfied with borrowed books and I must have my own book.
这也可谓是一种占有的欲望。
This can be called a kind of possessive desire for personal possessions.
买到了几册新书，一册一册地加盖藏书印记，我最感到快悦的是这时候。
It is the most euphoric moment when I get some new books and stamp collection marks ex-libris on every book them one by one.
书籍到了我的手里，我的习惯是先看序文，次看目录。
When one book is on my hands, I used to read the preface first and then the contents.
页数不多的往往立刻通读，篇幅大的，只把正文任择一二章节略加翻阅，就插在书架上。
If it has not many pages, I will soon read it up. If it is a lengthy book, I will only choose one or two chapters to read browse through and put it on the shelf.
除小说外，我少有全体读完的大部的书，只凭了购入当时的记忆，知道某册书是何种性质，其中大概有些什么可取的材料而已。
I rarely finish reading a book except novels. I just know what kind of the book is and what material I can get from it based on the memory when I bought it.
什么书在什么时候再去读再去翻，连我自己也无把握，完全要看一个时期的兴趣。
I am not sure what which book and when I will read again. It all depends on my interest at one period.
关于这事，我常自比为古时的皇帝，而把插在架上的书譬诸列屋而居的宫女。
On this matter, I often compare myself as an emperor in ancient times and the books on shelf as maids concubines in their houses.
我虽爱买书，而对于书却不甚爱惜。
I love buying books but do not cherish them a lot.
读书的时候，常在书上把我所认为要紧的处所标出。
When I read, I often mark what I think is very important on books.
线装书大概用笔加圈，洋装书竟用红铅笔划粗粗的线。
I draw circles on thread-bound books and bold lines with red pencil on western binding style books.
经我看过的书，统体干净的很少。
The books I have read are rarely clean.
据说，任何爱吃糖果的人，只要叫他到糖果铺中去做事，见了糖果就会生厌。
It is said that any person who likes eating candies will feel candies disgusting when he is asked to work in a candy shop.
自我入书店以后，对于书的贪念也已消除了不少了，可是仍不免要故态复萌，想买这种，想买那种。
Since I started working at the bookstore, my desire for book has diminished a lot. But it is sometimes inevitable that my desire for buying all kinds of books will come back.
这大概因为糖果要用嘴去吃，摆存毫无意义，而书则可以买了不看，任其只管插在架上的缘故吧。
This may be because candies have to be eaten and it is no point to keep them while books can be put on shelves after being bought with nobody reading them.