Seven times have I despised my soul 《我曾七次鄙視自己的靈魂》

《我曾七次鄙視自己的靈魂》，紀伯以“自己的靈魂”為名，看穿人性所共有弱點的一首詩。詩句簡單有力發人深省，督促人們擁有更高的精神境界，呼吁人們滌盪自己的靈魂，唾棄丑惡，追求高尚。

Seven times have I despised my soul

我曾經七次鄙視自己的靈魂

The first time when I saw her being meek that she might attain height.
第一次，是當我看到她本可進取，卻故作謙卑時。

The second time when I saw her limping before the crippled.
第二次，是當我看到她在瘸子面前跛行而過時。

The third time when she was given to choose between the hard and the easy, and she chose the easy.
第三次，是當她在難易之間，卻選擇了容易時。

The fourth time when she committed a wrong, and comforted herself that others also commit wrong.
第四次，是當她犯了錯，卻借由別人也會犯錯來寬慰自己時。

The fifth time when she forbore for weakness, and attributed her patience to strength.
第五次，是當她因為軟弱而忍讓，卻聲稱為自己的堅韌時。

The sixth time when she despised the ugliness of a face, and knew not that it was one of her own masks.
第六次，是當她鄙夷一張丑惡的嘴臉，卻不知那正是自己面具中的一副時。

And the seventh time when she sang a song of praise, and deemed it a virtue.
第七次，是當她吟唱聖歌，卻自詡為一種美德時。