与细菌共生存
Living with Bacteria
文、译/林巍1
〔1〕每当听到有人说要消灭我们身体中的细菌或战胜疾病时，便会感到不那么准确2，因为事实并非如此。
[1] Whenever people say that we should eliminate bacteria from our body and defeat diseases, it annoys me since it’s not entirely correct.
〔2〕地球上有4000多万种细菌，它们先于人类很久来到这个世界。细菌繁衍3了生物，进而是各种类型的生命，而任何生物都离不开细菌，包括人类。当人类在地球上消失之后，细菌还会生存很久。在这个意义上，是细菌把我们带来，又把我们送走。
[2] There are more than 40 million types of bacteria on the earth, which came into being much earlier than human beings. Bacteria evolved as organisms which subsequently multiplied into varied types of life; no life, including human beings, can survive without bacteria. Even when humans disappear from the earth, bacteria will still be there. In this sense, we were brought in and will be sent off by bacteria.
〔3〕据科学发现，人体中的菌细胞比人体自身的细胞多约10倍，而人体本身所寄生的细菌病毒微生物的总量大约1.5公斤到3公斤，主要分布在肠道，同时也大量存活于皮肤及其他器官。这些细菌在体内，由于免疫系统效应，大都对身体是有益的，它们通过输送溶解了的化合物向身体提供营养。换言之，人体正常生理功能的运转，完全依赖于这些细菌微生物的作用4。
[3] According to scientific discoveries, there are approximately ten times as many bacteria in human cells as there are cells in the human body, totaling 1.5 to 3 kg of various bacterial viral microorganisms, with the largest number of human flora being in the gut, and many others on the skin and in other organs. The vast majority of the bacteria in the body are rendered beneficially by the protective effects of the immune system, providing the nutrients needed to sustain life by converting dissolved compounds.
〔4〕当然，细菌也会引起疾病，如霍乱、梅毒、炭疽热、麻疯病、 黑死病等都是有名的细菌病。其根源是细菌变成了病菌。二者的区别在于，细菌是细胞间微生物，而病菌是细胞内微生物，它们对原细胞中基因物质的正常功能产生影响，引起病变。
[4] Certainly, some species of bacteria can generate infectious diseases, including some once epidemic diseases, such as cholera, syphilis, anthrax, leprosy, bubonic plague and influenza, caused by bacterial-viral conversion lesions. The main difference between bacteria and viruses lies in their structures: bacteria are intercellular organisms, whereas viruses are intracellular and are infectious to the host cell’s genetically-normal functioning, resulting in pathological changes.
〔5〕既然细菌于体内无时无刻不在，那么如何会在某一时刻发生病变？这主要由身体条件的变化所造成。在正常条件下，两个阵营和平共处、相安无事，而一旦身体免疫力下降5，强的一方便会攻击过来，产生“异常”状态，这便是“得病6”。所谓“治病”，就是将“入侵者”推回去，各就各位，回复原态。 在西方，近来也形成了“与癌细胞共生存”的理念。
[5] Given the ubiquity of bacteria in our body, how do pathological changes take place all of sudden? Altered conditions in our body are to blame. Under normal conditions, the two equal partners peacefully coexist with each other. Once an immune system is impaired, the sturdier side will intrude and bring about an abnormal condition, manifesting as “illness”. In the treatment, the “invader” is repelled and once the balance is restored the illness will be cured. In the West, an idea of “coexisting with cancer cells” also recently emerged.
〔6〕根据中医理论，人类与微生物是共生共存、和谐平衡的关系。这些细菌组成了体内的微生态，是人体不可或缺的一部分。具体而言，就是人体中正气与邪气的关系，“正气不存，邪气入内”。“正气”是调节阴阳及虚实状态的物质，“邪气”是其对立面，在某种意义上是“毒”的概念；“邪之所凑，其气必衰”。因而中医理解的健康机制就是在体内不断“扶正祛邪7”的过程。
[6] According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), there are common bonds and harmonious relations between human beings and microorganisms which form an indispensable part of a micro-ecology within our body. In other words, there is a proper balance between vital qi, which is the substance regulating Yin and Yang, deficiency and excess, and evil qi, which is the opposite, symbolizing the idea of poison to a certain degree. Whenever the former is vulnerable, the latter starts its aggression. In this sense of TCM, recuperation is a process of strengthening body resistance and conquering malignant factors.
〔7〕然而，“养正气，祛邪毒”并不是一味地8要“消灭”什么，例如乱吃抗生素等药品，那样会打破人体固有的微生物平衡，使“风，寒，暑，湿，燥，火”乘虚而入（中医概念），造成免疫力的进一步下降；而新的具有抗药性细菌和病毒对人体健康会造成更大的危害。须知，“病”不是被战胜了，而是被平衡了。
[7] However, engaging this rejuvenating process is not meant to extinguish everything unhealthy by indiscriminately trying the whole hog, such as by taking excessive antibiotics. Once the subtle equilibrium is lost, all the evil elements proscribed by TCM, such as wind, cold, heat, damp, dryness, fire, will break through at a weak point, further bringing down the immune system. And with antibiotic-resistant bacteria joining the attack, it will put our health at even greater peril. One should therefore note that sickness is not “defeated” as such, but ultimately “balanced out”.
〔8〕依据这种平衡理念，是切忌乱投医，而要少吃药，或不吃药，注重饮食养生、运动养生、心理养生，从而固本而正源，才有真正的健康。
[8] Based on this idea of a balanced mechanism, people should avoid blindly seeking treatment and lavishly using medicines; instead, more attention should be paid to the root causes, which are a healthy diet, sufficient exercise and mental cultivation in terms of genuinely keeping fit.
〔9〕可见，关于细菌、病症的理解，不只是个医学问题，更是9个哲学问题、认识论的问题；而中国传统文化的理念，在此与西方的科学发现又是不谋而合的。
[9] Apparently, things concerning bacteria and diseases are as much an issue of philosophy and epistemology as they are of medicine. On this point, however, traditional Chinese thought and modern western science happen to hold the same view.
注释：
1. 博士，暨南大学翻译学院特聘教授。
2. 这里的“准确”不妨与后面的“事实并非如此”结合起来翻译，并加上“感到”之意（annoys）。
3. 将“繁衍”分为evolved as…和multiplied into…两个词组译出。
4. 没有按其字面意思译成the micro-organic function of bacteria，而是根据其性质译为by converting dissolved compounds。
5. 未用通常的decline、fall、drop、decrease等，而是更准确的 impair，以说明其性质。
6. 一般译成fall ill、be ill等，但考虑到这里是因一方“入侵”导致失去平衡而出现的症状，故用了manifesting as “illness”。
7. 关于“正” 和 “邪” 的中医概念，这里用了多种词汇，如vital / evil，resistance /malignant factors 等，下面还有（healthy）/ unhealthy等。
8. 一般多用 blindly、do far more than just …、obstinately 等，如：“他终于意识到一味地追求虚荣是毫无意义的”（He finally realized that blindly pursuing vanity was meaningless）；“ 对于学生来讲，学习并不只是一味地上课”（In terms of learning, students do far more than attend classes）；“他只是一味地强调 GDP 而不顾环境保护”（He obstinately emphasizes GDP at the cost of environmental protection）。这里用了 indiscriminately, 语气稍重，但却是积极意义方面的，类似的，如“我们不能一味照搬别人的经验”（We should not copy indiscriminately the experience of others）等。
9. 一般表达为it is even more so、 it is especially true等，而这里用的句式是…is (are) as much…as it (they) is (are)…，强调的是前者。类似的，如：这是给我的、也更是给他们的荣誉。①This is as much an honor to them as (it is) to me. ②This is honoring them as much as it is (honoring) me.