Apology
I am wiser than this man: neither of us probably knows anything that is really good, but he thinks that he has knowledge, when he has it not, while I, seeing that I have no knowledge, do not think that I have.
我比这个人更聪明：我们两人大概谁都不知道什么真正美好的东西，但他以为自己知道（其实不知道），而我既然知道自己不知道，也就不认为自己知道。
So I soon found that it is not by wisdom that the poets create their works, but by a certain natural power, and by inspiration, like soothsayers and prophets: for though such persons say many fine things, they know nothing of what they say.
于是我很快发现，诗人们创作并非凭智慧，而是凭某种天赋和灵感，就像占卜者和先知那样：因为尽管这些人说出了许多美妙的话，但对自己所说的话却一无所知。
Each of them claimed to have great wisdom in the highest matters because he was skilful in his own art; and this fault of theirs threw their real wisdom into the shade
他们每一个人都因为精通自己的手艺，就声称自己在最高明的大事上也有伟大的智慧；而这种缺陷掩盖了他们真正的聪明才智。
But in truth, my friends, perhaps it is God who is wise: and by this oracle he may have meant that man’s wisdom is worth little or nothing.
但朋友们，事实上也许只有神才是智慧的：通过这个神谕，他也许是想说人的智慧微不足道，甚至等于零。
He among you is wisest, who, like Socrates, is convinced that for wisdom he is verily worthless.
你们中间最聪明的人，是像苏格拉底那样，深信自己在智慧方面其实一文不值的人。
Athenians, I hold you in the highest regard and love; but I will obey the God rather than you: and as long as I have breath and power I will not cease from philosophy
雅典人啊，我敬爱你们；但我宁愿顺从神而不顺从你们：只要我还有一口气，还有一点力量，我就绝不会停止哲学实践。
For I spend my whole life in going about persuading you all, both young and old, to give your first and chiefest care to the perfection of your souls: and not till you have done that to care for your bodies or your wealth
因为我终生到处游说你们，无论老少，劝你们首先且最应关心的不是身体或财富，而是灵魂的完美。
The God has sent me to attack the city, just as if it were a great and noble horse, which was rather sluggish from its size and needed a gadfly to rouse it.
神派我到这座城市来，就好比这城市是一匹高大魁梧的骏马，却因身体庞大而行动迟缓，需要一只牛虻去叮醒它。
And if I tell you that no greater good can happen to a man than to discuss human excellence every day... and that an unexamined life is not worth living, then you will believe me still less
如果我告诉你们，对于一个人来说，最大的好事莫过于每天讨论人类的美德……如果我说“未经审视的生活是不值得过的”，那你们就更不会相信我了。
I would very much rather defend myself as I did, and die, than as you would have had me do, and live.
我宁愿以我那种方式辩护而死，也不愿以你们所希望的那种方式求生。