第四篇一个人的器官感到欢乐或痛苦的时候，精神便专注在这器官上，而其他的器官似乎就完全丧失功用了；这情形可以说明“人身一种精神活跃之外尚有其他精神”是错误的。所以当一个人专心致志听或看的时候，他对于时间流过是知觉的；因为一种器官工作时，便与精神相关系，其他器官未工作时便与精神无关。我知道这种道理是根据经验。听着曼夫烈德说话，不觉太阳已高升了五十度、令人吃惊不小。我们又到了一处。即时灵魂们同声叫道：“这里是你们要找的路！”
田野中的人，当葡萄成熟的时候，把路口用荆棘塞起来，但会留着一条比这里宽一些的小径。我和我的引导人，与那些灵魂分离以后，便孤零地踏上了那山路。有人攀高过圣雷奥，有人下降过诺里，也有人到过毕兹曼托哇的山顶，仅靠着一双腿；而在这里需要一双敏捷的翼，我所说的翼是坚强的意志，能跟随着这位支持我的希望，做我火把的引导人。
我们沿石缝的小径里上升，两旁绝壁似乎想压碎我们一般，我们不得不手足并用地爬着。当我们来到一块悬崖的边界时候。我说：“老师，我们应采取哪条路呢？”他却说：“你的步骤不可乱，跟着我向上爬，只有向上，一直到能遇见可以引导我们的队伍。”那山高到望不见顶，山腹的坡度超过自象限中点至圆心的直线。我疲劳惫不堪，叫道：“我亲爱的父亲！请你回头看看我，你假使不停下来。我就一人留在这里了！”“好孩子！无论如何我们必须爬到那里！”我的引导人一面问答我，一面手指着上头的岩石，那里有一片平地绕着山腹。他的话刺激着我，使我又生出了勇气，匍匐地跟在他的后面，直到我的脚踏上那圈环山的平地。
我们坐在那里，转身向着东方，看着我们攀登而来的那条小径：因为一个旅客是很喜欢在休息的时候去回顾他的来路的。我俯首看着脚下的岩石，然后抬头又看着太阳，让我惊奇的是那日光射在我的左胛上。诗人好像已经觉得我对着那“发光的车子”出神，因为他居然会行到了我们的北方。于是他对我说：“假使卡斯托耳和波吕丢刻斯都陪伴着这能上下放光的镜子，那么你将看到明亮的黄道更接近大熊星座，除非他走出他的古道，而为什么如此，假你要明白，你想象锡安和此山都在地表上，他们两都有同样的地平线，但处在不同的半球，那末你将看见法厄同赶车子所走错的路，在这里说他是来，在那里却要说他是去。你的智力是否能了解我的说呢？”
我说：“我的老师，这事情超过我的智力，但由于你的阐释，这就变得不能更明显的了。根据你的说明，我想到一种科学书上所称的赤道：这是天上固定的圈子，处在夏和冬之间，从这里向北望那圈子，就和希伯来人向热地所看到的一样。但是，假如你喜欢，请告诉我，我们所要爬的这座山，到底有多高？”而却他对我说：”这座山的性质是如此：起初，在下面是艰难的；愈上升，就愈没有痛苦；最后，就和坐着顺流而下的小舟一样，使人觉得愉快。那时你便到达这条路的尽头了。到那里，你的疲劳就可以得着休息，这就是我所知道的。”
话音刚落，旁边有人说道：“在到达终点前，也许你不会讨厌坐一会罢！”我们听见这句话，转身觅着那话音原来在我们的左方有一块大石，而刚才我和他都没有在意。当我们走近那里，看见一群灵魂，他们都在大石的影里，且都是一副懒洋洋的态度。其中有一个似乎非常地疲劳，抱膝而坐，倾头看着在地上。我说：“呵！老师，请看这位顶懒散的就是他的亲姊！”此时这个灵魂转向我们，略微移动他的头看了我们一下，说道：“好，上去，你很结实！”我已经认出他是谁，虽然我因为爬山气喘还没有完全停止，但这并不妨碍我马上走近他。他略微抬一抬头，说：“你已经十分明白太阳神赶车子在左边走的道理么？”我见了他一到懒态，听着他简短的话，不觉自己嘴唇上现出微笑，于是我说：“贝拉夸！现在对于你我是放心了。告诉我，为什么你坐在这里？你在等谁？是否你又犯了懒惰的老毛病？”
他回说：“老哥！急急乎上去有什么用？在山门前的神鸟还不许我进去受惩戒呢！我在生前看见太阳旋转几回，便应该在山门外再看几回，因为我生前疏忽，直至临终才知道忏悔。除非早些有人能帮助我，尽心替我祈祷，才能感动上帝。庶几能缩短我在山门外等待的岁月，而祈祷若不能感天，祈祷有什么用？”
那时我们的诗人已经向上走了，他说：“快来罢！太阳已在子午线上了，夜的脚已踏入摩洛哥了。”
That any of our faculties hath seiz'd,
Entire the soul collects herself, it seems
She is intent upon that power alone,
And thus the error is disprov'd which holds
The soul not singly lighted in the breast.
And therefore when as aught is heard or seen,
That firmly keeps the soul toward it turn'd,
Time passes, and a man perceives it not.
For that, whereby he hearken, is one power,
Another that, which the whole spirit hash;
This is as it were bound, while that is free.
This found I true by proof, hearing that spirit
And wond'ring; for full fifty steps aloft
The sun had measur'd unobserv'd of me,
When we arriv'd where all with one accord
The spirits shouted, "Here is what ye ask."
A larger aperture ofttimes is stopp'd
With forked stake of thorn by villager,
When the ripe grape imbrowns, than was the path,
By which my guide, and I behind him close,
Ascended solitary, when that troop
Departing left us. On Sanleo's road
Who journeys, or to Noli low descends,
Or mounts Bismantua's height, must use his feet;
But here a man had need to fly, I mean
With the swift wing and plumes of high desire,
Conducted by his aid, who gave me hope,
And with light furnish'd to direct my way.
We through the broken rock ascended, close
Pent on each side, while underneath the ground
Ask'd help of hands and feet. When we arriv'd
Near on the highest ridge of the steep bank,
Where the plain level open'd I exclaim'd,
"O master! say which way can we proceed?"
He answer'd, "Let no step of thine recede.
Behind me gain the mountain, till to us
Some practis'd guide appear." That eminence
Was lofty that no eye might reach its point,
And the side proudly rising, more than line
From the mid quadrant to the centre drawn.
I wearied thus began: "Parent belov'd!
Turn, and behold how I remain alone,
If thou stay not."—"My son!" He straight reply'd,
"Thus far put forth thy strength;" and to a track
Pointed, that, on this side projecting, round
Circles the hill. His words so spurr'd me on,
That I behind him clamb'ring, forc'd myself,
Till my feet press'd the circuit plain beneath.
There both together seated, turn'd we round
To eastward, whence was our ascent: and oft
Many beside have with delight look'd back.
First on the nether shores I turn'd my eyes,
Then rais'd them to the sun, and wond'ring mark'd
That from the left it smote us. Soon perceiv'd
That Poet sage now at the car of light
Amaz'd I stood, where 'twixt us and the north
Its course it enter'd. Whence he thus to me:
"Were Leda's offspring now in company
Of that broad mirror, that high up and low
Imparts his light beneath, thou might'st behold
The ruddy zodiac nearer to the bears
Wheel, if its ancient course it not forsook.
How that may be if thou would'st think; within
Pond'ring, imagine Sion with this mount
Plac'd on the earth, so that to both be one
Horizon, and two hemispheres apart,
Where lies the path that Phaeton ill knew
To guide his erring chariot: thou wilt see
How of necessity by this on one
He passes, while by that on the' other side,
If with clear view shine intellect attend."
"Of truth, kind teacher!" I exclaim'd, "so clear
Aught saw I never, as I now discern
Where seem'd my ken to fail, that the mid orb
Of the supernal motion (which in terms
Of art is called the Equator, and remains
Ever between the sun and winter) for the cause
Thou hast assign'd, from hence toward the north
Departs, when those who in the Hebrew land
Inhabit, see it tow'rds the warmer part.
But if it please thee, I would gladly know,
How far we have to journey: for the hill
Mounts higher, than this sight of mine can mount."
He thus to me: "Such is this steep ascent,
That it is ever difficult at first,
But, more a man proceeds, less evil grows.
When pleasant it shall seem to thee, so much
That upward going shall be easy to thee.
As in a vessel to go down the tide,
Then of this path thou wilt have reach'd the end.
There hope to rest thee from thy toil. No more
I answer, and thus far for certain know."
As he his words had spoken, near to us
A voice there sounded: "Yet ye first perchance
May to repose you by constraint be led."
At sound thereof each turn'd, and on the left
A huge stone we beheld, of which nor I
Nor he before was ware. Thither we drew,
find there were some, who in the shady place
Behind the rock were standing, as a man
Thru' idleness might stand. Among them one,
Who seem'd to me much wearied, sat him down,
And with his arms did fold his knees about,
Holding his face between them downward bent.
"Sweet Sir!" I cry'd, "behold that man, who shows
Himself more idle, than if laziness
Were sister to him." Straight he turn'd to us,
And, o'er the thigh lifting his face, observ'd,
Then in these accents spake: "Up then, proceed
Thou valiant one." Straight who it was I knew;
Nor could the pain I felt (for want of breath
Still somewhat urg'd me) hinder my approach.
And when I came to him, he scarce his head
Uplifted, saying "Well hast thou discern'd,
How from the left the sun his chariot leads."
His lazy acts and broken words my lips
To laughter somewhat mov'd; when I began:
"Belacqua, now for thee I grieve no more.
But tell, why thou art seated upright there?
Waitest thou escort to conduct thee hence?
Or blame I only shine accustom'd ways?"
Then he: "My brother, of what use to mount,
When to my suffering would not let me pass
The bird of God, who at the portal sits?
Behooves so long that heav'n first bear me round
Without its limits, as in life it bore,
Because I to the end repentant Sighs
Delay'd, if prayer do not aid me first,
That riseth up from heart which lives in grace.
What other kind avails, not heard in heaven?"'
Before me now the Poet up the mount
Ascending, cried: "Haste thee, for see the sun
Has touch'd the point meridian, and the night
Now covers with her foot Marocco's shore."