漫漫自由路

By+Nelson+Mandela

I was not born with a hunger to be free. I was born free—free in every way that I could know. Free to run in the fields near my mother's hut， free to swim in the clear stream that ran through my village， free to roast mealies1） under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-moving bulls. As long as I obeyed my father and abided by2） the customs of my tribe， I was not troubled by the laws of man or God.

It was only when I began to learn that my boyhood freedom was an illusion， when I discovered as a young man that my freedom had already been taken from me， that I began to hunger for it. At first， as a student， I wanted freedom only for myself， the transitory3） freedoms of being able to stay out at night， read what I pleased， and go where I chose. Later， as a young man in Johannesburg， I yearned for the basic and honorable freedoms of achieving my potential， of earning my keep， of marrying and having a family—the freedom not to be obstructed4） in a lawful life.

But then I slowly saw that not only was I not free， but my brothers and sisters were not free. I saw that it was not just my freedom that was curtailed5）， but the freedom of everyone who looked like I did. That is when I joined the African National Congress， and that is when the hunger for my own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of my people. It was this desire for the freedom of my people to live their lives with dignity and self-respect that animated my life， that transformed a frightened young man into a bold one， that drove a law-abiding attorney6） to become a criminal， that turned a family-loving husband into a man without a home， that forced a life-loving man to live like a monk. I am no more virtuous or self-sacrificing than the next man， but I found that I could not even enjoy the poor and limited freedoms I was allowed when I knew my people were not free. Freedom is indivisible； the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them， the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.

It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of my own people became a hunger for the freedom of all people， white and black. I knew as well as I knew anything that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred， he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom， just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.

When I walked out of prison， that was my mission， to liberate the oppressed and the oppressor both. Some say that has now been achieved. But I know that that is not the case. The truth is that we are not yet free； we have merely achieved the freedom to be free， the right not to be oppressed. We have not taken the final step of our journey， but the first step on a longer and even more difficult road. For to be free is not merely to cast off one's chains， but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. The true test of our devotion to freedom is just beginning.

I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter7）； I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill， one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest， to steal a view of the glorious vista8） that surrounds me， to look back on the distance I have come. But I can rest only for a moment， for with freedom comes responsibilities， and I dare not linger， for my long walk is not yet ended.

我不是一生下来就渴求自由。我生下来就是自由的，可以自由地去做所有我能想到的事：自由地在母亲住的那个茅屋附近的原野上奔跑，自由地在流经我们村庄的那条清澈小溪里游泳，自由地在星空下烤玉米棒，自由地骑在宽阔的牛背上慢悠悠地前行。只要我听父亲的话，遵守部落的习俗，任何人或神的律条都不会为难我。

直到我开始认识到自己儿童时代的自由只不过是种假象，认识到成为年轻人的我其实早就被剥夺了自由时，我才开始渴求自由。起初，当我还是一名学生时，我只是渴求个人的、短暂的自由：可以晚上待在外面，可以读想读的书，可以去想去的地方。后来在约翰内斯堡，成为年轻人的我开始渴求一些基本的、崇高的自由：可以施展抱负，可以自食其力，可以结婚成家——享受这些在遵纪守法的生活中不受束缚的自由。

但是，后来我慢慢发现，不仅我没有自由，我的兄弟姐妹也没有自由。我发现，不只是我的自由受到限制，所有与我外表相似的人的自由也受到了限制。正是在这个时候，我加入了非洲人国民大会；也正是在这个时候，我对个人自由的渴求变成了更大的对同胞自由的渴求。我渴求我的同胞能够体面地、有自尊地活着，正是这种渴求让我的人生充满活力，让一个担惊受怕的年轻人变得勇敢无畏，让一个遵纪守法的律师变成罪犯，让一个热爱家庭的丈夫落得无家可归，让一个热爱生活的人活得像个僧人。我并不比别人高尚或乐于自我牺牲，但当我知道我的同胞没有自由时，我发现我甚至都无法安享我能享有的那点可怜的、有限的自由。因为自由是不可分割的，我的任何一位同胞受到束缚就等于是所有同胞受到束缚，所有同胞受到束缚就等于是我受到束缚。

正是在那些漫长而孤独的牢狱岁月里，我对同胞自由的渴求转变为对所有人（白人和黑人）自由的渴求。因为我深知，压迫者也必须像被压迫者一样得到同样的解放。夺走他人自由的人是仇恨的囚徒，被囚禁在偏见和狭隘的牢笼里。假如我剥夺了别人的自由，那我就不能算是真正自由的，正如当我的自由被剥夺，我便必定不自由一样。被压迫者和压迫者是极为相似的，因为他们都被剥夺了人性。

出狱后，解放被压迫者和压迫者成了我的使命。有些人说，这个使命现在已经完成了。但我知道，事实并非如此。事实是，我们还没有获得自由；我们只是获得了争取自由的自由，获得了不受压迫的权利。我们还没有走完奋斗旅程的最后一步，而只是在更漫长甚至更艰难的旅程中迈出了第一步。因为，要获得自由并不仅仅是摆脱个人的束缚，更是要在活着的时候能够尊重和增进他人的自由。我们致力于自由的努力所受到的真正考验才刚刚开始。

我已经走过了漫漫的自由之路。我一直努力做到不畏缩。一路走来，我也曾数次失足。但我发现一个秘密：爬上一座大山后，你只会发现前面还有更多的山要爬。我已经在此处休息了片刻，悄悄看了看周围的壮美景色，回首望了望已经走过的路。但我只能稍息片刻，因为伴随自由而来的是责任；我不敢就此停留，因为我的漫漫自由路还没有走完。

曼德拉的牢狱生活

在暗无天日的牢狱中度过27年，受着白人狱警的歧视和欺侮，几乎无法与亲人通信，与妻女也仅见过寥寥数面，若换了寻常人，恐怕早已崩溃。但曼德拉并非常人，他深知何为生活，懂得从生活琐事中得到满足。他在自传《漫漫自由路》中写道：“To survive in prison， one must develop ways to take satisfaction in one's daily life. One can feel fulfilled by washing one's clothes so that they are particularly clean， by sweeping a hallway so that it is empty of dust， by organizing one's cell to conserve as much space as possible. The same pride one takes in more consequential （重要的） tasks outside of prison one can find in doing small things inside prison.”他甚至还在监狱里开辟了一方菜园，用自己辛勤的汗水浇灌出丰收的果实。他懂得劳动的意义、学习的意义和锻炼的意义，所以一直拥有勤劳的品格、不凡的远见和健康的身体。即使在监狱中，他也从未放弃过斗争，不仅为狱中同胞争取权利，还与狱外的组织保持联系。他的行为甚至感动了几位狱警，获得了他们的帮助。这27年的生活并未消磨他的斗志，反而让他的思想得到升华，使之站在更高的高度，从一位民族英雄蜕变为一个时代的伟人。

1. mealie [?mi?li] n. <南非> [～s]玉米

2. abide by： 遵守（法律、决定等）；信守（诺言等）

3. transitory [?tr?ns?tri] adj. 短暂的，片刻的，昙花一现的

4. obstruct [?b?str?kt] vt. 阻碍，阻止

5. curtail [k???te?l] vt. 减少，削减；<古>剥夺

6. attorney [??t??ni] n. <美>律师

7. falter [?f??lt?（r）] vi. 动摇，犹豫；畏缩

8. vista [?v?st?] n. 远景

译 / 赵青奇