瓦爾登湖翻譯六十八

The farmer is endeavoring to solve the problem of a livelihood by a formula more complicated than the problem itself.To get his shoestrings he speculates in herds of cattle.With consummate skill he has set his trap with a hair spring to catch comfort and independence, and then, as he turned away, got his own leg into it.This is the reason he is poor; and for a similar reason we are all poor in respect to a thousand savage comforts, though surrounded by luxuries.As Chapman sings,

“The false society of men—

—for earthly greatness

All heavenly comforts rarefies to air.”

農民按固有的方式竭力解決生存問題，這方式卻比問題本身更令人費解。他把那點微薄的收入寄希望於群牛身上，運用純熟的技能，用一根細若髮絲的套索為自己設下陷阱，去捕捉舒適和獨立自主的生活，不料，只略略的一轉身，自己的一條腿卻陷入其中。這便是他貧窮的原故；且基於相似的原因，儘管我們周圍充斥著奢華，與原始人的上千種舒適相比，我們都窮得很。正如喬治·查普曼的詩文所言，

“這虛假的人類社會——

為了追尋塵世的偉大，

天堂裡的愜懷如空氣般縹緲。”