中英雙語閱讀：若成為負擔我會考慮安樂死

　　Prof Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, has argued that keeping someone alive against their own wishes is the “ultimate indignity”.In an interview with Dara O’Briain, for a new BBC programme, the world-renowned scientist disclosed he suffered bouts of loneliness, because people can be afraid to talk to him or let him answer.

　　In 2013, he offered his public support to the discussion of assisted dying, saying: “We don't let animals suffer, so why humans?"

　　霍金患有運動神經元疾病，他主張，違背他人意愿強留其生命是對人“莫大的侮辱”。在接受BBC一檔節目的訪談時，霍金這一舉世聞名的科學家向主持人達拉·奧布萊恩透露道，他頻遭寂寞孤單之苦，因為人們害怕他和談話，害怕他的回答。

　　2013年的時候，霍金公開支持討論安樂死，他說，“我們不忍心看動物受苦，所以更何況人呢?”

　　Professor Stephen Hawking tells Dara O'Briain he would consider assisted dying only if he were in great pain or had nothing left to contribute to the world and was merely a burden.

　　But, he added: "I am damned if I'm going to die before I have unravelled more of the universe.”

　　斯蒂芬·霍金教授告訴達拉·奧布萊恩說，僅當他深陷痛苦、對世界無所貢獻又徒增負擔時，才會考慮安樂死。

　　但是霍金補充道，“我要是還沒來得急解開宇宙的謎團就死去，就忒不應該了。”

　　He is not in pain, he said, but suffers occasional discomfort because he cannot adjust his own position.O’Briain, a comedian and broadcaster who has a degree in theoretical physics, praised Prof Hawking for his “impressively honest answers, even to the most direct questions”.

　　He also asked the 73-year-old physicist, who communicates through his famous speechsynthesiser, whether he ever finds life lonely.

　　他其實并不痛苦，霍金說道，但偶爾不適，因為他沒法調整姿勢。主持人達拉·奧布萊恩既是喜劇演員又是播音員，持理論物理學文憑，大贊霍金教授“坦誠面對單刀直入的問題，令人印象至深”。

　　奧布萊恩還問了霍金，這位73歲的物理學家可曾覺得人生孤單。眾所周知，霍金需要通過語音合成器才能與人交流。

　　“At times I get very lonely because people are afraid to talk to me or don't wait for me to write a response,” said Prof Hawking, who is currently trialling even more sophisticated communication technology.“I'm shy and tired at times. I find it difficult to talk to people I don't know."

　　When asked about what he misses about being able-bodied, he added: "I like to be able to swim again. When my children were young, I missed not being able to play with them physically."

　　霍金答道，“有時候我覺得孤單，是因為人們害怕和我交流，有時甚至不等我寫下回復”。霍金目前正在嘗試更復雜精密的通信技術，“我有時候膽怯、感到很累，我覺得和不認識的人交流很難”。

　　問及可曾懷念昔日健康的體魄，霍金補充說，“我希望可以重回泳池。我孩子還小的時候，我都沒能和他們一起玩兒。”