卷一·第四章　论诸星之力

The active power of the sun's essential nature is found to be heating and, to a certain degree, drying. This is made more easily perceptible in the case of the sun than any other heavenly body by its size and by the obviousness of its seasonal changes, for the closer it approaches to the zenith the more it affects us in this way. Most of the moon's power consists of humidifying, clearly because it is close to the earth and because of the moist exhalations therefrom. Its action therefore is precisely this, to soften and cause putrefaction in bodies for the most part, but it shares moderately also in heating power because of the light which it receives from the sun.

太阳本性的作用力，可见在于生热，并在一定程度上致燥。在太阳身上，这比在其他任何天体身上都更容易察觉，因为它体积巨大，季节的变化又十分明显：它越接近天顶，对我们的这种作用就越强。月亮之力大半在于致湿，这显然是因为它离大地近，又有从大地升起的湿润蒸气。所以它的作用恰恰是这样：多半使物体软化、腐败；但由于它从太阳得到光，也适度地带有生热之力。

It is Saturn's quality chiefly to cool and, moderately, to dry, probably because he is furthest removed both from the sun's heat and the moist exhalations about the earth. Both in Saturn's case and in that of the other planets there are powers, too, which arise through the observation of their aspects to the sun and moon, for some of them appear to modify conditions in the ambient in one way, some in another, by increase or by decrease.

土星的性质主要是致冷，并适度地致燥，这大概是因为它离太阳的热和大地周围的湿润蒸气都最远。无论土星还是其他行星，也都有一些力是通过观察它们对太阳和月亮的相位而得知的，因为它们有的似乎以这种方式、有的以那种方式改变周天的状况，或加强，或减弱。

The nature of Mars is chiefly to dry and to burn, in conformity with his fiery colour and by reason of his nearness to the sun, for the sun's sphere lies just below him.

火星的本性主要是致燥与灼烧，这与它火一般的颜色相符，也是因为它离太阳近，太阳的天球就紧挨在它下面。

Jupiter has a temperate active force because his movement takes place between the cooling influence of Saturn and the burning power of Mars. He both heats and humidifies; and because his heating power is the greater by reason of the underlying spheres, he produces fertilizing winds.

木星的作用力温和，因为它运行于土星的致冷之力与火星的灼烧之力之间。它既生热，又致湿；又因为下方诸天球的缘故，它的生热之力较大，所以能生出使万物丰饶的风。

Venus has the same powers and tempered nature as Jupiter, but acts in the opposite way; for she warms moderately because of her nearness to the sun, but chiefly humidifies, like the moon, because of the amount of her own light and because she appropriates the exhalations from the moist atmosphere surrounding the earth.

金星与木星有同样的力与调和之性，但作用的方式相反：它因为靠近太阳而适度生暖，但主要是致湿，与月亮相同，这是因为它自身的光很多，又摄取了大地周围湿润大气中升起的蒸气。

Mercury in general is found at certain times alike to be drying and absorptive of moisture, because he never is far removed in longitude from the heat of the sun; and again humidifying, because he is next above the sphere of the moon, which is closest to the earth; and to change quickly from one to the other, inspired as it were by the speed of his motion in the neighbourhood of the sun itself.

大体说来，水星可见有时同样会致燥、吸干水分，因为它在黄经上从不远离太阳的热；有时又会致湿，因为它的天球紧挨在最接近大地的月亮天球之上；而且它在两者之间变换得很快，仿佛是被它在太阳近旁运行的速度所激发。