Chapter 1: Men Are from Mars Women Are from Venus

第一章 男人从火星来  女人从金星来

请想像男人从火星来、女人从金星来的景象。久远以前的某一天，火星人从天文望远镜中发现了金星人，仅只一瞥，就觉知与金星人素未相识，

Imagine that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. One day long ago the Martians, looking through their telescopes, discovered the Venusians. Just glimpsing the Venusians awakened feelings they had never known.

 但他们互相仰慕，火星人受邀做了一趟太空之旅，飞向金星。

They fell in love and quickly invented space travel and flew to Venus.

 金星人展开双臂迎接火星人。他们会觉这天终将来到，心里充满了过去未曾有过的爱的感觉。

The Venusians welcomed the Martians with open arms. They had intuitively known that this day would come. Their hearts opened wide to a love they had never felt before.

金星人和火星人的爱情真不可思议，他们喜欢互相作伴、一起做事、一起分享。因为来自不同世界，他们显现了彼此的不同，不过他们花好几个月时间彼此学习、摸索，并感激双方各自有不同的需要、嗜好及行为模式。他们亲爱和谐地一起生活多年。

The love between the Venusians and Martians was magical. They delighted in being together, doing things together, and sharing together. Though from different worlds, they reveled in (took pleasure) their differences. They spent months learning about each other, exploring and appreciating their different needs, preferences, and behavior patterns. For years they lived together in love and harmony. 

接着，他们决定飞向地球。刚开始住地球时，每件事都美好可爱，可是有天早上，每个人一醒来都得了独特的健忘症....选择健忘。

Then they decided to fly to Earth. In the beginning everything was wonderful and beautiful. But the effects of Earth's atmosphere took hold, and one morning everyone woke up with a peculiar kind of amnesia­, selective amnesia!

火星人和金星人都忘了他们是从不同的星球来，本来就有差异，这天早上，他们过去互相学习的每一件不同的事情都从记忆里消失了，从这天开始，男人和女人便陷入了冲突。

Both the Martians and Venusians forgot that they were from different planets and were supposed to be different. In one morning everything they had learned about their differences was erased from their memory. And since that day men and women have been in conflict. 

记住彼此的差异

REMEMBERING OUR DIFFERENCES

 男人和女人因为没有警觉彼此应该有所不同，因此纷争不断。由于忘记彼此是不同的重要事实，我们常对异性生气或失望，我们期待异性和我们相像，希望他们“要的是我们所要的”及“以我们的方式去感受”。

Without the awareness that we are supposed to be different, men and women are at odds with each other. We usually become angry or frustrated with the opposite sex because we have forgotten this important truth. We expect the opposite sex to be more like ourselves. We desire them to "want what we want" and "feel the way we feel."

我们误以为如果配偶爱我们，他们必会以确定的方式反应和表达——如同当我们爱某些人时的反应与表达方式一般。这种想法使我们不断的感到失望，也阻碍我们花时间温柔地沟通彼此的不同。

We mistakenly assume that if our partners love us they will react and behave in certain ways ‑ the ways we react and behave when we love someone. This attitude sets us up to be disappointed again and again and it prevents us from taking the necessary time to communicate lovingly about our differences.

我们误以为知果配偶爱我们，他们必会以确定的方式来反应和表现——如同当我们爱某些人时的反应与表达方式一般。男人错误地期待女人要以男人的方式思考、沟通和反应；女人也错误地期待男人要以女人的方式去感觉、沟通和反应。我们都忘了男人和女人应该是不同的，结果我们的关系充满了不必要的摩擦与冲突。

Men mistakenly expect women to think, communicate, and react the way men do; women mistakenly expect men to feel, communicate, and respond the way women do. We have forgotten that men and women are supposed to be different. As a result, our relationships are filled with unnecessary friction (abrasion; discord) and conflict.

清楚认识和尊重这种差异，在与异性相处时，可大大地减少许多迷惑。你只要记得男人是从火星来、女人是从金星来的，每件事都可得到解释了。

Clearly recognizing and respecting these differences dramatically reduce confusion when dealing with the opposite sex. When you remember that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, everything can be explained.

概观男女的不同

AN OVERVIEW OF OUR DIFFERENCES

 我将会在整本书中大量讨论男女的不同，每一章都有重要的新观念。以下要探讨的是男女的主要不同处。

Throughout this book I will discuss in great detail our differences. Each chapter will bring you new and crucial insights. Here are the major differences that we will explore:

第二章将探讨男人和女人天生的价值观是如何的不同，并尝试了解我们与异性相处时常犯的两大错误：男人错误地提供解答和无价值的感觉；女人错误地提供没有吸引力的忠告和指示。藉由了解火星和金星的背景，就可以清楚明了为何男人和女人会不知不觉地犯下这个错误。只要记住彼此的不同，就能修正错误，马上以更多样化的方式回应对方。

In chapter 2, we will explore how men's and women's values are inherently different and try to understand the two biggest mistakes we make in relating to the opposite sex: men mistakenly offer solutions and invalidate feelings while women offer unsolicited advice and direction. Through understanding our Martian/Venusian background it becomes obvious why men and women unknowingly make these mistakes. By remembering these differences we can correct our mistakes and immediately respond to each other in more productive ways.

 第三章在于发觉男女处理压力的不同方式。火星人倾向解决问题和安静思考什么事使他们困扰，金星人本能地感到需要谈论让她们困扰的事。你会学到在解决冲突时所需的新策略。

In chapter 3, we'll discover the different ways men and women cope with stress. While Martians tend to pull away and silently think about what's bothering them, Venusians feel an instinctive need to talk about what's bothering them. You will learn new strategies for getting what you want at these conflicting times.

 我们将在第四章探讨如何鼓舞异性。男人在感觉自己被需要时容易受到激发；女人则在感觉受珍爱时才会被激发。我们将讨论促进两性关系的三步骤，并探讨如何克服挑战：男人需要克服他们的吝于付出爱；女人需要克服她们的吝于接受爱。

We will explore how to motivate the opposite sex in chapter 4. Men are motivated when they feel needed while women are motivated when they feel cherished. We will discuss the three steps for improving relationships and explore how to overcome our greatest challenges: men need to overcome their resistance to giving love while women must overcome their resistance to receiving it.

 第五章你将学习到，男女因使用不同语言而老是误解对方。“金星／火星措词辞典”能够翻译一般的误解用辞。你将学到男人和女人如何为了完全不同的理由说话及停止说话。女人将学到当男人停止说话时该怎么办？男人将学到为了不致失望，该如何成为更好的倾听者。

In chapter 5, you'll learn how men and women commonly misunderstand each other because they speak different languages. A Martian/Venusian Phrase Dictionary is provided to translate commonly misunderstood expressions. You will learn how men and women speak and even stop speaking for entirely different reasons. Women will learn what to do when a man stops talking, and men will learn how to listen better without becoming frustrated.

 第六章你会发现男人和女人对亲热有何不同要求。男人亲密后必然需要抽离，女人会学到如何支持这个抽离的过程，以便使他像橡皮筋一样弹跳回来。女人也会学到与男人亲密谈话的最好时机。

In chapter 6, you will discover how men and women have different needs for intimacy. A man gets close but then inevitably needs to pull away. Women will learn how to support this pulling‑away process so he will spring back to her like a rubber band. Women also will learn the best times for having intimate conversations with a man.

 第七章探讨女人的爱情态度是如何的有周期性起伏，男人将学习如何正确判断女人偶尔的情感变化，及认识女人何时最需要关心，如何在女人情感起伏时有技巧地、不放弃地支持她们。

We will explore, in chapter 7, how a woman's loving attitudes rise and fall rhythmically in a wave motion. Men will learn how correctly to interpret these sometimes sudden shifts of feeling. Men also will learn to recognize when they are needed the most and how to be skillfully supportive at those times without having to make sacrifices.

 第八章你会发现男人和女人如何给与他们自己需要的爱，而不是异性需要的爱。男人基本上需要信任、接受、感激的爱，女人基本上需要体贴、了解、尊重的爱。你会发现六种你常不知不觉间用来躲避配偶的方法。

In chapter 8, you'll discover how men and women give the kind of love they need and not what the opposite sex needs. Men primarily need a kind of love that is trusting, accepting, and appreciative. Women primarily need a kind of love that is caring, understanding, and respectful. You will discover the six most common ways you may unknowingly be turning off your partner.

 第九章将探讨如何避免痛苦的争论。男人会学到若他们老以为自己的做法是对的，会使女人的感觉变得毫无价值；女人会学到她们如何不知不觉地传送失望的讯息来代替她的不同意思，因而引发男人的防卫。我们将解析争论并提供建立支持沟通的许多实用建议。

In chapter 9, we will explore how to avoid painful arguments. Men will learn that by acting as if they are always right they may invalidate a woman's feelings. Women will learn how they unknowingly send messages of disapproval instead of disagreement, thus igniting a man's defenses. The anatomy 解剖学,剖析 of an argument will be explored along with many practical suggestions for establishing supportive communication.

 第十章列出男人和女人不同的计分法。男人将学知：对金星人而言，每件代表爱情的礼物不管金额大小，都和其他礼物得到同样的分数。女人注重爱情的小小表现，而非昂贵的礼物。此章列出了女人计分的一百零一种方式。但女人必须学习将她们的精力放在给与男人想要的东西上，以搏得男人的高分评价。

Chapter 10 will show how men and women keep score (keep a record of past events or actions) differently. Men will learn that for Venusians every gift of love scores equally with every other gift, regardless of size. Instead of focusing on one big gift men are reminded that the little expressions of love are just as important; 101 ways to score points with women are listed. Women, however, will learn to redirect their energies into ways that score big with men by giving men what they want.

 第十一章你将学习在困难时刻如何彼此沟通。我们会讨论男人与女人隐藏感觉的不同方式及分享感觉的重要。并推荐向另一半书写表达消极感觉的情书技巧，做为发现更美好的爱情与谅解的方法。

In chapter 11, you'll learn ways to communicate with each other during difficult times. The different ways men and women hide feelings are discussed along with the importance of sharing feelings. The Love Letter Technique is recommended for expressing negative feelings to your partner, as a way of finding greater love and forgiveness.

 第十二章你会发现金星人为何难以开口请求支持，以及火星人为何抗拒请求。你会学到男人以什么来取代说“你可不可以……”，以及学习鼓励男人说出更多的秘密，你也会发现多种简短、直接的力量及如何使用正确的字眼。

You will understand why Venusians have a more difficult time asking for support in chapter 12, as well as why Martians commonly resist requests. You will learn how the phrases "could you" and "can you" turn off men and what to say instead. You will learn the secrets for encouraging a man to give more and discover in various ways the power of being brief, direct, and using the correct wording.

 你会在第十三章发现爱情的四季变化。这个爱情变化与成长的实际观察，将帮助你克服浮现在任何关系中不可避免的障碍。你会学到你或配偶的过去足以影响你们目前的关系，你也会发现保持爱情活力的重要洞察力。

In chapter 13 you'll discover the four seasons of love. This realistic perspective of how love changes and grows will assist you in overcoming the inevitable obstacles that emerge in any relationship. You will learn how your past or your partner's past can affect your relationship in the present and discover other important insights for keeping the magic of love alive.

 在本书的每一章中，你都可以发现增进爱情与维持关系的新秘诀。每个新发现都可增加你创造满意关系的能力。

In each chapter of Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus you will discover new secrets for creating loving and lasting relationships. Each new discovery will increase your ability to have fulfilling (gratify, satisfy) relationships.

 爱情需要用心

GOOD INTENTIONS ARE NOT ENOUGH

 恋爱总是奇异的，它让人感到永恒，好像爱情至死不渝。我们天真地相信自己可以避免父母亲曾有的问题，不会遇上爱情死亡的机会，确信爱情就是两人在一起，注定永远快乐的共同生活。

Falling in love is always magical. It feels eternal, as if love will last forever. We naively believe that somehow we are exempt from the problems our parents had, free from the odds that love will die, assured that it is meant to be and that we are destined to live happily ever after.

 但当日子一天天过去，奇异的感觉减少，男人期待女人以男人的方式思想和行动，女人期待男人以女人的方式感觉和表现的态度就原形毕露了。若没有清楚了解我们的不同，我们就不会花时间彼此了解和尊重，反而会变得不断要求、忿恨、冲动、主观和固执己见。

But as the magic recedes and daily life takes over, it emerges that men continue to expect women to think and react like men, and women expect men to feel and behave like women. Without a clear awareness of our differences, we do not take the time to understand and respect each other. We become demanding, resentful, judgmental, and intolerant.

 爱情在强烈的爱的意图下继续死亡。问题莫名其妙地爬升，忿恨形成，沟通破裂，不信任增加，导致两人间互相拒绝与压抑——爱情的魔力消失了。

　　我们自问：

　　爱情的死亡是怎么发生的？

　　为何爱情的死亡会发生？

    为什么让我遇上爱情的死亡？

With the best and most loving intentions love continues to die. Somehow the problems creep in. The resentments build. Communication breaks down. Mistrust increases. Rejection and repression result. The magic of love is lost.

We ask ourselves:

How does it happen?

Why does it happen?

Why does it happen to us?

 为了回答这些问题，我们伟大的心灵必须探究聪慧、复杂的哲学与、心理学模式。但爱情死亡只不过是旧曲重唱，几乎每个人都会碰上。

To answer these questions our greatest minds have developed brilliant and complex philosophical and psychological models. Yet still the old patterns return. Love dies. It happens to almost everyone.

 每一天，有成千上万的人在寻找配偶共同经历特别的爱情感觉；每一年，成千上万的夫妻以爱结合，然后因失去爱情感觉而痛苦分离。那些能够维持爱情热度到结婚的，只有百分之五十会结婚，另外百分之五十虽仍维持在一起，但可能他们都不满意，基于忠贞与义务地在一起，或者害怕重新开展新恋情。

Each day millions of individuals are searching for a partner to experience that special loving feeling. Each year, millions of couples join together in love and then painfully separate because they have lost that loving feeling. From those who are able to sustain love long enough to get married, only 50 percent stay married. Out of those who stay together, possibly another 50 percent are not fulfilled. They stay together out of loyalty and obligation or from the fear of starting over.

 很少人能够真正随着爱情成长，但不容否认，确实有人能够做到。只有当男人和女人能够尊重和接受彼此的不同，爱情才有机会繁盛。

Very few people, indeed, are able to grow in love. Yet, it does happen. When men and women are able to respect and accept their differences then love has a chance to blossom.

 经由了解两性之间潜藏的不同，我们可以更成功地给与及接受暗藏于心中的爱情。认知和接受男女的不同可以创造解决问题的答案，而使我们能心想事成。更重要的是，可知悉如何彼此亲爱与如何支持我们在乎的人。

By validating and accepting our differences, creative solutions can be discovered whereby we can succeed in getting what we want. And, more important, we can learn how to best love and support the people we care about.Through understanding the hidden differences of the opposite sex we can more successfully give and receive the love that is in our hearts.

 爱情是奇妙的，如果我们记住彼此的不同，爱情是可以长久的。

Love is magical, and it can last, if we remember our differences.

 

--- To be continued