中文版本：

亲爱的提奥：

很高兴你已经读过米什莱的书了，而且你对此有很好的体会。这样的一本书告诉我们，爱和爱情中所蕴含的东西比我们通常想象的要多得多。对于我，这本书[1]既是福音又是启示。

“女人不会老的。”这并不是说没有老女人，而是说只要女人还在爱与被爱，她就不会老。如同《秋天的渴望》中的一章，多么的意味深长啊……女人是与男人完全不同的生物，是我们一直到现在还不理解的生物，至少可以说，只是肤浅的理解，就像你说的一样，没错。男人和女人能够合二为一，也就是说，他们形成一个整体而不是两个一半，我也相信如此。

安娜[2]很坚强，我们坚持着绝妙的散步。如果一个人有很独到的眼光，而且没有大多的挑剔，就会发现这里是那样的美丽。如果一个认真的有那样的眼光，那么这里随处都是美丽的。

父亲似乎不太好，尽管他很母亲都说他很好。昨天我们收到一封满是各种各样计划的信件（我们哪项也不会试行的），那些计划最终将被证明是不可行的并且是相当没用的，在末尾父母再一次说他会把那些都留给我们，等等等等。相当琐碎和让人不能接受，而且提奥，这还提醒我想起了许多祖父的信，但是你能做些什么呢？婶婶们现在呆在这里而且毫无疑问的做得很好！就如Jong Jochem说的“事物以应有的形式存在着，对于它人又能做些什么呢。”

我和安娜每天都认真地看报，一一回复了上面的广告。最主要的是我们已经在一个家庭女教师代理处登记了。可以说我们做着我们能做的一切，不紧不慢。

很高兴你常去拜访Haanebeek家，送上我最真挚的祝福，告诉他们一些我的消息。

特斯蒂格先生买的Tjijs Maris的画一定很漂亮，我已经听说了，我自己也买卖了一张相似的。

在英国我对绘画渐渐失去了兴趣，但或许有一天我又会回到那种状态上去。现在我正在阅读大量的书籍。

我们很有可能在1875年1月1日搬到另一处更大的店去。Obach先生此刻正在巴黎考虑着是否我们应该结束另一间公司的经营。现在先不要和任何人提及此事。

深深的祝福你，尽快写信给我们。安娜正学着欣赏一些绘画作品，而且眼光很不错，喜欢Boughton、Maris、Jacquet，从长远角度看来，这是个不错的开始。别告诉别人，我想我们应该找一些适合她的事情，这对我们来说还要经过一个艰难的过程，到处的人们都说他太年轻了，况且他们更需要的德国人，但是归根结底，在这里总比荷兰机会多。再见了。

文森特

你可以想象我和安娜在这里有多么快乐。告诉Herman Tersteeg画已经及时运到了，我会很快写信给他的。

[1] 这里指 米什莱 的《爱》
[2] 安娜：凡高的妹妹

翻译：
heery0710@126.com
编辑：
mao_zhe

英文版本：

Dear Theo,

I am glad you' ve been reading Michelet and that you understand him so well. If that kind of book teaches us anything it is that there is much more to love than people generally suppose. To me, that book has been both a revelation and a Gospel.

'Il n' y a pas de vielle femme!'[ There are no old women. ] ( That does not mean that there are no old women, only that a woman does not grow old as long as she loves and is loved . ) And then a chapter like “The Aspirations of Autumn,” how rich that is … That a woman is a 'quite different being' from a man, and a being that we do not yet know, or at best only superficially , as you put it, yes, that I am sure of. And that a man and a woman can become one, that is to say, one whole and not two halves, I believe that too.

Anna is bearing up well, we go on marvellous walks together. It is so beautiful here, if one just has a good and single eye without too many beams in it. And if one does have that eye, then it is beautiful everywhere.

Father is far from well, although he and Mother say that he's better. Yesterday we received a letter with all sorts of plans ( wouldn't we just try this and that ) which will prove to be unworkable and certainly useless and at the end Father said once again that he leaves it all to us, etc., etc. Rather petty and disagreeable , Theo, and it reminded me so much of Grandfather's letters, but qu' y faire [ What can you do? ]. Our beloved Aunts are staying there now and are no doubt doing much good! Things are as they are and what can a person do about it, as Jong Jochem said.

Anna and I look at the newspaper faithfully every day and reply to whatever advertisements there are. On top of that we have already registered with a Governess agency . So we are doing what we can. More haste less speed.

I'm glad that you go round to see the Haanebeeks so often, give them all my kindest regards and tell them some of my news.

The painting by Thijs Maris that Mr. Tersteeg has bought must be beautiful, I had already heard about it and have myself bought and sold one quite similar.

My interest in drawing has died down here in England, but maybe I'll be in the mood again some day or other. Right now I am doing a great deal of reading.

On 1st of January 1875 we shall probably be moving to another, larger shop. Mr. Obach is in Paris at the moment deciding whether or not we should take that other firm over. Don't mention it to anybody for the time being.

Best wishes and write to us again soon. Anna is learning to appreciate paintings and has quite a good eye, admiring Boughton, Maris and Jacquet already, for instance, so that is a good start. Entre nous, I think we are going to have a difficult time finding something for her, they say everywhere that she is too young, and they required German, too, but be that as it may, she certainly has a better chances here than in Holland. Goodbye,

Vincent

You can imagine how delighted I am to be here together with Anna. Tell H. T. [ Herman Tersteeg ] that the pictures have duly arrived and that I shall be writing to him soon.

翻译：Mrs. Johanna van Gogh-Bonger
编辑：Robert Harrison
出版：The Complete Letters of Vincent van Gogh, Publisher: Bulfinch, 1991