contentment 的词源

在15世纪中期，contentement这个词最初指的是“债务的满意偿还”，这种用法现在已经过时。它源自古法语的contentment，而contenter则与之相关（可以参见content (v.)）。到了1590年代，这个词的意义转变为“对现状感到满意的幸福”。

Contentment is passive; satisfaction is active. The former is the feeling of one who does not needlessly pine after what is beyond his reach, nor fret at the hardship of his condition; the latter describes the mental condition of one who has all he desires, and feels pleasure in the contemplation of his situation. A needy man may be contented, but can hardly be satisfied. [Century Dictionary]

Contentment是被动的，而satisfaction则是主动的。前者是指那些不再无谓渴望遥不可及之物，也不为自己境遇的艰难而烦恼的人所感受到的情绪；后者则描述了那些拥有一切所愿，并能在思考自己处境时感到快乐的人的心理状态。一个贫困的人可能会感到contented，但很难真正感到satisfied。[《世纪词典》]

Contentment consisteth not in adding more fuel, but in taking away some fire. [Thomas Fuller, "The Holy State," 1652]

满足并不在于添加更多的燃料，而在于减少一些火焰。[托马斯·富勒，《神圣的国家》，1652年]