书城外语魅力英文ⅰ:我的世界我做主
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第38章 生活正如一项为自己打造的工程 (3)

That must be the story of innumerable couples, and the pattern of life of life it offers has a homely grace. It reminds you of a placid rivulet, meandering smoohtly through green pastures and shaded by pleasant trees, till at last it falls into the vasty sea; but the sea is so calm, so silent, so indifferent, that you are troubled suddently by a vague uneasiness. Perhaps it is only by a kink in my nature, strong in me even in those days, that I felt in such an existence, the share of the great majority, something amiss. I recognized its social value. I saw its ordered happiness, but a fever in my blood asked for a wilder course. There seemed to me something alarming in such easy delights. In my heart was desire to live more dangerously. I was not unprepared for jagged rocks and treacherous, shoals it I could only have change—change and the excitement of unforeseen.

这一定是世间无数对夫妻的生活写照,这种生活模式给人一种天伦之美。它使人想起一条平静的溪流,蜿蜒畅游过绿茵的草场,浓荫遮蔽,最后注入烟波浩渺的汪洋大海;但是大海太过平静,太过沉默,太过不动声色,你会突然感到莫名的不安。也许这只是我自己的一种怪诞想法,在那样的时代,这想法对我影响很深:我觉得这像大多数人一样的生活,似乎欠缺了一点儿什么。我承认这种生活有社会价值,我也看到了它那井然有序的幸福,但我血液里的冲动却渴望一种更桀骜不驯的旅程。这样的安逸中好像有一种叫我惊惧不安的东西。我的心渴望一种更加惊险的生活。只要生活中还能有变迁——以及不可知的刺激,我愿意踏上怪石嶙峋的山崖,奔赴暗礁满布的海滩。

Bidding The Lovely Scenes At Distance Hail!向远方的美景欢呼!

And see no end to the landscape, new objects presenting themselves as we advance; so, in the commencement of life, we set no bounds to our inclinations. Nor to the unrestricted opportunities of grastifying them. We have as yet found no obstacle, no disposition to flag; and it seems that we can go on so forever. We look round in a new world, full of life, and motion, and ceaseless progress; and feel in ourselves all the vigour and spirit to keep pace with it, and do not foresee from any present symptoms how we shall be left behind in the natural course of things, decline into old age, and drop into the grave. It is the simplicity, and as it were abstractedness of our feelings in youth, that(so to speak)identifies us with nature ,and(our experience being slight and our passions strong)deludes us into a belief of being immortal like it. Our short-lives connexion with existence we fondly flatter ourselves, is an indissoluble and lasting union-a honeymoon that knows neither coldness, jar, nor separation. As infants smile and sleep, we are rocked in the cradle of our wayward fancies, and lulled into security by the roar of the universe around us0we quaff the cup of life with eager haste without draining it, instead of which it only overflows the more-objects press around us, filling the mind with their magnitude and with the strong of desires that wait upon them, so that we have no room for the thoughts of death.

此时,但觉好风光应接不暇,而且,前程更有美不胜收的新鲜景致。在这生活的开端,我们听任自己的志趣驰骋,放手给它们一切满足的机会。到此为止,我们还没有碰上过什么障碍,也没有感觉到什么疲惫,因此觉得还可以一直这样向前走去,直到永远。我们看到四周一派新天地——生机盎然,变动不居,日新月异;我们觉得自己活力充盈,精神饱满,可与宇宙并驾齐驱。而且,眼前也无任何迹象可以证明,在大自然的发展过程中,我们自己也会落伍,衰老,进入坟墓。由于年轻人天真单纯,可以说是茫然无知,因而将自己跟大自然划上等号;并且,由于经验少而感情盛,误以为自己也能和大自然一样永世长存。我们一厢情愿,痴心妄想,竟把自己在世上的暂时栖身,当作千古不变、万事长存的结合,好像没有冷淡、争执、离别的密月。像婴儿带着微笑入睡,我们躺在用自己编织成的摇篮里,让大千世界的万籁之声催哄我们安然入梦;我们急切切,兴冲冲地畅饮生命之杯,怎么也不会饮干,反而好像永远是满满欲溢;森罗万象纷至沓来,各种欲望随之而生,使我们腾不出工夫想死亡。

Love Your Life热爱生活

However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hardnames. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. Thefault-finder will find faults in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. Youmay perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poor-house. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly asfrom the rich man's abode; the snow melts before its door as early in thespring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have ascheering thoughts, as in a palace. The town's poor seem to me often to live themost independent lives of any. May be they are simply great enough to receivewithout misgiving. Most think that they are above being supported by the town; but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonestmeans. Which should be more disreputable?Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes orfriends, Turn the old, return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sellyour clothes and keep your thoughts.

不论你的生活如何卑贱,你要面对它生活,不要躲避它,更别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样坏。你最富有的时候,倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。你要爱你的生活,尽管它贫穷。甚至在一个济贫院里,你也还有愉快、高兴、光荣的时候。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上,像身在富户人家窗上一样光亮;在那门前,积雪同在早春融化。我只看到,一个从容的人,在哪里也像在皇宫中一样,生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。城镇中的穷人,我看,倒往往是过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大,所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们是超然的,不靠城镇来支援他们;可是事实上他们是往往利用了不正当的手段来对付生活,他们是毫不超脱的,毋宁是不体面的。视贫穷如园中之花而像圣人一样耕植它吧!不要找新的花样,无论是新的朋友或新的衣服,来麻烦你自己。找旧的,回到那里去。万物不变,是我们在变。你的衣服可以卖掉,但要保留你的思想。

Words To Life生活的忠告

I’ll give you some advice about life.

Eat more roughage;

Do more than others expect you to do and do it pains;

Remember what life tells you;

Don’t take to heart every thing you hear.Don’t spend all that you have.Don’t sleep as long as you want;

Whenever you say "I love you", please say it honestly;

Whenever you say "I’m sorry", please look into the other person’s eyes;

Fall in love at first sight;

Don’t neglect dreams;

Love deeply and ardently, even if there is pain, but this is the way to make your life complete;

Find a way to settle, not to dispute;

Never judge people by their appearance;

Speak slowly, but think quickly;