书城外语尽头处,生命更灿烂
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第5章 生活中的快乐自己做主 (5)

Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways. I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out: if anybody knows of it, it will not count. I will do at least two things I don't want to do — just for exercise. I will not show anyone that my feelings are hurt: they may be hurt, but today I will not show it.

Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, and try not to improve or regulate anybody but myself.

Just for today I will have a program. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.

Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. During this half hour, sometime, I will try to get a better perspective of my life.

Just for today I will be unafraid. Especially I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful, and to believe that as I give to the world, so the world will give to me.

就为了今天,我将只为度过今天而努力,而不是立刻去解决终生问题。我可以花12个小时去做某件事,如果我觉得要持续一生去做的话,我一定会胆战心惊。

就为了今天,我要快乐。亚伯拉罕·林肯说得很对:“大多数人之所以快乐,是因为他们决定要这样。”

就为了今天,我要调整自己适应一切,而不是让每一件事都合乎我的心愿。当好运降临时,我会好好把握。

就为了今天,我会充实我的头脑。我要学习,学习一些实用的东西,不做精神的流浪者。

就为了今天,我会用三种方法磨炼我的灵魂。我要做一件对他人有利的事,但不能被发现。如果有人发现了,那就不算。我至少要做两件不想做的事——只是为了磨炼。我受伤的心绪不会向任何人坦露,也许的确是伤痛,但我不会表现出来。

就为了今天,我要做一个使人愉快的人。我要尽可能地看起来令人满意。我要打扮得体,言谈温和,举止亲切,不言是非,努力改善自身,而不是管制他人。

就为了今天,我要有一个计划。可能我不会严格遵循,但有了计划,就可以避免两种弊端:仓促行事和优柔寡断。

就为了今天,我要独处宁静的半个小时,放松身心。在这半个小时里,我会在某个时刻试着去更好地感悟人生。

就为了今天,我无所畏惧。特别是,我不再害怕享受美好。我要相信,我对世界付出多少,世界也会回报多少。

好好度过今天,你会拥有美好的每一天!

tackle ['t鎘l] v. 处理;抓住;固定;与……交涉

It depends how you tackle the problem.

那取决于你如何解决这个问题。

adjust ['dst] v. 校准;调整;使……适合

You must adjust yourself to new conditions.

你必须让自己适应新的环境。

loafer ['luf] n. 游手好闲的人;拖鞋

John is a loafer.

约翰是个游手好闲的人。

pest [pest] n. 害虫;有害之物;讨厌的人

The little girl is afraid of pests.

这个小女孩害怕虫子。

就为了今天,我将只为度过今天而努力,而不是立刻去解决终生问题。

就为了今天,我要调整自己适应一切,而不是让每一件事都合乎我的心愿。

就为了今天,我无所畏惧。

I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out.

find out:找出;查明;发现;揭发

I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticize not one bit, and try not to improve or regulate anybody but myself.

as well as:也;和……一样;不但……而且

9细腻的激情与精妙的雅趣

Delicacy of Taste and Delicacy of Passion

佚名 / Anonymous

There is a certain delicacy of passion to which some people are subject that makes them extremely sensible to all the accidents of life, and gives them a lively joy up on every prosperous event, as well as a piercing a grief when they meet with crosses and adversity. Favours and good offices easily engage their friendship, while the smallest injury provokes their resentment. Any honour or mark of distinction elevates them above measure; but they are as sensibly touched with contempt. People of this character have, no doubt, more lively enjoyments, as well as more pungent sorrows, than men of more cool and sedate tempers. But, I believe, when every thing is balanced, there is no one that would not rather chose to be of the latter character, were he entirely master of his own disposition. Good or ill fortune is very little at our disposal and when a person that has this sensibility of temper meets with any misfortune, his sorrow or resentment takes entire possession of him, and deprives him of all relish in the common occurrences of life, the right enjoyment of which forms the greatest part of our happiness. Great pleasures are much less frequent than great pains, so that a sensible temper must meet with fewer trials in the former way than in the latter.

There is a delicacy of taste observable in some men, which very much resembles this delicacy of passion, and produces the same sensibility to beauty and deformity of every kind, as that does to prosperity and adversity, obligations and injuries. When you present a poem or a picture to a man possessed of this talent, the delicacy of his feeling or sentiments makes him be touched very sensibly by every part of it; nor are the masterly strokes perceived with a more exquisite relish and satisfaction, than the negligences or absurdities with disgust and uneasiness. A polite and judicious conversation affords him the highest entertainment. Rudeness or impertinence is as great a punishment to him. In short, delicacy of taste has the same effect as delicacy of passion: it enlarges the sphere both of our happiness and misery, and makes us sensible to pains as well as pleasures that escape the rest of mankind.

I believe, however, there is no one who will not agree with me, that notwithstanding this resemblance, a delicacy of taste is as much to be desired and cultivated, as a delicacy of passion is to be lamented, and to be remedied, if possible. Every wise man will endeavour to place his happiness on such objects as depend most upon himself and that is not to be attained so much by any other means as by this delicacy of sentiment. When a man is possessed of that talent, he is more happy by what pleases his taste, than by what gratifies his appetites, and receives more enjoyment from a poem, or a piece of reasoning, than the most expensive luxury can afford.