美國語文第五冊 第326期：人生如畫（05）
“Son,” said the hermit, let the errors and follies, the dangers and escapes, of this day, sink deep into your heart.
“我的孩子，”那位老人說，“不妨讓今天這些錯誤與愚蠢，危險與臨陣逃脫深深藏于你的心底。
Remember, my son, that human life is the journey of a day.
請你記住，我的孩子，人的生活就像一天的旅程。
We rise in the morning of youth, full of vigor, and full of expectation;
我們在青春的早晨起床，到處生機(jī)勃勃充滿期待；我們懷揣希望，
we set forward with spirit and hope, with gayety and with diligence, and travel on awhile in the straight road of piety toward the mansions of rest.
春風(fēng)得意且勤勉發(fā)奮，精神飽滿地踏上旅途；我們心懷無比虔誠，走向那條徑直通往心靈之鄉(xiāng)的大路，
In a short time we remit our fervor, and endeavor to find some mitigation of our duty, and some more easy means of obtaining the same end.
沒想到剛走不遠(yuǎn)，轉(zhuǎn)眼間，我們的熾烈熱情開始退卻，開始努力尋找可以減輕我們職責(zé)的東西，尋求更為簡單可抵達(dá)終結(jié)的途徑。
We then relax our vigor, and resolve no longer to be terrified with CRImes at a distance,
然后，我們斗志開始松懈，告誡自己不再對遠(yuǎn)方的罪孽感到恐懼，
but rely upon our own constancy, and venture to approach what we resolve never to touch.
我們僅僅依賴個體的堅(jiān)持，甚至冒險走近危險地帶，那塊我們曾經(jīng)發(fā)誓永遠(yuǎn)不會涉及的地方；
We thus enter the bowers of ease, and repose in the shades of security.
就這樣，我們走進(jìn)安逸涼亭，在自以為安全的蔭涼地帶休憩，
Here the heart softens, and vigilance subsides; we are then willing to inquire whether another advance can not be made,
我們的心在閑逸松弛中得以柔軟，警覺隨之減退，于是，我們便開始詢問是否存在另一種進(jìn)展可能？
and whether we may not at least turn our eyes upon the gardens of pleasure.
我們是否至少不能僅僅沉湎于花前月下的享受？
We approach them with scruple and hesitation;
我們躊躇猶豫地走近，
we enter them, but enter timorous and trembling, and always hope to pass through them without losing the road of virtue,
懷著頗為羞怯顫抖的內(nèi)心；我們總是希望自己能夠闖關(guān)成功，而又不會迷失美德，
which we for a while keep in our sight, and to which we propose to return.
這條美德道路，我們曾一度舉目可及，后來卻盤算原路返回。
