Mother to Son
母亲致儿子
By Langston Hughes 译/ 辛献云
Well, son, I’ll tell you:
Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
It’s had tacks in it,
And splinters,
And boards torn up,
And places with no carpet on the floor—
Bare.
But all the time
I’se been a-climbin’ on,
And reachin’ landin’s,
And turnin’ corners,
And sometimes goin’ in the dark
Where there ain’t been no light.
So, boy, don’t you turn back.
Don’t you set down on the steps.
’Cause you finds it’s kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now—
For I’se still goin’, honey,
I’se still climbin’,
And life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.
儿子啊，我来告诉你：
我的人生从没有水晶楼梯。
有的只是钉子，
只是破碎的木片，
还有裂开的木板，
和没铺地毯的地面——
光秃秃的。
但我一直，
一直都在往上爬，
爬上一层又一层平台，
转过一个又一个拐角，
有时还要穿过黑暗，
一点儿光都看不见。
所以，儿子啊，你不要回头。
不要在楼梯上停下脚步。
因为你会觉得太艰难。
可不要在这时候倒下啊——
因为我还没有停下，宝贝，
我还在往上爬，
我的人生从没有水晶楼梯。
Count That Day Lost
过好每一天
By George Eliot 译/ 朱敏琦
If you sit down at set of sun
And count the acts that you have done,
And, counting, find
One self-denying deed, one word
That eased the heart of him who heard,
One glance most kind
That fell like sunshine where it went—
Then you may count that day well spent.
But if, through all the livelong day,
You’ve cheered no heart, by yea or nay—
If, through it all
You’ve nothing done that you can trace
That brought the sunshine to one face—
No act most small
That helped some soul and nothing cost—
Then count that day as worse than lost.
若你坐下，面对夕阳
回想自己一天所做之事
回想着，发现
有一个举动，无私奉献
有一句话语，解人心愁
有一个眼神，满含温柔
所到之处，让人如沐阳光——
那么，这一天便富有意义。
但若一整天里，
你肯定与否，未尝予人鼓励——
倘若，一整天里
没有一事，你能忆起
曾令人脸上绽放微笑——
没有一事，哪怕举手之劳
哪怕不值一提，曾予人帮助——
那么，这一天便可谓虚度。
Young and Old
青春与暮年
By Charles Kingsley 译/ 赏析 Jimmy
When all the world is young, lad,
And all the trees are green;
And every goose a swan, lad,
And every lass a queen;
Then hey for boot and horse, lad,
And round the world away;
Young blood must have its course, lad,
And every dog his day.
When all the world is old, lad,
And all the trees are brown;
When all the sport is stale, lad,
And all the wheels run down;
Creep home, and take your place there,
The spent and maimed among;
God grant you find one face there,
You loved when all was young.
当全世界正值青春，朋友，
当所有的树木身披绿装；
当每只水鸟都是天鹅，朋友，
当每个女孩都是女王；
那就穿上靴子翻身上马，朋友，
去世界各地游历；
青春的热血需得沸腾，朋友，
人人都能春风得意。
当全世界步入老年，朋友，
当所有的树木都枯黄凋零；
当所有的玩乐都了无新意，朋友，
当所有的车轮都停止转动；
那就爬回家去，
在那精疲力竭、伤痕累累的人中
寻得你的一席之地；
上帝允许你在那里找到一张脸，
那张在一切都还年轻时你深爱的容颜。
The Tides of Providence
天意之潮汐
By Patience Strong 译/ 李景琪
It’s not what you gather, but what you sow,
That gives the heart a warming glow.
It’s not what you get, but what you give,
Decides the kind of life you live.
It’s not what you have,
But what you spare.
It’s not what you take,
But what you share
That pays the greater dividend
And makes you richer in the end.
It’s not what you spend upon yourself
Or hide away upon a shelf,
That brings a blessing for the day.
It’s what you scatter by the way.
A wasted effort it may seem.
But what you cast upon the stream
Comes back to you recompense
Upon the tides of providence.
是播种，而非收获，
给心灵温暖的光辉。
是付出，而非获取，
决定你过何种生活。
并非拥有，
而是节俭。
并非攫取，
而是分享
让你受益匪浅，
最终金玉满堂。
并非花钱消费，
抑或藏金高阁，
而是乐善好施，
为你带来祝福。
努力看似白费，
但投入溪流之物
会随天意之潮汐
悉数补偿予你。