名篇背诵13:更光明的未来(海伦.凯勒)

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　　地球是多数人的幸福家园。但信念是精神的一种状态。人只要拥有信念，就不会轻言放弃。倘若他不得已颠沛流离，就会再次建起一座房子，那是地球上任何飓风都无法摧毁的。

　　The Light of a Bright Day

　　By Helen Keller

　　I choose for my subject faith wrought¹ into life, apart from creed² or dogma. By faith I mean a vision of good one cherishes and the enthusiasm that pushes one to seek its fulfillment regardless of obstacles. Faith is a dynamic power that breaks the chain of routine and gives a new, fine turn to old commonplaces. Faith reinvigorates the will, enriches the affections and awakens³ a sense of creativeness.

　　Active faith knows no fear, and it is a safeguard to me against cynicism and despair. After all, faith is not one thing or two or three things; it is an indivisible totality of beliefs that inspire me. Belief in God as infinite good will and all-seeing Wisdom whose everlasting⁴ arms sustain me walking on the sea of life. Trust in my fellow men, wonder at their fundamental goodness and confidence that after this night of sorrow and oppression they will rise up strong and beautiful in the glory of morning. Reverence⁵ for the beauty an preciousness of the earth, and a sense of responsibility to do what I can to make it a habitation of health and plenty for all men. Faith in immortality⁶ because it renders less bitter the separation from those I have loved and lost, and because it will free me from unnatural⁷ limitations and unfold still more faculties⁸ I have in joyous⁹ activity. Even if my vital spark should be blown out, I believe that I should behave with courageous¹⁰ dignity in the presence of fate and strive to be a worthy¹¹ companion of the beautiful, the good, and the True. But fate has its master in the faith of those who surmount¹² it, and limitation has its limits for those who, thought disillusioned¹³, live greatly. True faith is not a fruit of security, it is the ability to blend mortal fragility with the inner strength of the spirit. It does not shift with the changing shades of one's thought.

　　It was a terrible blow to my faith when I learned that millions of my fellow creatures must labor¹⁴ all their days for food and shelter, bear the most crushing burdens and die without having known the joy of living. My security vanished forever, and I have never regained¹⁵ the radiant belief of my young years that earth is a happy home and hearth¹⁶ for the majority of mankind. But faith is a state of mind. The believer is not soon disheartened. If he is turned out of his shelter, he builds up a house that the winds of the earth cannot destroy.

　　When I think of the suffering and famine, and the continued slaughter¹⁷ of men, my spirit bleeds, but the thought comes to me that, like the little deaf, dumb and blind child I once was, mankind is growing out of the darkness of ignorance and hate into the light of a brighter day.

　　更光明的未来

　　海伦.凯勒

　　我选择生活的信念作为主题，而不是信条或教义。我认为，信念是一个人所珍爱的美好想象，是鼓励某人不顾艰难实现梦想的热情。信念是一种充满活力的力量，它能打破常规的束缚，让平凡陈旧的事物焕然一新。信念能使人的意志再次振作，使人的情感更为丰富，并能唤醒人的创造力。

　　积极的信念是无畏的，它守护着我远离愤世嫉俗和绝望的境地。除此之外，信念并非一种或两三种具体的事物，而是鼓舞着我所有信仰的整体，是无法分割的。我相信，当我在生命的海洋中前行时，是拥有无限善意和无尽的智慧的上帝，用他永恒的臂膀为我支撑的。我相信我的同伴，惊奇于他们善良的天性与信念。他们相信，在经历了悲伤与压迫的漫漫长夜后，他们将会在清晨的美丽光影中坚强地重新站起来。我崇敬着地球上一切美丽与珍贵的事物，感觉到自己有责任为全人类能拥有一个健康而富饶的家园尽心尽力。永恒能减轻我与深爱但已失去的人分离时的痛苦；它能让我摆脱人为的束缚，发现享受欢乐的能力，因此我相信永恒。就算我的生命之火终将熄灭，我还是坚信，自己能够勇敢且充满尊严地面对命运，成为真善美称职的战友。但那些战胜命运者的信仰也会受命运的主宰，那些理想虽破灭但依然勇敢生存者的权利也会受到局限。真正的信念充满了危险，它是人类致命的脆弱与精神内在力量的能力结合。它不会随一个人想法的转变而改变。

　　当我得知数不清的同伴都在为他们的生计终日劳作，忍受着最沉重的压力，不曾享受生活的乐趣就黯然而逝的时候，我的信念遭到了严重的打击。我永远地失去了安全感，也永远失去了儿时那令人欣喜的信仰：地球是多数人的幸福家园。但信念是精神的一种状态。人只要拥有信念，就不会轻言放弃。倘若他不得已颠沛流离，也会再次建起一座房子，那是地球上任何飓风都无法摧毁的。

　　当我想到人们依然遭受着苦难与饥荒，想到人类无休止的杀戮，我的心便会滴血。但我的脑海里会出现这样的想法：正如我曾经是个又聋又哑又盲的小女孩一样，人类也正在无知与憎恨的黑暗中慢慢成长，向更光明的明天走去。

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