美国语文第五册 第326期:人生如画(5)

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　　Remember, my son, that human life is the journey of a day. 请你记住，我的孩子，人的生活就像一天的旅程。

　　We rise in the morning of youth, full of vigor³, and full of expectation; 我们在青春的早晨起床，到处生机勃勃充满期待；我们怀揣希望，

　　we set forward with spirit and hope, with gayety and with diligence, and travel on awhile in the straight road of piety⁴ toward the mansions⁵ of rest. 春风得意且勤勉发奋，精神饱满地踏上旅途；我们心怀无比虔诚，走向那条径直通往心灵之乡的大路，

　　In a short time we remit⁶ our fervor⁷, and endeavor to find some mitigation of our duty, and some more easy means of obtaining the same end. 没想到刚走不远，转眼间，我们的炽烈热情开始退却，开始努力寻找可以减轻我们职责的东西，寻求更为简单可抵达终结的途径。

　　We then relax our vigor, and resolve no longer to be terrified with crimes at a distance, 然后，我们斗志开始松懈，告诫自己不再对远方的罪孽感到恐惧，

　　but rely upon our own constancy, and venture to approach what we resolve never to touch. 我们仅仅依赖个体的坚持，甚至冒险走近危险地带，那块我们曾经发誓永远不会涉及的地方；

　　We thus enter the bowers⁸ of ease, and repose⁹ in the shades of security. 就这样，我们走进安逸凉亭，在自以为安全的荫凉地带休憩，

　　Here the heart softens¹⁰, and vigilance subsides¹¹; we are then willing to inquire whether another advance can not be made, 我们的心在闲逸松弛中得以柔软，警觉随之减退，于是，我们便开始询问是否存在另一种进展可能？

　　and whether we may not at least turn our eyes upon the gardens of pleasure. 我们是否至少不能仅仅沉湎于花前月下的享受？

　　We approach them with scruple¹² and hesitation¹³; 我们踌躇犹豫地走近，

　　we enter them, but enter timorous¹⁴ and trembling, and always hope to pass through them without losing the road of virtue¹⁵, 怀着颇为羞怯颤抖的内心；我们总是希望自己能够闯关成功，而又不会迷失美德，

　　which we for a while keep in our sight, and to which we propose to return. 这条美德道路，我们曾一度举目可及，后来却盘算原路返回。

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