英语·双语美文 来源：网络，版权归原作者1 Life Like a Poem 人生如诗Lin Yutang林语堂 I think that, from a biological standpoint, 我认为，从生物学的角度来看，human life almost reads like a poem. 人的生活读起来几乎像一首诗。我以为，从生物学角度看，人的一生恰如诗歌。 It has its own rhythm and beat, 它有自己的节奏和节拍，its internal cycles of growth and decay. 它的内部生长和衰败周期。人生自有其韵律和节奏，自有内在的成长与衰亡。 No one can say that a life with childhood, 没有人能说，有童年的生活，manhood and old age is not a beautiful arrangement; 男子气概和老年不是一个美丽的安排;人生有童年、少年和老年，谁也不能否认这是一种美好的安排。 the day has its morning, noon and sunset, 一天有早晨、中午和日落，and the year has its seasons, and it is good 一年有季节，很好that it is so. There is no good or bad in life, 确实如此。人生没有好坏，except what is good according to its own season. 除了根据自己的季节好的东西。一天要有清晨、正午和日落，一年要有四季之分，如此才好！人生本无好坏之分，只是各个季节有各自的好处。 And if we take this biological view of life 如果我们采取这种生物学观点来看待生命and try to live according to the seasons, 并尽量按照季节生活，no one but a conceited fool or an impossible idealist 除了自负的傻瓜或不可能的理想主义者之外，没有人can deny that human life can be lived like a poem. 可以否认人的生命可以像一首诗一样生活。如若我们持此种生物学的观点，并循着季节去生活，除了狂妄自大的傻瓜和无可救药的理想主义者，谁能说人生不能像诗一般度过呢？ 2 The Road Not Taken 未选择的路Robert Frost罗伯特·弗罗斯特 Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;黄色的树林里分出两条路可惜我不能同时去涉足我在那路口久久伫立我向着一条路极目望去直到它消失在丛林深处Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,但我却选择了另外一条路它荒草萎萎，十分幽寂显得更诱人，更美丽虽然在这两条小路上都很少留下旅人的足迹 And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.虽然那天清晨落叶满地两条路都未经脚印污染啊，留下一条路等改日再见但我知道路径延绵无尽头恐怕我难以再回返I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.也许多少年后在某一个地方我将轻声叹息把往事回顾一片森林里分出两条路而我却选择了人迹更少的一条从此决定了我一生的道路 3 A Lane in the Rain雨巷 Dai Wangshu戴望舒
Alone holding an oil-paper umbrella,撑着油纸伞，独自I wander along a long彷徨在悠长，悠长Solitary lane in the rain,又寂寥的雨巷，Hoping to encounter我希望逢着A girl like a bouquet of lilacs一个丁香一样的Gnawed by anxiety and resentment.结着愁怨的姑娘。A girl她是有The color of lilacs,丁香一样的颜色，The fragrance of lilacs,丁香一样的芬芳，The worries of lilacs,丁香一样的忧愁，Feeling melancholy in the rain,在雨中哀怨，Plaintive and hesitating.哀怨又彷徨Silently she comes closer,她彷徨在这寂寥的雨巷，撑着油纸伞Closer,giving me像我一样，像我一样地 ，默默彳亍着，A glance like a sigh;冷漠，凄凉，又惆怅。Then she floats past她默默地走进，走进，又投出，太息一样的眼光， 她飘过Like a dream,像梦一般地Dreary and blank like a dream.像梦一般地凄婉迷茫。Like a lilac像梦中飘过Floating past in a dream,一支丁香地，the girl floats past me;我身旁飘过这女郎；Silently she goes further and further,她静默地远了，远了，To the crumbling wall,到了颓圮的篱墙，Out of the lane in the rain.走尽这雨巷。In the mournful melody of the rain,在雨的哀曲中，Her color has faded,消了她的颜色，Her fragrance has disppeared,散了她的芬芳，Vanished into the viod;消散了，甚至她的Even her glance like a sigh,太息般的眼光，Melancholy like lilacs.丁香般的惆怅Alone holding an oil-paper umbrella,撑着油纸伞，独自I wander along a long彷徨在悠长，悠长Solitary lane in the rain,又寂寥的雨巷，Hoping to pass我希望飘过A girl like a bouquet of lilacs一个丁香一样的Gnawed by anxiety and resentment.结着愁怨的姑娘 4How Poor We Really Are 我们是多么贫穷 One day a wealthy family man took his son on a trip to the country so he could have his son see how poor country people were.一天，一个富有的爸爸带着儿子做了一次乡村之旅，他想让儿子明白乡下人是多么的贫穷。 They stayed one day and one night in the farmhouse of a very humble farm. On the way back home at the end of the trip the father asked the son, "What did you think of the trip?"他们在一个农家的寒酸的农场上呆了一天一夜。在旅程结束回家的路上，爸爸问儿子：“你觉得这次旅行怎么样？” The son replied, "Very nice, Dad."儿子回答：“非常好，爸爸。” The father then asked, "Did you noticed how poor they were?"爸爸接着问：“你有没有注意到他们是多么贫穷啊？” The son replied, "Yes, I guess so."儿子答道：“是的，或许是吧。” The father then added, "And what did you learn?"爸爸追问道：“那你都是学到了些什么？” To this question, the son thought for a moment and answered slowly, "I learned that we have one dog in the house and they have four. We have a fountain in the garden and they have a stream that has no end.关于这一问题，儿子想了一会儿，慢条斯理地回答道：“我学到我们家只有一只狗，而他们却有四只。我们花园里有一个喷水池，而他们却有一条没有尽头的小河。” "We have fancy lanterns in our garden, while they have the stars. Our garden goes to the edge of our yard, but for their back yard they have the entire horizon!"“我们花园里有色彩夺目的灯笼，而他们却有无数闪亮的星星。我们院子的尽头就是花园，而他们的后院却有开阔的视野。” At the end of the son's reply, the rich father was speechless. His son then added: "Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we really are."儿子说完后，这个富有的爸爸无言以对。儿子还说道：“谢谢你，爸爸，让我明白了我们是多么贫穷。” Isn't it true that all depends on the lens you use to see life?一切在于看待问题的方式，难道不是吗？ If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you've got everything! You can't buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing! 如果你拥有了爱情、朋友、家庭、健康、幽默和积极的态度，你就拥有了一切。这些东西是金钱买不到的。你可以拥有你想象中的任何物质财富和为将来做的储备，但假若你精神贫乏，还是一无所有。 5The First Snow 初雪 Henry Longfellow The first snow came.How beautiful it was, falling so silently, all day long, all night long, on the mountains, on the meadows, on the roofs of the living, on the graves of the dead!初雪来了。她是多么美丽。一整天，一整夜，静静地落在山岭上，落在草地上，落在人们居住的房顶上，落在沉寂的坟墓上！ All white save the river, that marked its course by a winding black line across the landscape, and the leafless trees, that against the leaden sky now revealed more fully the wonderful beauty and intricacy of their branches!所有的白色拯救了河流和树木。在如画的风景上，一根黑色的线曲曲折折地描绘出了河流的样子。在铅灰色天空的衬托下，落光了叶子的树用她们那错综复杂的枝桠勾勒出了惊人的美丽。 What silence, too, came with the snow, and what seclusion!跟着雪花一起，周围是多么寂静呀，仿佛被与世隔绝了一样！ Every sound was muffled, every noise changed to something soft and musical.所有的声音都被消减了，连噪音都被改造得柔软了许多，隐约含着一丝的天籁。 No more trampling hoofs, no more rattling wheels! Only the chiming of sleigh-bells, beating as swift and merrily as the hearts of children.不再有沉重的马蹄，不再有吱吱呀呀的车轮，只有雪橇上的铃铛，宛如孩子们欢快喜悦的心，在一路唱着歌。 6Down by the Salley Gardens 柳园里 W. B. Yeats威廉·巴特勒·叶芝
Down by the Salley Gardens my love and I did meet在杨柳园畔，与爱人相见She passed the Salley Gardens with little snow-white feet她，踏过绿园，细小的足美白如雪She bid me take love easy as the leaves grow on the tree她愿我，平心看待爱情，如同树生绿叶But I being young and foolish with her did not agree但我是那么的年轻愚笨，从来没有听从过她的心声In a field by the river my love and I did stand在细水河边，与爱人相伴And on my leaning shoulder she laid her snow-white hand她，轻抚我肩，纤细的手洁白如雪She bid me take life easy as the grass grows on the weirs她愿我，从容面对人生，如同堤生芳草But I was young and foolish and now am full of tears但我，年轻又愚钝，现在唯有泪水涟涟，感怀满襟
7Time to Learn欲速则不达 A young but earned Zen student approached his teacher, and asked the Zen Master: 一位年轻而诚挚的禅宗弟子走近他的老师，向禅学大师问道： "If I work very hard and diligently how long will it take for me to find Zen?"“如果我非常刻苦勤奋地学习，要多长时间才能悟透禅的真义呢？” The Master thought about this, then replied,"Ten years."大师思考了片刻，然后回答：“10年。” The student then said,"But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast---How long then?"弟子又问：“但如果我非常、非常刻苦地投入学习以早成正果呢----那需要多长时间？” Replied the Master,"Well, twenty years."大师答道：“20年。” "But, if I really, really work at it. How long then?" asked the student.“可是，如果我真的非常、非常努力地学习，需要多长时间呢？” "Thirty years," replied the Master.“30年。”大师回答。 "But, I do not understand," said the disappointed student. "At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?"“这，我就有些不懂了。”有些失望的弟子说，“每次我都说更加努力，而你却说需要更多的时间。这是为何呢？” Replied the Master, "When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path."大师答道：“如果你把一半的精力都倾注在结果上，那么你在过程中也只能付出一半的精力。” 8On Christmas Eve 圣诞之夜 A friend of mine named Paul received an automobile from his brother as Christmas present. On Christmas eve, when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin was looking around the shining new car, admiring it.我有个朋友，保罗，在圣诞节那天收到了一份来自他哥哥的礼物，一辆轿车。在圣诞前夜，当保罗从他的办公室走出来时，一个街头顽童正围着他的新车打转地看，非常羡慕。 "Is this your car, Mister?" he said.“这是您的汽车吗，先生？”他说。 Paul nodded, "My brother gave it to me for Christmas."保罗点了点头，“我哥哥给我的圣诞礼物。 The boy was astounded, "You mean your brother gave it to you, and didn't cost you anything?"小男孩诧异了，“你是说你哥哥给你的，不用花你一分钱？” "Boy, I wish..." he hesitated.“兄弟，我希望...”他迟疑了。 Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He was going to wish he has a brother like that. But what the lad said jarred Paul all the way down his heels.保罗当然清楚他希望什么，他希望他也有个那样的哥哥。但这个小家伙说的话，使保罗大吃了一惊。 "I wish," the boy went on, "that I could be a brother like that."“我希望，”小男孩继续说道，“我可以做一个那样的哥哥。” Paul looked at the boy in astonishment, then impulsively he added, "Would you like to take a ride in my car?"保罗惊奇地看着小男孩，然后激动地说了句，“你想不想做我的车去兜兜风？” "Oh, yes. I'd love that."“哦，想！我喜欢！” After a short ride, the boy turned his eyes aglow, said, "Mister, would you mind driving in front of my house?"跑了一小段路后，小男孩眼光水灵闪闪地说道，“先生，您可以把车开到我家门前吗？” Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the lad wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big automobile. But Paul was wrong again.保罗微微一笑。他觉得他知道这个小家伙想要干什么，他想要向他的邻居炫耀他可以坐一辆大汽车回家。但是，保罗又一次想错了。 "Would you stop at those with two steps?" the boy asked.“您可以在那有两个台阶的房子前停下吗？” 小男孩问道。 He ran up stairs. Then in a little while, Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled brother. He set him down on the bottom step. Then a sort of squeezed up against him and pointed to the car.他跑着上楼去了。然后一小会儿，保罗听到他回来的脚步声，但他没再用跑的了。保罗看见他正搀扶着他的跛脚的弟弟，他扶着他坐在最底层的台阶上，然后拥抱着他，指着这部车。 "There she is, buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and didn't cost him a cent. And some day, I'm gonna give you one just like it. Then you can see for yourself all the prettiest things in the windows that I was trying to tell you about."“小弟，那就是我在楼上跟你说的那部车。他哥哥给他的圣诞礼物，不用花他一分钱。将来某天我也要给你一部像那样的车，那样你就可以自己去看我以前尽力想让你知道的那些窗边的圣诞饰品了。” Paul got off and lifted the lad into the front of his car. The shinning eyed old brother climbed in beside him. And three of them began a memorable holiday ride.保罗下车把跛脚的小孩抱上了车的前座，他的眼睛水灵灵的哥哥爬上了车，坐到了他旁边。然后他们三个开始一段令人难忘的旅程。 That Christmas eve, Paul learned what Jesus meant, when he said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive..."那个圣诞前夜，保罗收获了很多，他真正体会了耶稣所说的那句话，“施舍比接受更有福...” 9Eagle in a Storm 风雨中的雄鹰 Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?你知道吗？鹰在暴风雨爆发之前就知道暴风雨就要来了。 The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.鹰会飞到一个很高的地方，等待着暴风雨的来临。当暴风雨来临的时候，它会展开翅膀，这样暴风就可以把它拖起，将它置于暴雨之上。当暴风雨肆虐的时候，鹰已经翱翔于暴雨之上了。 The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.鹰没有逃避暴风雨，它只是利用暴风雨让它飞得更高，它翱游于带来暴风雨的飓风之上。 When the storms of life come upon us—and all of us will experience them—we can rise above them by setting our belief that we can make it. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow our inner power to lift us above them.当生活中的暴风雨降临的时候--这是我们每个人都要经历的--我们可以坚定我们的必胜信念,这样我们就可以凌驾于暴风雨之上.暴风雨并不一定会摧毁我们,我们内部的能量可以让我们超越暴风雨。 We can enable ourselves to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.在生活中，我们可以驾驶那些带来疾病、灾难、失败、失望的暴风雨.我们可以翱翔在暴风雨之上。 Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.请记住,把你压垮的不是生活中的重担,而是你的态度。 10If I Rest, I Rust 如果我休息，我就会生锈
The significant inscription found on an old key - “If I rest, I rust”-would be an excellent motto for those who are afflicted with the slightest bit of idleness. Even the most industrious person might adopt it with advantage to serve as a reminder that, if one allows his faculties to rest, like the iron in the unused key, they will soon show signs of rust and, ultimately, cannot do the work required of them.在一把旧钥匙上发现了一则意义深远的铭文——如果我休息，我就会生锈。对于那些懒散而烦恼的人来说,这就是至理名言。甚至最为勤勉的人也以此作为警示：如果一个人有才能而不用，就像废弃钥匙上的铁一样，这些才能就会很快生锈，并最终无法完成安排给自己的工作。 Those who would attain the heights reached and kept by great men must keep their faculties polished by constant use, so that they may unlock the doors of knowledge, the gate that guard the entrances to the professions, to science, art, literature, agriculture-every department of human endeavor.有些人想取得伟人所获得并保持的成就,他们就必须不断运用自身才能，以便开启知识的大门，即那些通往人类努力探求的各个领域的大门，这些领域包括各种职业：科学、艺术、文学、农业等。 Industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasury of achievement. If Hugh Miller, after toiling all day in a quarry， had devoted his evenings to rest and recreation, he would never have become a famous geologist. The celebrated mathematician, Edmund Stone, would never have published a mathematical dictionary, never have found the key to science of mathematics, if he had given his spare moments to idleness, had the little Scotch lad, Ferguson, allowed the busy brain to go to sleep while he tended sheep on the hillside instead of calculating the position of the stars by a string of beads, he would never have become a famous astronomer.勤奋使开启成功宝库的钥匙保持光亮。如果休·米勒在采石场劳作一天后，晚上的时光用来休息消遣的话,他就不会成为名垂青史的地质学家。著名数学家爱德蒙·斯通如果闲暇时无所事事，就不会出版数学词典,也不会发现开启数学之门的钥匙。如果苏格兰青年弗格森在山坡上放羊时，让他那思维活跃的大脑处于休息状态，而不是借助一串珠子计 算星星的位置，他就不会成为著名的天文学家。 Labor vanquishes all-not inconstant, spasmodic，or ill-directed labor；but faithful, unremitting，daily effort toward a well-directed purpose. Just as truly as eternal vigilance ls the price of liberty, so is eternal industry the price of noble and enduring success.劳动征服一切。这里所指的劳动不是断断续续的、间歇性的或方向偏差的劳动，而是坚定的、不懈的、方向正确的每日劳动。正如要想拥有自由就要时刻保持警惕一样,要想 取得伟大的、持久的成功，就必须坚持不懈地努力。