美文欣賞:更光明的未來

I choose for my subject faith wrought into life, apart from creed 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 awakens a sense of creativeness.

我選擇生活的信念作為主題，而不是信條或教義。我認(rèn)為，信念是一個人所珍愛的美好想象，是鼓勵某人不顧艱難實現(xiàn)夢想的熱情。信念是一種充滿活力的力量，它能打破常規(guī)的束縛，讓平凡陳舊的事物煥然一新。信念能使人的意志再次振作，使人的情感更為豐富，并能喚醒人的創(chuàng)造力。

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 everlasting 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. Reverence 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 immortality because it renders less bitter the separation from those I have loved and lost, and because it will free me from unnatural limitations and unfold still more faculties I have in joyous activity. Even if my vital spark should be blown out, I believe that I should behave with courageous dignity in the presence of fate and strive to be a worthy companion of the beautiful, the good, and the True. But fate has its master in the faith of those who surmount it, and limitation has its limits for those who, thought disillusioned, 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.

積極的信念是無畏的，它守護(hù)著我遠(yuǎn)離憤世嫉俗和絕望的境地。除此之外，信念并非一種或兩三種具體的事物，而是鼓舞著我所有信仰的整體，是無法分割的。我相 信，當(dāng)我在生命的海洋中前行時，是擁有無限善意和無盡的智慧的上帝，用他永恒的臂膀為我支撐的。我相信我的同伴，驚奇于他們善良的天性與信念。他們相信， 在經(jīng)歷了悲傷與壓迫的漫漫長夜后，他們將會在清晨的美麗光影中堅強(qiáng)地重新站起來。我崇敬著地球上一切美麗與珍貴的事物，感覺到自己有責(zé)任為全人類能擁有一 個健康而富饒的家園盡心盡力。永恒能減輕我與深愛但已失去的人分離時的痛苦;它能讓我擺脫人為的束縛，發(fā)現(xiàn)享受歡樂的能力，因此我相信永恒。就算我的生命 之火終將熄滅，我還是堅信，自己能夠勇敢且充滿尊嚴(yán)地面對命運，成為真善美稱職的戰(zhàn)友。但那些戰(zhàn)勝命運者的信仰也會受命運的主宰，那些理想雖破滅但依然勇 敢生存者的權(quán)利也會受到局限。真正的信念充滿了危險，它是人類致命的脆弱與精神內(nèi)在力量的能力結(jié)合。它不會隨一個人想法的轉(zhuǎn)變而改變。

It was a terrible blow to my faith when I learned that millions of my fellow creatures must labor 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 regained the radiant belief of my young years that earth is a happy home and hearth 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.

當(dāng)我得知數(shù)不清的同伴都在為他們的生計終日勞作，忍受著最沉重的壓力，不曾享受生活的樂趣就黯然而逝的時候，我的信念遭到了嚴(yán)重的打擊。我永遠(yuǎn)地失去了安 全感，也永遠(yuǎn)失去了兒時那令人欣喜的信仰：地球是多數(shù)人的幸福家園。但信念是精神的一種狀態(tài)。人只要擁有信念，就不會輕言放棄。倘若他不得已顛沛流離，也 會再次建起一座房子，那是地球上任何颶風(fēng)都無法摧毀的。

When I think of the suffering and famine, and the continued slaughter 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.

當(dāng)我想到人們依然遭受著苦難與饑荒，想到人類無休止的殺戮，我的心便會滴血。但我的腦海里會出現(xiàn)這樣的想法：正如我曾經(jīng)是個又聾又啞又盲的小女孩一樣，人類也正在無知與憎恨的黑暗中慢慢成長，向更光明的明天走去。