16:如果我休息,我就會(huì)生銹 (節(jié)選)
The significant inscription found on an old key - "If I rest, I rust." - would be an excellent motto for those who are afflicted with 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.
在一把舊鑰匙上發(fā)現(xiàn)了一則意義深遠(yuǎn)的銘文——如果我休息,我就會(huì)生銹。對(duì)于那些懶散而煩惱的人來說,這將是至理名言。甚至最為勤勉的人也以此作為警示:如果一個(gè)人有才能而不用,就像廢棄鑰匙上的鐵一樣,這些才能就會(huì)很快生銹,并最終無法完成安排給自己的工作。
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 gates that guard entrances to the professions, to science, art, literature, agriculture-every department of human endeavor.
有些人想取得偉人所獲得并保持的成就,他們就必須不斷運(yùn)用自身才能,以便開啟知識(shí)的大門,即那些通往人類努力探求的各個(gè)領(lǐng)域的大門,這些領(lǐng)域包括各種職業(yè):科學(xué),藝術(shù),文學(xué),農(nóng)業(yè)等。
Industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasury of achievement. If Hugh Miller, after toiling all day in 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 " moments to idleness. Had the little Scotch lad, Ferguson, had 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 become a famous,astronomer.
勤奮使開啟成功寶庫(kù)的鑰匙保持光亮。如果休·米勒在采石場(chǎng)勞作一天后,晚上的時(shí)光用來休息消遣的話,他就不會(huì)成為名垂青史的地質(zhì)學(xué)家。著名數(shù)學(xué)家愛德蒙·斯通如果閑暇時(shí)無所事事,就不會(huì)出版數(shù)學(xué)詞典,也不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)開啟數(shù)學(xué)之門的鑰匙。如果蘇格蘭青年弗格森在山坡上放羊時(shí),讓他,那思維活躍的大腦處于休息狀態(tài),而不是借助一串珠子計(jì)算星星的位置,他就不會(huì)成為著名的天文學(xué)家。
Labor vanquish all-not inconstant, spasmodic or ill-directed labor; but faithful, unremitting daily effort toward a well-directed purpose. Just as truly as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty, So is eternal industry the price of noble and enduring success.
勞動(dòng)征服一切。這里所指的勞動(dòng)不是斷斷續(xù)續(xù)的,間歇性的或方向偏差的勞動(dòng),而是堅(jiān)定的,不懈的,方向正確的每日勞動(dòng)。正如要想擁有自由就要時(shí)刻保持警惕一樣,要想取得偉大的,持久的成功,就必須堅(jiān)持不懈地努力。
注釋:
motto:n. 座右銘,格言;箴言
例句:"Stay true to yourself" has always been his motto.
“忠于自己”一直是他的座右銘。
endeavor:n. 努力;盡力
例句:She improved visibly from day to day, until Martin wondered if he was doing right, for he knew that all her compliance and endeavor was for his sake.
她一天比一天進(jìn)步了,直到馬丁懷疑起自己的做法是否得體。 因?yàn)樗靼姿倪@一切遷就和努力都是為了他。
mathematical:adj. 數(shù)學(xué)的,數(shù)學(xué)上的;
例句:Anyone can be an astrologer as long as they are mathematically minded.
任何人都可能成為占星家,只要他們具有數(shù)學(xué)頭腦。
spasmodic:adj. 間歇性的
例句:My elder brothers, after a few spasmodic efforts, gave up all hopes of me--they even ceased to scold me.
我的兄長(zhǎng)們作過一段時(shí)間的努力之后,對(duì)我完全絕望了---他們就連責(zé)罵也不責(zé)罵我了。
the price of :...的代價(jià)
The price of being misunderstood, he thought.
他想,這就是被誤解的代價(jià)。