精美英文欣赏:Who We Are我们是谁？

The only problem unconsciously assumed by all Chinese philosophers to be of any importance is: How shall we enjoy life, and who can best enjoy life? No perfectionism, no straining after the unattainable, no postulating¹ of he unknowable; but taking poor, modal human nature as it is, how shall we organize our life so that we can woke peacefully, endure nobly and live happily?

Who are we? That is first question. It is a question almost impossible to answer. But we all agree with the busy self occupied in our daily activities is not quite the real self. We are quite sure we have lost something in the mere² pursuit of living. When we watch a person running about looking for something in a field, the wise man can set a puzzle for all the spectator to solve: what has that person lost? Some one thinks is a watch; another thinks it is a diamond brooch; and others will essay other guesses. After all the guesses have failed, the wise man who really doesn't know what the person is seeking after, tells the company:" I'll tell you. He has lost some breath." And no one can deny that he is right. So we often forget our true self in the pursuit of living, like a bird forgetting its own danger in pursuit of a mantis³ which again forgets its own danger in pursuit of another.
一切中国的哲学家在不知不觉中认为唯一重要的问题是：我们要怎样享受人生？谁最会享受人生？我们不追求十全十美的理想，我们不寻找那些得不到的东西，我们不要求知道那些不得而知的东西；我们只认识不完美的、会死的人类的本性，那么我们要怎样调整我们的人生，使我们可以和平地工作着，旷达地忍耐着，幸福地生活着呢?

我们是谁呢？这是第一个问题。这个问题几乎是无法答复的。可是我们都承认在我们曰常活动中那么忙碌的自我，并不完全是真正的自我；我们相信我们在生活的追求中已经失掉了一些东西。当我们看见一个人在一片田野里跑来跑去在寻找东西时，智者可以弄出一个难题给一切旁观者去解答：那个人失掉了什么东西呢？有的猜一只表；有的猜一支钻石胸针；其他的人则作其他的猜测。智者委实也不知道那个人在寻找什么东西；可是当大家都猜不中的时候，他会对大家说：“我告诉你们吧。他失掉了一些气息了。” 没有人会否认他的话是对的。所以我们在生活的追求中常常忘掉了真正的自我，像庄子在一个美妙的譬喻里所讲的那只鸟那样，为了要捕捉一只螳螂而忘掉自身的危险，而那只螳螂又为了要捕捉一只蝉而忘掉自身的危险。
1.perfectionism  n. 十全十美主义,[哲] 至善论

例句：

I believe procrastination⁴ is born out of an excessive drive to perfectionism.
我相信拖沓就是由过度的完美主义驱动力孕育而生。

2.postulate      v. 要求,假定  n. 假定,基本条件

例句：

He postulated⁵ that a cure for the disease will have been found by the year 2000. 
他推断到2000年能研究出治愈该病的方法.

3. n. 胸针,领针

例句：

My aunt give me one of her brooch as a keepsake. 
我的姑母把她的一只胸针送给我作纪念。

4.mantis        n. 螳螂

例句：

A mantis cannot stop the wheel of a cart.
螳臂岂能挡车。
 

1 postulating   

v.假定，假设( postulate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

2 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

3 mantis   

n.螳螂

参考例句：

• Praying mantis has two powerful claws like sharp knives.螳螂有一对强壮的爪子，它们像锋利的刀。
• In her mind,it was a female mantis,devouring her mates.她的意识中，是一只雌螳螂正吞咽她的配偶。

4 procrastination   

n.拖延，耽搁

参考例句：

• Procrastination is the father of failure. 因循是失败的根源。
• Procrastination is the thief of time. 拖延就是浪费时间。

5 postulated   

v.假定，假设( postulate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• They postulated a 500-year lifespan for a plastic container. 他们假定塑料容器的寿命为500年。
• Freud postulated that we all have a death instinct as well as a life instinct. 弗洛伊德曾假定我们所有人都有生存本能和死亡本能。 来自辞典例句