英语PK台 第299期:马克·吐温致青年人的忠告

 　　Being told I would be expected to talk here, I inquired what sort of talk I ought to make. They said it should be something suitable to youth-something didactic, instructive, or something in the nature of good advice. Very well.

　　“我接收到通知将到这里来做演说时，我就询问我应该讲些什么。他们说应该讲些适合年轻人的--有教育性的，有意义的，或者一些好的建议。非常好！”

　　I have a few things in my mind which I have often longed to say for the instruction of the young, for it is in one's tender early years that such things will best take root and be most enduring and most valuable. First, then, I will say to you — my young friends, and I say it beseechingly¹, urgently;

　　我心里有些话一直想一吐为快，好用以指导青年人。因为只有在一个人年轻的时候，这些话才能更好地在内心扎根，产生最为持久的影响，同时也最具价值。年轻的朋友们，首先我要对你们说，我也要诚恳，急切地告诫你们：

　　Always obey your parents when they are present. This is the best policy in the long run, because if you don't, they will make you. Most parents think they know better than you do, and you can generally make more by humoring that superstition² than you can by acting³ on your own better judgment⁴.

　　当着父母的面，要永远服从父母。如果从长计议，这是最佳选择，因为即使你不服从，他们也会迫使你服从。大多数的家长都认为他们比你懂得多，而你如果顺从他们，假装也认为的确是他们比你更有经验，则往往要比按照自己更正确的判断行事，更容易取得好的结果。

　　Be respectful to your superiors, if you have any, also to strangers, and sometimes to others. If a person offend you, and you are in doubt as to whether it was intentional⁵ or not, do not resort to extreme measures; simply watch your chance and hit him with a brick. That will be sufficient. If you shall find that he had not intended any offense⁶, come out frankly⁷ and confess yourself in the wrong when you struck him, acknowledge it like a man and say you didn't mean to. Yes, always avoid violence; in this age of charity and kindliness⁸, the time has gone by for such things. Leave dynamite⁹ to the low and unrefined.

　　尊敬你的上司，如果你有的话；你也应该尊敬陌生人；有时还要尊敬其他人，如果有人冒犯你，而你不确定这种冒犯行为是否是有意的，那就不要采取极端措施。你只需要瞅准机会，狠狠地给他来一下，那就够了。万一发现他并非故意冒犯，你就要坦诚地站出来，承认自己的错误，像个男子汉一样坦白自己对他的报复，并说明自己绝非有意如此。对，要始终避免暴力。在这个宽容友好的年代，盛行的是仁爱和宽容。将炸药留给那些低俗的、没教养的人。

　　Go to bed early, get up early — this is wise. Some authorities say get up with the sun; some others say get up with on thing, some with another. But a lark¹⁰ is really the best thing to get up with. It gives you a splendid reputation with everybody to know that you get up with the lark; and if you get the right kind of lark, and work at him right, you can easily train him to get up at half past nine, every time — it is no trick at all.

　　要早睡早起——这是明智之举。有权威人士说要日出而起；也有人说应该与这个或那个同起。但我觉得最好是和云雀同起。如果大家知道你和云雀同起，名声自然会好。不妨弄一只机灵的能够接受训练的云雀，悉心调教，准能轻易让它每天九点半起床——这可算不上什么复杂的伎俩。

　　Now as to the matter of lying, you want to be very careful about lying; otherwise you are nearly sure to get caught. Once caught, you can never again be in the eyes to the good and the pure, what you were before. Many a young person has injured himself permanently¹¹ through a single clumsy and ill finished lie, the result of carelessness born of incomplete training. Some authorities hold that the young ought not to lie at all.

　　“现在来谈谈说谎的事。你们要非常小心地对待说谎；否则几乎一定会被抓到。一旦被抓，在那些善良纯洁的人眼中，你就不可能再与原来的你一样了。许多年轻人都这样；用一个简单笨拙而又草草结尾的谎言，用那天生缺乏训练的疏忽所导致的结果来伤害自己。有些权威人士认为，年轻人绝不应该撒谎。”

　　That of course, is putting it rather stronger than necessary; still while I cannot go quite so far as that, I do maintain, and I believe I am right, that the young ought to be temperate¹² in the use of this great art until practice and experience shall give them that confidence, elegance¹³, and precision which alone can make the accomplishment¹⁴ graceful¹⁵ and profitable. Patience, diligence, painstaking¹⁶ attention to detail — these are requirements; these in time, will make the student perfect; upon these only, may he rely as the sure foundation for future eminence¹⁷.

　　“当然，这要求过于苛刻，我的观点没那么绝对，我坚持认为，同时我也相信我的想法是正确的；年轻人在运用这项伟大艺术时一定要节制，直到他们的实践与经验可以让他们自信、优雅并精确地使谎言漂漂亮亮地成功。耐心、勤奋、对细节的认真洞察力，这些都需要具备；这些迟早会让学习者变得完美；仅仅靠这些，就会为将来变得出众打下坚实基础。”

　　For the history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sewn thick with evidences that a truth is not hard to kill, and that a lie well told is immortal¹⁸. There is in Boston a monument of the man who discovered anesthesia; many people are aware, in these latter days, that that man didn't discover it at all, but stole the discovery from another man. Is this truth mighty，and will it prevail. Ah no, my hearers, the monument is made of hardy¹⁹ material, but the lie it tells will outlast²⁰ it a million years.

　　“我们人类的历史及每个人的经历都清清楚楚地证明：事实不难毁掉，编得好的谎言可以长存不朽。波士顿有个纪念碑，是为了纪念一个发明麻醉术的人；后来许多人都知道，根本不是他发现的，而是他偷了另一个人的发明成果。这个事实有力量吗？它会流传吗？哦，不会的，我的听众们。纪念碑是用坚硬的材料做的，而它所记述的谎言会比它多活一百万年。”

　　An awkward, feeble, leaky lie is a thing which you ought to make it your unceasing study to avoid; such a lie as that has no more real permanence than an average truth. Why ,you might as well tell truth at once and be done with it. A feeble, stupid, preposterous²¹ lie will not live two years — except it be a slander²² upon somebody. It is indestructible, then of course, but that is no merit of yours. A final word: begin your practice of this gracious and beautiful art early — begin now. If I had begun earlier, I could have learned now.

　　“笨拙、无力、有漏洞的谎言是你们应该通过不断学习来避免的；这样的谎言不会比一个普通的事实更真实永久。你们何不一次说出事实并自此再不提起。一个软弱无力，愚蠢荒谬的谎言流传不到两年--除非那是对某个人的诽谤。当然，它不可毁灭，但这样对你也没有好处。总之一句话：现在趁早就开始实践这项高尚美丽的艺术吧。如果我早开始，我现在一定会学会了。”

　　There are many sorts of books, but good ones are the sort for the young to read. Remember that. They are a great, an inestimable and unspeakable means of improvement. Therefore be careful in your selection, my young friends; be very careful; confine yourselves exclusively to Robertson's Sermons, Baxter's Saint's Rest, The Innocents Abroad, and works of that kind.

　　书有很多种，但适合青年人看的书才算是好书。记住这一点。好书是难以估量的巨大财富，读好书是一种绝佳的、难以言表的进步方式。因此，年轻的朋友们，要谨慎选择图书，要非常谨慎才行，把自己看书的范围限定于罗宾逊的《布道辞》、巴克斯特的《圣徒的信息》和《傻子国外旅行记》等诸如此类的作品。

　　Never handle firearms carelessly. The sorrow and suffering that have been caused through the innocent but heedless handling of firearms by the young ! Only for days ago, right in the next farm house to the one where I am spending the summer, a grandmother, old and gray and sweet, one of the loveliest spirits in the land, was sitting at her work, when her young grandson crept in and got down an old, battered²³, rusty²⁴ gun which had not been touched for many years and was supposed not to be loaded, and pointed²⁵ it at her, laughing and threatening to shoot. In her fright she ran screaming and pleading toward the door on the other side of the room; but as she passed him he placed the gun almost against her very breast and pulled the trigger!

　　“绝不轻意地用武器。由于年轻人无知，轻率地拿起武器而引起的悲痛有多少！仅仅四天前，就在我过夏天那家农屋的隔壁，有一位头发灰白，和蔼可亲的老奶奶，当地最可爱的人物之一，正坐着她的活，她年幼的孙子蹑手蹑脚进来取下那只破旧、已被敲扁了的生锈的枪。这支枪已多年未被动过，可能没有装填弹药。惊骇中，她边跑边尖叫着恳求着到了屋子另一边的门。就在她经过他时，他几乎把枪正对着她的胸膛，并拉动了扳机。”

　　He had supposed it was not loaded. And he was right — it wasn't. So there wasn't any harm done. It is the only case of that kind I ever heard meddle²⁶ with old unloaded firearms; they are the most deadly and unerring things that have ever been created by man. You don't have to take any pains at all with them; you don't have to have a rest, you don't have to have any sights on the gun, you don't have to take aim, even. No, you just pick out a relative and bang away，and you are sure to get him.

　　“他以为里面没装子弹，他对了--是的，是没装，所以没造成任何伤害。这是我所听过的惟一一个没有造成伤害的例子。因此，同样别去摆弄那些旧了的卸了膛的武器，他们是人类创造的武器中最准确最致命的了。使用它们你不用费任何力气，也不需要休息，不用枪瞄准，甚至都不用选取目标。都不用，你就找个亲戚呼地一声，就一定能击中他。”

　　But I have said enough. I hope you will treasure up the instructions which I have given you, and make them a guide to your feet and a light to your understanding. Build your character thoughtfully and painstakingly²⁷ upon these precepts²⁸, and by and by, when you have got it built, you will be surprised and gratified to see how nicely and sharply it resembles everybody else's.

　　我已经说得差不多了。希望你们将我的教诲铭记在心，作为自己的行动指南、指路明灯。大家要修身养性、奋力进取，这样，等到最终修成正果，你会惊喜地发现，你的品行和周围其他人的是多么惊人地相似。

1 beseechingly   

adv. 恳求地

参考例句：

• She stood up, and almost beseechingly, asked her husband,'shall we go now?" 她站起身来，几乎是恳求似地问丈夫：“我们现在就走吧？”
• Narcissa began to cry in earnest, gazing beseechingly all the while at Snape. 纳西莎伤心地哭了起来，乞求地盯着斯内普。

2 superstition   

n.迷信，迷信行为

参考例句：

• It's a common superstition that black cats are unlucky.认为黑猫不吉祥是一种很普遍的迷信。
• Superstition results from ignorance.迷信产生于无知。

3 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

4 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

5 intentional   

adj.故意的，有意（识）的

参考例句：

• Let me assure you that it was not intentional.我向你保证那不是故意的。
• His insult was intentional.他的侮辱是有意的。

6 offense   

n.犯规，违法行为；冒犯，得罪

参考例句：

• I hope you will not take any offense at my words. 对我讲的话请别见怪。
• His words gave great offense to everybody present.他的发言冲犯了在场的所有人。

7 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

8 kindliness   

n.厚道，亲切，友好的行为

参考例句：

• Martha looked up into a strange face and dark eyes alight with kindliness and concern. 马撒慢慢抬起头，映入眼帘的是张陌生的脸，脸上有一双充满慈爱和关注的眼睛。 来自辞典例句
• I think the chief thing that struck me about Burton was his kindliness. 我想，我对伯顿印象最深之处主要还是这个人的和善。 来自辞典例句

9 dynamite   

n./vt.(用)炸药(爆破)

参考例句：

• The workmen detonated the dynamite.工人们把炸药引爆了。
• The philosopher was still political dynamite.那位哲学家仍旧是政治上的爆炸性人物。

10 lark   

n.云雀，百灵鸟；n.嬉戏，玩笑；vi.嬉戏

参考例句：

• He thinks it cruel to confine a lark in a cage.他认为把云雀关在笼子里太残忍了。
• She lived in the village with her grandparents as cheerful as a lark.她同祖父母一起住在乡间非常快活。

11 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

12 temperate   

adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的

参考例句：

• Asia extends across the frigid,temperate and tropical zones.亚洲地跨寒、温、热三带。
• Great Britain has a temperate climate.英国气候温和。

13 elegance   

n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙

参考例句：

• The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。
• John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。

14 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

15 graceful   

adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的

参考例句：

• His movements on the parallel bars were very graceful.他的双杠动作可帅了!
• The ballet dancer is so graceful.芭蕾舞演员的姿态是如此的优美。

16 painstaking   

adj.苦干的；艰苦的，费力的，刻苦的

参考例句：

• She is not very clever but she is painstaking.她并不很聪明，但肯下苦功夫。
• Through years of our painstaking efforts,we have at last achieved what we have today.大家经过多少年的努力，才取得今天的成绩。

17 eminence   

n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家

参考例句：

• He is a statesman of great eminence.他是个声名显赫的政治家。
• Many of the pilots were to achieve eminence in the aeronautical world.这些飞行员中很多人将会在航空界声名显赫。

18 immortal   

adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的

参考例句：

• The wild cocoa tree is effectively immortal.野生可可树实际上是不会死的。
• The heroes of the people are immortal!人民英雄永垂不朽！

19 hardy   

adj.勇敢的，果断的，吃苦的；耐寒的

参考例句：

• The kind of plant is a hardy annual.这种植物是耐寒的一年生植物。
• He is a hardy person.他是一个能吃苦耐劳的人。

20 outlast   

v.较…耐久

参考例句：

• The great use of life is to spend it doing something that will outlast it.人生的充分利用就是为争取比人生更长久的东西而度过一生。
• These naturally dried flowers will outlast a bouquet of fresh blooms.这些自然风干的花会比一束鲜花更加持久。

21 preposterous   

adj.荒谬的，可笑的

参考例句：

• The whole idea was preposterous.整个想法都荒唐透顶。
• It would be preposterous to shovel coal with a teaspoon.用茶匙铲煤是荒谬的。

22 slander   

n./v.诽谤，污蔑

参考例句：

• The article is a slander on ordinary working people.那篇文章是对普通劳动大众的诋毁。
• He threatened to go public with the slander.他威胁要把丑闻宣扬出去。

23 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

24 rusty   

adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的

参考例句：

• The lock on the door is rusty and won't open.门上的锁锈住了。
• I haven't practiced my French for months and it's getting rusty.几个月不用，我的法语又荒疏了。

25 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

26 meddle   

v.干预，干涉，插手

参考例句：

• I hope he doesn't try to meddle in my affairs.我希望他不来干预我的事情。
• Do not meddle in things that do not concern you.别参与和自己无关的事。

27 painstakingly   

adv. 费力地 苦心地

参考例句：

• Every aspect of the original has been closely studied and painstakingly reconstructed. 原作的每一细节都经过了仔细研究，费尽苦心才得以重现。
• The cause they contrived so painstakingly also ended in failure. 他们惨淡经营的事业也以失败而告终。

28 precepts   

n.规诫，戒律，箴言( precept的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• They accept the Prophet's precepts but reject some of his strictures. 他们接受先知的教训，但拒绝他的种种约束。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• The legal philosopher's concern is to ascertain the true nature of all the precepts and norms. 法哲学家的兴趣在于探寻所有规范和准则的性质。 来自辞典例句