The Scroll Marked Nine 羊皮卷之九

 

My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value unless they are followed by action. I will act now. Never has there been a map, however carefully executed to detail and scale, which carried its owner over even one inch of ground. Never has there been a parchment of law, however fair, which prevented one crime. Never has there been a scroll1, even such as the one I hold, which earned so much as a penny or produced a single word of acclamation. Action, alone, is the tinder which ignites the map, the parchment, this scroll, my dreams, my plans, my goals, into a living force. Action is the food and drink which will nourish my success. I will act now. My procrastination2 which has held me back was born of fear and now I recognize this secret mined from the depths of all courageous3 hearts. Now I know that to conquer fear I must always act without hesitation4 and the flutters in my heart will vanish. Now I know that action reduces the lion of terror to an ant of equanimity5. I will act now. Henceforth, I will remember the lesson of the firefly who gives of its light only when it is on the wing, only when it is in action. I will become a firefly and even in the day my glow will be seen in spite of the sun. Let others be as butterflies who preen6 their wings yet depend on the charity of a flower for life. I will be as the firefly and my light will brighten the world. I will act now. I will not avoid the tasks of today and charge them to tomorrow for I know that tomorrow never comes. Let me act now even though my actions may not bring happiness or success for it is better to act and fail than not to act and flounder. Happiness, in truth, may not be the fruit plucked by my action yet without action all fruit will die on the vine. I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words again and again and again, each hour, each day, every day, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing and the actions which follow become as instinctive7 as the blinking of my eyelids8. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every act necessary for my success. With these words I can condition my mind to meet every challenge which the failure avoids. I will act now.   I will repeat these words again and again and again. When I awake I will say them and leap from my cot while the failure sleeps yet another hour. I will act now. When I enter the market place I will say them and immediately confront my first prospect9 while the failure ponders yet his possibility of rebuff. I will act now. When I face a closed door I will say them and knock while the failure waits outside with fear and trepidation10.   I will act now. When I face temptation I will say them and immediately act to remove myself from evil.   I will act now. When I am tempted11 to quit and begin again tomorrow I will say them and immediately act to consummate12 another sale. I will act now. Only action determines my value in the market place and to multiply my value I will multiply my actions. I will walk where the failure fears to walk. I will work when the failure seeks rest. I will talk when the failure remains13 silent. I will call on ten who can buy my goods while the failure makes grand plans to call on one. I will say it is done before the failure says it is too late.     I will act now. For now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor14 of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the evil become good. I am not evil. Tomorrow is the day when the weak become strong. I am not weak. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure.   I will act now. When the lion is hungry he eats. When the eagle has thirst he drinks. Lest they act, both will perish.   I hunger for success. I thirst for happiness and peace of mind. Lest I act I will perish in a life of failure, misery15, and sleepless16 nights. I will command, and I will obey mine own command.   I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay she will become betrothed17 to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the man. I will act now.

我的幻想毫无价值，我的计划渺如尘埃，我的目标不可能达到。 一切的一切毫无意义－－除非我们付诸行动。 我现在就付诸行动。 一张地图，不论多么详尽，比例多精确，它永远不能带着它的主人在地面上移动半步。一个国家的法律，不论多么公正，永远不可能防止罪恶的发生。任何宝典，即使在我手中的羊皮卷，永远不可能创造财富。只有行动才能使地图、法律、宝典、梦想、计划、目标具有现实意义。行动，像食物和水一样，能滋润我，使我成功。 我现在就付诸行动。 拖延使我裹足不前，它来自恐惧。现在我从所有勇敢的心灵深处，体会到这一秘密。我知道，想克服恐惧，必须毫不犹豫，起而行动，唯其如此，心中的慌乱方得以平定。现在我知道，行动会使猛狮般的恐惧，减缓为蚂蚁般的平静。 我现在就付诸行动。 从此我要记住萤火虫的启迪：只有振翅的时候，才能发出光芒。我要成为一只萤火虫，即使在艳阳高照的白天，我也要发出光芒。让别人像蝴蝶一样。舞动翅膀，靠花朵的施舍生活；我要做萤火虫，照亮大地。     我现在就付诸行动。 我不把今天的事情留给明天，因为我知道明天是永远不会来临的。现在就付诸行动吧！即使我的行为不会带来快乐与成功，但是动而失败总比坐而待毙好。行动也许不会结出快乐的果实，但没有行动，所有的果实都无法收获。     我现在就付诸行动。 立即行动。立即行动。立即行动。从今往后，我要一遍又一遍，每时每刻重复这句话，直到成为习惯，好比呼吸一般，成为本能，好比眨眼一样。有了这句话，我就能调整自己的情绪，迎接失败者逃避而远之的每一次挑战。     我现在就付诸行动。   我一遍又一遍地重复这句话。 清晨醒来时，失败者流连于床榻，我却要默诵这句话，然后开始行动。 我现在就付诸行动。 外出推销时，失败者还在考虑是否遭到拒绝的时候，我要默诵着句话，面对第一个来临的顾客。   我现在就付诸行动。 面对紧闭的大门，失败者怀着恐惧与惶惑的心情，在门外等候；我默诵着句话，随即上前敲门。   我现在就付诸行动。 面对诱惑时，我默诵这句话，然后远离罪恶。     我现在就付诸行动。     我现在就付诸行动。 只有行动才能决定我在商场上的价值。若要加倍我的价值，我必须加倍努力。我要前往失败者惧怕的地方，当失败者休息的时候，我要继续工作。失败者沉默的时候，我开口推销，我要拜访十户可能买我东西的人家，而失败者在一番周详的计划之后，却只拜访一家。在失败者认为太晚时，我能够说大功告成。   我现在就付诸行动。 现在是我的所有。明日是为懒汉保留的工作日，我并不懒惰。明日是弃恶从善的日子，我并不邪恶。明日是弱者变强者的日子，我并不软弱。明日是失败者借口成功的日子，我并不是失败。     我现在就付诸行动。 我是雄狮，我是苍鹰，饥即食，渴即饮。除非行动，否则死路一条。   我渴望成功，快乐，心灵的平静。除非行动，否则我将在失败、不幸、夜不成眠的日子中死亡。 我发布命令。我要服从自己的命令。   我现在就付诸行动。 成功不是等待。如果我迟疑，她会投入别人的怀抱，永远弃我而去。 此时。此地。此人。 我现在就付诸行动。

 

1 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

2 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。

3 courageous   

adj.勇敢的，有胆量的

参考例句：

• We all honour courageous people.我们都尊重勇敢的人。
• He was roused to action by courageous words.豪言壮语促使他奋起行动。

4 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

5 equanimity   

n.沉着，镇定

参考例句：

• She went again,and in so doing temporarily recovered her equanimity.她又去看了戏，而且这样一来又暂时恢复了她的平静。
• The defeat was taken with equanimity by the leadership.领导层坦然地接受了失败。

6 preen   

v.（人）打扮修饰

参考例句：

• 50% of men under 35 spend at least 20 minutes preening themselves every morning in the bathroom.50%的35岁以下男性每天早上至少花20分钟在盥洗室精心打扮。
• Bill preened his beard.比尔精心修剪了他的胡须。

7 instinctive   

adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的

参考例句：

• He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
• Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

8 eyelids   

n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色

参考例句：

• She was so tired, her eyelids were beginning to droop. 她太疲倦了，眼睑开始往下垂。
• Her eyelids drooped as if she were on the verge of sleep. 她眼睑低垂好像快要睡着的样子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

10 trepidation   

n.惊恐，惶恐

参考例句：

• The men set off in fear and trepidation.这群人惊慌失措地出发了。
• The threat of an epidemic caused great alarm and trepidation.流行病猖獗因而人心惶惶。

11 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

12 consummate   

adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle

参考例句：

• The restored jade burial suit fully reveals the consummate skill of the labouring people of ancient China.复原后的金缕玉衣充分显示出中国古代劳动人民的精湛工艺。
• The actor's acting is consummate and he is loved by the audience.这位演员技艺精湛，深受观众喜爱。

13 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

15 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

16 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

17 betrothed   

n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She is betrothed to John. 她同约翰订了婚。
• His daughter was betrothed to a teacher. 他的女儿同一个教师订了婚。