雙語美文| Do whatever you can while you're young.

雙語美文 英漢對照讀美文，感悟語言的藝術

My advice, do whatever you can while you're young, it really does get harder as you get older,

我的建議是，趁年輕去做自己想做的任何事，隨著年歲增長，你會越來越難於抽身去做這些事。

and there comes a point in your life when you stop looking forward at the possibilities of what you could be,

在生命中某個特定的時刻，你不再對未來充滿期望，不再憧憬自己會變成什麼模樣。

and start looking forward at the inevitability of what will be.

而是開始預測，不可抗拒的命運會給你帶來什麼。

Nobody lives forever.

沒有人能夠長生不死。

Reach far, take chances, risk a lot, but always have a backup plan.

走向遠方，抓住機遇，承擔風險，但一定要有備用計劃。

You might think that nothing can harm you,

你可能會認為自己所向披靡，

but reaching for dreams that you have no chance of attaining can harm you,

可是，徒勞的追求一個你不可能實現的虛幻夢境卻可能傷害你。

you can end up depressed, stuck in a rut because you can't make any progress forward.

你可能會陷入抑鬱，停滯不前，因為你已經走進了死衚衕，無法再向前走。

It's important to reach, but also to have a plan that can actually work, idle dreams are dangerous.

為理想奮鬥固然重要，但做好切實可行的計劃更加重要。虛幻的夢想十分危險。

Things that are going to happen happen step by step, in manageable steps, they don't happen by magic,

事情都是一個階段一個階段發展變化的，每個階段都是可以人為操控的，而不是魔法變幻出來的。

so break big goals down into steps and if you get stuck on a step for any period of time,

所以，你應該把大的目標分解成一個一個小步驟，如果你在此過程中，在某個步驟上卡住了，

it's time to re-evaluate what's going on and figure something else out

此時你應該做的，是重新評估事情的進展，想想還有什麼其他的方案

- either to adapt and overcome, or make a realistic appraisal of the situation and decide what to do.

或者適應新形勢，克服難關，或者對此時的處境做一番客觀的評估，決定自己的去留。

People say never give up on your dreams, but that's unrealistic.

人們常說，永遠不要放棄自己的夢想，但這並不現實。

Sometimes you outgrow your dreams, or achieve enough of them

有時你會發現自己長大了，不再相信兒時的夢想，或者你已經實現了夢想，

that you lose motivation to achieve the rest because the reward isn't enough for the effort.

卻失去了繼續下去的動力，因為你覺得自己的收穫不值得自己付出的艱辛勞動

so it's important to be steadfast and dogged enough to push until you reach that point,

所以說，你必須步調沉穩，信念堅定，才能支持自己走到最後，

then to re-evaluate and make sure you actually want to continue on,

然後重新審視一下當下的成果，確信自己真的想要繼續走下去，

and either recommit to your dreams, alter your plans, or be honest with yourself and choose to go in a different direction.

接下來，你可以重新點燃逐夢的激情，或者調整自己的計劃，抑或誠實的面對自己，選擇一條截然不同的道路

Blind allegiance and steadfast determination can put you into a situation of fighting for things you don't really want anymore.

對一個夢想的愚忠和頑守可能會讓你走進誤區，去為自己已經不想要的東西而奮鬥。

There's a middle ground that you want to shoot for where you don't stay the party longer than is right for you,

在這個中間地帶，你可能會想找到那個時間點，你知道，你會到此為止，過了這個時間點，你便不會再多停留。

but you also aren't a flake who gives up at the first sign of trouble.

不過，你也不能走向反面，剛看到障礙即將出現的跡象就鳴鼓收兵。

Re-evaluate all the time, every year, every month, even ever week to make sure you still want what you think you want,

你要時常重新審視當下的局面，每年，每個月，甚至每個星期，以此確認自己的心意，確定自己仍然想到得到過去心儀的東西。

and that you are still making progress.

並且，你正朝著目標前進。

The most important skill is finding your way when all hope is lost.

除此之外，最重要的技能是，在你深陷絕望時，如何找到出口，

It's easy to wander in darkness without a way forward, to become depressed and despondent when your dreams don't come true, or as likely.

當你的夢想已經破滅，或者發生了類似的情況，你可以放棄抵抗，任自己在絕望的黑暗中游蕩，停滯不前，失魂落魄，灰心喪氣。

when your dreams do come true and they weren't everything that you had hoped.

又或者，你的夢想真的實現了，你卻發現，自己想要的不在於此。

The ability to give up, in tears, crying on your bed because you have no idea what to do,

要有選擇放棄的勇氣，即使你會淚流滿面，趴在床上痛哭不止，不知道自己該怎麼做

throwing your hands in the air and asking the Universe for guidance is a vastly under rated skill.

讓自己兩手懸空，探問神祕的宇宙，請求一絲啟示，這是一種調試自己的方式，人們大大低估了這種方式的作用。

Sometimes the only way to find a way forward is to admit defeat,

有的時候，唯一能讓你向前走的方式就是承認自己已經失敗了，

to surrender yourself to the fact that you're just a person and that you don't know what is going on most of the time,

向現實妥協，接受殘局，承認自己只是個凡夫俗子，大多數時候，不可能掌控全局

and cry a lot until you feel better and find new direction.

放縱自己盡情哭泣吧，直到你心情好轉，找到了新的方向

Be honest with yourself about your motivations –

誠實的面對自己，找到真正能激勵自己的東西

are you really doing something for yourself to become a better, more capable person, to improve your situation.

你努力的目標究竟是什麼？是為了讓自己變得更好，更有能力，為了改善自己的生活處境，

or are you trying to impress someone?

還是僅僅為了讓某個人刮目相看？

Be careful about seeking the approval and the admiration of others, ultimately that kind of success is illusory .

如果你追求的只是其他人的肯定和讚揚，請多加小心，這樣的成就，最終都是幻影。

Treat yourself at least as good as you treat other people.

如果你習慣善待他人，請同樣善待自己，

Even the smallest change is important, don't despise the day of small things.

不要小看變化，即使最微小的改變也是十分重要的，別低估了生活中那些微不足道的事物。

"

雙語美文| Do whatever you can while you're young.

雙語美文 英漢對照讀美文，感悟語言的藝術

---

My advice, do whatever you can while you're young, it really does get harder as you get older,

我的建議是，趁年輕去做自己想做的任何事，隨著年歲增長，你會越來越難於抽身去做這些事。

and there comes a point in your life when you stop looking forward at the possibilities of what you could be,

在生命中某個特定的時刻，你不再對未來充滿期望，不再憧憬自己會變成什麼模樣。

and start looking forward at the inevitability of what will be.

而是開始預測，不可抗拒的命運會給你帶來什麼。

Nobody lives forever.

沒有人能夠長生不死。

Reach far, take chances, risk a lot, but always have a backup plan.

走向遠方，抓住機遇，承擔風險，但一定要有備用計劃。

You might think that nothing can harm you,

你可能會認為自己所向披靡，

but reaching for dreams that you have no chance of attaining can harm you,

可是，徒勞的追求一個你不可能實現的虛幻夢境卻可能傷害你。

you can end up depressed, stuck in a rut because you can't make any progress forward.

你可能會陷入抑鬱，停滯不前，因為你已經走進了死衚衕，無法再向前走。

It's important to reach, but also to have a plan that can actually work, idle dreams are dangerous.

為理想奮鬥固然重要，但做好切實可行的計劃更加重要。虛幻的夢想十分危險。

Things that are going to happen happen step by step, in manageable steps, they don't happen by magic,

事情都是一個階段一個階段發展變化的，每個階段都是可以人為操控的，而不是魔法變幻出來的。

so break big goals down into steps and if you get stuck on a step for any period of time,

所以，你應該把大的目標分解成一個一個小步驟，如果你在此過程中，在某個步驟上卡住了，

it's time to re-evaluate what's going on and figure something else out

此時你應該做的，是重新評估事情的進展，想想還有什麼其他的方案

- either to adapt and overcome, or make a realistic appraisal of the situation and decide what to do.

或者適應新形勢，克服難關，或者對此時的處境做一番客觀的評估，決定自己的去留。

People say never give up on your dreams, but that's unrealistic.

人們常說，永遠不要放棄自己的夢想，但這並不現實。

Sometimes you outgrow your dreams, or achieve enough of them

有時你會發現自己長大了，不再相信兒時的夢想，或者你已經實現了夢想，

that you lose motivation to achieve the rest because the reward isn't enough for the effort.

卻失去了繼續下去的動力，因為你覺得自己的收穫不值得自己付出的艱辛勞動

so it's important to be steadfast and dogged enough to push until you reach that point,

所以說，你必須步調沉穩，信念堅定，才能支持自己走到最後，

then to re-evaluate and make sure you actually want to continue on,

然後重新審視一下當下的成果，確信自己真的想要繼續走下去，

and either recommit to your dreams, alter your plans, or be honest with yourself and choose to go in a different direction.

接下來，你可以重新點燃逐夢的激情，或者調整自己的計劃，抑或誠實的面對自己，選擇一條截然不同的道路

Blind allegiance and steadfast determination can put you into a situation of fighting for things you don't really want anymore.

對一個夢想的愚忠和頑守可能會讓你走進誤區，去為自己已經不想要的東西而奮鬥。

There's a middle ground that you want to shoot for where you don't stay the party longer than is right for you,

在這個中間地帶，你可能會想找到那個時間點，你知道，你會到此為止，過了這個時間點，你便不會再多停留。

but you also aren't a flake who gives up at the first sign of trouble.

不過，你也不能走向反面，剛看到障礙即將出現的跡象就鳴鼓收兵。

Re-evaluate all the time, every year, every month, even ever week to make sure you still want what you think you want,

你要時常重新審視當下的局面，每年，每個月，甚至每個星期，以此確認自己的心意，確定自己仍然想到得到過去心儀的東西。

and that you are still making progress.

並且，你正朝著目標前進。

The most important skill is finding your way when all hope is lost.

除此之外，最重要的技能是，在你深陷絕望時，如何找到出口，

It's easy to wander in darkness without a way forward, to become depressed and despondent when your dreams don't come true, or as likely.

當你的夢想已經破滅，或者發生了類似的情況，你可以放棄抵抗，任自己在絕望的黑暗中游蕩，停滯不前，失魂落魄，灰心喪氣。

when your dreams do come true and they weren't everything that you had hoped.

又或者，你的夢想真的實現了，你卻發現，自己想要的不在於此。

The ability to give up, in tears, crying on your bed because you have no idea what to do,

要有選擇放棄的勇氣，即使你會淚流滿面，趴在床上痛哭不止，不知道自己該怎麼做

throwing your hands in the air and asking the Universe for guidance is a vastly under rated skill.

讓自己兩手懸空，探問神祕的宇宙，請求一絲啟示，這是一種調試自己的方式，人們大大低估了這種方式的作用。

Sometimes the only way to find a way forward is to admit defeat,

有的時候，唯一能讓你向前走的方式就是承認自己已經失敗了，

to surrender yourself to the fact that you're just a person and that you don't know what is going on most of the time,

向現實妥協，接受殘局，承認自己只是個凡夫俗子，大多數時候，不可能掌控全局

and cry a lot until you feel better and find new direction.

放縱自己盡情哭泣吧，直到你心情好轉，找到了新的方向

Be honest with yourself about your motivations –

誠實的面對自己，找到真正能激勵自己的東西

are you really doing something for yourself to become a better, more capable person, to improve your situation.

你努力的目標究竟是什麼？是為了讓自己變得更好，更有能力，為了改善自己的生活處境，

or are you trying to impress someone?

還是僅僅為了讓某個人刮目相看？

Be careful about seeking the approval and the admiration of others, ultimately that kind of success is illusory .

如果你追求的只是其他人的肯定和讚揚，請多加小心，這樣的成就，最終都是幻影。

Treat yourself at least as good as you treat other people.

如果你習慣善待他人，請同樣善待自己，

Even the smallest change is important, don't despise the day of small things.

不要小看變化，即使最微小的改變也是十分重要的，別低估了生活中那些微不足道的事物。

"