美国语文第五册 第326期:人生如画(5)

 　　“Son,” said the hermit¹, let the errors and follies², the dangers and escapes, of this day, sink deep into your heart. “我的孩子，”那位老人说，“不妨让今天这些错误与愚蠢，危险与临阵逃脱深深藏于你的心底。

　　Remember, my son, that human life is the journey of a day. 请你记住，我的孩子，人的生活就像一天的旅程。

　　We rise in the morning of youth, full of vigor³, and full of expectation; 我们在青春的早晨起床，到处生机勃勃充满期待；我们怀揣希望，

　　we set forward with spirit and hope, with gayety and with diligence, and travel on awhile in the straight road of piety⁴ toward the mansions⁵ of rest. 春风得意且勤勉发奋，精神饱满地踏上旅途；我们心怀无比虔诚，走向那条径直通往心灵之乡的大路，

　　In a short time we remit⁶ our fervor⁷, and endeavor to find some mitigation of our duty, and some more easy means of obtaining the same end. 没想到刚走不远，转眼间，我们的炽烈热情开始退却，开始努力寻找可以减轻我们职责的东西，寻求更为简单可抵达终结的途径。

　　We then relax our vigor, and resolve no longer to be terrified with crimes at a distance, 然后，我们斗志开始松懈，告诫自己不再对远方的罪孽感到恐惧，

　　but rely upon our own constancy, and venture to approach what we resolve never to touch. 我们仅仅依赖个体的坚持，甚至冒险走近危险地带，那块我们曾经发誓永远不会涉及的地方；

　　We thus enter the bowers⁸ of ease, and repose⁹ in the shades of security. 就这样，我们走进安逸凉亭，在自以为安全的荫凉地带休憩，

　　Here the heart softens¹⁰, and vigilance subsides¹¹; we are then willing to inquire whether another advance can not be made, 我们的心在闲逸松弛中得以柔软，警觉随之减退，于是，我们便开始询问是否存在另一种进展可能？

　　and whether we may not at least turn our eyes upon the gardens of pleasure. 我们是否至少不能仅仅沉湎于花前月下的享受？

　　We approach them with scruple¹² and hesitation¹³; 我们踌躇犹豫地走近，

　　we enter them, but enter timorous¹⁴ and trembling, and always hope to pass through them without losing the road of virtue¹⁵, 怀着颇为羞怯颤抖的内心；我们总是希望自己能够闯关成功，而又不会迷失美德，

　　which we for a while keep in our sight, and to which we propose to return. 这条美德道路，我们曾一度举目可及，后来却盘算原路返回。

1 hermit   

n.隐士，修道者；隐居

参考例句：

• He became a hermit after he was dismissed from office.他被解职后成了隐士。
• Chinese ancient landscape poetry was in natural connections with hermit culture.中国古代山水诗与隐士文化有着天然联系。

2 follies   

罪恶，时事讽刺剧； 愚蠢，蠢笨，愚蠢的行为、思想或做法( folly的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He has given up youthful follies. 他不再做年轻人的荒唐事了。
• The writings of Swift mocked the follies of his age. 斯威夫特的作品嘲弄了他那个时代的愚人。

3 vigor   

n.活力，精力，元气

参考例句：

• The choir sang the words out with great vigor.合唱团以极大的热情唱出了歌词。
• She didn't want to be reminded of her beauty or her former vigor.现在，她不愿人们提起她昔日的美丽和以前的精力充沛。

4 piety   

n.虔诚，虔敬

参考例句：

• They were drawn to the church not by piety but by curiosity.他们去教堂不是出于虔诚而是出于好奇。
• Experience makes us see an enormous difference between piety and goodness.经验使我们看到虔诚与善意之间有着巨大的区别。

5 mansions   

n.宅第，公馆，大厦( mansion的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Fifth Avenue was boarded up where the rich had deserted their mansions. 第五大道上的富翁们已经出去避暑，空出的宅第都已锁好了门窗，钉上了木板。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Oh, the mansions, the lights, the perfume, the loaded boudoirs and tables! 啊，那些高楼大厦、华灯、香水、藏金收银的闺房还有摆满山珍海味的餐桌！ 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 remit   

v.汇款，汇寄；豁免（债务），免除（处罚等）

参考例句：

• I hope you'll remit me the money in time.我希望你能及时把钱汇寄给我。
• Many immigrants regularly remit money to their families.许多移民定期给他们的家人汇款。

7 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

8 bowers   

n.（女子的）卧室( bower的名词复数 )；船首锚；阴凉处；鞠躬的人

参考例句：

• If Mr Bowers is right, low government-bond yields could lose their appeal and equities could rebound. 如果鲍尔斯先生的预计是对的，那么低收益的国债将会失去吸引力同时股价将会反弹。 来自互联网

9 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

10 softens   

（使）变软( soften的第三人称单数 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• Iron softens with heat. 铁受热就软化。
• Moonlight softens our faults; all shabbiness dissolves into shadow. 月光淡化了我们的各种缺点，所有的卑微都化解为依稀朦胧的阴影。 来自名作英译部分

11 subsides   

v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的第三人称单数 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上

参考例句：

• Emotion swells and subsides. 情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His emotion swells and subsides. 他的情绪忽高忽低。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

12 scruple   

n./v.顾忌，迟疑

参考例句：

• It'seemed to her now that she could marry him without the remnant of a scruple.她觉得现在她可以跟他成婚而不需要有任何顾忌。
• He makes no scruple to tell a lie.他说起谎来无所顾忌。

13 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。

14 timorous   

adj.胆怯的，胆小的

参考例句：

• She is as timorous as a rabbit.她胆小得像只兔子。
• The timorous rabbit ran away.那只胆小的兔子跑开了。

15 virtue   

n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力

参考例句：

• He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
• You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。