英语演讲稿 平心而论 （中英文对照）

 Objectively Speaking

翻译：北京外国语大学北戴河外语培训基地副校长 张宝丹

People in this world can be divided into two categories: those always working and those always making comments. The working ones never have time to idle away. Some may run a hotel, or do some business; some may open a factory or set up a school; others may be absorbed in scientific research, or devoted¹ to military affairs or political issues. Right or wrong, successful or failed, they are always fully² committed to their careers. Facing all kinds of risks(not because they neglect them, but mainly because they have the courage), and shouldering the responsibilities, they march forward, bravely and cautiously. They are risking their luck and their lives as well. They have neither time nor energy to comment on others. While attentively³ planning the future, they devote themselves wholly in hard work, leaving the embroidered⁴ stories and malicious⁵ gossips flying in the air. The commenting ones, however, usually work less, and even if they want to work sometimes, they simply are not capable enough. They are no better than anyone, but show admiration⁶ to nobody either. They blame either the heaven, or the earth, but never themselves. They dare not to take any risks, but they are also afraid of any hard work. They are gossip-mongers, making stories and spreading rumors⁷, making you feel annoyed and upset. It's not because that you have hurt them, or disturbed them, or hindered them, but because you are working. If only you are working, he is there commenting. Everything is hard at the beginning. You have just started a new cause, needing encouragement and support, yet he is there pouring a jar of cold water or blowing a gust⁸ of chilly⁹ wind, making you worried or perplexed¹⁰. But once you have succeeded, he is there again sharing your success without feeling a little ashamed of the discouragement he had given you.

Many people don't like using their mind but enjoy echoing the views of others. They often take it for granted that the working ones are wrong while the commenting ones are definitely right. However in all fairness, how can it be true? Not working itself is already wrong, and it is a blunder to hurt the hard working people.

From ancient time to the present, many great men have been commented on endlessly. Take the cases of Confucius, Emperor Qinshihuang, Empress Wu Zetian, Gengis Khan, Dr. Sun Yet-sun, Chairman Mao, Deng Xiaoping, etc.. Both positive and negative criticism have been made about them. They not only enjoyed compliments but also suffered slanders¹¹ from all over the world.

When commenting on what's right and what's wrong, the commenting ones themselves don't really know what is wrong and what is right. They are simply demanding perfection. When criticizing the others' inability, they themselves are actually unable to do anything, but simply pretending that they know better. This can well be compared with the actors and spectators. A new program is always followed by large amounts of criticism from the spectators. But if a spectator is given a chance to perform, a disaster will surely happen. Diners are always commenting on the skills of the chefs while readers are always criticizing the writers. Another case in point is the forty-chapter sequel of A Dream of the Red Mansions¹² , which were written by Gao E who did a nearly perfect job. Nevertheless there are always such people who claim to be the experts on the novel, criticizing the latter forty chapters as a wretched sequel to a fine work. What if we ask them to write the sequel? I'm afraid they can only make it worse. It's easier said than done.

Capable and wealthy people are always the focus of the society.

Capable people are usually marching ahead of others and may not be properly understood, hence causing various kinds of comments, more criticism but less support;

Capable people can easily succeed, thus causing both admiration and comments, more jealousy¹³ but less appreciation¹⁴ (only their good luck is recognized);

Capable people can be sought for help and attract the attention of the society, thus causing a lot of comments, more complaints but less gratitude¹⁵ (even though they didn't ask anyone for help, if only they were not able to help others in a satisfactory way, it's already their fault);

Capable people can also suffer setbacks (some even experience ups and downs many times), experiencing fully the warmth and coldness of the human world, more hurts but less helps.

Wealthy people are non the easier. No doubt there are cruel-hearted rich men, but it is also wrong to think that no wealthy people are kind-hearted. They are capable of devising and managing and they often need to take risks to get the chance. But who care about these?

Whenever a group are dining or entertaining, everyone will take it for granted that the rich should pay the bill instead of going Dutch. If the rich doesn't pay, then he'll definitely be regarded as a miser¹⁶;

Among good friends and relatives, the rich should often help the poor, otherwise he will surely be blamed for his cruel-heartedness;

From the ancient times, people have been used to killing¹⁷ the rich to save the poor, without thinking about how the rich became rich and the poor stayed poor. The policy of “allowing some people to get rich” has balanced people's mind to some extent, but there is still a long way to go before we can get rid of “the hatred¹⁸ toward the wealthy”.

Capable people or rich people are just human, neither sages¹⁹ nor perfect men. They have their own faults, and they may also commit mistakes. But objectively speaking, some mistakes are forced on them, which are the expectations of the public. They are expected to do this or that, but when expectations become disappointments, they have to take the blaming. In fact, it's the public's fault to demand for perfection or counting on unrealistic expectations of the rich.

I encourage people to work, even though they may commit mistakes.

I advise those enjoying commenting to make some effort to do something for the others.

I hope people can make comments objectively instead of subjectively²⁰, without going to extremes, and not out of preference.

I also hope that the hard-working people do not care too much about what the others say, even what the others criticize. You should believe that public opinions will finally decide what's right and what's wrong. What we need is just time.

Translated by Zhang Baodan

June 25, 2004

1 devoted   

adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的

参考例句：

• He devoted his life to the educational cause of the motherland.他为祖国的教育事业贡献了一生。
• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。

2 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

3 attentively   

adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神

参考例句：

• She listened attentively while I poured out my problems. 我倾吐心中的烦恼时，她一直在注意听。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She listened attentively and set down every word he said. 她专心听着，把他说的话一字不漏地记下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 embroidered   

adj．绣花的

参考例句：

• She embroidered flowers on the cushion covers. 她在这些靠垫套上绣了花。
• She embroidered flowers on the front of the dress. 她在连衣裙的正面绣花。

5 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

6 admiration   

n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕

参考例句：

• He was lost in admiration of the beauty of the scene.他对风景之美赞不绝口。
• We have a great admiration for the gold medalists.我们对金牌获得者极为敬佩。

7 rumors   

n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷

参考例句：

• Rumors have it that the school was burned down. 有谣言说学校给烧掉了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Rumors of a revolt were afloat. 叛变的谣言四起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 gust   

n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发

参考例句：

• A gust of wind blew the front door shut.一阵大风吹来，把前门关上了。
• A gust of happiness swept through her.一股幸福的暖流流遍她的全身。

9 chilly   

adj.凉快的，寒冷的

参考例句：

• I feel chilly without a coat.我由于没有穿大衣而感到凉飕飕的。
• I grew chilly when the fire went out.炉火熄灭后，寒气逼人。

10 perplexed   

adj.不知所措的

参考例句：

• The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
• The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。

11 slanders   

诽谤，诋毁( slander的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• We condemn all sorts of slanders. 我们谴责一切诽谤中伤的言论。
• All slanders and libels should be repudiated. 一切诬蔑不实之词，应予推倒。

12 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

13 jealousy   

n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌

参考例句：

• Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
• I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。

14 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

15 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

16 miser   

n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)

参考例句：

• The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
• The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。

17 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

18 hatred   

n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨

参考例句：

• He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
• The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

19 sages   

n.圣人( sage的名词复数 )；智者；哲人；鼠尾草（可用作调料）

参考例句：

• Homage was paid to the great sages buried in the city. 向安葬在此城市的圣哲们表示敬意。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Confucius is considered the greatest of the ancient Chinese sages. 孔子被认为是古代中国最伟大的圣人。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 subjectively   

主观地； 臆

参考例句：

• Subjectively, the demand of interest is the desire of human being. 荀子所说的对利的需要从主观上说就是人的欲望。
• A sound also has an amplitude, a property subjectively heard as loudness. 声音有振幅，振幅的主观感觉是声音的大小。