双语阅读：从拉尔夫·瓦尔多·爱默生身上得到的精华人生经验

 双语阅读：Essential Life Lessons from Ralph Waldo Emerson      

从拉尔夫·瓦尔多·爱默生身上得到的精华人生经验

  By Donald Latumahina

 

 

Ralph Waldo Emerson. A literary pioneer. Not only did he find the basis of Transcendentalism, or Bright Romanticism writing; he made great contributions to the field of personal development, and gave us some great practical ideas about living, that we will ponder upon for centuries to come. He valued the individual over society, and had many works of literature to enforce his views. In his works, there were many inspirational quotes that reflected what an individual is. Emerson’s highest values were: courage, peace, and the power of the individual.拉尔夫·瓦尔多·爱默生，一个文学先驱。他不仅仅创立了超验理论和鲜明的浪漫主义写法，还在个人发展的领域作出了巨大的贡献。他留给我们关于生命的实用观点，值得我们在他逝世后几个世纪都要好好思考。他超越社会来衡量人的价值，并用很多作品来强调他的观点。在他的作品中，有很多振奋人心的句子告诉我们人究竟是怎样的。爱默生认为人最高的价值是：勇气，平和，无限的能量。

 

I have selected 6 quotes, which represent Ralph Waldo Emerson’s views on life. Each quote has its own meaning, and its own method of practical application.我选择了6个句子，它们都代表了爱默生对于生命的看法。每个句子都有它们自己的意义，也都有自己的应用方法

“For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else.”“每一失去的，背后必有所得；每一所得的，背后也必有失去。”

Isn’t it true? Every opportunity, every chance that you take in life, is the sacrifice of another opportunity. By choosing to become a writer, you are sacrificing the opportunity to be something else, like an accountant. So what is the point of it all? The point is to stop worrying about missed opportunities, because you have no idea what could have been. Maybe if that milk hadn’t been spilled in the past, you would be in a better present situation? On the other hand, you might also be in a much worse present situation. Opportunities come and go; it is up to you, the individual, to make the best decision for yourself. Weigh the pros and cons of each decision, and know that you are giving up another opportunity. It could be better, it could be worse. It’s all part of the human being experience. 不是吗？在你生命中，对每一个机会的把握正是对另一个机会的放手。选择了当作家，就是放手了当会计的机会。所以，别再为错过的机会烦恼，因为你根本无法料想如果你抓住了另一个机会又会怎样。如果你当时没犯下那个选择的错误，你现在的情形就会更好吗？可是，更坏的情形也未可知啊！机会来了又走，一切都取决于你，你自己来为自己做出最好的决定。衡量每个选择的利与弊，告诉自己你将要放手另一个机会了，结果也许好，也许不好。这都是人经历的一部分。

 

 

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”“出淤泥而不染是最大的成就。”

   

Let’s face it: There are always going to be certain people, that don’t want you to succeed. People who look at you weird when you do something right. Too many people act like robots in today’s society. They do what is expected of them, get their rewards, repeat. Expectations, Rewards, Repeat. Emerson could not stand this repetitive cycle. He believed that society turned people into something that they weren’t born to be. And as a person got older, it was harder and harder to break free from the strong grasp of society. What does it take to be yourself? For one, it takes a lot of courage, one of Emerson’s most favorite traits. Whenever someone goes against society standards, they will take a lot of heat for it. This resistance from others is just a sign that you are doing something right. No one said that being yourself was easy. Difficult? Yes. Rewarding? Extremely. In the end, the people that are able to go against the grain of society are the truly great people in our world.
我们必须面对这样的现实：总有人不希望你成功。你做对了，他们就用怪异的眼光看着你。当今社会，有太多的人像机器人一样的活着。他们做他们被期望的事，然后得到奖励，然后重复这个过程。再被期望，再得到奖励，再重复。爱默生受不了这样循环的怪圈。他相信，社会在把人拖向背离人的本性的那一端。随着年龄的增长，人们就越来越难摆脱社会的强大引力。你要什么才是你自己呢？勇气——这也是爱默生最喜爱的品格。当一个人违反了社会标准的时候，他们会为此付出很多。这些来自他人的阻挡就是你做得对的征兆。没有人说做自己很容易。很难吗？当然。值得吗？肯定。最后，和社会的期望背道而驰的人才是真正的伟人。

“We are always getting ready to live, but never living”“我们总是准备好了去生活，却从来没有真正生活过。”

   When I get my promotion, I’ll really start living! When things have settled down, then I’ll do it! These are common phrases that you hear from people. Will the dust ever settle? No. Will you ever get the promotion? You might, but then you’ll come up with another excuse not to take action. The truth is that there are hundreds, if not thousands of excuses you can make not to take action. There is always a little voice inside your head, afraid of failure, and afraid of success. Your ability to truly live is dependent upon your ability to ignore that counterproductive voice inside your head. What you’re hearing is the voice of complacence. The moment you stop listening to it, is the moment you begin your real life. Until then, you will always be getting ready for a change in your life. But getting ready for something, and actually doing it, are two different things entirely.等我升了职，一定要好好地生活。等事情都解决了，我一定去好好地生活！这些是你常常听到的话吧。事情会都解决了吗？不会。你会升职吗？也许会的。但是等到那时你又会有新的理由而放弃好好生活了。事实上，你有成百上千个理由。总是有一个微弱的声音在脑袋里面说“我害怕失败”“我害怕成功”。你要真正生活的能力取决于你能不能不理睬你脑袋里面那个相反的声音。你听到的是沾沾自喜的声音。什么时候你停止听它了，什么时候你就可以开始你真正的生活了。到那时候，你就可以准备好迎接你生命中的改变了。但是准备好和真的做是完全不同的两码事。


“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”“除非去做还不会做的事，否则永远不会成长。”
 

Life is all about learning new skills. Once you have acquired these skills, you must constantly seek to improve them. In your industry/job, there will always be people who are up-and-coming. These people will surpass you, unless you are constantly seeking to improve yourself. Like my former teacher once told me: “The moment you are satisfied with what you have, is the moment that someone else will take your spot in the race of life.” Emerson believed that life is about growing, and there was no point in living if you don’t constantly grow. No matter what you know, or how many skills you possess, there is always more to learn about your respective interests. You can always do a better job, regardless of how good you are at what you do.生活是要学习新的技能。一旦你学到了新的技能，必然经常寻求提高他们的办法。在工作中，必然有人后来而居上。只要你不经常给自己充电，这些人就会超过你。就像我以前的老师曾经告诉我的：“当人自满的时候，就是另外有人要取彼而代之的时候了。”爱默生相信生活即成长，如果不成长的话，生活就没有意义。不管人现在知道多少，以及有多少技能，各自的兴趣总是有可以进一步学习的地方。不管人现在做的有多好，总会做得更好的。

“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.”“你决定成为什么样的人，你就注定会成为什么样的人。”

Destiny is overrated. Yeah, I said it. There are too many people attached to the idea of ‘fate’, and ‘destiny’, that they believe they can lay back, do nothing, and their fate will take over. Well I have some bad news to those people: Your destiny is not looking very good! Is there any wildly successful person, off the top of your head, who got to where they are by doing nothing? No. People who are truly great don’t rely on the concept of fate/destiny. There is no proof/evidence to support its actual existence. So here is one of the keys to life: Live life like fate and destiny don’t exist. Decide what you want to be, pick out your future, and make your own destiny. After all, whoever we think we are, we become!我曾经说过，命运总是被高估。有太多的人认为“缘分”，“命运”是很重要的，所以他们就放松下来，什么都不做，任凭命运掌管。这种人要注意了：你们的命运看起来并不好！有没有那些非常成功的人，他们什么都不做，就达到了他们现在的位置呢？没有。伟人不依赖缘分和命运。谁都不能证明这两种东西确实存在。所以，人生的秘诀就在于：像缘分和命运根本不存在一样去生活。确定你自己想做什么，规划出你的未来，决定你自己的命运。最终，我们就会变成我们所想要成为的人。

“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself” “只有你自己才能带给自己平静。”

Perhaps Emerson’s most powerful quote. Ultimate power to the individual. Who else but yourself can bring peace into your life? It hurts to say this, but horrible things happen every day. Murder, kidnapping, rape, you name it. It happens to amazing people. The external world is never peaceful. But you don’t have to suffer at the hands of other people. Until the day you die, you can choose to be at peace with the world. You can let go of your surroundings, and be one with nature. One of Emerson’s friends, Henry David Thoreau, believed in the peace of nature. He spent a couple of years submerged in nothing but the beauty of nature itself! Now that is how you find peace! But I’m not saying that you need to spend years in the wilderness to be at peace with yourself. I’m saying that you need to acknowledge your spirituality, and the peace that has been within you since birth. When we learn to find peace within ourselves, the world around us changes. We attract more external peace, while radiating a signal of internal peace! It’s strange, but that’s how life works. From the inside-out, not the outside-in.这大概是爱默生最有力的引言了，是一个人最终的力量。除了你自己以外，谁还能带给你平静呢？说这样的话很伤人，但是糟糕的事情每天都会发生。谋杀，绑架，强奸，随便想想就能想得出来。这些事情发生在很好的人身上。外部世界永远不平静。但是，你的生活不用被掌控在他人手里。直到你死去，你都可以选择让自己的世界平静下来。你可以不顾周围，只顾大自然。爱默生的朋友之一亨利梭罗相信自然的平静。有几年，他都沉浸在自然的绝美中。这就是你要怎样寻找平静。但是我没有说你需要独自在野外生存几年。我只是说你要认识自己内心与生俱来的平静。当我们在自己这里寻找平静的时候，我们周围的世界就变了。我们会有更多平静，也会释放出我们内部的平静。这很奇怪，但是生活就是这样：从内而外，而不是从外而内。

The human spirit is as strong as can be. However, society has gradually weakened it. As children, we are born with our own respective traits, attitudes, and beliefs. We are our own person. However, as we get older, we conform to society, and lose our sense of individuality. But you know what I say? No! Emerson refused to give up his right to be different, and refused to conform to society’s standard. This is what every human being is meant to do. To go against the grain, is to find your own way of life. To do it your way, like it has never been done before!人的力量想多大就有多大。但是社会渐渐的使这种力量削弱了。从孩童时代起，我们就有了自己的性格，态度和信仰。我们是我们自己。但是随着年龄的增长，我们就慢慢顺应了社会，失去了自己。但是我是怎么说呢？不要这样！爱默生不放弃变得独特的权利，拒绝跟从社会的标准。这就是人生的意义。和别人背道而驰，寻找你自己生活的方式。活出你自己，走别人没走过的路。

 

 

Josh Lipovetsky started his business, Film Insight, when he was just 16 years old. He started it while hospitalized, after being inspired to write about life. He incorporates the ideas from our favorite movies, and personal development. If you like movies, and learning about life, you will love his website!