密英文散文

1. the setting sun 夕阳，落日，夕阳西下 2. in the sunlight 在阳光的辉照下 3. a streak of pink dawn broke the horizon. 天边出现一道红霞 4. the dark red orb began to shine blazingly, dazzling my eyes until they stung 这个深红色的东西（红霞）发出夺目的亮光，射的人眼发痛 5. rosy sunset glow 落霞 6. 斜阳 slanting sun 阳光斜着照进来 makes its presence in... 7. bask the sunshine 晒太阳，享受太阳浴 8. from the distance edge of the sea 从海边，天边 9. greet the sunrise 迎接太阳 10. waning sun 残阳；hazy twilight 迷茫的晚景 11. The hot sun snapped our energy. 火辣的太阳烤的我们虚软无力。1. water drops glistening in... 亮晶晶的水珠 2. The sea glinted in the moonlight. 月色中海面上波光粼粼 3. beam quietly towards the dark blue sky 光 向暗蓝的天空静静的微笑着（发光）beam有发光和微笑的意思 4. the sun light 微光 5. the sun shed its rays straight onto the seawater 太阳光线从云里照射下来，直射水面 6. rippling water 波光粼粼，波光嶙峋 7. a fitful gleam 忽明忽暗的光 8. our reflections  were mirrored in the water 影子倒映在水里 9. 月光然后睡一半倾泻在...➡️ 流水一般的月光倾泻在... the moon sheds her liquid light silently over... 10. 月光隔着树照过来，高出丛生的灌木，落下参差斑驳的黑影 the moonlight is streaming down through the foliage, casting dark bushy shadows in the ground from high above, jagged and checkered 11. 灯火通明，电灯辉煌，闪烁 is ablaze with lights 12. moonlit night 月光照耀的夜晚 13. bask in a misty moonshine 沐浴在苍茫的月光下 14. moonless night 没有月亮的夜晚 15. loom 阴暗的 somewhat frighteningly dark 阴森森的1. bleak leaden sky 灰暗凄冷的天空 2. murky grey sky 阴沉的天 3. The sky was pale with a bluish hue. 天空还是一片浅蓝，颜色很浅。 4. a low-hanging sky 天空低垂，低垂的天空；天空低垂犹如灰色的雾幕 a gray misty pall of a low-hanging sky 5. a pallid sky 暗淡的天空 6. It was growing dark 天黑了，暮色苍茫 7. an overcast sky/day 乌云密布，阴沉的天空 8. in the deepening dusk 暮色茫茫，天色渐渐暗下来 9. 笼罩着轻纱 wrapped in a gauzy hood 10. 昏暗低沉的天 the gloomy and low sky 压的人喘不过来气（令人窒息）made one feel suffocating / stifling1. in the dim light 昏暗中，阴影中 2. at dead of night 在深夜 3. evening began to mellow 夜幕降临 mellow （颜色）变得温馨而柔和 4. As night falls 夜幕降临1. 礼炮 cannon salutes 2. a riot of color 色彩缤纷 3. 变幻莫测 mysterious 4. The evening activity brings the climax of the festival. 晚上的夜游活动堪称压轴节目➡️推向节日的高潮1. parched soil 干裂的大地 2. in the deepening dusk 暮色茫茫，天色渐渐暗下来 the world was shrouned in grey 大地被灰色吞噬着 3. 白雪茫茫的大地 snow-mantled ground 1. a tree with entanglement of bade branches 疏枝交横的树 2. swaying branches 树枝摇曳 3. withered leaves 枯叶 4. still clinging to the branches 留在枝头的（枯叶） 5. rustled (mournfully) 发出窸窸窣窣，莎莎的声音（哭声） 6. put forth bright green leaves 簇生油绿的枝叶 7. look so sickly 病怏怏的，憔悴的 8.  (秋风）将树叶凋落 autumn wind is denuding the trees of their leaves hillsides denuded of trees 光秃秃没有树的山坡 9. brownish yellow, dill yellow 暗黄，枯黄 10. leafy and make shade 绿树成荫 11. willow trees may have died back 杨柳枯了，再青 regreening 12. the tree shadows were dancing 树影婆娑 13. locust trees 槐树；linden tree 菩提树 14. emerald-green leaves 翠绿的树下；lush greenery 草木青青 15. 弯弯的杨柳稀疏的倩影 the benign figures of the drooping willows, here and there (比sparce更有节奏感） 16. in a lush, shady ambience of threes all around the pond 荷塘四面，长着许多树，郁郁葱葱； ambience 周围环境，气氛 17. willows interlaced with others 杨柳和其他树交织在一起 18. foliage 植物，叶子（总称） 19. bough(s) 大树枝 20. shafts and limbs of the pine trees 松树的树干和树枝1. Sweet aroma of the flowers 芬芳的香气从风里飘来 wafted to us by the soft breezes 迎面扑来 2. the profusion of moonlight and lotus fragrance 无边的荷香月色 3. a profusion of colors 色彩缤纷，五彩斑斓 4. a profusion of sth 大量的，丰富的，充沛的1. limpid water 清澈的水 ( or lucid ) 2. 清浅的水，两岸青青的草 limpid water of a shallow brook flanked on both sides by 两侧有 green grass 3. rivulet 小溪，溪流，小河； brook 溪，小河，小川 4. 江流汹涌，回旋激荡，水击礁石，浪花飞溅，声如雷鸣 pounding on the midstream rocks, the river roars thunderously. The shoals give rise to many eddies. 激起漩涡。 5. play ducks and drakes 打水飘，扔石子（浪费掉） 6. serpentine course of the river 蜿蜒曲折的河道 7. bracing sea air 清新怡人的海风 8. a pellucid stream 清澈的小溪 9. 潺潺小溪 babbling stream, murmuring stream ； 小溪：brook, creek, rivulet, till 1. 嶙峋的山峰 jagged peaks 2. snow-mantled peaks 白雪覆盖的山峰 3. They clothed in blue and purple 这些山峦呈现一片蓝紫颜色, print their bold outlines in the clear evening sky 他们雄浑的轮廓印在傍晚的碧空云际1. 细软的沙子 sponge fine sand 2. 海风卷起雪浪拍打海岸 the sea wind dashed the snow-white billows against the beach 3.  在美丽的浪花里 among the brillian spray （among 一般加可数n.，这里用不可数） 4. seaweed 海草 ； seashore 海滨 5. 静听着海潮的倾诉 the sea quietly unbosom itself 6. bosom 胸襟，怀抱 the mightiness of the sea 大海的伟大 7. broad and liberal ( generous) 胸襟广阔 8. surging waves海浪，violent waves猛浪 9. plunge into the bosom of the sea 投入大海的怀抱 10. floate about on the blue waters 漂浮在碧波之上 11. choppy waters 波浪起伏的水面 12. unruffled sea 平静的海面 13. 浩荡大河 grand river, mighty river； 浩瀚：magnificent, vast, mighty, broad 14.  undulating waves 起伏的波浪1. the street was lined with fine houses 马路两旁，立着别墅 2. the street was deserted 寂寞的马路 3. a zigzag path 弯曲的羊肠小道 4. The car swished past them. 车嗖的一声从他们身边驶过。 1. illuminated windows 灯窗明灿 2. The sun glinted on the window.  太阳照在窗户上闪闪发光。 3. The guard towers were silhouetted against the sky. 天空映出了瞭望台的轮廓。 4. thatched cottage 茅舍，茅屋 5. pavilion 亭子，小亭子 6. straw sheds and cottage 草棚茅舍 7. a city steeped in history 历史古城 8. a hut with corrugated roof 一间有瓦楞的小屋1. a gust of strong wind 一阵阵猛厉的风 2. howling around 刮着风 3. in soft breeze 微风中 4. a fitful breeze 一阵阵微风 5. 微风从我的身边掠过 gentle sea breeze brushing pat me (brush past 掠过，静水深流） 6. biting wind 寒风刺骨；piercing wind 寒风凛冽 7. The flags in the stadium flapped in the wind. 旗帜在风中飘扬。1. pitter-patter of rain  雨声淅淅沥沥 2. drip-drop 雨滴；drip, drip, drip 滴 滴 滴 3. beating down against the window and roof 雨水打窗飘瓦 4. spring rain 春雨 5. the faraway mountains were veiled in a misty rain 远山被一片烟雨笼住 6. be caught in a rain on the way home 归途遇雨 7. rain with a vengeance 大雨滂沱 with a vengeance 猛烈地 8. Rain pelted down the windows. 大雨打在窗户上 It’s letting down out there. 外边滂沱大雨 the cold wind and pelting rain 寒风暴雨 the rain pelted down in big drops. 倾泻豆大的雨点 9. torrential rain 倾盆大雨，骤雨； 10. teemimg rain 倾盆而下，it’s teeming down. 1. the rumble of thunder reverberated across the valley 雷声响彻山谷1. the droning is the ship engine 船上机器的声响1. A ghastly stillness resigned. 路上寂静的可怕➡️ 寂静统治着 not a soul in sight 看不见一个人 2. budding spring 萌芽的春 verdant summer 绿荫的夏 withered autumn 凋零的秋 bleak winter 枯寂的冬 3. this bit of the universe 这一片天地 in my possession now  现在属于我了 4. place not frequented by pedestrians 人迹罕至的地方，少有人走 frequent 作动词v，常去某地 5. alongside the pound 沿着池塘 runs a path 有一条小路 run：使向导，引导；伸展，延展 eg：The roads runs parallel to the river. 6. assume a different look 呈现出另一番景象1. spurt out 喷出，涌出 （液体） 2. squat against the wall 蹲靠在墙边 3. sth come into full view 尽收眼底 4. well up 涌出（泪水）；流露（情感）；萌发（思想）; brim with tears 充满泪水 5. 请悄悄地挪动了 treading on, lightly and furtively 6. 跨过 stride over；glide past 擦身而过 7. give sb a thick ear 给某人一记耳光 8. The truck receded into the distance. 卡车声逐渐在远处消失。retreat/ recede后退 9. ... bulging with 充满，装满着...(bulge用于进行时) 10. hasten to 急忙着 hasten back to 急忙回去 11. my hat off to 向...脱帽致敬，佩服 12. drudge at 做苦工（的人）the tedious task 机械的（枯燥的）工作 13. 观赏着，欣赏着 we feasted our eye on sth 14. 用起来会加分的动词和介词 ️ reign 统治，支配 （不好的）事情来临➡️ 被不好的事情统治 The ugly scene reigned. 景色变得不堪（不堪的景色统治着） ️ brew 酝酿，酿酒 （不愉快的事情）即将来临 Trouble seemed to be brewing. 又要有乱子了（乱子又要酝酿了） ️ be in store 某事即将发生 Nobody could tell what kind of fate was in store. 没人知道会发生什么。 15. 停止资助某人的学费 discontinue中断 financing your schooling 16. speak up your mind 大胆说出心中所想 17. bestow on sb 赠与，授予 18. 感到痛心，感到....之情（中文） （英文：....的感情袭来、掌控了我） a feeling of sadness came over me 一种悲伤之感掌控了我 可以替换为：take possession of / seize / reign 统治支配了我 感情 creep up on Sb 某人慢慢感到....（不知不觉影响...） 19. I was seized with sadness. 我感到很难过。be seized with 被某种情感抓住，涌上心头 20. go trekking 远足，徒步旅行 21. teem with 充满，到处都是（移动着的人，动物）a River teeming with fish 盛产鱼的河流，teeming with tourists 游人如鲫 22. assimilate into 同化 23. seethe with 到处都是，遍布，充满（人/动物） 24. flatten sth/ yourself against / on sth 紧贴着... 1. uncalled-for  adj. 不必要的，多余的 2. A发生的时候还没有B ➡️ A在B之前发生，Do A before B 3. 表示不如人意的结果出现 only to find; turned out to be; end up doing

英语散文的发展历程十分曲折,散文大家风格多变,兼之中英语言个性殊异,若要成功地把英语散文大家的作品翻译到中文,既须了解英语散文发展的概况,又须注意保证气韵逻辑通畅,文气沛然,才能传神译出,曲尽其妙,令汉语读者获得相同或相近的审美感受。下面我为大家带来晨读英语散文精选，欢迎大家阅读!

晨读英语散文：生活的道路

The lives of most men are determined by their environment. They accept the circumstancesamid which fate has thrown them not only with resignation but even with good will. They arelike streetcars running contentedly on their rails and they despise the sprightly flivver thatdashes in and out of the traffic and speeds so jauntily across the open country. I respectthem;they are good citizens, good husbands, and good fathers, and of course somebody hasto pay the taxes; but I do not find them exciting. I am fascinated by the men, few enough in allconscience, who take life in their own hands and seem to mould it to their own liking. It may bethat we have no such thing as free will, but at all events we have the illusion ofit. At acrossroad it does seem to us that we might go either to the right or the left and, the choiceonce made, it is difficult to see that the whole course of the world's history obliged us to takethe turning we did.

对于大多数人来说，生活是由环境决定的。他们在命运的拨弄面前，不仅逆来顺受，甚至还能随遇而安。这些人犹如街上的有轨电车，满足于在自己的轨道上运行;而对于那些不时出没于车水马龙间和欢快地奔驰在旷野上的廉价小汽车却不屑一顾。我尊重这些人;他们是守法的公民、尽职的丈夫、慈祥的父亲。当然，总得有人缴纳种种税款;可是，我并不觉得他们使人振奋。另有些人把生活掌握在自己手里，似乎在按照自己的意愿创造生活，尽管这样的人寥若晨星，他们却深深地吸引了我。自由意志这玩意儿对我们来说也许纯属子虚乌有;但不管怎么说，它确实存在于我们的幻想之中。每逢站在十字路口，我们好像能在左右两条道路中任选其一，可一旦选定之后，却又很难认识到那实际是世界历史的整个进程左右了我们的转折点。

I never met a more interesting man than Mayhew. He was a lawyerin Detroit. He was an able anda successful one. By the time he was thirty-five he had a large and a lucrative praaice, he hadamassed a competence, and he stood on the threshold of a distinguished career. He had ana cute brain, anattractive personality, and uprightness. There was no reason why he shouldnot become, financially or politically, a power in the land. One evening he was sitting in his clubwith a group of friends and they were perhaps a little worse (or the better) for liquor. One ofthem had recently come from Italy and he told them of a house he had seen at Capri, a houseon the hill, overlooking the Bay of Naples, with a large and shady garden. He described to themthe beauty of the most beautifulisland in the Mediterranean.

我从未见到过比梅休更有意思的人了。他是底特律的一名律师，为人能干，事业上也很成功。35岁时就门庭若市，收入可观，累累胜诉，声名昭着，前程似锦。他头脑灵活，性格招?喜欢，为人又很正直，在这个国家里不变得有钱或有势才怪呢。一天晚上，他与一些朋友在俱乐部聚会。喝了酒之后，他们也许有点醉意(或更清醒)了，其中一人刚从意大利回来，跟大家谈起了在卡普里岛看到的一幢房子。那是一幢坐落在小山上的房屋，还有个绿叶成荫的大花园。从屋里望出去，那不勒斯湾尽收眼底。他娓娓动听地把地中海这个最美的岛屿夸了一番。

"It sounds fine," said Mayhew. "Is that house for sale?"

“听起来倒真不错!”梅休说，“那房子卖不卖?”

"Everything is for sale in Italy."

“在意大利什么东西都卖。”

"Let's send'em a cable and make an offer for it."

“我们打个电报，出个价把那房子买下来。”

"What in heaven's name would you do with a house in Capri?"

“天哪!你买卡普里的一所房子干什么用啊?”

"Live in it," said Mayhew.

“住呗!”梅休说。

He sent for a cable form, wrote it out, and dispatched it. In a few hours the reply came back.The offer was accepted.

他叫人取来一张电报单，填好后就发了出去。没过几小时，回电来了，买卖成交。

Mayhew was no hypocrite and he made no secret of the fact that he would never have done sowild a thing if he had been sober, but when he was he did not regret it. He was neither animpulsive nor an emotional man, but a very honest and sincere one. He would never havecontinued from bravado in a course that he had come to the conclusion was unwise. Hemade up his mind to do exactly as he had said. He did not care for wealth and he had enoughmoney on which to live in Italy. He thought he could do more with life than spend it oncomposing the trivial quarrels of unimportant people.

梅休绝对不是伪君子。他毫不隐讳地承认，如果当时头脑清醒的话，他决不至于做出如此轻率的事。但此刻他清醒了，也决不反悔。他不是个一冲动就鲁莽从事的人，也不多愁善感。他为人十分正直、诚恳。无论干什么，只要意识到所干的并不明智，他就马上会停下来，从不会因一时逞能而一味蛮干下去。他决心不折不扣地履行自己的诺言。

He had no definite plan. He merely wanted to get away from a life that had given him allit hadto offer. I suppose his friends thought him crazy; some must have done all they could todissuade him. He arranged his affairs, packed up his ffirniture, and started.

梅休并不在乎钱财，他有的是钱，足够在意大利花的。他想使生活过得更有价值，不愿再把这大好年华浪费在调停芸芸众生因区区小事引起的吵闹中。他没有明确的计赳。他只是想抛弃这已不能再使他满意的生活。我想他的朋友们一定以为他疯了。有些人肯定是费尽唇舌劝他千万别这么做。可是他安排好手头的事务，把家具装了箱，毅然上路了。

Capri is a gaunt rock of austere outline, bathed in a deep blue sea; but its vineyards, greenand smiling, give it a soft and easy grace. It is friendly,remote, and debonair. I find it strangethat Mayhew should have settled on this lovely island, for I never knew a man more insensibleto beauty I do not know what he sought there: happiness, freedom, or merely leisure; I knowwhat he found. In this place which appeals so extravagantly to the senses he lived a life entirelyof the spirit. For the island is rich with historic associations and over it broods always theenigmatic memory of Tiberius the Emperor. From his windows which overlooked the Bay ofNaples, with the noble shape of Vesuvius changing colour with the changing light, Mayhew saw ahundred places that recalled the Romans and the Greeks. The past began to haunt him. All thathe saw for the first time, for he had never been abroad before, excited his fancy; and in his soulstirred the creative imagination. He was a man of energy. Presently he made up his mind towrite a history. For some time he looked about for a subject, and at last decided on the secondcentury of the Roman Empire. It was little known and it seemed to him to offer problemsanalogous with those of our own day.

卡普里岛是一块外形突兀的荒凉的岩石，沐浴在深蓝色的海洋里。但是它的葱绿的葡萄园仿佛在向人微笑，使这个海岛增添了几分令人舒爽的温柔宁静的姿色。卡普里岛远离尘嚣，却景色宜人，生气盎然。我真感到奇怪，梅休竟会找这么一个可爱的海岛定居，因为我实在不相信还有谁会比他对美更无动于衷的了。我不知道他到那儿去想追求什么，是寻幸福，求自由，或者只是为了优游岁月;但我知道他找到了什么。在这个岛上，人的感官本会受到强烈的刺激，而他却过上了纯精神的生活。因为这个岛上尽是能够勾起你联想的历史遗迹，总叫你想到提比略大帝的神秘故事。他站在窗前就能俯视那不勒斯湾。每当日移光变，维苏威火山的雄姿也随之变换色泽。此时，他凭窗远望，看到上百处残踪遗迹，因而联想起罗马和希腊的盛衰。他开始不停地思考起古代社会来。过去他从未到过国外，现在第一次开了眼界，什么都使他神驰遐想。脑海中创造性的想象联翩浮来。他是个精力充沛的人，立刻就决定要笔耕史学。他花了一些时间寻找题目，最终选定了罗马帝国的第二世纪。这个题目很少为人所知。梅休认为帝国当时存在的问题与当今社会的情况颇有巧合之处。

He began to collect books and soon he had an immense library. His legal training had taughthim to read quickly. He settled down to work. At first hehad been accustomed to foregather inthe evening with the painters, writers,and such like who met in the little tavern near the Piazza,but presently hewithdrew himself, for his absorption in his studies became more pressing. Hehad been accustomed to bathe in that bland sea and to take long walks among the pleasantvineyards, butlittle by little, grudging the time, he ceased to do so. He worked harder than hehad ever worked in Detroit. He would start at noon and work all through the night till thewhistle of the steamer that goes every morning from Capri to Naples told him that it was fiveo'clockand time to go to bed. His subject opened out before him, vaster and more significant,and he imagined a work that would put him forever beside the great historians of the past. Asthe years went by he was to be found seldom in the ways of men. He could be tempted to comeout of his house only by agame o' chess or the chance of an argument. He loved to set hisbrain against another's. He was widely read now, not only in history, but in philosophy andscience; and he was a skilful controversialist, quick, logical, and incisive.

他开始收集有关着作，不久就有了大量藏书。搞法律时受的训练教会了他如何快速阅读。他着手工作了。起初，，他惯于在黄昏时分到市场附近的一个小酒店和聚在那里的画家、作家等文人墨客共同消磨一段时光，但不久他就深居简出了，因为研究工作日趋紧张，使他抽不出时间。一开始他也常到温和的海水中去洗澡，不时在可爱的葡萄园之间散步。但由于舍不得时间，渐渐地他不再洗澡，也不散步了。他干得要比在底特律卖力得多，常常是正午开始工作，彻夜不眠，待到汽笛一鸣，才恍然意识到已是清晨五点，从卡普里到那不勒斯的船只正要起锚出航，该是睡觉的时候了。他的主题在他面前展开了，涉及的内容越来越广泛，意义越来越重大。他在遐想，一旦巨着完成，他将跻身于历代伟大的史学家之列，永垂史册。时间一年年过去，人们很少看到他与外界来往，只有一场棋赛或是一次辩论，才能诱使他走出家门。他就是爱与人斗智。现在他已博览群书，不仅读历史，还读哲学与科学。他能争善辩，思路敏捷，说理逻辑严密，批判尖锐辛辣。

But he had good-humour and kindliness; though he took a very human pleasure in victory, hedid not exult in it to your mortification.

但他心地是善良的。当然，每逢胜利他也免不了满腔欢欣与快乐，这是人之常情。不过他并不沾沾自喜，而让别人下不了台。

When first he came to the island he was a big, brawny.fellow, with thick black hair and a blackbeard, of a powerful physique; but gradually his skin became pale and waxy; he grew thin andfrail. It was an odd contradiction in the most logical of men that, though a convinced andimpetuous materialist,he despised the body; he looked upon it as a vile instrument which hecould force to do the spirit's bidding. Neither illness nor lassitude prevented him from going onwith his work. For fourteen years he toiled uluemittingly. He made thousands and thousands ofnotes. He sorted and classified them. Hehad his subjea at his finger ends, and at last was readyto begin. He sat down to write. He died.

当他初到海岛时，个子高大结实，一头浓密的黑发和一把黑胡须，是一个身强力壮的人。但渐渐地他的皮肤日见苍白，人也瘦弱了。尽管他是一个坚定不移的、甚至近于偏激的唯物论者，却不把肉体放在眼里。这在一位最讲究逻辑的人身上，可真是自相矛盾得叫人不可思议。他把肉体视为微不足道的工具，认为他可以驱使肉体去完成精神赋予的使命。病魔和疲劳都不能使他停止工作。整整14年，他埋头苦干，锲而不舍，做了千万条注释，又把这些注释分门别类整理有序。对于自己的主题，他了如指掌，终于万事俱备，他坐下来去写那煌煌巨着。然而他死了。

The body that he, the materialist, had treated so contumeliously took its revenge on him.

这位唯物论者曾极度蔑视肉体，如今肉体对他进行了报复。

That vast accumulation of knowledge is lost for ever. Vain was that ambition,surely not anignoble one, to set his name beside those of -Gibbon and Mommsen . His memory is treasuredin the hearts of a few friends, fewer,alas! as the years pass on, and to the world he isunknown in death as he was in life.

那长年累月积累起来的知识也随着他的死而化为乌有。他曾想与吉本和蒙森齐名。这雄心无疑是高尚的，然而如今只是一场空。几个朋友还怀念着他，可叹的是，随着岁月的流逝，记得他的人也越来越少。在这个大干世界上，他死后默默无闻，犹如他生前一样。

And yet to me his life was a success. The pattern is good and complete. Hedid what he wanted,and he died when his goal was in sight and never knew the bitterness of an end achieved.

然而，在我看来，他的一生是成功的。他的生活道路是完美的。因为他干了他想干的事。当目标在望时，他与世长辞，因而也就幸免了达到目标后的心酸与痛苦。

晨读英语散文：琴匣子中的生趣

The turning point of my life was my decision to give up a promising business career and studymusic. My parents, although sympathetic, and sharing my love of music, disapproved of it as aprofession. This was understandable in view of the family background. My grandfather hadtaughtmusic for nearly forty years at Springhill College in Mobile and, though much beloved andrespected in the community, earned barely enough to provide for his large family. My fatheroften said it was only the hardheaded thriftiness of my grandmother that kept the wolf at bay. As a consequence of this example in the family, the very mention of music as a professioncarried with it a picture of a precarious existence with uncertain financial rewards. My parentsinsisted upon college instead of a conservatory of music, and to college I went-quite happily,as I remember, for although Iloved my violin and spent most of my spare time practicing, I hadmany other interests.

我生活的转折点是我决定不做发迹有望的商人而专攻音乐。我父母虽然同情我，也像我一样热爱音乐，却反对我以音乐为职业。考虑到我的家庭情况，他们的这种态度是完全可以理解的。我祖父在莫比尔的斯普林希尔学院教授音乐达40年之久，深受学院师生的热爱和敬重，他的工资却几乎不够维持一大家人的生活。父亲常说若不是祖母精明能干，克勤克俭，一家人非挨饿不可。所以在我们家，只要一提起音乐这个行当，大家就会想起那收入微薄、朝不保夕的苦日子。父母坚持要我上大学，不准我进音乐学院，我也就上了大学。我记得自己当时还挺高兴，因为虽然我热爱小提琴，大部分课余时间都花在练琴上，但我还有许多其他的爱好。

Before my graduation from Columbia, the family met with severe financial reverses and I felt itmy duty to leave college and take a job. Thus was I launched upon a business career-which Ialways think of as the wasted years.

不等尊从哥伦比亚大学毕业，家庭经济严重恶化，我感到自己有责任退学找工作，就这样我投身子商界——事后我每次想起这段经历都觉得是虚度了年华。

Now I do not for a moment mean to disparage business. My whole point is that it was not forme. I went into it for money, and aside from the satisfaction of being able to help the family,money is alll got out of it. It was not enough. I felt that life was passing me by. From beingmerely discontented I became acutely miserable. My one ambition was to save enough toquit and go to Europe to study music.I used to get up at dawn to practice before I left for"downtown," distracting my poor mother by bolting a hasty breakfast at the last minute.Instead of lunching with my business associates, I would seek out some cheap cafe, order ameager meal and scribble my harmony exercises. I continued to make money, and finally, bitby bit, accumulated enough to enable me to go abroad. The family being once more solvent,and my help no longer necessary, I resigned from my position and, feeling like a man releasedfrom jail, sailed for Europe. I stayed four years, worked harder than I had ever dreamed ofworking before and enjoyed every minute of it.

我从来无意贬低经商，我的意思是它不适合我。我经商只是为了挣钱。除了能补贴家用给我带来一点满足以外，我从这项职业得到的唯一东西就是钱。这是不够的。我感到年华似水从我身边流走。对职业的不满使我痛苦不堪。我唯一的抱负就是积攒足够的钱，然后改行，到欧洲去学音乐。于是，我天天黎明即起，练习小提琴，再去“商业区”上班，几乎来不及囫囵吞下仓促准备的早餐，搞得我可怜的妈妈惶恐不安。我不与商界同事共进午餐，总爱找个便宜的餐馆，随便混上一顿，信手写些和声练习曲.。我不停地挣钱，终于，一分一分地攒够了出国的钱。这时，家庭经济情况也好转了，不再需要我的帮助。我辞去商务，感到自己像出狱的犯人一样自由，乘船去了欧洲，一去就是四年。我学习要比从前想象的刻苦得多，然而生活得很快乐。

"Enjoyed" is too mild a word. I walked on air. I really lived. I was a freeman and I was doingwhat I loved to do and what I was meant to do.

“快乐”一词还不足以表达我的心情。我是乐不可支，飘飘欲仙了。我过着真正的生活。我是个自由人，做我爱做的、命中注定要做的事情。

If I had stayed in business I might be a comparatively wealthy man today, but I do not believeI would have made a success of living. I would have given up all those intangibles, those innersatisfactions that money can never buy, and that are too often sacrificed when a man'sprimary goal is finanaal success.

假如我一直经商，今天可能已经成了一个相当富有的人，但我认为我那时的生活并没有带来成功;为了金钱我可能放弃了一切无形的东西，放弃了精神上的种种乐趣，那是金钱永远买不来的，一个人要是把获取金钱当做主要的奋斗目标，他的精神乐趣就常常被牺牲了。

When I broke away from business it was against the advice of practically all my friends andfamily. So conditioned are most of us to the association of success with money that thethought of giving up a good salary for an idea seemed little short of insane. If so, all I can say is'Gee , it's great to be crazy."

我毅然脱离商业，几乎违背了所有的亲友的劝告。我们大多数人习惯把成功与金钱连在一起。那种为理想而放弃高薪的念头简直会被人认为是疯子的念头。如果真是如此，我倒要说一声：“咦!疯子真了不起!”

Money is a wonderful thing, but it is possible to pay too high a price for it.