原著：Benjamin Franklin

編譯：廣西壯族自治區(qū)賀州高級中學(xué) 陳延州

作 者 簡 介

本杰明·富蘭克林（Benjamin Franklin，1706.1.17～1790.4.17），出生于英國北美殖民地時期麻省波士頓，是美國著名政治家、科學(xué)家，同時亦是出版商、印刷商、記者、作家、慈善家，更是杰出的外交家及發(fā)明家。他是美國革命時重要的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人之一，參與了多項重要文件的草擬，并曾出任美國駐法國大使，成功取得法國對美國獨(dú)立支持。他在電學(xué)上成就顯著，進(jìn)行過多項關(guān)于電的實(shí)驗，為了對電進(jìn)行探索曾經(jīng)作過著名的“費(fèi)城風(fēng)箏實(shí)驗”，并且發(fā)明了避雷針。他還發(fā)明了雙焦距眼鏡，蛙鞋等等。本杰明·富蘭克林是共濟(jì)會的成員，被選為英國皇家學(xué)會院士。他亦是美國首位郵政局長。

If I were a boy again， I would practice perseverance （堅持；堅定，毅力） more often， and never give up a thing because it was hard or inconvenient. If we want light， we must conquer （戰(zhàn)勝；克服） darkness. Perseverance can sometimes equal genius in its results. “There are only two creatures，” says a proverb （諺語；格言）， “who can surmount （翻越） the pyramids—the eagle and the snail.”

假如我又回到了童年，我做事要更有毅力，決不因為事情艱難或者麻煩而撒手不干。我們要光明，就得征服黑暗。毅力在效果上有時能同天才相比。俗話說：“能登上金字塔的生物，只有兩種——鷹和蝸牛?！?/p>

If I were a boy again， I would school myself into a habit of attention； I would let nothing come between me and the subject in hand. I would remember that a good skater never tries to skate in two directions at once.

假如我又回到了童年，我就要養(yǎng)成專心致志的習(xí)慣；有事在手，就決不讓任何東西讓我分心。我要牢記：優(yōu)秀的滑冰手從不試圖同時滑向兩個不同的方向。

The habit of attention becomes part of our life， if we began early enough. I often hear grown-up people say “I could not fix my attention on the sermon （說教；布道） or book， although I wished to do so”， and the reason is， the habit was not formed in youth.

如果及早養(yǎng)成這種專心致志的習(xí)慣，它將成為我們生命的一部分。我常聽成年人說：“雖然我希望能集中注意聽牧師講道或讀書，但往往做不到?！倍蚓褪悄贻p時沒有養(yǎng)成這種習(xí)慣。

If I were to live my life over again， I would pay more attention to the cultivation （培養(yǎng)；教化） of the memory. I would strengthen that faculty （能力；技能） by every possible means， and on every possible occasion. It takes a little hard work at first to remember things accurately （精確地；準(zhǔn)確地）； but memory soon helps itself， and gives very little trouble. It only needs early cultivation to become a power.

假如我現(xiàn)在能重新開始我的生命，我就要更注意記憶力的培養(yǎng)。我要采取一切可能的辦法，并且在一切可能的場合，增強(qiáng)記憶力。要正確無誤地記住一些東西，在開始階段的確要作出一番小小的努力；但要不了多久，記憶力本身就會起作用，使記憶成為輕而易舉的事，只需及早培養(yǎng)，記憶自會成為一種才能。

If I were a boy again， I would cultivate courage. “Nothing is so mild and gentle as courage， nothing so cruel and pitiless as cowardice （怯懦），” says a wise author.

假如我又回到了童年，我就要培養(yǎng)勇氣。一位明智的作家曾說過：“世上沒有東西比勇氣更溫文爾雅，也沒有東西比懦怯更殘酷無情。”

We too often borrow trouble， and anticipate （預(yù)料） that may never appear. “The fear of ill exceeds the ill we fear.” Dangers will arise in any career， but presence of mind will often conquer the worst of them. Be prepared for any fate， and there is no harm to be feared.

我們常常過多地自尋煩惱，杞人憂天。“怕禍害比禍害本身更可怕。”凡事都有危險，但鎮(zhèn)定沉著往往能克服最嚴(yán)重的危險。對一切禍福做好準(zhǔn)備，那么就沒有什么災(zāi)難可以害怕的了。

If I were a boy again， I would look on the cheerful side. Life is very much like a mirror： if you smile upon it， it smiles back upon you； but if you frown and look doubtful on it， you will get a similar look in return. Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner， but of all that come in contact with it. “Who shuts love out， in turn shall be shut out from love.”

假如我又回到了童年，我就要事事樂觀。生活猶如一面鏡子：你朝它笑，它也朝你笑；如果你雙眉緊鎖，向它投以懷疑的目光，它也將還以你同樣的目光。內(nèi)心的歡樂不僅溫暖了歡樂者自己的心，也溫暖了所有與之接觸者的心。“誰拒愛于門外，也必將被愛拒之門外?！?/p>

If I were a boy again， I would school myself to say no more often. I might write pages on the importance of learning very early in life to gain that point where a young boy can stand erect （直立的；豎直的）， and decline （婉拒；謝絕） doing an unworthy act because it is unworthy.

假如我又回到了童年，我就要養(yǎng)成經(jīng)常說“不”字的習(xí)慣。一個少年要能挺得起腰，拒絕做不應(yīng)該做的事，就因為這事不值得做。我可以寫上好幾頁談?wù)勗缒昱囵B(yǎng)這一點(diǎn)的重要性。

If I were a boy again， I would demand of myself more courtesy （禮貌；殷勤） towards my companions and friends， and indeed towards strangers as well. The smallest courtesies along the rough roads of life are like the little birds that sing to us all winter long， and make that season of ice and snow more endurable （忍得住的）.

假如我又回到了童年，我就要要求自己對伙伴和朋友更加禮貌，而且對陌生人也應(yīng)如此。在坎坷的生活道路上，最細(xì)小的禮貌猶如在漫長的冬天為我們歌唱的小鳥，那歌聲使冰天雪地的寒冬變得較易忍受。

Finally， instead of trying hard to be happy， as if that were the sole purpose of life， I would， if I were a boy again， I would still try harder to make others happy.

最后，假如我又回到了童年，我不會力圖為自己謀幸福，好像這就是人生唯一的目的；與之相反，我要更努力為他人謀幸福。