美文欣赏

janezhu

Three Passions -------Betrand Russell
Three passions, simple but overwhelmingly strong, have governed my life: the longing for love, the search for knowledge, and unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind. These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a deep ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair.

I have sought love, first, because it brings ecstasy –ecstasy so great that I would often have sacrificed all the rest of life for a few hours of this joy. I have sought it, next, because it relieves loneliness--that terrible loneliness in which one shivering consciousness looks over the rim of the world into the cold unfathomable lifeless abyss. I have sought it, finally, because in the union of love I have seen, in a mystic miniature, the prefiguring vision of the heaven that saints and poets have imagined. This is what I sought, and though it might seem too good for human life, this is what- at last- I have found.

With equal passion I have sought knowledge. I have wished to understand the hearts of men. I have tried to apprehend the Pythagorean power by which number holds sway above the flu. A little of this, but not much, I have achieved.

Love and knowledge, so far as they were possible, led upward toward the heavens. But always pity brought me back to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a hated burden to their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make a mockery of what human life should be. I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot, and I too suffer.

This has been my life. I have found it worth living, and would gladly live it again if the chance were offered me.
三种激情 -----罗素
三种激情虽然简单，却异常强烈，它们统治着我的生命，那便是：对爱的渴望，对知识的追求，以及对人类苦难的难以承受的同情。这三种激情像变化莫测的狂风任意地把我刮来刮去，把我刮入痛苦的深海，到了绝望的边缘。

我曾经寻找爱，首先是因为它能使我欣喜若狂——这种喜悦之情如此强烈，使我常常宁愿为这几个小时的愉悦而牺牲生命中的其他一切。我寻求爱，其次是因为爱能解除孤独——在这种可怕的孤独中，一颗颤抖的良心在世界的边缘，注视着下面冰凉、毫无生气、望不见底的深渊。我寻求爱还因为在爱的融合中，我能以某种神秘的图像看到曾被圣人和诗人想象过的天堂里未来的景象。这就是我所追求的东西，虽然这似乎对于人类的生命来说过于完美，但这确实是我最终发现的东西。 我怀着同样的激情去寻找知识，我曾渴望着理解人心，我曾渴望知道为何星星会闪烁，我还企图弄懂毕达哥拉斯所谓的用数字控制变化的力量，但在这方面，我只知道一点点。

爱的力量和知识的力量引我接近天堂，但同情之心往往又把我拉回大地。痛苦的哭泣回响、震荡在我的心中。饥饿的儿童，被压迫、受折磨的人们，成为儿孙们讨厌的包袱的、无助的老人们，充斥着整个世界的孤独的气氛，贫穷和苦难，所有这一切都是对人类生活原本该具有的样子所作的讽刺。我渴望消除一切邪恶，但我办不到，因为我自己也处于苦难之中。 这就是我的生活，我认为值得一过。而且，如果有第二次机会，我将乐意地再过一次

月明

thks for sharing.

Jessi

Couldn't agree more, especially the next to last paragragh, which shows a caring & smpathetic heart towards the vulnerable groups in this society. And i belive the happyness deprives more from mental satisfiction than material pursuit, besides, keeping a thankful heart is also an essential ingredient.

janezhu

Couldn't agree more, especially the next to last paragragh, which shows a caring & smpathetic heart towards the vulnerable groups in this society. And i belive the happyness deprives more from mental  ...
Jessi 发表于 2009-9-16 10:42

                               
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Thanks for sharing your different of opinion. I agree with your belief   "the happyness deprives more from mental satisfiction than material pursuit, besides, keeping a thankful heart is also an essential ingredient", and also believe that it is very important to have a pitying heart for everyone. To be frank, I can't find what the contradictions among  
happiness, a thankful heart and pity are.

Btw, could you share your more personal  point of view with us  what your passions are in your real life and why they can gave you  reasons to continue?  I just hope to learn more from you.

Jessi

4# janezhu
Am sorry, but didn't fully understand your saying “To be frank, I can't find what the contradictions among happiness, a thankful heart and pity are.”?
As to me, the passion for life is as simple as taking every little step to perfect myself, as bravely facing each possible challenge, as never stop overcoming all my weakness, and, as the article you put on the top, the pursuit for the knowledge......
In addition, my pleasure could come as easily from as dining with family, as heartily laughing while watching a comedy, as strolling aimlessly with the lover at wherever it is, as “Hi” from a long-lost friend, as i memorised one fancy english word, and equally important, as i talking with the unseen friend as you here......

Jessi

Just notice that you said "thanks for sharing your different opinion"? You might have misunderstood, because mine is in uniform with the author's. "Couldn't agree more" means completely agree with.

月明

4# janezhu  
Am sorry, but didn't fully understand your saying “To be frank, I can't find what the contradictions among happiness, a thankful heart and pity are.”?
As to me, the passion for li ...
Jessi 发表于 2009-9-17 11:14

                               
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as...as...  
beautiful verse.

janezhu

Just notice that you said "thanks for sharing your different opinion"? You might have misunderstood, because mine is in uniform with the author's. "Couldn't agree more" means completely agree with.
Jessi 发表于 2009-9-17 11:29

                               
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I got. This is why I was confused in the begining. I am appreciative for your correction very much.

Some people would like to explore their inner world more than their external world. After sharing your view, I bet you have a strong belief and well writing. Is it correct?

One day , when I read a Chinese poem, I couldn't  made a success of translating this  Chinese poem into English.My heart is touched tightly by them:

读书贵神解，无事守章句。混茫万古心，每于故纸寓。忆昔就傅时，端受卤莽误。年来发深省，颇领此中趣。中夜每独坐，淡淡灯火聚。到眼初茫然，思力未能赴。朗吟一再过，旨趣或流露。回环三复余，延缘得津路。此时万籁寂，炯炯一心注。若距且若迎，倏尔忽来悟。顿令千载人，精魄宛相遇。掩书起推窗，皎月挂高树。

月明

I got. This is why I was confused in the begining. I am appreciative for your correction very much.

Some people would like to explore their inner world more than their external world. Afte ...
janezhu 发表于 2009-9-18 05:03

                               
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it is difficult to translate chinese poems into english. i can see that you really like reading, just as the poet who wrote the poem. i read books just for fun.

Jessi

7# 月亮河
Hah, thanks, am glad

Jessi

Agree with 月亮河, that translation is the other term, which, to a great extent, differs from just learning english as a tool of communication, which, also commands well comprehension & application of both chinese and english, therefore, lacking either of the strengthes could discourage your translating ability.
Honestly, rarely do i read chinese literatures, not to mention the old-time poem, feeling hard to understand and no pleasure, which i could conclude as no literature gene in my blood. Contrarily, I'd rather spend more time on english materials & films, mostly in the range of novels, educational and romantic stories, or sometime an adventurous one, such as Stephen King's, a great writer indeed, which has been my way to progress in english.
But see you are an ardent lover of literature, and i always admire people composing the wonderful articles.

janezhu

Thanks both of your kind suggestions. To me, sometimes I am eager to share Chinese beautiful poem with my teachers who often mention Chinese articles style prefer to write around redundantly. I think it depends on what kind of article and who writes. Also I can’t help imaging something when I read classical Chinese poems. The classical Chinese poetry paid much attention to implication, but I love.

I know I should try to assimilate whatever is beneficial in any kind materials in English. Then I can really enjoy their culture. Honestly, I don’t yet enjoy English completely because of my limited English. I hope reading can help my ideas grow loftier. It needs more time for me.

janezhu

Written: 1901;
Source: M. Gorky: Selected Short Stories Progress Publishers, 1955;
Online Version: Maxim Gorky Internet Archive (www.marxists.org) 2002;
Transcription\Markup: Sally Ryan.

                                     Song of the Stormy Petrel ---Maxim Gorky
High above the silvery ocean winds are gathering the storm-clouds, and between the clouds and ocean proudly wheels the Stormy Petrel, like a streak of sable lightning.

Now his wing the wave caresses, now he rises like an arrow, cleaving clouds and crying fiercely, while the clouds detect a rapture in the bird's courageous crying.

In that crying sounds a craving for the tempest! Sounds the flaming of his passion, of his anger, of his confidence in triumph.

The gulls are moaning in their terror--moaning, darting o'er the waters, and would gladly hide their horror in the inky depths of ocean.

And the grebes are also moaning. Not for them the nameless rapture of the struggle. They are frightened by the crashing of the thunder.

And the foolish penguins cower in the crevices of rocks, while alone the Stormy Petrel proudly wheels above the ocean, o'er the silver-frothing waters.

Ever lower, ever blacker, sink the stormclouds to the sea, and the singing waves are mounting in their yearning toward the thunder.

Strikes the thunder. Now the waters fiercely battle with the winds. And the winds in fury seize them in unbreakable embrace, hurtling down the emerald masses to be shattered on the cliffs.

Like a streak of sable lightning wheels and cries the Stormy Petrel, piercing storm-clouds like an arrow, cutting swiftly through the waters.

He is coursing like a Demon, the black Demon of the tempest, ever laughing, ever sobbing--he is laughing at the storm-clouds, he is sobbing with his rapture.

In the crashing of the thunder the wise Demon hears a murmur of exhaustion. And he is knows the strom will die and the sun will be triumphant; the sun will always be triumphant!

The waters roar. The thunder crashes. Livid lightning flares in stormclouds high above the seething ocean, and the flaming darts are captured and extinguished by the waters, while the serpentine reflections writhe, expiring, in the deep.

It's the storm! The storm is breaking!

Still the valiant Stormy Petrel proudly wheels amond the lightning, o'er the roaring, raging ocean, and his cry resounds exultant, like a prophecy of triumph--

Let it break in all its fury!

高尔基：海燕之歌

　　在苍茫的大海上，狂风卷集着乌云。在乌云和大海之间，海燕像黑色的闪电，在高傲的飞翔。
　　一会儿翅膀碰着波浪，一会儿箭一般地直冲向乌云，它叫喊着，──就在这鸟儿勇敢的叫喊声里，乌云听出了欢乐。
　　在这叫喊声里──充满着对暴风雨的渴望！在这叫喊声里，乌云听出了愤怒的力量、热情的火焰和胜利的信心。
　　海鸥在暴风雨来临之前呻吟着，──呻吟着，它们在大海上飞窜，想把自己对暴风雨的恐惧，掩藏到大海深处。
　　海鸭也在呻吟着，──它们这些海鸭啊，享受不了生活的战斗的欢乐：轰隆隆的雷声就把它们吓坏了。
　　蠢笨的企鹅，胆怯地把肥胖的身体躲藏到悬崖底下……只有那高傲的海燕，勇敢地，自由自在的，在泛起白沫的大海上飞翔！
　　乌云越来越暗，越来越低，向海面直压下来，而波浪一边歌唱，一边冲向高空，去迎接那雷声。
　　雷声轰响。波浪在愤怒的飞沫中呼叫，跟狂风争鸣。看吧，狂风紧紧抱起一层层巨浪，恶狠狠地把它们甩到悬崖上，把这些大块的翡翠摔成尘雾和碎末。
　　海燕叫喊着，飞翔着，像黑色的闪电，箭一般地穿过乌云，翅膀掠起波浪的飞沫。
　　看吧，它飞舞着，像个精灵，──高傲的、黑色的暴风雨的精灵，──它在大笑，它又在号叫……它笑些乌云，它因为欢乐而号叫！
　　这个敏感的精灵，──它从雷声的震怒里，早就听出了困乏，它深信，乌云遮不住太阳，──是的，遮不住的！
　　狂风吼叫……雷声轰响……　　一堆堆乌云，像青色的火焰，在无底在大海上燃烧。大海抓住闪电的箭光，把它们熄灭在自己的深渊里。这些闪电的影子，活像一条条火蛇，在大海里蜿蜒游动，一晃就消失了。　　──暴风雨！暴风雨就要来啦！
　　这是勇敢的海燕，在怒吼的大海上，在闪电中间，高傲的飞翔；这是胜利的预言家在叫喊：
　　──让暴风雨来得更猛烈些吧！