亨利·大衛·梭羅/ Henry David Thoreau
亨利·大衛·梭羅（1817—1862），散文家，超驗主義哲學家。出生於美國以超驗主義中心著稱的康科德，並在那兒度過了大半生。梭羅畢生以超驗主義作為自己的生活原則，並將之發揮到極致；他一生未娶，曾隱居瓦爾登湖兩年有餘，過著與世隔絕的生活，並在湖邊的木屋裏寫下了著名的《瓦爾登湖》一書。本文即選自此書。
Ace in the Hole
Understand these new words before you listen to this article.
1. glorious ['ɡl?:ri?s] adj. 輝煌的；極好的
2. abode [?'b?ud] n. 住處
3. disreputable [dis'repjut?bl] adj. 聲名狼藉的
4. herb [h?:b, ?:b] n. 香草
However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault, finder will find faults even in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poor-house. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man’s abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace. The town’s poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any. Maybe they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving. Most think that they are above being supported by the town; but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means, which should be more disreputable. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old, return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.
參考譯文
不管你的生活有多卑微，麵對它吧，把生活進行下去，不可逃脫，也不能報以惡言，生活還不及你壞哩。你最富的時候，它反而最貧瘠。人若愛找茬兒，天堂也能被他挑出毛病。哪怕貧窮，你也要熱愛生活。快活、激動和光榮的時光甚至在濟貧院裏也享受的到。反射在那裏窗上的落日光芒，和照在有錢人家窗上的陽光是一樣的亮堂，門前的積雪也同樣都是在早春融化。在我的眼裏，一個心態平和的人，他思想樂觀，處世泰然，居住在濟貧院裏就像居住在皇宮裏一樣。在我看來，鎮上的窮人們往往過著最獨立自在的生活。他們一定足夠偉大，不然豈能欣然接受。大多數人以為自己不依靠城鎮養活，認為自己超凡脫俗，但情況往往是，他們利用不正當的手段作為謀生之計，這些讓他們更加名聲狼藉。像聖人那樣，對待貧窮就像對待園子裏的草木，耕耘它吧！不要自找麻煩地去尋求新事物、新朋友或者是新衣服。去找舊的，回歸舊有之物。萬物並沒有改變，變的是我們。衣帽可以賣掉，但思想應該保留。