春天的一份承諾中英版美文
春天的一份承諾
Early in the spring， about a month before my grandpa's stroke， I began walking for an hour every afternoon． Some days I would walk four blocks south to see Grandma and Grandpa． At eighty－six， Grandpa was still quite a gardener， so I always watched for his earliest blooms and each new wave of spring flowers．
早春時節(jié)，大約在爺爺中風(fēng)前的一個月，我開始每天下午散步一個小時。有些日子，我會步行向南穿過四個街區(qū)去看望爺爺奶奶。八十六歲的爺爺仍然是一個杰出的花匠，因此我總是觀察著他最早盛開的花，以及一片又一片春的花海。
I was especially interested in flowers that year because I was planning to landscape my own yard and I was eager to get Grandpa's advice． I thought I knew pretty much what I wanted — a yard full of bushes and plants that would bloom from May till November．
那年，我打算把自己的小院美化一下，因此對花特別感興趣，期望能夠得到爺爺?shù)闹笇?dǎo)。我以為自己知道究竟需要什么——滿院子花草樹木，從五月一直開到十一月。
It was right after the first rush of purple violets in the lawns and the sudden blaze of forsythia that spring that Grandpa had a stroke． It left him without speech and with no movement on his left side． The whole family rallied to Grandpa． We all spent many hours by his side． Some days his eyes were eloquent — laughing at our reported mishaps， listening alertly， revealing painful awareness of his inability to care for himself． There were days， too， when he slept most of the time， overcome with the weight of his approaching death．
那年春天，就是在草坪里第一叢紫羅蘭和突然盛開的鮮艷連翹出現(xiàn)后，爺爺?shù)昧酥酗L(fēng)。他嘴巴不能說話了，身體的左半部分也不能動。家里所有人都來看望爺爺，我們都花了大量的時間陪在他身邊。有幾天，他眼睛很有神——笑我們所匯報來的不幸，聽我們說話也很機警，并說他不能料理自己心里感覺很痛苦。有時候，他一整天都出在睡眠的狀態(tài)，而且體重也有所增加，隨時可能有生命危險。
As the months passed， I watched the growing earth with Grandpa's eyes． Each time I was with him， I gave him a garden report． He listened， gripping my hand with the sure strength and calm he had always had． But he could not answer my questions． The new flowers would blaze， peak， fade， and die before I knew their names．
隨著時間的推移，幾個月過去了。我像爺爺一樣望著地上長出來的東西。每次我和他在一起，我都要向他匯報一下花園的情況。他一邊聽著，一邊用平靜地用他一貫的力量緊握著我的手。然而，他無法回答我的問題。因此，很多花朵綻放、憔悴、凋謝和死亡，我甚至都不知道他們的名字。
Grandpa's illness held him through the spring and on， week by week， through summer． I began spending hours at the local nursery， studying and choosing seeds and plants． It gave me special joy to buy plants I had seen in Grandpa's garden and give them humble starts in my own garden． I discovered Sweet William， which I had admired for years in Grandpa's garden without knowing its name． And I planted it in his honor．
從春季開始，爺爺就一直受疾病的折磨，一直持續(xù)到夏季。我開始料理當?shù)氐拿缙裕芯窟x擇種子和植株。我買了些曾在爺爺?shù)幕▓@里見過的樹木，盡心盡力地種在了我自己的花園里，這給我?guī)砗芴貏e的快樂。我在爺爺?shù)幕▓@里發(fā)現(xiàn)了我喜歡多年的美洲石竹，以前一直不知道它的名字，現(xiàn)在我以爺爺?shù)拿u栽下了它。
As I waited and watched in the garden and by Grandpa's side， some quiet truths emerged． I realized that Grandpa loved flowers that were always bloom； he kept a full bed of roses in his garden． But I noticed that Grandpa left plenty of room for the brief highlights． Not every nook of his garden wasconstantly in bloom． There was always a treasured surprise tucked somewhere．
當我守護在爺爺身邊的時候，一些真理靜靜地涌現(xiàn)。我知道爺爺深愛著那些繁盛的花草；在他的花園里，他種了一苗圃的玫瑰。不過，我也發(fā)現(xiàn)爺爺留了很多空地方，只為了能夠讓光線照進來�；▓@里并不是每個角落都經(jīng)常有花開放，但總有一個接一個的驚喜從某個地方冒出來。
I came to see， too， that Grandpa's garden mirrored his life． He was a hard worker who understood the law of the harvest． But along with his hard work， Grandpa knew how to enjoy each season， each change． We often teased him about his life history． He had written two paragraphs summarizing fifty years of work， and a full nine pages about every trip and vacation he'd ever taken．
我也發(fā)現(xiàn)爺爺?shù)幕▓@是他一生的真實寫照。他是一個勤勞的工人，他理解收獲的規(guī)律。但是說起他的辛勤勞動，他又是一個知道如何享受四季和變化的人，我們經(jīng)常拿他的過去開玩笑。他寫了兩段文字概述了他五十年的工作。其中，足足有九頁文字記載的是他的每次旅行和假期。
In July， Grandpa worsened． One hot afternoon arrived when no one else was at his bedside． He was glad to have me there， and reached out his hand to pull me close．
七月，爺爺?shù)牟∏閻夯�。有一天下午天氣很炎熱，沒有人在爺爺身邊。只有我在，他很高興，就伸出他的手把我抱得緊緊的。
I told Grandpa what I had learned — that few flowers last from April to November． Some of the most beautiful bloom for only a month at most． To really enjoy a garden， you have to plant corners and drifts and rows of flowers that will bloom and grace the garden， each in its own season．
我把我所學(xué)到的告訴了爺爺——很少有花能從五月開到十一月，絕大多部分花最多開一個月。為了真正達到欣賞花園的目的，你必須在每個角落都種上花，叢叢花兒開放，把花園裝扮得非常漂亮，每個角落都有四季。
His eyes listened to every word． Then， another discovery： "If I want a garden like yours， Grandpa， I'm going to have to work．"His grin laughed at me， and his eyes teased me．
他用眼睛認真地傾聽著我的每句話，另一個發(fā)現(xiàn)是：“爺爺，如果我想要我的花園像你的花園話，我必須去工作�！彼麑χ倚�，漏出了牙齒，眼神也在嬉笑我。
"Grandpa， in your life right now the chrysanthemums are in bloom． Chrysanthemums and roses．"Tears clouded both our eyes． Neither of us feared this last flower of fall， but the wait for spring seems longest in November． We knew how much we would miss each other．
“爺爺，現(xiàn)在菊花正在開放，菊花和玫瑰花都在開放�！蔽覀儌z的眼里都盈滿了淚花，我們都不害怕最后一朵花凋謝，但在十一月等待春天未免有點太長了，我們都知道我們會非常想念對方的。
Sitting there， I suddenly felt that the best gift I could give Grandpa would be to give voice to the testimony inside both of us． He had never spoken of his testimony to me， but it was such a part of his life that I had never questioned if Grandpa knew． I knew he knew．
我坐在那里，突然感到我能給爺爺?shù)淖詈枚Y物是說出我們之間的承諾。他從來沒有對我說起他的承諾，但我從來沒有質(zhì)疑過的就是他人生中的這一部分，如果爺爺知道的話。我知道他所知道的。
"Grandpa，"I began — and his grip tightened as if he knew what I was going to say — "I want you to know that I have a testimony． I know the Savior lives． I bear witness to you that Joseph Smith is a prophet． I love the Restoration and joy in it．"The steadiness in Grandpa's eyes told how much he felt it too． "I bear witness that President Kimball is a prophet． I know the Book of Mormon is true， Grandpa． Every part of mebears this witness．"
“爺爺，”我開始說——他嘴唇緊閉，好像知道我要說什么似的——“我想要你知道我有一個承諾。我知道救世主是存在的'，我向你作證約瑟夫?史密斯是個預(yù)言家。我愛王政復(fù)辟時代，也很希望能加入它�！睜敔攬远ǖ难凵褚哺嬖V了我他也有如此強烈的感受�！拔蚁蚰阕髯C金博爾總統(tǒng)是一個預(yù)言家。爺爺，我知道《魔門經(jīng)》是真的，我拿整個人來向你作證�！�
"Grandpa，"I added quietly， "I know our Father in Heaven loves you．"Unbidden， unexpected， the Spirit bore comforting， poignant testimony to me of our Father's love for my humble， quiet Grandpa．
爺爺，”我語氣平和地又說了一句，“我知道我們的上帝是愛你的。”我爺爺?shù)匚槐拔�，但人很平和，我不假思索地意外地想到這種精神給我?guī)砹松系蹖敔數(shù)臒釔邸?/p>
A tangible sense of Heavenly Father's compassionate awareness of Grandpa's suffering surrounded us and held us． It was so personal and powerful that no words were left to me — only tears of gratitude and humility， tears of comfort．
上帝對爺爺所遭受的苦難表示了很大的同情，這種意識一直環(huán)繞和支持著我們。這種自我意識是如此有力，以至我無法用語言將其描述——只有感恩和謙恭，還有安慰的淚水。
Grandpa and I wept together．
爺爺和我都流下了眼淚。
It was the end of August when Grandpa died， the end of summer． As we were choosing flowers from the florist for Grandpa's funeral， I slipped away to Grandpa's garden and walked with my memories of columbine and Sweet William． Only the tall lavender and white phlox were in bloom now， and some baby's breath in another corner．
八月底，也是夏季即將過去的時候，爺爺還是走了。當大家在花店為爺爺?shù)脑岫Y選擇葬花時，我悄悄地離開來到爺爺?shù)幕▓@。走在花園里，回憶著那些耬斗菜和美洲石竹，現(xiàn)在只有熏衣草和白色夾竹桃在開花，另一個角落里還開放著一些滿天星。
On impulse， I cut the prettiest strands of phlox and baby's breath and made one more arrangement for the funeral． When they saw it， friends and family all smiled to see Grandpa's flowers there． We all felt how much Grandpa would have liked that．
一時心血來潮，我把最漂亮的幾束夾竹桃和滿天星剪了下來，給爺爺葬禮增添了一份裝扮。看到這些花的時候，親友們都因為看到爺爺?shù)幕ǘ冻鑫⑿ΑＮ覀兌贾罓敔斠欢〞芟矚g那些花兒的。
The October after Grandpa's death， I planted tulip and daffodil bulbs， snowdrops， crocuses， and bluebells． Each bulb was a comfort to me， a love sent to Grandpa， a promise of spring．
在爺爺去世后的十月，我種了一些郁金香、水仙、雪花蓮、番紅花及藍鈴花。每一個花苞對我來說都是一種安慰，都是給爺爺?shù)囊环輴�，都是春天的一份承諾。
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A Parable of a Child
A Parable of a Child
一個孩子的寓言
by Steve Goodier 李 瑾 譯
父母說：“我有一個孩子，他/她將來會成為一名……”
孩子說：“我是你們的孩子，我將來會成為一名……”
省略號的內(nèi)容由你決定！教育與經(jīng)驗之間是有區(qū)別的。教育就是從閱讀文字所得到的，而經(jīng)驗是從不閱讀而得到的�？匆粋�故事，你就會明白“偉大的學(xué)習(xí)來自于教育和經(jīng)驗的結(jié)合”。
一名青年教師夢見天使出現(xiàn)在他面前，對他說：“你將會有一個孩子，他/她將來會成為一名世界領(lǐng)袖。你得讓她意識到自己的智慧，增長自信心，開發(fā)她果斷不失細膩，虛心而又堅韌的性格特質(zhì)，你會如何為她做準備呢？”
夢醒時，青年教師一身冷汗。他從沒經(jīng)歷過這種事情。照夢中所說的，他現(xiàn)在或?qū)淼膶W(xué)生之中的任何一個人都有可能有成為他夢中聽到的那個人物。他準備好了要去幫助他們實現(xiàn)每一個志向嗎？他默默想：“既然知道了某一個學(xué)生會成為那個人物，那么我的教學(xué)方式該怎么改變一下呢？”一步一步地，他已經(jīng)開始暗自籌劃了。
這名學(xué)生不僅需要有經(jīng)歷，而且需要有人指導(dǎo)。他的教學(xué)方式改變了。對他而言，每一個走過他教室的年輕人都有可能成為未來的世界領(lǐng)袖。他看這些學(xué)生時，不是看他們曾經(jīng)是什么樣子，而是看他們將來可能成為什么樣子。他以一種平和的心態(tài)期盼學(xué)生發(fā)揮最大的潛力。他在教育學(xué)生時，仿佛世界的未來完全掌握在他的教導(dǎo)中。
多年以后，他所認識的一名女子成為舉世矚目的人物。這時他才悟出，她就是那晚夢中天使所說的那個女孩。只是，她不是他的學(xué)生，而是他的女兒。在女兒一生所遇到的老師之中，他是最棒的。
我聽過這樣一句話：“孩子是我們給自己無法預(yù)見的某個時間、某個地點所發(fā)送出去的活信息�！笨蛇@并不僅僅是一則有關(guān)一個無名教師的寓言，而是有關(guān)你我的寓言——不論我們是為人父母，還是為人師表。而這個故事——我們的故事，其實是這樣開始的：
“你將有一個孩子，他/她將來會成為一名……”你來填完這個句子吧，如果不填“世界領(lǐng)袖”，那么“絕世好爸”也行；再要不“優(yōu)秀教師”？“妙手神醫(yī)”？“不按常理出牌的問題克星”？“鼓舞人心的藝術(shù)家”？或是“慷慨無私的慈善家”？
你會在何地、如何遇見這個孩子，那是一個謎�？墒�，你要相信，一個孩子的將來很有可能就取決于你給他/她所造成的影響；也要相信，孩子會出人頭地的。對你來說，任何孩子都是不平凡的，你也因此脫胎換骨。
A young school teacher had a dream that an angel appeared to him and said, “You will be given a child who will grow up to become a world leader. How will you prepare her so that she will realize her intelligence, grow in confidence, develop both her assertiveness and sensitivity, be open-minded, yet strong in character？”
The young teacher awoke in a cold sweat. It had never occurred to him before——any ONE of his present or future students could be the person described in his dream. Was he preparing them to rise to ANY POSITION to which they may aspire？ He thought, “How might my teaching change if I KNEW that one of my students were this person？” He gradually began to formulate a plan in his mind.
This student would need experience as well as instruction. His teaching changed. Every young person who walked through his classroom became, for him, a future world leader. He saw each one, not as they were, but as they could be. He expected the best from his students, yet tempered it with compassion. He taught each one as if the future of the world depended on his instruction.
After many years, a woman he knew rose to a position of world prominence. He realized that she must surely have been the girl described in his dream. Only she was not one of his students, but rather his daughter. For of all the various teachers in her life, her father was the best.
I’ve heard it said that “Children are living messages we send to a time and place we will never see.” But this isn’t simply a parable about an unnamed school teacher. It is a parable about you and me——whether or not we are parents or even teachers. And the story, OUR story, actually begins like this:
“You will be given a child who will grow up to become…” You finish the sentence. If not a world leader, then a superb father？ An excellent teacher？ A gifted healer？ An innovative problem solver？ An inspiring artist？ A generous philanthropist？
Where and how you will encounter this child is a mystery. But believe that one child’s future may depend upon influence only you can provide, and something remarkable will happen. For no young person will ever be ordinary to you again. And you will never be the same.
·父親節(jié)的由來（一）
父親節(jié)的由來（一）
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Father’s Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards. In fact when a “father’s day” was first proposed there were no Father’s Day cards!
父親節(jié)與普遍的誤解不同的是，它并非是一個為了幫助賀卡制作廠商銷售更多賀卡的節(jié)日。事實上，當“父親節(jié)”的提議首先被提出時，父親節(jié)賀卡根本就不存在。
Mrs. John B Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a “father’s day” in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father William, whose wife died while giving birth to their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.
華盛頓州的約翰·布魯斯·多德夫人在1909年首先提出了設(shè)立“父親節(jié)”的提議。多德夫人希望有一個特殊的日子來向她的父親———威廉·斯瑪特表示敬意。他的妻子在生他們第六個孩子時因難產(chǎn)而死。斯瑪特先生在華盛頓州東部鄉(xiāng)下的農(nóng)場里獨自養(yǎng)大了六個孩子。多德太太成人后她才意識到她的父親一個人養(yǎng)大孩子所表現(xiàn)的力量和無私。
The first Father’s Day was observed on June 19,1910 in Washington. And it was in 1966 that President Lyndon Johnson officially declared the 3rd Sunday of June as Father’s Day.
1910年的6月19日人們在華盛頓慶祝了第一個父親節(jié)。林登·約翰遜總統(tǒng)最終于1966年宣布每年六月的第3個星期天為父親節(jié)。
Father’s Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father’s Day.
父親節(jié)現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)成為向父親及所有扮演父親角色的人表達敬意的節(jié)日。繼父，伯父，祖父所有成年男性都將在父親節(jié)受到尊敬。
文字
·當你老去
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當你老去 When You Are Old
When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
當你老了，頭白了，睡思昏沉，
爐火邊打盹，請取下這部詩歌，
慢慢讀，回想你過去眼神的柔和，
回想它們過去濃重的陰影；
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
多少人愛你年輕歡暢的時候，
愛慕你的美貌，出于假意或者真心
只有一個人愛你那朝圣者的靈魂，
愛你已改的容顏痛苦的皺紋
And bending down beside the glowing bars
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
躬身在紅光閃耀的爐火旁，
凄然低語，愛為何消逝，
它漫步走上高高山巒，
將臉龐隱沒在了群星間。
·當你老去
<OBJECT
當你老去 When You Are Old
When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
當你老了，頭白了，睡思昏沉，
爐火邊打盹，請取下這部詩歌，
慢慢讀，回想你過去眼神的柔和，
回想它們過去濃重的陰影；
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
多少人愛你年輕歡暢的時候，
愛慕你的美貌，出于假意或者真心
只有一個人愛你那朝圣者的靈魂，
愛你已改的容顏痛苦的皺紋
And bending down beside the glowing bars
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
躬身在紅光閃耀的爐火旁，
凄然低語，愛為何消逝，
它漫步走上高高山巒，
將臉龐隱沒在了群星間。
·肇事的兔子
The rabbits who cause all the trouble 肇事的兔子
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Within the memory of the youngest child there was a family of rabbits who lived behind a pack of wolves. The wolves announced that they did not like the way the rabbits were living.The wolves were crazy about the way they themselves were 1iving,because it was the only way to live.
在最小的孩子還記得的那個時候,在狼群的附近居住著兔子一家。狼們公開宣布,他們不喜歡兔子的生活方式。狼對自己的生活方式推崇備至,因為這是唯一可行的生活方式。
One night several wolves were killed in an earthquake and this was blamed on the rabbits, for it is well known that rabbits pound on the ground with their hind legs and cause earthquakes. On another night one of the wolves was killed by a bolt of lightning and this was also named on the rabbits, for it is well known that lettuce-eaters cause 1ightning.The wolves threatened to civilize the rabbits if they didn't behave.
一天晚上,幾只狼在地震中死亡。這件事是兔子的責(zé)任,因為眾所周知,兔子用兩條腿蹬地造成了地震。另一個晚上,一只狼被雷電劈斃,這件事也怪罪于兔子,因為眾所周知,雷電是由吃萵苣的動物引發(fā)的。狼威脅說,如果兔子繼續(xù)為非作歹,它們將施以管教。
The rabbits decided to move away to a desert island. But the animals, who lived at a great distance, shamed them, saying, "You must stay where you are and be brave. There is no world for escapists. If the wolves attack you, we will come to your aid all probability." So the rabbits continued to live near the wolves.
兔子決定逃到一個荒島上去。但是其它住在遠處的動物奚落它們說:"你們必須守住陣腳,要勇敢。這個世界決沒有逃避主義者的容身之地。如果狼攻擊你們,我們多半會來相助。"于是兔子繼續(xù)在狼群附近生活。
One day them was a terrible flood which drowned a great many wolves. This was blamed on the rabbits, for it is well known that carrot-nibblers with long ear cause floods. The wolves descended on the rabbits, for their own good, and imprisoned them in a dark cave, for their own protection.
有一天,發(fā)生了一場可怕的洪水,許多狼被淹死。責(zé)任怪罪到兔子頭上,因為眾所周知,長耳朵并小口小口吃胡蘿卜的動物會引起洪水。為了兔子著想,狼對它們下手了,把它們關(guān)在黑洞里進行保護。
When nothing was heard about the rabbits for some weeks, the other animals demands to know what had happened to them. The wolves replied that the rabbits had been eaten and since they had been eaten the affair was a purely internal matter. But the other animals warned that they might possibly unite against the wolves unless some reason was given for the destruction of the rabbits. So the wolves gave them one. “They were trying to escape,” sad the wolves, "and, as you know, there is no world for escapists."
由于連續(xù)幾星期沒有聽到兔子的消息,其它動物要求知道它們的行蹤。狼回答說兔子已經(jīng)被吃了;既然已經(jīng)吃到肚里,此事就純屬內(nèi)政。但其它動物警告說,除非有消滅兔子的正當理由,不然它們可能團結(jié)起來,一致對狼。于是,狼給了它們一條理由。"它們企圖逃走",狼說。"你們也知道,這個世界決沒有逃避主義者的容身之地�！�
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