一把小提琴的美妙樂(lè)音理應(yīng)被世人欣賞，一個(gè)人的生命也需要精彩。生命的意義不在于長(zhǎng)度，而在于廣度。為理想而活，為幫助他人而活，你會(huì)感到無(wú)比的幸福。

By Steve Goodier

喬敏 譯注

Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.

生命要活得精彩。沒(méi)有借口，沒(méi)有保留，沒(méi)有退縮。

An enchanting story about violinist Fritz Kreisler tells how he once came across a beautiful instrument he wanted to acquire. When he finally raised the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and learned that it had already been sold to a collector.

有一個(gè)關(guān)于小提琴家弗里茨?克萊斯勒的故事。故事講述了他有一次看到了一個(gè)很精美的小提琴，他很想得到它。可是等他最終攢夠了錢去買小提琴的時(shí)候，他獲知那個(gè)小提琴已經(jīng)被一個(gè)收藏家買去了。

He went to the new owner’s home in order to try to persuade him to sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his prized possessions and he could not let it go. The disappointed Kreisler turned to leave, but then asked a favour. “May I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?”

他去了那個(gè)小提琴新主人的家里，試圖勸服他把小提琴賣給自己。但是收藏家說(shuō)那是他最珍愛(ài)的收藏之一，他不能將它賣掉。失望的克萊斯勒轉(zhuǎn)身準(zhǔn)備離開(kāi)，但是還是提了另外一個(gè)請(qǐng)求：“我可以在這件樂(lè)器被封存之前再用它彈奏一曲嗎？”

Permission was granted and the great musician began to play. The violin sang out a quality of music so beautiful that the collector himself could only listen in wonderment.

他得到了許可，于是這個(gè)偉大的音樂(lè)家就開(kāi)始了他的演奏。這個(gè)小提琴發(fā)出的樂(lè)音無(wú)比悅耳，連那個(gè)收藏家都聽(tīng)得入了迷。

“I have no right to keep that to myself,” he said after the musician finished. “The violin is yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into world, and let people hear it.”

音樂(lè)家演奏完之后，他說(shuō)：“我沒(méi)有權(quán)利將它據(jù)為己有，克萊斯勒先生，這個(gè)小提琴是你的了。將小提琴帶給世人，讓所有人都聽(tīng)到它的樂(lè)音。”

William Arthur Ward said ... “If you believe in prayer, pray; if you believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give.”

曾經(jīng)說(shuō)……“如果你信奉祈禱，那就去禱告；如果你信奉奉獻(xiàn)，那就去工作；如果你信奉施舍，那就去布施。”

For you and I are exquisite violins — our music is meant to be heard.

如果你我是精美的小提琴——那么我們的音樂(lè)就必須被世人聽(tīng)到。

I want to live my life that way — to take it into the world and live it fully. I’d rather burn out than rust out. I’d rather be used up than die not having done whatever I could ... wherever I would.

我希望能如此對(duì)待自己的生命——來(lái)到世間，竭盡全力的生活。我寧愿像蠟燭般燃盡，也不愿讓自己銹跡斑斑。我寧愿將生命全部耗盡，也不愿臨死之時(shí)自己能做和想做的事情都沒(méi)來(lái)得及做。

I’m not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity. Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in investing our lives in others. Saying yes when asked for a hand. Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an hour with a lonely relative.

我所說(shuō)的不是要過(guò)度勞累從而讓我們精疲力竭。幸福不在于過(guò)于忙碌，而在于幫助他人。當(dāng)有人向你求助時(shí)，答應(yīng)他。為一個(gè)值得花費(fèi)精力的組織去做志愿者。用一小時(shí)來(lái)陪伴你一個(gè)孤獨(dú)的親戚。

In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been about by my ability or my inability. It will have been about my availability. My life is meant to be lived.

最后，我知道我的幸福與我能做什么、不能做什么沒(méi)有關(guān)系。幸福只和我樂(lè)于助人有關(guān)。我的生命要活得精彩。

Vocabulary

1. prize: 珍視、真愛(ài)。

2. consign: 把……托付給。

3. wear out: 使疲乏，使精疲力竭。

（來(lái)源：英語(yǔ)學(xué)習(xí)雜志）