雙語散文|梁實(shí)秋——時(shí)間即生命
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時(shí)間即生命
最令人怵目驚心的一件事，是看著鐘表上的秒針一下一下的移動(dòng)，每移動(dòng)一下就是表示我們的壽命已經(jīng)縮短了一部分。再看看墻上掛著的可以一張張撕下的日歷，每天撕下一張就是表示我們的壽命又縮短了一天。因?yàn)闀r(shí)間即生命。沒有人不愛惜他的生命，但很少人珍視他的時(shí)間。如果想在有生之年做一點(diǎn)什么事，學(xué)一點(diǎn)什么學(xué)問，充實(shí)自己，幫助別人，使生命成為有意義，不虛此生，那么就不可浪費(fèi)光陰。這道理人人都懂，可是很少人真能積極不懈的善為利用他的時(shí)間。我自己就是浪費(fèi)了很多時(shí)間的一個(gè)人。我不打麻將，我不經(jīng)常的聽?wèi)蚩措娪?，幾年中難得一次，我不長時(shí)間看電視，通常只看半個(gè)小時(shí)，我也不串門子閑聊天。有人問我：“那么你大部分時(shí)間都做了些什么呢？”我痛自反省，我發(fā)現(xiàn)，除了職務(wù)上的必須及人情上所不能免的活動(dòng)之外，我的時(shí)間大部分都浪費(fèi)了。我應(yīng)該集中精力，讀我所未讀過的書，我應(yīng)該利用所有時(shí)間，寫我所要寫的東西。但是我沒能這樣做。我的好多的時(shí)間都糊里糊涂的混過去了，“少壯不努力，老大徒傷悲。”
例如我翻譯莎士比亞，本來計(jì)劃于課余之暇每年翻譯兩部，二十年即可完成，但是我用了三十年，主要的原因是懶。翻譯之所以完成，主要的是因?yàn)榛畹孟喈?dāng)長久，十分驚險(xiǎn)。翻譯完成之后，雖然仍有工作計(jì)劃，但體力漸衰，有力不從心之感。假使年輕的時(shí)候鞭策自己，如今當(dāng)有較好或較多的表現(xiàn)。然而悔之晚矣。
再例如，作為一個(gè)中國人，經(jīng)書不可不讀。我年過三十才知道讀書自修的重要。我披閱，我圈點(diǎn)，但是恒心不足，時(shí)作時(shí)輟。五十以學(xué)易，可以無大過矣，我如今年過八十，還沒有接觸過《易經(jīng)》，說來慚愧。史書也很重要。我出國留學(xué)的時(shí)候，我父親買了一套同文石印的前四史，塞滿了我的行篋的一半空間，我在外國混了幾年之后又把前四史原封帶回來了。直到四十年后才鼓起勇氣讀了《通鑒》一遍?，F(xiàn)在我要讀的書太多，深感時(shí)間有限。
無論做什么事，健康的身體是基本條件。我在學(xué)校讀書的時(shí)候，有所謂“強(qiáng)迫運(yùn)動(dòng)”，我踢破過幾雙球鞋，打斷過幾只球拍。因此僥幸維持下來最低限度的體力。老來打過幾年太極拳，目前則以散步活動(dòng)筋骨而已。寄語年輕朋友，千萬要持之以恒的從事運(yùn)動(dòng)，這不是嬉戲，不是浪費(fèi)時(shí)間。健康的身體是作人做事的真正的本錢。
Time Is Life
It is most startling to hear a watch or clock clicking away the seconds, each click indicating the shortening of one's life by a little bit. Likewise, with each page torn off the wall calendar, one's life is shortened by another day. Time, therefore, is life. Nevertheless, few people treasure their time as much as their life. Time must not be wasted if you want to do your bit in your remaining years or acquire some useful knowledge to improve yourself and help others, so that your life may turn out to be significant and fruitful. All that is foolproof, yet few people really strive to make the best use of their time.Personally, I am also a fritterer. I don't play mahjong. I seldom go to the theatre or cinema — I go there maybe only once every few years. I seldom spend long hours watching TV — usually I watch TV for no more than 30 minutes at a sitting. Nor do I go visiting and gossiping from door to door. Some people asked me, "Then what do you do with most of your time?" Introspecting with remorse, I found that apart from the time earmarked for my job and unavoidable social activities, most of my time had been wasted. I should have concentrated my energies on reading whatever books I have not yet read. I should have utilized all my time in writing anything I want to write. But I've failed to do so. Very much of my time has been frittered away aimlessly. As the saying goes, "One who does not work hard in youth will grieve in vain in old age."
Take the translation of Shakespeare for example. I had initially planned to spend 20 years of my spare time in doing the translation, finishing two plays a year. But I spent 30 years instead, due primarily to my slothfulness. The whole project would probably have fallen through had it not been for my fairly long life. After that I had other plans for work, but, because of my approaching senility, somehow I failed to do what I had wished to. Had I spurred myself on in my youth, I would have done more and better work. Alas, it is too late to repent.
Another example. The reading of Chinese classics is a must for all Chinese. But it was not until I was over 30 that I came to realize the importance of self-study in the matter of classics. I did read carefully though, marking words and phrases for special attention with small circles and dots. But my efforts at self-study were off and on. Confucius says, "I shall be free of great faults if I can live long enough to begin the study of Yiat the age of 50." I feel ashamed to admit that I haven't even touched Yi though I'm now over 80. Chinese history books are equally important. When I was leaving China to study abroad, father bought a set of the Tong Wen lithographic edition of the First Four Books of History, and crammed them into my travelling box, taking up half of its space. Several years later, however, after drifting along abroad, I returned home carrying with me the same books all unread. It was not until 40 years later that I plucked up enough courage to read through Tong Jian. So many books still remain to be read, and I much regret not having enough time to do it.
Whatever you do, you need a sound body first of all. In my school days, in response to the so-called "compulsory physical exercises", I went in for many sports at the expense of many pairs of sneakers and rackets, thus luckily building up a minimum of good physique. When I was approaching old age, I did taiji quan (shadow boxing) for several years. Now I only do some walking exercises. Dear young friends, my advice to you is: Do physical exercises perseveringly. That has nothing to do with merry-making or time-wasting. Good health is the wherewithal for a successful life and career.
梁實(shí)秋（1902—1987）為我國著名現(xiàn)代作家、翻譯家、教育家，一生致力于英國文學(xué)研究?！稌r(shí)間即生命》一文選自他的散文集《雅舍小品》。
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