双语美文：幸福路上的十道坎

 　　1. Our miserable¹, detestable, deplorable jobs

　　1. 可怜可憎可悲的工作

　　If you love your job, great news. If you’re like the other 95% of the population, then it sucks. Our jobs, although we may only be there for 40 hours a week, can feel like a life-without-parole prison sentence. Like with prison, we feel trapped, hopeless, and doomed² to a life we don’t want.

　　假如你热爱你的工作，那么恭喜你。如果你和95%的人们一样，那么糟透了。我们或许一周只花40个小时工作，但感觉上却像是被判了无期徒刑。就像蹲监狱一样，我们觉得受束缚，绝望，注定要过一辈子我们不想要的生活。

　　2. Family stress

　　2. 家庭压力

　　Having children is a true blessing³ and is the most wonderful thing in the world, but can also be and usually is the cause of an enormous amount of stress. Kidnapping, pedophiles, traffic accidents, injuries, and home invasions are all major concerns for any parent, but it’s the whining⁴, disrespectful behavior, tantrums, hitting, and lack of sleep that really gets to us.

　　拥有孩子是真正的恩典，是世界上最美好的事情，但同时也可能成为并且通常是源源不断地压力的根源。绑架，恋童癖者，交通事故，受伤和入室行窃是每一位家长担心的主要问题。但是抱怨，不尊重的行为，发脾气，打架，睡眠不足的问题才是真正困扰我们的。

　　3. Being apathetic⁵

　　3. 心如死灰

　　So many people have seemingly given up on ever having the life they want. Life truly wears them down and out and there is nothing but a shell of a person left. This is unbelievably sad but all too common. These folks are just going through the motions of life without any real direction,passion, or interest.

　　此多的人已经放弃了过上自己想要的生活。生活令他们精疲力竭，徒剩一副躯壳。这是相当可悲但同时又相当普遍的情况。这些人只是毫无方向、毫无激情、毫无志趣的随波逐流着。

　　4. Being ordinary

　　4. 平庸无为

　　The world needs more leaders, out of the box thinkers, action seekers, risk takers, and passionate⁶ people. What the world does not need is another average Joe living paycheck to paycheck.

　　这个世界需要更多的领导、能够跳出固定思维的人、探索者、敢冒风险的人以及充满激情的人。不需要另一个沉迷于从薪水到薪水的世俗的人。

　　5. No direction

　　5. 毫无方向

　　With no goals or dreams, how can we expect to achieve anything significant? Dream big and get big results. Dream small and get small results. Don’t dream at all and get nothing.

　　没有目标， 没有梦想，我们怎么能成就大业？有小梦想就会有小成就。没有梦想就什么也得不到。

　　6. Not having passion for something

　　6. 缺乏激情

　　When someone can find their real passion in life, that should be a momentousness⁷ event for them. Many people will go through their whole life without ever realizing what it is that gets their heart pumping, mind racing⁸.

　　当一个人发现生活中真正的激情时，那一刻堪称生命的里程碑。大多数人终其一生都不明白什么能让他们心跳加速、大脑飞转。

　　7. Being selfish

　　7. 自我中心

　　Giving something of yourself without the desire for anything in return is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Our society has taught us a “what do I get out of this” mentality⁹ which is breeding a generation of ‘takers’. What we need more of is people who truly understand the power behind selflessness.

　　世界上最美好的存在之一是付出而不求回报。这个社会总是让我们关心”我能得到什么”，于是我们变成了”索取的一代”。我们更需要那些能够真正懂得无私的伟大力量的人。

　　8. Not having a release

　　8. 不会放松

　　With the constant stresses life places on us, we all need a release. Finding a hobby, activity, or interest can be a life saver. Take up tennis, join a local business group, or learn another language. Without a release, life will almost assuredly bring you down.

　　在生活给于的持久压力下，我们都需要放松。发现一个爱好，活动或兴趣可以成为我们生活中的”救生圈”。打打网球，参加一个当地的商业组织，或者学一门外语。缺少了放松，生活必定是令人失望的。

　　9. Not bettering yourself

　　9. 不会自我提升

　　Life is about growing, learning, and being a better person. Never trying to improve yourself is a guaranteed path to living a completely average life. Can anyone honestly say they want an average life? Of course not.

　　生活就是不断成长，学习，完善自我的过程。从不努力提升自我是通往平庸生活的必经之路。说实话，有谁愿意过平庸的生活呢？当然没有。

　　10. Being empty inside

　　10. 内心空虚

　　If you are walking around feeling like there is something missing in your life, you are far from being alone. Sadly, many people will spend their lives feeling this way. Some fill this void with religion, some fill it by having children, and some even fill it with drugs or alcohol.

　　如果你走来走去总会觉得生活中少了点什么，那么你就离孤独还远。不幸的是，很多人终其一生都有这种感觉。有人用宗教来弥补这种空虚，有人用孩子，还有的甚至用毒品和酒精。

1 miserable   

adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的

参考例句：

• It was miserable of you to make fun of him.你取笑他，这是可耻的。
• Her past life was miserable.她过去的生活很苦。

2 doomed   

命定的

参考例句：

• The court doomed the accused to a long term of imprisonment. 法庭判处被告长期监禁。
• A country ruled by an iron hand is doomed to suffer. 被铁腕人物统治的国家定会遭受不幸的。

3 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

4 whining   

n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚

参考例句：

• That's the way with you whining, puny, pitiful players. 你们这种又爱哭、又软弱、又可怜的赌棍就是这样。
• The dog sat outside the door whining (to be let in). 那条狗坐在门外狺狺叫着（要进来）。

5 apathetic   

adj.冷漠的，无动于衷的

参考例句：

• I realised I was becoming increasingly depressed and apathetic.我意识到自己越来越消沉、越来越冷漠了。
• You won't succeed if you are apathetic.要是你冷淡，你就不能成功。

6 passionate   

adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的

参考例句：

• He is said to be the most passionate man.据说他是最有激情的人。
• He is very passionate about the project.他对那个项目非常热心。

7 momentousness   

n.重大，重要性

参考例句：

8 racing   

n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的

参考例句：

• I was watching the racing on television last night.昨晚我在电视上看赛马。
• The two racing drivers fenced for a chance to gain the lead.两个赛车手伺机竞相领先。

9 mentality   

n.心理，思想，脑力

参考例句：

• He has many years'experience of the criminal mentality.他研究犯罪心理有多年经验。
• Running a business requires a very different mentality from being a salaried employee.经营企业所要求具备的心态和上班族的心态截然不同。