The Choice of Companion

 

论择友

A good companion is better than a fortune,

一个好友胜过一笔财富。

for a fortune cannot purchase those elements of character which make companionship a blessing.

人性中有一些品质会让友谊变成一种幸福的事，而金钱买不到这些品质。

The best companion is one who is wiser and better than ourselves,for we are inspired by his wisdom and virtue to nobler deeds.

最好的朋友是那些比我们更睿智和更出色的人，他们的智慧和美德会激发我们去做更高尚的事情。

Greater wisdom and goodness than we possess lifts us higher mentally and morally.

他们有着比我们更多的智慧和更高尚的情操，可以在精神上和道德上将我们带入一个新的境界。

A man is known by the companion he keeps.

观其友而知其人，

It is always true.

这句话总是对的。

Companionship of a high order is powerful to develop character.

高层次的交往会有力地塑造一个人的性情。

Character makes character in the associations of life faster than anything else.

在交往中，品性对品性的影响胜过其它任何因素。

Purity begets purity, like begets like;

纯洁的品格会培养纯洁的品格，爱好会引发相同的爱好。

and this fact makes the choice of companion in early life more important even than that of teachers and guardians.

这些表明，在年少时，选择朋友甚至比选择老师和监护人还要重要。

It is true that we cannot always choose all of our companions,

不可否认，有些朋友总是我们不能选择的。

some are thrust upon us by business or the social relations of life,

有些是工作和社会关系强加于我们的。

we do not choose them, we do not enjoy them;

我们没有选择他们，也不喜欢他们，

and yet, we have to associate with them more or less.

可是我们不得不或多或少地与他们交往。

The experience is not altogether without compensation,if there be principle enough in us to bear the strain.

不过，只要我们心中有足够的原则来承担压力，与他们交往也并非毫无益处。

Still, in the main, choice of companions can be made,and must be made.

在大多数情况下，我们还是可以选择朋友的，而且，必须选择。

It is not best or necessary for a young person to associate with Tom, Dick, and Harry without forethought or purpose.

一个年轻人毫无前瞻性，也无目的性地随意与张三李四交往，是不好的，也是没必要的。

Some fixed rules about the company he or she keeps must be observed.

他必须遵守一些确定的交友原则，应当把它们摆在心中最高的位置，并经常加以审视。

The subject should be uttermost in the thoughts,and canvassed often.

无论是有益的还是有害的友谊，都是一种教导。

Companionship is education, good or not;

它可以培育或是高贵，

it develops manhood or womanhood, high or low;

或是卑微的品格；

it lifts soul upward or drags it downward;

它可以使灵魂升华，也可以使之堕落；

it ministers to virtue or vice.

它可以滋生美德，也可以催生邪恶；

There is no half way work about its influence.

它的影响没有折中之道：

If it ennobles, it does grandly,if it demoralizes, it doest it devilishly.

如果它让人高尚，就会用一种无比高贵的方式，如果让人堕落，也会用一种无比邪恶的方式。

It saves or destroys lustily. Nothing in the world is surer than this.

它可以有力地拯救一个人， 也可以轻易地毁掉一个人。

Sow virtue, and the harvest will be virtue.

播种美德，就会收获美德；

Sow vice, and the harvest will be vice.

播种邪恶，就会收获邪恶，这是非常确定的，

Good companionships help us to sow virtue;

而有益的友谊帮我们播种美德，

evil companionships help us to sow vice.

有害的友谊则支使我们撒下邪恶的种子。