公众人物毕业演讲 第257期:斯蒂芬科尔伯特2013弗吉尼亚大学(10)

 There is no secret society out there

外面没有秘密帮会

that will tap you on the shoulder one night and show you the way

能够某天晚上轻拍你的肩膀 给你指明方向

because the true secret is

因为真正的秘密在于

your life will not be defined by the society that we have left you

你的生命并不是由我们留给你们的社会所定义

to paraphrase Robert Bolt

转述罗伯特·鲍特的一句话

society has no more idea of what you are than you do

社会对你一无所知 它只能看到你做了什么

because ultimately

因为最终

it has only your brains to think with

社会将只能通过你们的大脑来思考

Every generation must define itself

每一代人必须定义自身

and so make the world that suits itself

从而让世界适宜于自身

So

因此

if you must find your own path

如果你必须找到自己的道路

and we have left you no easy path

而且我们没有留下任何容易的道路

then decide now to choose the hard path

那么你们现在就必须选择难的道路

that leads to the life and the world that you want

从而获得你们想要的生活和世界

and don't worry

不要担心

if we don't approve of your choices

我们不赞同你们的选择

In our benign self absorption

在我们良性的自我陶醉中

I believe we have given you a gift

我相信我们给了你们一个礼物

a particular form of independence

一种特殊形态的独立性

because you do not owe the previous generation anything

因为你们不欠上一代人任何东西

Thanks to us

幸亏有我们

you owe it to the Chinese

你们只欠中国人的

So have the courage

你们要有勇气

to follow the example of your founder Thomas Jefferson

以你们学校的创建者托马斯·杰斐逊为榜样

the greatest mind of that most daring generation

以这位最大胆一代中的伟人为榜样

to create something new for yourselves

为你们自己创造全新的世界