羊皮卷之一（2）

Furthermore, experience is comparable to fashion;

经验和时尚有关，

an action that proved successful today will be unworkable and impractical¹ tomorrow.

适合某一时代的行为, 并不寻味着在今天仍然行得通。

Only principles endure and these I now possess,

只有原则是持久的，

for the laws that will lead me to greatness are contained in the words of these scrolls³.

而我现在正拥有了这些原则。这些可以指引我走向成功的原则全写在这几张羊皮卷里。

What they will teach me is more to prevent failure than to gain success,

它教我如何避免失败，而不只是获得成功，

for what is success other than a state of mind?

因为成功更是一种精神状态。

Which two, among a thousand wise men,

人们对于成功的定义，

win define success in the same words;

见仁见智，

yet failure is always described but one way.

而失败却往往只有一种解释:

Failure is man's inability to reach his goals in life,

失败就是一个人没能达到他的人生目标，

whatever they may be.

不论这些目标是什么。

In truth, the only difference between those who have failed

事实上，成功与失败的最大分野，

and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits.

来自不同的习惯。

Good habits are the key to all success.

好习惯是开启成员的钥匙，

Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure.

坏习惯则是一扇向失败敞开的门。

Thus, the first law I will obey, which produce all others is

因此，我首先要做的便是养成良好的习惯，

I will form good habits and become their slaves.

全心全意去实行。

As a child I was slave to my impulses;

小时候．我常会感情用事，

now I am slave to my habits, as are all grown men.

长大成人了，我要用良好的习惯代替一时的冲动。

I have surrendered my free will to the years of accumulated habits

我的自由意志

and the past deeds of my life have already marked out a path

屈服于多年养成的恶习，

which threatens to imprison⁴ my future.

它们威胁着我的前途。

My actions are ruled by appetite,

我的行为受到品味、

passion, prejudice, greed, love, fear, environment, habit,

情感、偏见、欲望、爱、恐惧、环境和习惯的影响，

and the worst of these tyrants⁵ is habit,

其中最厉害的就是习惯。

Therefore, if I must be a slave to habit let me be a slave to good habits.

因此，如果我必须受习惯支配的话，那就让我受好习惯的支配。

My bad habits must be destroyed

那些坏习惯必须戒除，

and new furrows⁶ prepared for good seed.

我要在新的田地里播种好的种子。

I will form good habits and become their slave.

我要养成良好的习惯，全心全意去实行。

And how will I accomplish this difficult feat⁷?

这不是轻而易举的事情，要怎样才能做到呢，

Through these scrolls, it will be done,

靠这些羊皮卷就能做到。

for each scroll² contains a principle which will drive a bad habit from my life

因为每一卷里都写着一个原则，可以摒除-项坏习惯，

and replace it with one which will bring me closer to success.

换取一个好习惯，使人进步，走向成功。

For it is another of nature's laws

这也是自然法则之一，

that only a habit can subdue⁸ another habit.

只有一种习惯才能抑制另一种习惯。

So, in order for these written words to perform their chosen task,

所以，为了走好我选择的道路，

I must discipline myself with the first of my new habits which is as follows:

我必须养成的第一个习惯

I will read each scroll for thirty days

每张羊皮卷用三十天的时间阅读，

in this prescribed manner, before I proceed to the next scroll.

然后再进人下一卷。

1 impractical   

adj.不现实的，不实用的，不切实际的

参考例句：

• He was hopelessly impractical when it came to planning new projects.一到规划新项目，他就完全没有了实际操作的能力。
• An entirely rigid system is impractical.一套完全死板的体制是不实际的。

2 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

3 scrolls   

n.（常用于录写正式文件的）纸卷( scroll的名词复数 )；卷轴；涡卷形（装饰）；卷形花纹v.（电脑屏幕上）从上到下移动（资料等），卷页( scroll的第三人称单数 )；（似卷轴般）卷起；（像展开卷轴般地）将文字显示于屏幕

参考例句：

• Either turn it off or only pick up selected stuff like wands, rings and scrolls. 把他关掉然后只捡你需要的物品，像是魔杖(wand)，戒指(rings)和滚动条(scrolls)。 来自互联网
• Ancient scrolls were found in caves by the Dead Sea. 死海旁边的山洞里发现了古代的卷轴。 来自辞典例句

4 imprison   

vt.监禁，关押，限制，束缚

参考例句：

• The effect of this one is going to imprison you for life.而这件事的影响力则会让你被终身监禁。
• Dutch colonial authorities imprisoned him for his part in the independence movement.荷兰殖民当局因他参加独立运动而把他关押了起来。

5 tyrants   

专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a succession of tyrants. 这个国家接连遭受暴君的统治。
• The people suffered under foreign tyrants. 人民在异族暴君的统治下受苦受难。

6 furrows   

n.犁沟( furrow的名词复数 )；（脸上的）皱纹v.犁田，开沟( furrow的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• I could tell from the deep furrows in her forehead that she was very disturbed by the news. 从她额头深深的皱纹上，我可以看出她听了这个消息非常不安。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dirt bike trails crisscrossed the grassy furrows. 越野摩托车的轮迹纵横交错地布满条条草沟。 来自辞典例句

7 feat   

n.功绩；武艺，技艺；adj.灵巧的，漂亮的，合适的

参考例句：

• Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
• He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。

8 subdue   

vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制

参考例句：

• She tried to subdue her anger.她尽力压制自己的怒火。
• He forced himself to subdue and overcome his fears.他强迫自己克制并战胜恐惧心理。