時間 / Time

I will avoid with fury the killers of time. Procrastination I will destroy with action. Doubt I will bury with faith. Fear I will dismeber with confidence. Where there are idle mouths I will listen not. Where there are idle hands I will linger not. Where there are idle bodies I will visit not. Henceforth I know that to court idleness is to steal food, clothing and warmth from those I love. I am not a thief. I am a man of love and today is my last chance to prove my love and my greatness.

The duties of today I shall fulfill today. Today I shall fondle my children while they are young; tomorrow they will be gone, and so will I. Today I shall embrace my woman with sweet kisses; tomorrow she will be gone, and so will I.Today I shall lift up a friend in need; tomorrow he will no longer cry for help, nor will I hear his cries. Today I shall give myself in sacrifice and work; tomorrow I will have nothing to give, and there will be none to receive.

And if it is the last, it will be my great monument. This day I will make the best day of my life. This day I will drink every minute to its full. I will savor its taste and give thanks. I will make the every hour count and each minute; I will trade only for something of value. I will labor harder than ever before and push my muscles until they cry for relief.

【助讀詞匯】

◇procrastination n. 延遲, 拖延

◇dismeber v. 肢解

◇linger  vi. 留戀，逗留，徘徊

◇idle adj.空閑的，懶惰的，無用的

◇henceforth  adv. 從今以后

◇fondle  vt. 愛撫，撫摸

◇embrace vt. 擁抱

◇sacrifice n. 犧牲，奉獻

◇savour vt. 品嘗，玩味，欣賞

◇monument n. 紀念碑

【參考譯文】

時間

我非常憎恨那些浪費時間的行為。我要用行動來戒除拖延，我要以真誠埋葬懷疑，我要用信心消滅恐懼。我不聽閑話，我要遠離不游手好閑者，我不會與不務正業的人來往。我終于醒悟到，若是懶惰，無異于從我所心愛的人手中竊取食物和衣裳。我不是賊，我有愛心，今天是我最后的機會，我要證明我的愛心和偉大。

今日事今日畢。今天我要趁孩子還小的時候，多加愛護，明天他們將離我而去，我也會離開。今天我要深情地擁抱我的妻子，給她甜蜜的吻，明天她會離去，我也是。今天我要幫助落難的朋友，明天他不再求援，我也聽不到他的哀求。今天我要勤于工作，樂于奉獻，因為明天我無法給予，也沒有人來領受了。

如果這是我的末日，那么它就是不朽的紀念日。我把它當成最美好的日子。我要把每分每秒化為甘露，一口一口，細細品嘗，給予感激。我要使每一小時都有它的作用，我要使每一分鐘都產生它的價值。我要加倍努力，直到精疲力竭。

【人生啟迪】

時間是消無聲息的，但我們在人生的旅途中一直在與時間賽跑。好好珍惜時間，同時珍惜親情，珍惜愛情，珍惜友情，珍惜青春，珍惜一切的美好的事物，這樣我們不會枉度一生，同時我們也會發現，其實我們生活的世界真的很美。