優秀的英語經典必讀散文

學習好英語寫作的一種方法就是看多點文章，所以小編今天就給大家分享一下英語散文，有興趣的來學習閱讀

　　The art of living生活的藝術

The art of living is to know when to hold fast and when to let go.

生活的藝術在於懂得什麼時候追求，什麼時候放棄。

For life is a paradox: it enjoins us to cling to its many gifts even while it ordains their eventual relinquishment.

因爲生活就是一個矛盾體：它要我們緊緊抓住它賜予我們的生命之禮，然後最終又讓它們從我們手中跑掉。

The rabbis of old put it this way: "A man comes into this world with his fist clenched, but when he dies, his hand is open."

老先生們說：“人們緊握着拳頭來到這個世界上，離開這個世界時卻攤開了雙手。”

Surely we ought to hold fast to life, for it is wondrous, and full of a beauty that breaks through every pore of God's own earth.

當然我們應該緊緊把握生活，因爲它美妙得不可思議，充滿了從上帝的每個毛孔裏蹦出來的美。

We know that this is so, but all too often we recognize this truth only in our backward glance when we remember what was and then suddenly realize that it is no More.

我們都清楚這一點，但我們常常只有在回首往事時纔會想去過去，纔會突然意識到過去永遠地消逝了，纔會承認這個道理。

We remember a beauty that faded, a love that waned. But we remember with far greater pain that we did not see that beauty when it flowered, that we failed to respond with love when it was tendered.

我們都記得美的褪去，愛的老去。但我們更痛苦地記得美正豔時，我們卻沒有發現，愛正濃時，我們卻沒有迴應。

A recent experience re-taught me this truth. I was hospitalized following a severe heart attack that had been in intensive care for several days. It was not a pleasant place.

最近自己的一個經歷又令我悟出了這其中的道理。我因爲嚴重的心臟病發作而住進了加護病房。那地方可不是好呆的。

One morning, I had to have some additional tests. The required machines were located in a building at the opposite end of the hospital, so I had to be wheeled across the courtyard on a gurney.

一天上午時分，我要接受幾項輔助檢查。因爲檢查的器械在醫院對面的一幢建築中，所以我就要穿過庭院，躺在輪牀上被推到那裏。

As we emerged from our unit, the sunlight hit me. That's all there was to my experience. Just the light of the sun, and yet how beautiful it was - how warming, how sparkling, how brilliant!

就在從病房出來的一瞬，迎面的陽光一下子灑在我的身上。我所感受的就只有這陽光，它是如此美麗，如此溫暖，如此璀璨和輝煌!

I looken to see whether anyone else relished the sun's golden glow, but everyone was hurrying to and fro, most with eyes fixed on the ground. Then I remembered how often I, too, had been indifferent to the grandeur of each day, too preoccupied with petty and sometimes even mean concerns to respond, from that experience is really as commonplace as was the experience itself: life's gifts are precious-but we are too heedless of them.

我看看周圍是否有人也沉醉在這金色的陽光中，而事實是大家都來去匆匆，大都目不斜視，雙眼只顧盯着地面。繼而我就想到我平常也太過於沉湎於日常的瑣碎俗物中，而對身邊的美景漠然甚至視而不見。從這次的經歷中我所洞悉的實際就像這個經歷本身一樣並無什麼奇特之處：生活的恩賜是珍貴的——只有我們對此留心甚少。

Here then is the first pile of life's paradoxical demands on us: Never too busy for the wonder and the awe of life. Be reverent before each dawning day. Embrace each hour. Seize each golden minute.

那麼人生給予我們的第一個矛盾的真理就是：不要太過於忙碌而錯過了人生的美好和莊嚴。虔誠地迎接每個黎明的到來。把握每個小時，抓住寶貴的每分每秒。

Hold fast to life... but not so fast that you cannot let go. This is the second side of life's coin, the opposite pole of its paradox: we must accept our losses, and learn how to let go.

緊緊地把握人生，但是又不能抓得過死，鬆不開手。這正是人生的另外一面，也就是矛盾的另外一面：我們要接受失去的一切，懂得如何放手。

This is not an easy lesson to learn, especially when we are young and think that world is ours to command, that whatever we desire with the full force of or passionate being can, nay, will, be ours. But then life moves along to confront us with realities, and slowly but surly this truth dawns upon us.

這個其實並不是容易做到的，尤其當我們尚年輕時，自以爲世界在我們的掌控之中，而不論什麼，只要是心想就會事成，而且一定能事成!但是現實往往事與願違，然後漸漸地這第二條真理必然顯現在我們面前。

At every stage of life we sustain losses- and grow in the process. We begin our independent lives only when we emerge from the womb and lose its protective shelter. We enter a progression of schools, then we leave our mothers and fathers and our childhood homes. We get married and have children and then have to let them go. We get married and have children and then have to let them go. We face the gradual or not gradual waning of our own strength. And ultimately, as the parable of the open and closed hand suggests, we must confront the inevitability of our own demise, losing ourselves, as it were, all that we were or dreamed to be.

在人生的每個階段我們都會承受失去——也因而成長起來。當我們出生時失去母體的保護，從那一刻我們開始了獨立的生命。而後我們上學了，一級一級地升上去，離開了父母和兒時的家庭。我們結婚生子然後又只能看着他們離去。我們遭遇父母及愛人的離逝。我們也要面臨自己逐漸或者突然的衰老。而最終，就像握手和鬆手的比喻那樣，我們結婚生子然後又只能看着他們離去,我們必須面對自己不可避免的死亡。就這樣我們失去了一切，其中包括我們自己人生已經所有的以及尚未實現的。

　　Relish the Moment品味現在

Tucked away in our subconsciousness is an idyllic vision. We see ourselves on a long trip that spans the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we drink in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle grazing on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, of row upon row of corn and wheat, of flatlands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.

在我們的潛意識之中隱藏着一派田園詩般的風景。我們彷彿處在一次橫跨大陸的迢迢旅途之中。我們乘着火車，領略着窗外流動的景色：附近公路上馳騁的汽車、十字路口處揮手的孩童、遠處山坡上吃草的牛羣、不斷從電廠排放出的煙霧、成片成片的玉米和小麥、平原和山谷、羣山和綿延起伏的丘陵、天空襯托下城市的輪廓，以及鄉間的莊園宅第。

But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles, damning the minutes for loitering — waiting,waiting, waiting for the station.

可是我們心中想得最多的卻是最後的目的地。在某一天的某一時刻，我們的火車將會到站，迎接我們的將是演奏的樂隊和飄舞的旗幟。一旦到了那兒，多少美妙的夢將成爲現實，我們的生活也將變得完整，好像一幅拼好了的拼圖。我們在車廂過道里煩躁不安地踱來踱去，咒罵火車的磨磨蹭蹭，等待着，等待着，等待着火車進站的時刻。

“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 18.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercedes Benz.” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the mortgage.” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after!”

“當我們到站後，一切就好了!”我們呼喊着。“當我到18歲的時候。”“當我有了一輛新的450SL奔馳轎車的時候。”“當我供最小的孩子唸完大學的時候。”“當我還清抵押貸款的時候。”“當我升官晉職的時候。”“當我到了退休的時候，從此就可以過上幸福的生活啦!”

Sooner or later, we must realize that there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly out distances us.

可是我們遲早會認識到人生之旅並沒有什麼車站，也沒有什麼能夠“一到就可永逸”的地方。人生的真正樂趣在於旅行的過程，而車站僅僅是個夢，它總是遙遙領先於我們。

“Relish the moment” is a good motto, especially when coupled with Psalm 118:24: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” It isn’t the burdens of today that drive men mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.

“品味現在”是一句很好的箴言，尤其是把它與《聖經·詩篇》中第118篇第24段的話相結合的時候，更是如此：“今日乃主所創造;生活在今日我們將歡欣、高興。”讓人發瘋的不是今天的負擔，而是對昨天的悔恨及對明天的恐懼。悔恨和恐懼是一對孿生竊賊，將今天從我們身邊偷走。

So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more icecream, go barefoot more often, swim more rivers, watch more sunset, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.

那麼就停止在車廂過道里徘徊吧，別總惦記着你距離車站還有多遠。何不換種活法，去攀爬更多的高山，多吃點冰激淋解解饞，經常光着腳閒遊漫步，在更多的河流裏暢遊，多多欣賞夕陽西下，多點歡笑，少些淚花。生活要過在當下，車站會很快到達。

　　The unseen power of love無形的愛的力量

I will greet this day with love in my heart.

我要用全身心的愛來迎接今天。

For this is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men. I will make love my greatest weapon and none can defend against its force.

因爲，這是一切成功的最大祕密。強力能夠劈開一塊盾牌，甚至毀滅生命，但是隻有愛才具有無與倫比的力量，使人們敞開心扉。在掌握了愛的藝術之前，我只算商場上的無名小卒。我要讓愛成爲我最大的武器，沒有人能抵擋它的威力。

And how will I do this? Henceforth I will look on all things with love and I will be born again. I will love the sun for it warms my bones; yet I will love the rain for it cleanses my spirit. I will love the light for it shows me the way; yet I will love the darkness for it shows me the stars. I will welcome happiness for it enlarges my heart; yet I will endure sadness for it opens my soul. I will acknowledge rewards for they are my due; yet I will welcome obstacles for they are my challenge.

我該怎樣做呢?從今往後，我對一切都要滿收愛心，這樣才能獲得新生。我愛太陽，它溫暖我的身體;我愛雨水。它洗淨我的靈魂;我愛光明，它爲我指引道路;我也愛黑夜，它讓我看到星辰、我迎接快樂，它使我心胸開闊;我忍受悲傷，它昇華我的靈魂;我接受報酬。因爲我爲此付出汗水;我不怕困難，因爲它們給我挑戰。

And how will I speak? I will laud mine enemies and they will become friends; I will encourage my friends and they will become brothers. Always will I dig for reasons to applaud; never will I scratch for excuses to gossip. When I am tempted to criticize I will bite on my tongue; when I am moved to praise I will shout from the roofs.

我該怎樣說呢?我讚美敵人。敵人於是成爲朋友;我鼓勵朋友，朋友于是成爲手足。我要常想理由讚美別人，絕不搬弄是非，道人長短。想要批評人時，咬住舌頭，想要讚美人時，高聲表達。

Is it not so that birds, the wind, the sea and all nature speaks with the music of praise for their creator? Cannot I speak with the same music to his children? Henceforth will I remember this secret and it will change my life.

飛鳥，清風，海浪，自然界的萬物不都在用美妙動聽的歌聲讚美造物主嗎?我也要用同樣的歌聲讚美她的兒女。從今往後，我要記住這個祕密。它將改變我的生活。

And how will I act? I will love all manner of men for each has qualities to be admired even though they are hidden. With love I will tear down the wall of suspicion and hate which they have built round their hearts and in its place will I build bridges so that my love may enter their souls.

我該如何行動呢?我要把愛奉獻給所有的人，因爲每個人都有令人欽佩的優秀品質，雖然有時不易察覺。我要用愛擊垮阻礙人們心靈自由溝通的懷疑與仇恨之牆，同時，我要用我的愛在人們之間搭建一座橋樑，使我的愛能自如地進駐他們的靈魂。

I will love the ambitious for they can inspire me! I will love the failures for they can teach me. I will love the kings for they are but human; I will love the meek for they are divine. I will love the rich for they are yet lonely.

我愛雄心勃勃的人，因爲他們能激勵我!我愛失敗者，因爲他們能教育我。我愛王侯，他們也是凡人。我愛弱者，他們也是天才。我愛富人，他們更寂寞。

I will love the poor for they are so many. I will love the young for the faith they hold; I will love the old for the wisdom they share. I will love the beautiful for their eyes of sadness; I will love the ugly for their souls of peace.

我愛貧者，因爲貧者甚多。我愛少年，因爲他們純真。我愛長者，因爲他們睿智。我愛貌美的人，因爲他們有憂鬱的眼神。我愛醜陋的人，因爲他們有顆平靜的心。

But how will I react to the actions of others? With love. For just as love is my weapon to open the hearts of men, love is also my shield to repulse the arrows of hate and the spears of anger. Adversity and discouragement will beat against my new shield and become as the softest of rains.

我該他們的行爲做出怎樣的反應呢?愛吧。因爲愛不僅是開啓人們心靈的鑰匙，而且也是低檔仇恨之箭與憤怒之矛的盾牌。有了愛，即使逆境與挫折如鋒利的長矛攻擊我的心盾，也都會變得如細雨般溫柔。

And how will I confront each whom I meet? In only way. Silence to myself I will address him and say “I love you”. Though spoken in silence these words shine in my eyes, unwrinkled my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened.

我該如何面對與我不期而遇的每個人呢?只有一種辦法，就是默默地祝福他，並說“我愛你”。那閃現在我的眼神中的無言的愛，會舒展我緊縮的眉頭，讓我會心的微笑攀至嘴角，在我的聲音中迴盪;於是，他將向我敞開心扉。