Three Days to See
假如拥有三天光明
Helen Keller/海伦.凯勒
All of us have read thrilling stories in which the hero had only a limited and specified time to
live. Sometimes it was as long as a year; sometimes as short as twenty-four hours, but always we
were interested in discovering just how the doomed man chose to spend his last days or his last
hours. I speak, of course, of free men who have a choice, not condemned criminals whose sphere
of activities is strictly delimited.
Such stories set up thinking, wondering what we should do under similar circumstances.
What associations should we crowd into those last hours as mortal beings? What happiness should
we find in reviewing the past, what regrets?
Sometimes I have thought it would be an excellent rule to live each day as if we should die
tomorrow. Such an attitude would emphasize sharply the values of life. We should live each day
with a gentleness, a vigor, and a keenness of appreciation which are often lost when time stretches
before us in the constant panorama of more days and months and years to come. There are those,
of course, who would adopt the epicurean motto of “Eat, drink, and be merry,” most people would
be chastened by the certainty of impending death.
我们都读过这样一些动人的故事，故事里主人公将不久于人世。长则一年，短则24小
时。但是我们总是很想知道这个即将离开人世的人是决定怎样度过他最后的日子的。当然， 我所指的是有权作出选择的自由人，不是那些活动范围受到严格限制的死囚。
这一类故事会使我们思考在类似的处境下，我们自己该做些什么？在那临终前的几个小
时里我们会产生哪些联想？会有多少欣慰和遗憾呢？
有时我想，把每天都当作生命的最后一天来度过也不失为一个很好的生命法则。这种人
生态度使人非常重视人生的价值。每一天我们都应该以和善的态度、充沛的精力和热情的欣
赏来度过，而这些恰恰是在来日方长时往往被我们忽视的东西。当然，有这样一些人奉行享
乐主义的座右铭——吃喝玩乐，但是大多数人却不能摆脱死亡来临的恐惧。
Most of us take life for granted. We know that one day we must die, but usually we picture
that day as far in the future, when we are in buoyant health, death is all but unimaginable. We
seldom think of it. The days stretch out in an endless vista. So we go about our petty task, hardly
aware of our listless attitude towards life.
The same lethargy, I am afraid, characterizes the use of our faculties and senses. Only the
deaf appreciate hearing, only the blind realize the manifold blessings that lie in sight. Particularly
does this observation apply to those who have lost sight and hearing in adult life. But those who
have never suffered impairment of sight or hearing seldom make the fullest use of these blessed
faculties. Their eyes and ears take in all sights and sound hazily, without concentration, and with
little appreciation. It is the same old story of not being grateful for what we conscious of health
until we are ill.
I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf
for a few days at some time during his early adult life. Darkness would make him more
appreciative of sight; silence would teach him the joys of sound.
Now and then I have tested my seeing friends to discover what they see. Recently I was
visited by a very good friend who had just returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her
what she had observed. “Nothing in particular,” she replied. I might have been incredulous had I
not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see little.
我们大多数人认为生命理所当然，我们明白总有一天我们会死去，但是我们常常把这一
天看得非常遥远。当我们身体强壮时，死亡便成了难以相象的事情了。我们很少会考虑它，
日子一天天过去，好像没有尽头。所以我们为琐事奔波，并没有意识到我们对待生活的态度
是冷漠的。
我想我们在运用我们所有五官时恐怕也同样是冷漠的。只有聋子才珍惜听力，只有盲人
才能认识到能见光明的幸运。对于那些成年致盲或失陪的人来说尤其如此。但是那些听力或
视力从未遭受损失的人却很少充分利用这些幸运的能力，他们对所见所闻不关注、不欣赏。
这与常说的不失去不懂得珍贵，不生病不知道健康可贵的道理是一样的。
我常想如果每一个人在他成年的早些时候，有几天成为了聋子或瞎子也不失为一件幸
事。黑暗将使他更珍惜光明；沉寂将教他知道声音的乐趣。
有时我会试探我的非盲的朋友们，想知道他们看见了什么。最近我的一位非常要好的朋
友来看我，她刚刚在树林里走了很长时间，我问她看见了什么。“没什么特别的，”她回答说。
如不是我早已习惯了这样的回答，我也许不会轻易相信，因为很久以前我就相信了有眼人看
不见什么。
How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing
worthy of note? I who cannot see find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch. I feel
the delicate symmetry of a leaf. I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch,
or the rough shaggy bark of a pine. In spring I touch the branches of trees hopefully in search of a
bud, the first sign of awakening Nature after her winter’s sleep I feel the delightful, velvety texture
of a flower, and discover its remarkable convolutions; and something of the miracle of Nature is
revealed to me. Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently in a small tree and
feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song. I am delighted to have cool waters of a brook rush
through my open fingers. To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome
than the most luxurious Persian rug. To me the pageant of seasons is a thrilling and unending
drama, the action of which streams through my finger tips. At times my heart cries out with
longing to see all these things. If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more
beauty must be revealed by sight. Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little. The panorama of
color and action fill the world is taken for granted. It is human, perhaps, to appreciate little that
which we have and to long for that which we have not, but it is a great pity that in the world of
light and the gift of sight is used only as mere convenience rather that as a means of adding
fullness to life.
Oh, the things that I should see if I had the power of sight for three days!
噢，假如我拥有三天光明，我将会看见多少事物啊！
我问自己在树林中走了一小时，怎么可能什么值得注意的东西都没有看到呢？而我一个
盲人仅仅通过触摸就发现了数以百计的有趣的东西。我感到树叶的对称美，用手摸着白桦树
光滑的树皮或是松树那粗糙的厚厚的树皮。春天里我满怀着希望触摸着树枝寻找新芽，那是
大自然冬眼后醒来的第一个征象。我感到了花朵的可爱和茸茸的感觉，发现它层层叠叠地绽
开着，大自然的神奇展现在我的面前。当我把手轻轻地放在一棵小树上，如果幸运的话，偶
尔会感到歌唱的小鸟欢快的颤动。我会愉快地让清凉的溪水从手之间流过。对我来说，满地
厚厚的松针和松软的草坪比奢华的波斯地毯更惹人喜爱。对我来说四季变换的景色如同一场
动人心魄的不会完结的戏剧，剧中的人物动作从我的指尖流过。我的心不时在呐喊，带着对
光明的渴望。既然仅仅通过触摸就能使我获得如此多的喜悦，那么光明定会展示更多美好的
事物啊。可惜的是那些有眼睛的人分明看到很少，整个世界缤纷的色彩和万物的活动都被认
为是理所当然。也许不珍惜已经拥有的，想得到还没有得到的是人的特点，但是在光明的世
界里只把视觉用做一种方便的工具，而不是丰富生活的工具，这是令人多么遗憾的事情啊。
To all my friends and loved ones
Love from me
Useful Perspective
致朋友们以及我所爱的人们
这是一份爱的礼物
也是一席金玉良言
If the world were a Village of 100 People
如果世界是个一百人的村落
David J.Smith/大卫.史密斯Shelath Armstrory／谢拉.阿姆斯壮
If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the exsting
human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:
如果我们把全世界的人口按照现有压缩为一个100人的村子，情况就会如同以下：
There would be:
57 Asians
21 Europeans
10 from the Western Hemisphere, both north and south
8 Africans
这个村子里有：
57 人是亚洲人
21 人是欧洲人
14 人来自西半球的南、北美洲
8 人是非洲人
52 would be female
48 would be male
52 人是女性
48 人是男性
70 would be non-while
30 would be white
70 人是有色人种
30 人是白人
70 would be non-christian
30 would be Christian
70 人是非基督教徒
30 人是基督徒
89 would be heterosexual
11 would be homosexual
89 人是异性恋者
11 人是同性恋者
6 people would possess 59% of the entire world’s wealth
and all 6 would be from the United States.
6 人拥有全世界59％的财富
而且这6 人全是美国人
80 would live in substandard housing
70 would be unable to read
50 would suffer from malnutrition
1 would be near death; 1 would be near birth
80 人的居住环境不达标准
70 人是文盲
50 人苦于营养不良
1 人濒临死亡边缘；1 人正要出生
1(yes, only 1) would have a college education
1 would own a computer
1 人（是的，只有1人)会接受大学教育
1 人拥有电脑
When one considers our world from such a compressed perspective, the need for acceptance,
understanding and education becomes glaringly apparent.
透过这个压缩图来放眼我们的世界，就会明晓接纳他人、谅解以及教育是何等重要。
The following is also something to ponder……
再从以下角度来想想看……
If you woke pup this morning with more health than illness……you are more blessed than the
million who will not survive this week.
如果你早上醒来的时候健康无恙……那么，比起活不过这一周的百万人来说，你真是幸运多了。
If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of
torture, or the pangs of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
如果你未曾经历过战争的危险、入狱的孤独、严刑的苦楚、饥饿的痛苦……那么，比起世界
上5亿人来，你真是幸运多了。
If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…
you are richer than 75% of this world.
如果你冰箱里有食物，身上有衣服可穿，有屋篷遮蔽，有地方睡觉……那么，比起世界上7
5％的人来，你真是富足多了。
If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in dish someplace…you are
among the top 8% of the world’s wealth.
如果你银行中有存款，钱包中也有钱，还能到某处消费习菜……你便跻身在世界上最富有的
8％人口当中了。
If your parents are still alive and still married…you are very rare, even in the United Stated and
Canada.
如果你的父母依然健在，而且还在一起生活的话……这可是非常难得的事，即使是在美国与
加拿大。
Someone once said: What goes around comes around.
有人说过：我所付出的终将会回归。
So…
Work live you don’t need the money.
Love like you’ve never been hurt.
Dance like nobody’s watching.
Sing like nobody’s listening.
Live like it’s Heaven on Earth.
所以……
去工作时，犹如你不执迷于金钱。
去爱他人，犹如你从未曾被伤害。
去舞蹈吧，犹如无人在一旁观看。
去歌唱吧，犹如无人在一边谛听。
好好地生活，犹如这里是人间乐土。
If I were a boy again, I would cultivate courage. “Nothing is so mild and gentle as courage, nothing so
cruel and pitiless as cowardice,” syas a wise author.
We too often borrow trouble, and anticipate that may never appear.” The fear of ill exceeds the ill we
fear.” Dangers will arise in any career, but presence of mind will often conquer the worst of them. Be
prepared for any fate, and there is no harm to be freared.
If I were a boy again, I would look on the cheerful side. Life is very much like a mirror: if you smile
upon it, I smiles back upon you; but if you frown and look doubtful on it, you will get a similar look in
return.
Inner sunshine warms not only the heart of the owner, but of all that come in contact with it. “ who
shuts love out ,in turn shall be shut out from love.”
importance of learning very early in life to gain that point where a young boy can stand erect, and decline
If I were a boy again, I would school myself to say no more often. I might write pages on the
doing an unworthy act because it is unworthy.
If I were a boy again, I would demand of myself more courtesy towards my companions and friends,
and indeed towards strangers as well. The smallest courtesies along the rough roads of life are like the
little birds that sing to us all winter long, and make that season of ice and snow more endurable.
Finally, instead of trying hard to be happy, as if that were the sole purpose of life, I would , if I were a
boy again, I would still try harder to make others happy.
假如我又回到了童年，我就要培养勇气。一位明智的作家曾说过：“世上没有东西比勇气更温文尔雅，
也没有东西比懦怯更残酷无情。”
我们常常过多地自寻烦恼，杞人忧天。“怕祸害比祸害本身更可怕。”凡事都有危险，但镇定沉着往往能
克服最严重的危险。对一切祸福做好准备，那么就没有什么灾难可以害怕的了。
假如我又回到了童年，我就要事事乐观。生活犹如一面镜子：你朝它笑，它也朝你笑；如果你双眉紧锁，
向它投以怀疑的目光，它也将还以你同样的目光。
内心的欢乐不仅温暖了欢乐者自己的心，也温暖了所有与之接触者的心。“谁拒爱于门外，也必将被爱
拒诸门外。”
假如我又回到了童年，我就要养成经常说“不”字的习惯。一个少年要能挺得起腰，拒绝做不应该做的
事，就因为这事不值得做。我可以写上好几页谈谈早年培养这一点的重要性。
假如我又回到了童年，我就要要求自己对伙伴和朋友更加礼貌，而且对陌生人也应如此。在坎坷的生活
道路上，最细小的礼貌犹如在漫长的冬天为我们歌唱的小鸟，那歌声使冰天雪地的寒冬变得较易忍受。
最后，假如我又回到了童年，我不会力图为自己谋幸福，好像这就是人生唯一的目的；与之相反，我要
更努力为他人谋幸福。
皮匠和银行家
A cobbler passed his time in singing from morning till night;it was wonderful to see,wonderful to hear
him;he was
more contented in shoes,than was any of the seven sages.His neighbor,on the contrary,who was rolling in
wealth,sung
but little and slept less.He was a banker;when by chance he fell into a doze at day-break,the cobbler awoke him with his song.The banker complained sadly that Providence had not made sleep a saleable commodity,like edibles or drinkables.Having at length sent for the songster,he said to him,"How much a year do you earn,Master
Gregory?"
"How much a year,sir?"said the merry cobbler laughing,"I have reckon in that way,living as I do from one day to another;somehow I manage to reach the end of the year;each day brings its meal."
"Well then!How much a day do you earn,my friend?"
"Sometimes more,sometimes less;but the worst of it is,-and,without that our earnings would be very
tolerable,-a
number of days occur in the year on which we are forbidden to work;and the curate,moreover,is
constantly adding some
new saint to the list."
The banker,laughing at his simplicity,said,"In the future I shall place you above want.Take this hundred
crowns,preserve them carefully,and make use of them in time of need."
The cobbler fancied he beheld all the wealth which the earth had produced in the past century for the use
of
mankind.Returning home,he buried his money and his happiness at the same time,No more singin;he lost
his voice,the
moment he acquired that which is the source of so much grief.Sleep quitted his dwelling;and
cares,suspicions,and
false alarms took its place,All day,his eye wandered in the direction of his treasure;and at night,if some
stray cat
made a noise,the cat was robbing him.At length the poor man ran to the house of his rich neighbor;"Give
my back."
said he,"sleep and my voice,and take your hundred crowns."
一个皮匠从早到晚在唱歌中度过。无论见到他本人或听见他的歌声都使人觉得很愉快。他对于制鞋工作比
当上了希腊七对还要满足。
与此相反，他的邻居是个银行家，拥有万贯家财，却很少唱歌，晚上也睡得不好。他偶尔在黎明时分迷迷
糊糊刚入睡，皮匠的歌声便
于工作把他吵醒了。银行家郁郁寡欢地抱怨上帝没有睡眠也制成一种像食品或饮料那样可以买卖的商品。
后来，银行家就叫人把这位
歌手请来，问道：“格列戈里师傅，你一年赚多少钱？”
“先生，你问我一年赚多少钱吗？”快乐的皮匠笑道：“我从来不算这笔帐，我是一天一天地过日子，总而言
之坚持到年底，每天挣足
三餐。”
“啊，朋友，那么你一天赚多少钱呢？”
“有时多一点，有时少一点；不过最糟糕的是一年中总有些日子不准我们做买卖，牧师又常常在圣徒名单上
添新名字，否则我们的收
入也还算不错的。”
银行家被皮匠的直率逗笑了，他说：“我要你从今以后不愁没钱用。这一百枚钱你拿去，小心放好，需要时
拿来用吧。”
皮匠觉自己好像看到了过去几百年来大地为人类所需而制造出来的全部财富。他回到家中，埋藏好硬币，
同时也埋葬了他的快乐。他
不再唱歌了；从他得到这种痛苦的根源那一刻起，他的嗓子就哑了。睡眠与他分手；取而代之的却是担心、
怀疑、虚惊。白天，他的
目光尽朝埋藏硬币的方向望；夜间，如果有只迷途的猫弄出一点声响，他就以为是有人来抢他的钱。最后，
这个可怜的皮匠跑到他那
富有的邻居家里说：“把你的一百枚钱拿回去，还我的睡眠和歌声来。”
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