評論
打印
Furthermore, experience is comparable to fashion;
經驗和時尚有關，
an action that proved successful today will be unworkable and impractical tomorrow.
適合某一時代的行為,并不尋味著在今天仍然行得通。
Only principles endure and these I now possess,
只有原則是持久的，
for the laws that will lead me to greatness are contained in the words of these scrolls.
而我現在正擁有了這些原則。這些可以指引我走向成功的原則全寫在這幾張羊皮卷里。
What they will teach me is more to prevent failure than to gain success,
它教我如何避免失敗，而不只是獲得成功，
for what is success other than a state of mind?
因為成功更是一種精神狀態。
Which two, among a thousand wise men,
人們對于成功的定義，
win define success in the same words;
見仁見智，
yet failure is always described but one way.
而失敗卻往往只有一種解釋:
Failure is man's inability to reach his goals in life,
失敗就是一個人沒能達到他的人生目標，
whatever they may be.
不論這些目標是什么。
In truth, the only difference between those who have failed
事實上，成功與失敗的最大分野，
and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits.
來自不同的習慣。
Good habits are the key to all success.
好習慣是開啟成員的鑰匙，
Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure.
壞習慣則是一扇向失敗敞開的門。
Thus, the first law I will obey, which produce all others is
因此，我首先要做的便是養成良好的習慣，
I will form good habits and become their slaves.
全心全意去實行。
As a child I was slave to my impulses;
小時候．我常會感情用事，
now I am slave to my habits, as are all grown men.
長大成人了，我要用良好的習慣代替一時的沖動。
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
屈服于多年養成的惡習，
which threatens to imprison my future.
它們威脅著我的前途。
My actions are ruled by appetite,
我的行為受到品味、
passion, prejudice, greed, love, fear, environment, habit,
情感、偏見、欲望、愛、恐懼、環境和習慣的影響，
and the worst of these tyrants is habit,
其中最厲害的就是習慣。
Therefore, if I must be a slave to habit let me be a slave to good habits.
因此，如果我必須受習慣支配的話，那就讓我受好習慣的支配。
My bad habits must be destroyed
那些壞習慣必須戒除，
and new furrows prepared for good seed.
我要在新的田地里播種好的種子。
I will form good habits and become their slave.
我要養成良好的習慣，全心全意去實行。
And how will I accomplish this difficult feat?
這不是輕而易舉的事情，要怎樣才能做到呢，
Through these scrolls, it will be done,
靠這些羊皮卷就能做到。
for each scroll contains a principle which will drive a bad habit from my life
因為每一卷里都寫著一個原則，可以摒除—項壞習慣，
and replace it with one which will bring me closer to success.
換取一個好習慣，使人進步，走向成功。
For it is another of nature's laws
這也是自然法則之一，
that only a habit can subdue another habit.
只有一種習慣才能抑制另一種習慣。
So, in order for these written words to perform their chosen task,
所以，為了走好我選擇的道路，
I must discipline myself with the first of my new habits which is as follows:
我必須養成的第一個習慣
I will read each scroll for thirty days
每張羊皮卷用三十天的時間閱讀，
in this prescribed manner, before I proceed to the next scroll.
然后再進人下一卷。
