英語哲理美文

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more but enjoy less.
我們這個時代在歷史上的說法就是我們擁有更高的建築，但是有更暴的脾氣；我們擁有更寬闊的高速公路，卻有更狹隘的觀點；我們花費得更多，擁有得卻更少；我們購買得更多卻享受得更少。
We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness.
我們的房子越來越大，家庭卻越來越小；便利越來越多，時間卻越來越少；學位越來越多，感覺卻越來越少；知識越來越多，觀點卻越來越少；專家越來越多，問題也越來越多；藥物越來越多，健康卻越來越少。
We drink too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.
我們喝得太多，花錢大手大腳，笑得太少，開車太快，易怒，熬夜，賴床，書讀得越來越少，電視看得越來越多，卻很少向上帝祈禱。
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years.
我們常常誇誇其談，卻很少付出愛心，且常常心中充滿了仇恨。我們學會了如何謀生，而不知如何生活。我們延長了生命的期限，而不是生活的期限。
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space; we’ve done larger things, but not better things.
我們登上了月球，並成功返回，卻不能穿過街道去拜訪新鄰居。我們已經征服了太空，卻征服不了自己的內心；我們的事業越做越大，但質量卻沒有提高。
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less.
我們清潔了空氣，卻汙染了靈魂；我們分離了原子，卻無法驅除我們的偏見；我們寫得更多，學到的卻更少；我們的計劃更多，完成的卻更少。
We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but, lower morals.
我們學會了奔跑，卻忘記了如何等待；我們的收入越來越高，道德水平卻越來越低。
We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; we’ve become long on quantity, but short on quality.
我們制造了更多的計算機來存儲更多的信息，制造了最多的副本，卻減少了交流；我們開始渴望數量，但忽視了質量。
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but more broken homes.
這個時代有雙收入，但也有了更高的離婚率；有更華麗的房屋，卻有更多破碎的家庭。
These are the days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. Where are we heading...?
這個時代有了快速旅遊，免洗尿布，卻拋棄了道德、一夜情、超重的身體，以及可以從快樂中走向靜止和自殺的藥物。我們將走向何方……？
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
如果我們明天就死掉，我們為之工作的公司可能會在一天內很輕易地找人代替我們的位置。但是當我們離開家人後，他們的余生將會在失落中度過。
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than to our family an unwise investment indeed.
考慮一下吧，我們將自己的時間更多地投入到工作中，而放棄與家人在一起的時光，實在並非明智之舉。
So what is the morale of the story?
那麽這則故事的主旨是什麽呢?
Don’t work too hard... and you know what’s the full word of family?
不要工作得太辛苦，你知道家的全稱嗎？
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU.
家＝爸爸媽媽，我愛你們。