But, if this world is not merely a bad joke, life a vulgar flare amid the cool radiance of the stars, and existence an empty laugh braying across the mysteries; if these intimations of a something behind and beyond are not evil humor born of indigestion or whimsies sent by the devil to mock and madden　us, if, in a word, beauty means something, yet we must not seek to interpret the meaning.
　　　　　　　　　　　　--From New Concept English (Book 4 ) Lesson 29　　

　　但是，即使这个世界不仅仅是个拙劣的玩笑，生命不仅仅是星体交织的寒光中的一点平庸的火花。人生也不仅仅是喧噪于神秘之乡的空虚的一笑；即使这一切发自那既不渴望也不可及的某种事物的启示，不是由于内在的失调而迸发的邪恶之念，也不是魔鬼用来嘲弄和激怒我们的奇谈怪论，一句话，徜若美具有某种意义,我们还是不要试图去了解释它的意义为好。

　　Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease, This often exists in a man of 60 more than a boy of 20. Nobody grows merely by a number of years, we grow old by deserting our idea. 　　　　　　　　　　　　　
                                             　--From by Samuel Erman　　

　　青春意味着战胜懦弱的那股大丈夫气慨和摈弃安逸的那种冒险精神。往往一个60岁的老者比一个20岁的青年更多一点这种劲头。人老不仅仅是岁月流逝所致，更主要的是懒惰、不思进取的结果。

　　Whether 60 or 16 , there is in every human being's heart the lure of wonders, the unfailing childlike appetite of what's next and the joy of the game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is a wireless station, so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope , cheer, courage and power from the infinite, so long as you are young.
　　　　　　　　　　　　--From by Samuel Erman　　　　

　　无论是60岁还是16岁，你需要保持永不衰竭的好奇心，永不熄灭的孩提般求知的渴望和追求事业成功的欢乐与热情，在你我的心底，有一座无线电台；它能在多长时间里接收到人间万物传递来的美好、希望、欢乐、鼓舞和力量信息，你就会年轻多长时间。

　　An individual human existence should be like a river-small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.
　　　　　　　            　　--From New Concept English ( Book 4 )　　

　　一个人的生命应当象河流，开始是涓涓细流，受两岸的限制而十分狭窄，尔后奔腾咆哮，翻过危岩，飞越瀑布，河面渐渐开阔，河岸也随之向两边隐去，最后水流平缓，森森无际，汇入大海之中，个人就这样毫无痛苦地消失了。

　　Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear , self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.
　　　　　　　　            　--From by Samuel Erman　　

　　光阴可以在颜面上留下印记，而热情之火的熄灭则在心灵上刻下皱纹。遗悟、恐惧、缺乏自信、会扭曲人的灵魂，并将青春化为灰烬。