12月19日

時間就是性命
魯迅 ( 1881~1936 )

偉大的心胸，應該表現出這樣的氣概──
用笑臉來迎接悲慘的厄運，
用百倍的勇氣來應付一切的不幸。

時間就是性命。
無端的空耗別人的時間，其實是無異於謀財害命。

過去的生命已經死亡；我對於這死亡有大歡喜，
因為我借此知道它曾經存活。
死亡的生命已經朽腐；我對於這朽腐有大歡喜，
因為我借此知道它還非空虛。

巨大的建築，總是由一木一石疊起來，
我們何妨做做這一木一石呢？
我時常做些零碎事，就是為此。

──選自《魯迅全集》

December 19

Time Is Life
Lu Xun (1881 – 1936)
English translation: Siew-Hsiang Chow and William Chong

The broad-minded should have the following spirit:
Face misery with a smile.
Face adversity with great courage.

Time is life.
Needlessly wasting others' time
    is no different to robbing or murder.

The prior days of my life are now dead;
I am joyful over its death
    because that is how I know it ever lived.

My lifeless past is now rotten.
I am joyful over its rotting
    because that is how I know it was not hollow.

A huge building comes from tiny bits and pieces
    of timber and stone,
Why shouldn't we become these tiny bits and pieces?
That is why I always do some inconsequential tasks.

── from Luxun Quan Ji (The Complete Works of Lu Xun)