But, if this world is not merely a bad joke, life a vulgar flare¹ amid the cool radiance of the stars, and existence an empty laugh braying² across the mysteries; if these intimations of a something behind and beyond are not evil humor born of indigestion or whimsies³ 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 lure⁴ 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 wireless⁵ 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 passionately⁶ past boulders⁷ and over waterfalls. Gradually the river grows wider, the banks recede⁸, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged⁹ in the sea, and painlessly lose their individual being.

--From New Concept English ( Book 4 )

一个人的生命应当像河流，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。