美文賞析:改變世界 從改變自己開始

There's a saying that really stuck with me
有一則諺語銘記在我心裏

from a random monk who lived 900 years ago:
出處是一位900年前的遊行僧

When I was a young man,
年少時

I wanted to change the world.
我想要改變世界

I found it was difficult to change the world,
我發現這很難

so I tried to change my nation.
於是我試着改變我的國家

When I found I couldn't change the nation,
當我發現自己不能改變國家

I began to focus on my town.
我便致力於改變自己的家鄉

I couldn't change the town
仍不能如願

and as an older man,
我已垂垂老矣

I tried to change my family.
我試着改變自己的家人

Now, as an old man,
如今，年老體衰

I realize
我才明白

the only thing I can change is myself,
我唯一能改變的就是自己

and suddenly I realize that
我突然意識到

if long ago I had changed myself,
如果多年前我曾改變自己

I could have made an impact on my family.
或許我會對家人造成很大的影響

My family and I could have made an impact on our town.
我和家人或許會給家鄉造成影響

Their impact could have changed the nation
而家鄉的改變亦會影響整個國家

and I could indeed have changed the world.
那麼我當真可以改變世界了

For real though,
不過說真的

Relax
放輕鬆

and give your mind a break,
暫時停止思考吧

stop worrying so much about your future
不要再爲未來憂思煩心

and just take in the beauty of life.
感受生命的美好

You have the power to change your thoughts,
你有能力改變自己的想法

you have the power
你有能力

to make tomorrow a better day than today was,
讓明天成爲比今天更美好的一天

it might not be tremendously better,
或許並不是急劇的變化

but the small victories
但是那些小小的勝利

slowly add up
會慢慢累積

when you live life day by day
而你隨着每天的生活

and learn to appreciate the small things
學着欣賞細小的事物