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t it with advantage to serve as a reminder that； if one allows his faculties to rest； like the iron in the unused key； they will soon show signs of rust and； ultimately； cannot do the work required of them。
Those who would attain the heights reached and kept by great men must keep their faculties polished by constant use； so that they may unlock the doors of knowledge； the gate that guard the entrances to the professions； to science； art； literature； agriculture…every department of human endeavor。
Industry keeps bright the key that opens the treasury of achievement。 If Hugh Miller； after toiling all day in a quarry； had devoted his evenings to rest and recreation； he would never have bee a famous geologist。 The celebrated mathematician； Edmund Stone； would never have published a mathematical dictionary； never have found the key to science of mathematics； if he had given his spare moments to idleness； had the little Scotch lad； Ferguson； allowed the busy brain to go to sleep while he tended sheep on the hillside instead of calculating the position of the stars by a string of beads； he would never have bee a famous astronomer。
Labor vanquishes all…not inconstant； spasmodic； or ill…directed labor； but faithful； unremitting； daily effort toward a well…directed purpose。 Just as truly as eternal vigilance is the price of liberty； so is eternal industry the price of noble and enduring success。
译文：
如果我休息，我就会生锈
在一把旧钥匙上发现了一则意义深远的铭文——如果我休息，我就会生锈。对于那些懒散而烦恼的人来说，这将是至理名言。甚至最为勤勉的人也以此作为警示：如果一个人有才能而不用，就像废弃钥匙上的铁一样，这些才能就会很快生锈，并最终无法完成安排给自己的工作。
有些人想取得伟人所获得并保持的成就，他们就必须不断运用自身才能，以便开启知识的大门，即那些通往人类努力探求的各个领域的大门，这些领域包括各种职业：科学，艺术，文学，农业等。
勤奋使开启成功宝库的钥匙保持光亮。如果休？米勒在采石场劳作一天后，晚上的时光用来休息消遣的话，他就不会成为名垂青史的地质学家。著名数学家爱德蒙？斯通如果闲暇时无所事事，就不会出版数学词典，也不会发现开启数学之门的钥匙。如果苏格兰青年弗格森在山坡上放羊时，让他那思维活跃的大脑处于休息状态，而不是借助一串珠子计算星星的位置，他就不会成为著名的天文学家。
劳动征服一切。这里所指的劳动不是断断续续的，间歇性的或方向偏差的劳动，而是坚定的，不懈的，方向正确的每日劳动。正如要想拥有自由就要时刻保持警惕一样，要想取得伟大的，持久的成功，就必须坚持不懈地努力。
？第五篇：Ambition 抱负
Ambition
It is not difficult to imagine a world short of ambition。 It would probably be a kinder world： with out demands； without abrasions； without disappointments。 People would have time for reflection。 Such work as they did would not be for themselves but for the collectivity。 petition would never enter in。 conflict would be eliminated； tension bee a thing of the past。 The stress of creation would be at an end。 Art would no longer be troubling； but purely celebratory in its functions。 Longevity would be increased； for fewer people would die of heart attack or stroke caused by tumultuous endeavor。 Anxiety would be extinct。 Time would stretch on and on； with ambition long departed from the human heart。
Ah； how unrelieved boring life would be！
There is a strong view that holds that success is a myth； and ambition therefore a sham。 Does this mean that success does not really exist？ That achievement is at bottom empty？ That the efforts of men and women are of no significance alongside the force of movements and events now not all success； obviously； is worth esteeming； nor all ambition worth cultivating。 Which are and which are not is something one soon enough learns on one’s own。 But even the most cynical secretly admit that success exists； that achievement counts for a great deal； and that the true myth is that the actions of men and women are useless。 To believe otherwise is to take on a point of view that is likely to be deranging。 It is； in its implications； to remove all motives for petence； interest in attainment； and regard for posterity。
We do not choose to be born。 We do not choose our parents。 We do not choose our historical epoch； the country of our birth； or the immediate circumstances of our upbringing。 We do not； most of us； choose to die； nor do we choose the time or conditions of our death。 But within all this realm of choicelessness； we do choose how we shall live： courageously or in cowardice； honorably or dishonorably； with purpose or in drift。 We decide what is important and what is trivial in life。 We decide that what makes us significant is either what we do or what we refuse to do。 But no matter how indifferent the universe may be to our choices and decisions； these choices and decisions are ours to make。 We decide。 We choose。 And as we decide and choose； so are our lives formed。 In the end； forming our own destiny is what ambition is about。
译文：
抱负
一个缺乏抱负的世界将会怎样，这不难想象。或许，这将是一个更为友善的世界：没有渴求，没有磨擦，没有失望。人们将有时间进行反思。他们所从事的工作将不是为了他们自身，而是为了整个集体。竞争永远不会介入；冲突将被消除。人们的紧张关系将成为过往云烟。创造的重压将得以终结。艺术将不再惹人费神，其功能将纯粹为了庆典。人的寿命将会更长，因为由激烈拼争引起的心脏病和中风所导致的死亡将越来越少。焦虑将会消失。时光流逝，抱负却早已远离人心。
啊，长此以往人生将变得多么乏味无聊！
有一种盛行的观点认为，成功是一种神话，因此抱负亦属虚幻。这是不是说实际上并不丰在成功？成就本身就是一场空？与诸多运动和事件的力量相比，男男女女的努力显得微不足？显然，并非所有的成功都值得景仰，也并非所有的抱负都值得追求。对值得和不值得的选择，一个人自然而然很快就能学会。但即使是最为愤世嫉俗的人暗地里也承认，成功确实存在，成就的意义举足轻重，而把世上男男女女的所作所为说成是徒劳无功才是真正的无稽之谈。认为成功不存在的观点很可能造成混乱。这种观点的本意是一笔勾销所有提高能力的动机，求取业绩的兴趣和对子孙后代的关注。
我们无法选择出生，无法选择父母，无法选择出生的历史时期与国家，或是成长的周遭环境。我们大多数人都无法选择死亡，无法选择死亡的时间或条件。但是在这些无法选择之中，我们的确可以选择自己的生活方式：是勇敢无畏还是胆小怯懦，是光明磊落还是厚颜无耻，是目标坚定还是随波逐流。我们决定生活中哪些至关重要，哪些微不足道。我们决定，用以显�