我們這個時代的悖論ParadoxofOurTimes我們居住的房屋越來越寬敞,家庭卻越趨小型化。Today,wehavebiggerhousesandsmallerfamilies;可以享受的生活便利日益增多,屬於自己的時間卻日漸減少。Moreconveniences,butlesstime;我們獲得了一張又一張學位證書,卻愈加茫然於常識之中;Wehavemoredegrees,butlesscommonsense;知識增多了,判斷力卻低了。Moreknowledge,butlessjudgment.專家越來越多,問題卻也日漸增加;藥物越吃越多,健康卻每況愈下。Wehavemoreexperts,butmoreproblems;moremedicine,butlesswellness.我們花錢太瘋,笑容太少,開車太快,Wespendtoorecklessly,laughtoolittle,drivetoofast,怒氣太盛,熬夜太晚,起身太累,gettoangrytooquickly,stayuptoolate,getuptootired,書讀得少,電視看得勤,卻難得禱告。Readtoolittle,watchTVtoooften,andpraytooseldom.我們不斷聚斂財富,卻逐漸丟失了自我價值。Wehavemultipliedourpossessions,butreducedourvalues.我們的話語太多,真愛太少,謊言氾濫。Wetalktoomuch,lovetoolittleandlietoooften.我們掌握了謀生手段,卻不懂得生活真諦;We'velearnedhowtomakealiving,butnotalife;我們讓年華付諸流水,卻不曾將生命傾注其中。We'veaddedyearstolife,notlifetoyears.我們的住房越來越高,脾氣卻越來越糟;Wehavetallerbuildings,butshortertempers;我們的道路越來越寬闊,眼光卻越來越狹隘。Widerfreeways,butnarrowerviewpoints.我們付出很多,可獲得的很少;我們購辦了很多,可未有物盡其用。Wespendmore,buthaveless;webuymore,butenjoyitless.x我們能夠往返於地球與月球之間,卻不樂意穿過馬路向新鄰居問好。We'vebeenallthewaytothemoonandback,buthavetroublecrossingthestreettomeetthenewneighbor.我們可以征服外太空,卻懾於走進內心世界。We'veconqueredouterspace,butnotinnerspace.我們可以擊碎原子,卻不能突破思想偏見;We'vesplittheatom,butnotourprejudice;我們寫得很多,可學到的很少;計畫多多,可完成的很少。Wewritemore,butlearnless;planmore,butaccomplishless.我們懂得追趕時間,卻沒學會耐心等待;We'velearnedtorush,butnottowait;我們的收入越來越高,道德品格卻越見低俗。Wehavehigherincomes,butlowermorals.我們用很多電腦儲存大量訊息,複製無數資訊,但人與人間相互交流溝通卻稀疏。Webuildmorecomputerstoholdmoreinformation,toproducemorecopies,buthavelesscommunication.我們擁有的是數量,缺乏的是質量。Wearelongonquantity,butshortonquality.這是吃快餐卻消化遲鈍的時代;身軀高大但性格侏儒的時代;名利高踞而人情淺薄的時代。Thesearethetimesoffastfoodsandslowdigestion;tallmenandshortcharacter;steepprofitsandshallowrelationships.我們的閒暇多了,樂趣卻少了;食品種類多了,營養卻少了;Moreleisureandlessfun;Morekindsoffood,butlessnutrition;雙職家庭多了,廝守終生的少了;居處裝修華麗了,家庭卻破碎了。Twoincomes,butmoredivorce;Fancierhouses,butbrokenhomes.這就是我們今天身處充滿悖論的時代。Thisistheparadoxofourtimestoday.因此我奉勸大家,在當今這個時代,不必為某個特別時刻保留什麼,因為我們生活的每一天都是特別時刻。That'swhyIpropose,thatasoftoday,youdonotkeepanythingforaspecialoccasion,becauseeverydaythatyouliveisaspecialoccasion.探索知識,遨遊書海,坐在門廊前欣賞眼前的景色,把所有煩惱拋諸腦後。Searchforknowledge,readmore,sitonyourfrontporchandadmiretheviewwithoutpayingattentiontoyourneeds.留出更多時間與家人朋友一起,吃愛吃的東西,去你愛去的地方。Spendmoretimewithyourfamilyandfriends,eatyourfavoritefoods,andvisittheplacesyoulove.生命是由快樂時光組成的鏈條,而不僅僅是為了活着。Lifeisachainofmomentofenjoyment,notonlyaboutsurvival.舉起你那水晶酒杯開懷暢飲吧!不要吝惜你最好的香水,只要想用就盡情地用吧!Useyourcrystalgoblets.Donotsaveyourbestperfume,anduseiteverytimeyoufeelyouwantit.將「今後某一天」這類的話語從你的詞彙中刪除,當下就把你想在「今後某一天」寫的信件寫了寄出。Removefromyourvocabularyphraseslikeoneofthesedaysandsomeday.Let'swritethatletterwethoughtofwritingoneofthesedays.不要把對家人和朋友的愛深藏心中,大膽地告訴他們。Let'stellourfamiliesandfriendshowmuchwelovethem.對於能給你的生命增添快樂的事情,不要押後拖延。Donotdelayanythingthataddslaughterandjoytoyourlife.每一天,每一小時,每一分鐘都是特別的。你怎麼知道這不會是你的最後一刻?Everyday,everyhour,andeveryminuteisspecial.Andyoudon'tknowifitwillbeyourlast.如果你因為太忙而無暇將這段文字傳達給你所愛的人,總以為“今後的某一天”會有時間發出,那麼想想吧…“今後的某一天”你可能沒機會再發這封信了。Ifyou’retoobusytotakethetimetosendthismessagetosomeoneyoucare,andyoutellyourselfyouwillsendit“oneofthesedays“,justthink…“oneofthesedays“youmaynotbeheretosendit!謝謝瀏覽ThankyouforwatchingEdition2010-10-31byHerbertK.Lau