美文赏析:改变世界 从改变自己开始

There's a saying that really stuck with me
有一则谚语铭记在我心里

from a random monk who lived 900 years ago:
出处是一位900年前的游行僧

When I was a young man,
年少时

I wanted to change the world.
我想要改变世界

I found it was difficult to change the world,
我发现这很难

so I tried to change my nation.
于是我试着改变我的国家

When I found I couldn't change the nation,
当我发现自己不能改变国家

I began to focus on my town.
我便致力于改变自己的家乡

I couldn't change the town
仍不能如愿

and as an older man,
我已垂垂老矣

I tried to change my family.
我试着改变自己的家人

Now, as an old man,
如今，年老体衰

I realize
我才明白

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

and suddenly I realize that
我突然意识到

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

I could have made an impact on my family.
或许我会对家人造成很大的影响

My family and I could have made an impact on our town.
我和家人或许会给家乡造成影响

Their impact could have changed the nation
而家乡的改变亦会影响整个国家

and I could indeed have changed the world.
那么我当真可以改变世界了

For real though,
不过说真的

Relax
放轻松

and give your mind a break,
暂时停止思考吧

stop worrying so much about your future
不要再为未来忧思烦心

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

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

you have the power
你有能力

to make tomorrow a better day than today was,
让明天成为比今天更美好的一天

it might not be tremendously better,
或许并不是急剧的变化

but the small victories
但是那些小小的胜利

slowly add up
会慢慢累积

when you live life day by day
而你随着每天的生活

and learn to appreciate the small things
学着欣赏细小的事物