德裔美籍人塞繆爾·厄爾曼70多年前寫的一篇只有四百多字的短文，首次在美國發表的時候，引起全美國轟動效應，成千上萬的讀者把它抄下來當作座右銘收藏，許多中老年人把它作為安排后半生的精神支柱。美國的麥克阿瑟將軍在指揮整個太平洋戰爭期間，辦公桌上始終擺著裝有短文《年輕》復印件的鏡框，文中的許多的詞句常被他在談話或開會作報告時引用。后來此文傳到日本，文章的觀點成為許多日本人生活哲學的基礎。松下(xia)公(gong)司的(de)創始人(ren)松下(xia)幸(xing)之助說：“多年來(lai)，《年輕(qing)》始終是我的(de)座(zuo)右銘。”

 

 

年 輕

塞繆爾(er)(er)·厄爾(er)(er)曼

 

　　年輕(qing)，并非(fei)人生(sheng)旅(lv)程的一段時光，也并非(fei)粉頰紅唇和體魄的矯健。

 

　　它是(shi)心靈中(zhong)(zhong)的(de)一(yi)種狀態，是(shi)頭(tou)腦中(zhong)(zhong)的(de)一(yi)個意(yi)念，是(shi)理性思維中(zhong)(zhong)的(de)創(chuang)造(zao)潛力(li)，是(shi)情感活(huo)動中(zhong)(zhong)的(de)一(yi)股勃(bo)勃(bo)的(de)朝氣(qi)，是(shi)人生春色深處(chu)的(de)一(yi)縷東風。

 

　　年輕，意(yi)味(wei)著(zhu)甘愿放棄(qi)溫馨浪漫的愛情(qing)去闖蕩生活(huo)，意(yi)味(wei)著(zhu)超越(yue)羞澀、怯懦和欲望(wang)的膽識(shi)與氣(qi)質(zhi)。而60歲的男(nan)人可能比(bi)20歲的小伙子更多地(di)擁有這種膽識(shi)與氣(qi)質(zhi)。沒有人僅僅因為時光的流逝(shi)而變得衰老(lao)，只(zhi)是隨著(zhu)理想的毀滅，人類才出現(xian)了(le)老(lao)人。

 

　　歲月可以在皮(pi)膚上(shang)留下(xia)皺紋，卻無法為靈魂(hun)刻(ke)上(shang)一絲痕跡。憂慮、恐懼、缺(que)乏自信(xin)才使人(ren)佝僂(lou)于時間塵埃之中。

 

　　無論是(shi)60歲(sui)還是(shi)16歲(sui)，每(mei)個人(ren)都會被(bei)未來所吸(xi)引，都會對(dui)人(ren)生競爭中(zhong)的歡樂懷(huai)著孩子般無窮無盡的渴望。

 

　　在(zai)你(ni)(ni)(ni)我心靈的(de)深處(chu)，同樣有一個無線(xian)電(dian)臺(tai)，只(zhi)要它不停地從人群中，從無限的(de)時間中接受美好、希(xi)望(wang)、歡欣、勇氣和力量的(de)信(xin)息，你(ni)(ni)(ni)我就永遠年輕。一旦(dan)這(zhe)無線(xian)電(dian)臺(tai)坍塌，你(ni)(ni)(ni)的(de)心便會被玩世不恭和悲觀失望(wang)的(de)寒冷酷雪所(suo)覆(fu)蓋，你(ni)(ni)(ni)便衰老了(le)—即使(shi)你(ni)(ni)(ni)只(zhi)有20歲。但如果(guo)這(zhe)無線(xian)電(dian)臺(tai)始終矗立在(zai)你(ni)(ni)(ni)心中，捕捉著每個樂觀向上的(de)電(dian)波，你(ni)(ni)(ni)便有希(xi)望(wang)超過(guo)年輕的(de)80歲。

 

　　所(suo)以只(zhi)要勇(yong)于(yu)(yu)有夢，敢于(yu)(yu)追夢，勤(qin)于(yu)(yu)圓夢，我們就永遠年輕(qing)！

 

　　千萬(wan)不要(yao)動不動就說自(zi)己(ji)老了，錯誤引(yin)導自(zi)己(ji)！年輕就是力(li)量，有(you)夢(meng)就有(you)未來！

 

 

英(ying)文全文如下(xia)：

 

Youth

 

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. It is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep spring of life.

 

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often exits in a man of 60, more than a boy of 20.nobody grows merely by the number of years; we grow old by deserting our ideas. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust1 bows the heart and turns the spirit back to dust.

 

Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being’s heart the lure 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 wireless station; so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, courage and power from men and from infinite, so long as you are young.

 

When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with the snows of cynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you’ve grown old, even at 20, but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, there’s hope you may die young at 80.

 

Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind. It is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep spring of life. These are what I have and what we have at this period of life. So, I'm still young, yes, definitely ! Come on my fellow friends, show your energy and passion to this god damn world ! Let the universe hear our voice, see our cheek, hug our enthusiasm and witness our maturity. We're going to create a brand new future !