『转摘双语』参差百态乃幸福本源

原作者：
来源Beauty Lies in Impermanence
译者绀碧

The universe is a chaotic place.
宇宙本是一片混沌之所。

Giant chunks of rock and ice soar through its cold expanse with no destination, and no set path. Stars of unimaginable proportions on occasion explode, sending a blast of radiation in all directions that is so powerful, any nearby planetary bodies are incinerated within seconds.
巨形的岩石和冰块漫无目的，毫无规律地穿行在这片冷寂的广漠空间。难以想象的巨大恒星间或爆炸，向四面八方发射着一股股放射性气流，力量如此强大，以至任何附近的行星天体都在瞬间化为灰烬。

Is there a purpose behind these occurrences?
在这些发生的事的背后是有目的的吗？

Does Halley’s comet intentionally pose for the telescopes before whizzing off for another 75 years?
哈雷彗星是否故意在下一个75年呼啸而过之前在天文望远镜前摆好姿势？

Does a red giant wake up one morning and suddenly just decide to go supernova?
红巨星难道是在某天早晨醒来后忽然决定进行超新星爆发？

No, because these events are caused by random physical laws that we have no way whatsoever of controlling. In other words: *** just happens.
不是的，因为这一切都是我们无论如何都无法控制的随机自然法则造成的。换句话说：就像刚好踩到狗屎了

But I think an unknown Shinto monk put it more eloquently when he said, “the only truths in this life are beauty and impermanence.”
但我觉得那位不知名的日本修道士说得更贴切，“生命中唯一的真理在于美和无常。”

So why then do we reject the impermanence of the ever-changing universe when it comes to our own lives?
所以，为什么我们要拒绝这千变万化的宇宙中的无常，当它来到我们身边时？

Why do we cling to old, habits, places and people so dearly, even if they become negative influences?
为什么我们要紧抓住旧习惯，老地方和故人不放，即使他们已经对我们造成了负面影响？

Why do we place so much value in order and permanence, even if it means living a boring and monotonous existence?
为什么我们长期坚持着固有的常规价值观，即使它意味活得单调乏味？

The answer is simple: we fear change.
答案很简单：我们害怕改变。

The Unknown Scares Us
对未知的恐惧

Whether it be the change of state from life to death, a change of house or even a change of wardrobe, it signifies a transition into the unknown. What we do not know, we cannot control. What we cannot control, we fear.
无论是生老病死的变化，还是一栋房子的变化亦或者甚至衣橱的变化，都意味着一种向未知的过渡。我们不知道的，我们无法掌控。我们无法掌控的，我们心生畏惧。

It is human nature that our imaginations jump to the most unpleasant outcomes: the new neighborhood will be more dangerous despite its excellent reputation; the new job will be less satisfying even if it’s doing something we’re passionate about.
天性使然，我们的想象力总是偏向最不如意的结果：新邻居总是多几分危险，尽管人家声誉良好；新工作总是少几分满意，即使我们对待它更有***。

Such fears are understandable, rational even, as defense mechanisms against disappointment. But is it really necessary to shield ourselves from potential hurt at the expense of being constantly afraid? Surely not.
这些担心都是可以理解的，甚至是理智的，因为人体的防御机制在抵制失望情绪。但真的有必要时刻保护自己不受潜在的伤害，让自己一直生活在忧虑中吗？当然没有。

Fear in all its forms is negative, and the fear of change is no exception.
一切形式的恐惧都有消极意义，对变化的恐惧也不例外。

Make Change Work for You.
让自己做些改变吧

Therefore, the key in dealing with change is to try and look past its possible negative outcomes, instead seeing what it can do for you.
因此，应对变化的关键在于尝试，看看过去可能存在的消极结果，而不是看它能为你做什么。

In every change there is great opportunity and adventure to be found – if only you look for it. Be proactive. Be a go-getter.
每一次改变中都蕴含着巨大的机遇和冒险等你发现——只要你仔细寻找。主动出击。做行动的巨人。

Instead of fearing it, be excited for it. Instead of cowering away from it, welcome it with open arms. Savor the feeling of change; as we will see in the next section, it is part of what makes you human.
与其害怕它，不如为它激动。与其颤抖着远离它，不如敞开臂膀欢迎它。尽情享受改变的滋味；正如我们将在下个章节所见，它是让你成为人类的一部分。

Impermanence is a Blessing, not a Curse.
无常是祸中有福，并非诅咒

Imagine if everything stayed the same, if objects, people and ideas remained fixed in relation to each other in an unending state of permanence; how utterly boring everyone and everything around us would become.
想象一下，如果一切都保持不变，如果物体，人类和思想保持相互之间固定关系处于永久的无休止重复状态；那么我们周围的每个人每件事会变得多无聊啊。

Without an end to things there would no longer be any sense of meaning or beauty in the world. Nothing would age, wither or disappear but by the same token, nothing would be born, created or renewed.
若事情没有个头，这世界将不存在任何意义和美好。一切都不会变老，凋零或消失。但同样地，一切都不会诞生，创造或更新。

We would be stuck in our present relationships forever, doomed to carry out monotonous task in a world that no longer knew what it felt like to experience something new and extraordinary. The words “new” and “extraordinary” would not even factor into the collective vocabulary.
我们将停留在现存的关系网中，直到永远，我们按照命运的安排做着单调乏味的工作，在一个不知道体验新的非凡的事物是什么滋味的世界中生活着。单词“新”和“非同寻常”甚至不会成为词汇集合表中的元素。

Perfect order would have been achieved but at what cost?
完美的秩序将会形成，但这是以什么为代价的呢？

Losing the very chaotic change that made our lives worth living in the first place?
从一开始就失去让我们生命值得生活的一片混乱的改变？

There would be no cycles save for the never-ending cycle of ingratitude. Because how could we be expected to be grateful for things which have always been and always will be? How could we not take these things for granted if we had never experienced losing them?
从此除了忘恩负义的无休止循环将不再有其他循环了。因为我们怎能被希望去感激那些一直发生并总会发生的事？我们若从未经历过失去怎会感激所拥有的呢？

Without Autumn, we would never appreciate Spring; without clouds we would never appreciate sunshine and without death, we would never truly appreciate life.
没有秋天，我们就不会感谢春天；没有乌云，我们决不会感谢阳光；而没有死亡，我们也不会真诚地感谢活着。

Our lives, fleeting as they are, are that much more beautiful because they end. Every second wasted is a moment in time that you will never get back, and this gives us motivation to make the most of them. We are able to enjoy each sunset and savor each meal because we have so little time to do so.
我们疾驶而过的生命因其短暂和非永恒愈显美好.你浪费的每一秒钟都将一去不返，这会让我们去更加珍惜和享受每分每秒。我们会去尽情享受每一次日落，每一顿晚餐，因为时间不多了。

On the other hand, if you lived forever, I guarantee that after the first couple of hundred years, the most pristine Hawaiian sunset would seem like a bad postcard, and the finest rump steak would taste like airplane food.
另一方面，如果你获得了永生，我保证在第一个百年过去后，夏威夷最美丽的落日看起来会像一张劣质的明信片，连最好的牛臀肉排尝起来也变成了飞机餐。

Change is Inevitable
改变已成必然

Realize that no matter how much we may try to avoid change – no matter how much we may wish that things would stay the same – it is and always will be a part of our lives.
要知道不管我们多努力地避免改变——不管我们多希望情况保持不变——它都是我们生活的一部分。

Change is inevitable.
变化时不可避免的。

Our only choice in the matter is whether to accept it amicably, or be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the next chapter of our existence.
我们唯一能选择的是是否要友好地接受改变，亦或者被拖着，踢着尖叫着进入我们生活的新篇章。