The Living Present今”①◎ Li Dazhao◎　李大钊Of all things in the world, I think, the present is the most precious, and also the most apt to slip through our fingers.

We, therefore, treasure it all the more because of its transience.

我以为世间最可宝贵的就是今”，最易丧失的也是今”。

因为他最容易丧失②，所以更觉得他可以宝贵。

Why is the present so precious?

The following quotation from the philosopher Emerson⑯ best serves for an answer: "Make use of time if you love eternity; yesterday cannot be recalled; tomorrow cannot be assured; only today is yours.

One today is worth two tomorrows.

"为甚么今”最可宝贵呢?

最好借哲人耶曼孙所说的话答这个疑问：尔若爱千古，尔当爱现在。

昨日不能唤回来，明天还不确实，尔能确有把握的就是今日。

今日一天，当明日两天。

”Why is the present so easily lost?

Because the universe as well as human life is changing non-stop all the time.

Time never tarries with us a bit longer because we treasure and love it.

It is hard to tell which moment in the ups and downs of life is our present or now.

What we call our present or now at one moment will at the next be quickly gone and become the past.

Isn't it a pity to unthinkingly idle away the present?

为甚么今”最易丧失呢?

因为宇宙大化③刻刻流转，绝不停留。

时间这个东西，也不因为吾人贵他爱他稍稍在人间留恋。

试问吾人说今”说现在”，茫茫百千万劫④，究竟那一刹那是吾人的今”，是吾人的现在”呢?

刚刚说他是今”是现在”，他早已风驰电掣的一般，已成过去”了。

吾人若要糊糊涂涂把他丢掉⑤，岂不可惜?

Some philosophers say that we have the past and the future, but no present.

Others say that the present is inclusive of the past and the future.

I, however, incline towards the latter view because the present is where all the past empties itself or, in other words, where lies hidden the entire legacy of the past.

The prevailing thought of any age does not come into being all by itself.

It is the synthesis of the popular thoughts of numerous previous ages or probably of all the past.

The rippling sound stirred up by a pebble thrown into the current of the times will keep spreading forever.

Li Sao⑰, authored by Qu Yuan, will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages.

The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln's head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity.

The changes of each age, instead of becoming extinct, will pass on to the next.

The process will go on endlessly to form an eternal link in the world.

The events of yesterday and today will combine to form several complicated events which will in turn combine with those of tomorrow to form several new complicated events.

Thus one influence combines with another; one problem gives rise to another.

The infinite past results in the present, and the infinite future results from the present.

It is the present that serves as a connecting link between the past and the future to bring about continuity, eternity and a boundless big whole.

Ring the bell of the present, and you will hear the distant echoes of the infinite past and future.

That accounts for the fact that the present is inclusive of the past and the future and that the living present is the most precious.

有的哲学家说，时间但有过去”与未来”，并无现在”。

有的又说，过去”未来”皆是现在”。

我以为过去未来皆是现在”的话倒有些道理。

因为现在”就是所有过去”流入的世界，换句话说，所有过去”都埋没于现在”的里边。

故一时代的思潮，不是单纯在这个时代所能凭空成立的，不晓得有几多过去”时代的思潮，差不多可以说是由所有过去”时代的思潮，一凑合而成的。

吾人投一石子于时代潮流里面，所激起的波澜声响，都向永远流动传播，不能消灭。

屈原的 离骚　，永远使人人感泣⑥。

打击林肯头颅的枪声，呼应于永远的时间与空间⑦。

一时代的变动，绝不消失，仍遗留于次一时代，这样传演，至于无穷，在世界中有一贯相连的永远性。

昨日的事件，与今日的事件，合构成数个复杂事件。

此数个复杂事件，与明日的数个复杂事件，更合构成数个复杂事件。

势力结合势力，问题牵起问题。

无限的过去”，都以现在”为归宿。

无限的未来”，都以现在”为渊源。

过去”未来”的中间全仗有现在”以成其连续，以成其永远，以成其无始无终的大实在。

一掣现在的铃，无限的过去未来皆遥相呼应。

这就是过去未来皆是现在的道理，这就是今”最可宝贵的道理。

Nowadays two kinds of people don't know how to care for the present.

One kind are sick of the present; the other are crazy about it.

现时有两种不知爱今”的人：一种是厌今”的人，一种是乐今”的人。

Among those who are sick of the present, some are so dissatisfied with everything of today that they become nostalgic about yesterday.

To them, things nowadays, including politics, law, morality and social customs, are all inferior to those in the past.

They place their only hope on turning the clock back to days of old.

They throw themselves heart and soul into the back-to-the-ancients campaign.

Some, though also dissatisfied with everything of today like those mentioned above, long for the future instead of the past, so much so that they abandon themselves to dreams and fantasies and even give up many things that can be achieved right now through their own efforts.

People of these two categories hinder social progress instead of furthering it.

厌今”的人也有两派。

一派是对于现在”一切现象都不满足，因起一种回顾过去”的感想⑧。

他们觉得今”的总是不好，古的都是好。

政治、法律、道德、风俗，全是今”不如古。

此派人唯一的希望在复古⑨。

他们的心力全施于复古的运动。

一派是对于现在”一切现象都不满足，与复古的厌今”派全同。

但是他们不想过去”，但盼将来”。

盼将来”的结果，往往流于梦想，把许多现在”可以努力的事业都放弃不做，单是耽溺于虚无缥缈的空玄境界。

这两派人都是不能助益进化，并且很足阻滞进化的。

People who are crazy about the present are generally apathetic and lack high aspirations.

They see nothing wrong in the present.

Complacent about their present circumstances, they feel no need for progress or creation.

Such people abuse the present and stem the tide of progress.

There is no difference at all between them and those who are sick of the present.

乐今”的人大概是些无志趣无意识⑩的人，是些对于现在”一切满足的人。

觉得所处境遇可以安乐优游，不必再商进取，再为创造。

这种人丧失今”的好处⑪，阻滞进化的潮流，同厌今”派毫无区别。

It is common among human beings to be discontented with the present.

They usually dream of something that has not yet come into being with fantasies about its being extremely agreeable and beneficial.

But, once that something has become a reality, they call it just so-so and then fall into despair and grow weary of the present.

Or they may feel a new environment rather unimpressive, but once things have changed, they begin to think well of it and recall it with tenderness.

The former case has to do with future expectations, and the latter with past memories.

However, given a combination of the two cases, dissatisfaction with the present will become a great moving force of social development.

Being content with things as they are is a kind of inertia.

We need to understand that the present is precious not because it can allow us to idle about in the midst of comfort and pleasure, but because it offers us an opportunity to strive to create the future.

原来厌今”为人类的通性。

大凡一境尚未实现以前，觉得此境有无限的佳趣，有无疆的福利;一旦身陷其境，却觉不过尔尔，随即起一种失望的念，厌今”的心。

又如吾人方处一境，觉得无甚可乐;而一旦其境变易，却又觉得其境可恋，其情可思。

前者为企望将来”的动机;后者为反顾过去”的动机⑫。

但是回想过去”，毫无效用，且空耗努力的时间。

若以企望将来”的动机，而尽现在”的努力，则厌今”思想却大足为进化的原动⑬。

乐今”是一种惰性(Inertia)，须再进一步，了解今”所以可爱的道理，全在凭他可以为创造将来”的努力，决不在得他可以安乐无为。

Those keen on returning to the past keep telling us how dark and vile the status quo is and what serious wickedness and heavy misfortune it brings.

They should understand, however, that what they speak of, if true, is a long-standing inheritance from the past, definitely not a product of today.

It is utterly wrong to attribute it all to the present.

The only way to change the status quo is to strive to create the future, not to attempt to revive the past.

热心复古的人，开口闭口都是说现在”的境象若何黑暗，若何卑污，罪恶若何深重，祸患若何剧烈。

要晓得现在”的境象倘若真是这样黑暗，这样卑污，罪恶这样深重，祸患这样剧烈，也都是过去”所遗留的宿孽，断断不是现在”造的。

全归咎于现在”，是断断不能受的。

要想改变他，但当努力以创造将来，不当努力以回复过去”。

Now let me sum up briefly as follows:我请以最简明的一句话写出这篇的意思来：We should not let the present slip away idly, being displeased with it and lost in past memories and future dreams.

Nor should we rest content with the present and thus make absolutely no efforts to achieve future development.

Let's make the best of today so as to create tomorrow.

Our deeds of today, good or bad, will have an everlasting impact on the future.

It is therefore our duty to keep up with the trend of the times and strive for the well-being of future generations.

吾人在世，不可厌今”而徒回思过去”，梦想将来”，以耗误现在”的努力;又不可以今”境自足，毫不拿出现在”的努力，谋将来”的发展。

宜善用今”，以努力为将来”之创造。

由今”所造的功德罪孽，永久不灭⑭。

故人生本务，在随实在之进行⑮，为后人造大功德。

李大钊(1889—1927)，字守常，河北乐亭人，是中国最早的马克思主义者，中国共产党的创始人之一。

他于1927年4月6日被军阀张作霖逮捕，28日在北京英勇就义，年仅38岁。

他的名篇 今”　发表于1918年4月15日 新青年　杂志第4卷4号上。

文章强调为今天而工作，创造美好的未来，反对崇古、复古，但也反对全部否定过去和随意菲薄古人，认为只有承受古人，才能启发来者。

原文结尾处英译时略有删节。

注释① 今”　译为The Living Present，其中Living是增益成分，用以强调Present的含义。

著名美国诗人Henry Wadsworth Longfellow(1807—1882)在一首名为A Psalm of Life(人生赞”)的诗中写道：Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!

Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act, — act in the living Present!

Heart within, and God o'erhead!

他称过去”为the dead Past，现在”为the living Present。

②最容易丧失”意即最容易被人们错过”，可译为the most apt to slip through our fingers、the most liable to slip away或the most easily lost。

③宇宙大化”的意思是宇宙与生命”，译为The universe as well as human life。

也可简译为the universe或the world。

④茫茫百千万劫”中的劫”本指天灾人祸”，整个短语可结合上下文按无数人生起伏变化”之意译为in the ups and downs of life。

⑤糊里糊涂把他丢掉”意即轻率地(或随意地)把它丢掉”，译为to unthinkingly idle away the present。

⑥永远使人人感泣”中的感泣”作因感触而流泪”解，现按触动心弦”之意来表达：will continue to touch a deep chord in the heart of every reader through all ages。

⑦打击林肯头颅的枪声，呼应于永远的时间与空间”译为The lethal shot that hit Abraham Lincoln's head will keep echoing through all lands and all eternity，其中lethal(致命的)是增益成分，原文虽无其词而有其意。

又，呼应于永远的时间与空间”也可译为will forever keep echoing throughout the world。

⑧起一种回顾‘过去’的感想”意即怀念过去”，故译they become nostalgic about yesterday。

⑨此派人唯一的希望在复古”译为They place their only hope on turning the clock back to days of old，其中除turning the clock back to days of old外，还有以下可供选用：reviving the old day、returning to the past、reliving yesterday等。

⑩无志趣无意识”意即胸无大志，麻木不仁”，故译are generally apathetic and lack high aspirations。

⑪丧失‘今’的好处”意即未能善用今”或辜负了今”，现译abuse the present，其中abuse意同misuse。

⑫前者为企望‘将来’的动机;后者为反顾‘过去’的动机”可按前者属企盼将来;后者属思念过去”之意译为The former case has to do with future expectations, and the latter with past memories。

⑬若以企望‘将来’的动机，而尽‘现在’的努力，则厌‘今’思想却大足为进化的原动”意即对将来的企望如能与当前的努力结合起来，不满现状就可成为进步的巨大努力”，现译However, given a combination of future expectations and present efforts, dissatisfaction with the present will become a great moving force of social development，其中given一词作假如有”解。

又，进化”在此作进步”或社会发展”解，故译social development或social progress。

⑭由‘今’所造的功德罪孽，永久不灭”意即我们今天的功过，都将给将来留下长远的影响”，故译Our deeds of today, good or bad, (或Our merits and demerits of today) will have an everlasting impact on the future。

⑮随实在之进行”可理解为跟随时代潮流”而译之为keep up with the trend of the times。

⑯ Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), American philosopher, essayist and poet.

⑰ Li Sao, a long poem of patriotism authored by Qu Yuan (c.

340-277BC), poet and statesman of Chu during the Warring States Period and one of China's earliest poets.

【(中英)现代散文:“今” The Living Present查看网站：[db:时间]】