青春 / Youth
It was New Year's night. An aged man was standing at a window. He raised his mournful eyes towards the deep blue sky, where the stars were floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear calm lake. Then he cast them on the earth, where few more hopeless people than himself now moved towards their certain goal—the tomb. He had already passed sixty of the stages leading to it, and he had brought from his journey nothing but errors and remorse. Now his health was poor, his mind vacant, his heart sorrowful, and his old age short of comforts.
The days of his youth appeared like dreams before him, and he recalled the serious moment when his father placed him at the entrance of the two roads—one leading to a peaceful, sunny place, covered with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs; the other leading to a deep, dark cave, which was endless, where poison flowed instead of water and where devils and poisonous snakes hissed and crawled.
He looked towards the sky and cried painfully, “O youth, return! O my father, place me once more at the entrance to life, and I'll choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of his youth had passed away.
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness, and these were the days of his wasted life. He saw a star fall from the sky and disappeared, and this was the symbol of himself. His remorse, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, who entered on life together with him. But they had made their way to success and were now honoured and happy on this New Year's night.
The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents' early love for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way. With shame and grief he dared no longer look towards that heaven where his father live. His darkened eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing effort, he burst out a cry: "Come back, my early days! Come back!"
And his youth did return, for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year's night. He was still young though his faults were real. He had not yet entered the deep, dark cave, and he was still free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still linger on the entrance of life, hesitating to choose the bright road, remember that when years have passed and your feet stumble on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but in vain: “O youth, return! Oh give me back my early days!”
【助读词汇】
-mournful adj. 悲哀的
-remorse n. 懊悔，自责，同情，怜悯
-hiss v. 嘶嘶作声，用嘘声表示
-linger v. 逗留，闲荡，拖延，游移
【参考译文】
青春
除夕之夜，一位老人站立窗前。他满眼哀伤地望着深蓝色的天空，那里星星好像清澈平静的湖面上的白莲在漂移着；后来，他将目光投向地面，几个比他更加绝望的人正在走向人生的终点——坟墓。在通往人生终点的道路上，他已走过了60多个驿站，除了过失和悔恨，他一无所获。现在，他健康欠佳，精神空虚，心情忧郁，缺少晚年应有的舒适。
青春的岁月像梦一样浮现在他眼前，他想起父亲将他放在人生岔路口上的关键时刻，当时，他面前有两条路：一条通向和平宁静、阳光灿烂的地方，那里到处是花果，到处回荡着柔和甜美的歌声；另一条则通向黑暗无底的深渊，那里流淌着毒液而不是清水，到处都是恶魔，毒蛇嘶嘶爬动。
他仰望天空，痛苦地哭喊：“哦，青春，回来吧！哦，爸爸，请把我重新放到人生的路口上吧，我会做出更好的选择。”然而他的父亲和他的青春岁月都离他远去。
他看见灯光消逝在黑暗中，那便是他虚度的时光。他看见一颗星星划过天空、消失，那是他自身的象征。悔恨如同一支利箭，深深地刺进他的心。接着，他想起童年时代的朋友，他们曾与他一同踏上人生的旅程，现已获得成功，受到人们的尊敬，此刻正在幸福中欢度除夕。
教堂塔顶的钟声响了，使他回忆起父母早年对他的爱，他们曾教导他，曾为他向上帝祈祷。可他选择了错误的路。羞愧和忧伤使他再也不敢去看他父亲所在的天堂。他双眼黯然无光，饱噙着泪水，在绝望中，他高喊：“回来吧，我那逝去的年华！回来吧！”
青春真的回来了，因为以上所发生的一切只是他在除夕所做的一场梦。他仍旧年轻，虽然他曾真的犯有过失，但还没陷得太深，完全还可走上通向宁静和光明的道路。
那些仍然在人生路口徘徊，犹豫该不该选择光明大道的年轻人啊，记住：当你青春已逝，双足在黑暗的群山中跌跌撞撞之时，你才痛心疾首地呼唤：“哦，回来吧、青春！哦，把我的美好年华还给我！”，这只会是徒劳的。
【人生启迪】
对每个人来说，青春都是别人无法夺去的内在财富。人生富有，要从青春时期开始积累。没有意识到青春的价值，人生就好像是落了潮的荒滩；没有珍惜过青春年华，人生的火焰就会想黯淡的残烛；青春不是在搏击与进取中度过，人生的回忆便是一杯平淡的白水。青春会在春夏秋冬的洗礼中悄然逝去，但是，青春时期创造的社会价值却会像玫瑰香一样飘在人生征途上，可以使你感到欢悦，闻到清香。