一把小提琴的美妙樂音理應被世人欣賞，一個人的生命也需要精彩。生命的意義不在于長度，而在于廣度。為理想而活，為幫助他人而活，你會感到無比的幸福。

By Steve Goodier

喬敏 譯注

Life is to be lived. No excuses. No reservations. No holding back.

生命要活得精彩。沒有借口，沒有保留，沒有退縮。

An enchanting story about violinist Fritz Kreisler tells how he once came across a beautiful instrument he wanted to acquire. When he finally raised the money for the violin, he returned to buy it and learned that it had already been sold to a collector.

有一個關于小提琴家弗里茨?克萊斯勒的故事。故事講述了他有一次看到了一個很精美的小提琴，他很想得到它。可是等他最終攢夠了錢去買小提琴的時候，他獲知那個小提琴已經被一個收藏家買去了。

He went to the new owner’s home in order to try to persuade him to sell the violin. But the collector said it was one of his prized possessions and he could not let it go. The disappointed Kreisler turned to leave, but then asked a favour. “May I play the instrument once more before it is consigned to silence?”

他去了那個小提琴新主人的家里，試圖勸服他把小提琴賣給自己。但是收藏家說那是他最珍愛的收藏之一，他不能將它賣掉。失望的克萊斯勒轉身準備離開，但是還是提了另外一個請求：“我可以在這件樂器被封存之前再用它彈奏一曲嗎？”

Permission was granted and the great musician began to play. The violin sang out a quality of music so beautiful that the collector himself could only listen in wonderment.

他得到了許可，于是這個偉大的音樂家就開始了他的演奏。這個小提琴發出的樂音無比悅耳，連那個收藏家都聽得入了迷。

“I have no right to keep that to myself,” he said after the musician finished. “The violin is yours, Mr. Kreisler. Take it into world, and let people hear it.”

音樂家演奏完之后，他說：“我沒有權利將它據為己有，克萊斯勒先生，這個小提琴是你的了。將小提琴帶給世人，讓所有人都聽到它的樂音。”

William Arthur Ward said ... “If you believe in prayer, pray; if you believe in serving, serve; if you believe in giving, give.”

曾經說……“如果你信奉祈禱，那就去禱告；如果你信奉奉獻，那就去工作；如果你信奉施舍，那就去布施。”

For you and I are exquisite violins — our music is meant to be heard.

如果你我是精美的小提琴——那么我們的音樂就必須被世人聽到。

I want to live my life that way — to take it into the world and live it fully. I’d rather burn out than rust out. I’d rather be used up than die not having done whatever I could ... wherever I would.

我希望能如此對待自己的生命——來到世間，竭盡全力的生活。我寧愿像蠟燭般燃盡，也不愿讓自己銹跡斑斑。我寧愿將生命全部耗盡，也不愿臨死之時自己能做和想做的事情都沒來得及做。

I’m not talking about wearing ourselves out on over-activity. Happiness is never found in excessive busyness. But it is found in investing our lives in others. Saying yes when asked for a hand. Volunteering some time for a worthwhile organization. Spending an hour with a lonely relative.

我所說的不是要過度勞累從而讓我們精疲力竭。幸福不在于過于忙碌，而在于幫助他人。當有人向你求助時，答應他。為一個值得花費精力的組織去做志愿者。用一小時來陪伴你一個孤獨的親戚。

In the end, I know that my happiness will not have been about by my ability or my inability. It will have been about my availability. My life is meant to be lived.

最后，我知道我的幸福與我能做什么、不能做什么沒有關系。幸福只和我樂于助人有關。我的生命要活得精彩。

Vocabulary

1. prize: 珍視、真愛。

2. consign: 把……托付給。

3. wear out: 使疲乏，使精疲力竭。

（來源：英語學習雜志）