English Translation Examples:  What does it mean to be yourself?

• 2021-05-06
• 網站管理員
• Copywriting & Translation

接受矛盾
Accept contradictions
 
在釐清自己的價值觀的時候，難免會看到一些看起來很矛盾的地方，不需要覺得訝異，也不用困窘。比如我們想努力賺錢的同時，往往卻同時強調物質不重要。
When clarifying our values, we often find areas of incongruity. For example, perhaps we love to make money, but also believe that material objects are unimportant. We needn’t feel surprised or embarrassed at these contradictions, however.
 
因為我們的價值觀，是一鍋什麼都有的綜合八寶粥，其中包括文化、信仰、家庭、教育、喜歡的歌詞、和對人生路上激勵你前進的人的記憶，所以當然會出現各種相互抵觸的價值觀。真正要緊的是，我們要不斷正視、反思這些矛盾，就像龜毛的師傅在挑茶葉一樣，挑出別人加諸在我們身上的，只留下自己真正認同的。
The reason is that our value system is like a cooking pot into which all types of ingredients have been placed: cultural, religious, familial, educational, favorite songs, memory of those who previously inspired us, etc. With so much in the “pot,” it is easy to see why there would areas of incongruity. What is important is that we honestly look and reflect on such contradictions. Think of it as a tea artisan choosing tea leaves: pick out what has been imposed on us by others, and leave behind what resonates with us.
 
停止比較  Stop Comparisons
 
不斷跟自己或別人競爭的人，就是把自己當成一匹賽馬的人。
A person that constantly competes with himself or others is someone that sees himself as a racehorse.
 
比賽的唯一結果，就是輸。無論贏了多少次，競賽型運動員最後的下場就是輸。沒有任何人能夠無止境的贏下去。這只是無可避免的結果。
To race means to lose. It doesn’t matter how many times he or she might win, losing is part and parcel of being competitive athlete. No one that can win endlessly. That is an unavoidable truth. 
 
因為你是人，不是賽馬。所以請停止跟別人比較。停止過度關注別人的IG，停止羨慕別人的生活，也不要想著要去推翻別人的光輝形象，那只會讓你失去朋友和尊重，變成網路酸民，覺得自己可恥，讓你無法面對自己。
You are a person and not a racehorse, so please stop competing with others. Stop paying so much attention to other people’s Instagram photos. Stop being envious of the lives of others. And stop trying to beat others at their own game. This will just lose you friends and respect. You will find yourself becoming an internet troll. You will feel ashamed and have trouble facing yourself.
 
接受生活的起落  Accept life’s vicissitudes
 
我的家在波士頓外的一個小島上，面對著海邊，每天都會看到兩次潮起潮落。對我來說，這是一個很重要的提醒：連如此寬廣的海洋，每天都有起起落落，人有高潮低潮，每天有心情高低，運氣有好有壞，只要還在做真正的自己，那又有什麼關係呢？不需要試圖辯解，也不需要與人爭論。
My home is located on a small island outside of Boston. Facing the sea, every day I see the tide come in and out. For me, it is an important reminder that if something as large as the ocean has ups and downs, why should we be surprised that our lives or emotions also have ups and downs. Furthermore, as long as we are committed to being true to ourselves, then what do these ups and downs really matter? Remember, there is no need to justify ourselves to others or argue with them.
 
只有「改變」是恆定的。我們不可避免地要隨著時間改變自己，也會被時間改變。接受起落，就像接受潮起潮落一樣，只去改變能改變的事，但是不需要白費力氣試圖去改變不能改變的事。
Change is the only constant. We cannot avoid changing or being changed as time passes. Accepting life’s vicissitudes is like accepting the changing tides. Only look to change the things that can be changed. There is no reason to waste energy trying to change things that cannot.
 
文章摘自天下雜誌
Excerpt from Commonwealth Magazine