This single stick now is ingloriously lying in that neglected corner.
Once it was in a forest, full of sap, leaves and boughs1; now in vain someone has tried to compete with nature by tying that withered2 bundle of twigs3 to its trunk. It is now the reverse of what it was: a tree turned upside down, the branches on the earth, and the root in the air. It is now handled by a maid, and makes other things clean but itself dirty. In the end, worn out in the service of the maids, it is either thrown out, or used as firewood.
When I saw it I sighed, and said within myself: surely man is a broomstick. Nature sends him into the world strong and lusty. He wears his own hair, just like a tree with flourishing leaves and branches. Later, the axe5 of intemperance6 cuts off his green branches and leaves him a withered trunk, and he puts on a wig4 and covers himself with powder. This broomstick is proud of all the branches added to him; yet they are covered with dust. Though the dust is from the finest lady's chamber7, we ridicule8 it, and despise its vanity. We are partial judges, that is, partial to our own excellencies and other men's faults.
一根扫帚把灰溜溜地躺在无人注意的角落。
曾经在树林里,它树液充沛,枝叶繁茂;如今变了样,却还有人自作聪明,想靠手艺同大自然竞争,拿来一束枯枝捆在它的身上,结果却是枉费心机。不过是颠倒了它原来的位置,使它枝干朝地,根梢向天。它在女仆的手里使用,从此受命运摆布,把别人打扫干净,自己却落得个又脏又臭。而在女仆们的手里折腾过多次之后,或者被扔出门外,或者作为引火的柴禾被烧掉了。
我看到了这一切,不尽兴叹,自言自语一番:人不也是一根扫帚么?大自然送他入世之初,他是强壮有力的,精力充沛,满头的好发,就像一株枝叶齐全的植物。但不久贪婪就像一把斧子砍掉了他的青枝绿叶,只留给他一根枯株。他赶紧戴上头套,擦上香粉。这把扫帚因为把一些别的树条收集到身上而得意洋洋,其实这些枝条上尽是灰土。即使是最高贵的夫人房里的尘土,我们也一定会嘲笑它的虚荣吧!我们就是这样偏心的审判官,偏于自己的优点,别人的毛病。
外企必备口语:在办公室里用英语发牢骚
职场新词:什么是“装忙族”?
职场英语口语:你可以把车停在转角的地方
职场英语:“海投”V.S.“群面”,英语该这么说?
职场英语口语:一些善意的忠告
职场英语口语:不要看那么多电视了
外企必备口语:你想做兼职工作吗?
外企必备口语:职场感谢语大全
职场英语:外企office电话英语
职场英语:接电话时如何让对方慢点儿说话
职场英语:“工资协商制度”将被纳入《工资条例》
职场英语口语:其实我好久都没吃比萨了
职场英语:外企里最流行又好听的十大英文名
职场英语口语:职场新人向老员工介绍自己
职场英语口语:你怎么看待赢家与输家
职场英语口语:做空姐能只脸蛋儿漂亮
职场英语口语:奥运会的历史文化
职场英语:为赶工作进度,“分秒必争”英语表达
职场新词:证书多多益善的"哈证族" certificate maniac
职场英语:毕业生为求职愿意“负月薪”
外企必备口语:引荐新人的常用语
职场英语口语:我担心今年可能不流行了
职场英语口语:这双鞋真的很值得买
职场英语口语:那是因为我太了解你了
职场英语口语:人人都爱英语老师
外企英语:如何请教对方的姓名
办公室英语(2):闲暇之余去健身
外企英语:通话将毕时的结尾语
外企必备口语:如何与老外上司沟通
职场英语口语:我推荐您买个日霜加晚霜
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |