It Takes Years to Learn English Well翻译

It Takes Years to Learn English Well

(1)Confucius said, “Since the age of 15, I have devoted myself to learning; since 30, I have been well established; since 40, I have understood many things and have no longer been confused; since 50, I have known my heaven-sent duty; since 60, I have been able to distinguish right and wrong in other people’s words; and since 70, I have been able to do what I intend freely without breaking the rules.” 子曰：“吾十有五而志于学，三十而立，四十而不惑，五十而知天命，六十而耳顺，七十而从心所欲，不逾矩。”

(2)The average life expectancy at the Spring and Autumn Periods and Warring States Periods was, according to some research, about 19 years. Confucius lived 72 to 73 years, a rare god of longevity indeed. It was even hard for those with power and leisure to reach such an age. Therefore, Confucius could be very well learned, far from what an ordinary people could expect at his times.

据一些研究表明，春秋战国时期的人均寿命为十九岁。而孔子却活了七十二三岁，可算得上少有的寿星了。即使是当时既有权势又有闲暇的阶层也很难达到孔子的高寿，由此可知，孔子的修为颇高，非常人能企及。

(3)The latest statistics in 2001 shows that the world life expectancy is 62.27 with the Japanese taking the lead to be 79.66 while China gaining a position surpassing all developing countries by its 69.98. However, the Chinese have not yet reached the age to do what they intend freely without breaking the rules. Thus, rules are hard not to be broken.

2001年最新数据显示，世界人均寿命为62.27岁。日本的人均寿命位居首位，达到79.66岁。而中国的人均寿命则超过所有发展中国家，达到69.98岁，并没有达到“七十而从心所欲，不逾矩”的年龄。所以，不逾矩是很难的。

(4)Calculated in the terms Confucius set for us in learning, those of us who have been learning English for ten years still have a long way to go before reaching the time to be established. To have no confusion, one has to spend 25 years. To truly understand the purpose of English learning, one has to do it for 35 years. It takes 45 years if one wants to distinguish right and wrong in other people’s words, and 55 years to manipulate English language freely without breaking the rules.

若按孔子“十有五而志于学”的时间计算，学习英语十年的我们离“三十而立”仍有一段漫长的路程。想要没有疑惑，需要25年。想要真正理解学习英语的目的，需要35年。想要区分他人语言中的好坏，需要45年。而想要对英语运用自如，游刃有余，则需55年。