美文一：Love Your Life 热爱生活

However mean your life is, meet it and live it; do not shun it and call it hard names. It is not so bad as you are. It looks poorest when you are richest. The fault-finder will find faults in paradise. Love your life, poor as it is. You may perhaps have some pleasant, thrilling, glorious hours, even in a poor-house. The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the almshouse as brightly as from the rich man's abode; the snow melts before its door as early in the spring. I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there, and have as cheering thoughts, as in a palace.

The town's poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any. May be they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving. Most think that they are above being supported by the town; but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means, which should be more disreputable. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Turn the old, return to them. Things do not change; we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.

中文翻译：

热爱生活

不论你的生活如何卑贱，你都要面对它，好好生活；不要躲避它，也别用恶言咒骂它。它不像你那样糟糕。你最富有的时候，倒是看似最穷。爱找缺点的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺点。哪怕生活贫穷，也要热爱生活。哪怕身处救济院，你也可能会有一些愉快、激动、光荣的时光。夕阳反射在济贫院的窗上，像射在富户人家窗上一样光亮；在那门前，积雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一个从容的人，在哪里也像在皇宫中一样，生活得心满意足而富有愉快的思想。

在我看来，城镇中的穷人往往过着最独立不羁的生活。也许因为他们很伟大，所以受之无愧。大多数人以为他们不屑于接受城镇的救济；但是事实上他们常常利用不诚实的手段来维持自己的生计，这是更为不体面的。视贫穷如园中之花而像圣人一样耕植它吧！不要为新的东西烦恼，无论是衣服还是朋友。找旧的，回到那里去。万物不变，是我们在变。卖掉衣服，保留思想。

美文二：The Road Not Taken 未选择的路

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

中文翻译：

未选择的路

黄色的树林里分出两条路，
可惜我不能同时去涉足，
我在那路口久久伫立，
我向着一条路极目望去，
直到它消失在丛林深处。

但我却选择了另一条路，
它荒草萋萋，十分幽寂，
显得更诱人，更美丽；
虽然在这条小路上，
很少留下旅人的足迹。

那天清晨落叶满地，
两条路都未经脚印污染。
啊，留下一条路等改日再见！
但我知道路径延绵无尽头，
恐怕我难以再回返。

也许多少年后在某个地方，
我将轻声叹息把往事回顾：
一片树林里分出两条路——
而我选择了人迹更少的一条，
从此决定了我一生的道路。

美文三：A Grain of Sand 一粒沙子

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
A dove-house fill'd with Doves and Pigeons
Shudders Hell thro' all its regions.

A Dog starv'd at his Master's Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State.
A Horse misus'd upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for vengeance.

Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fibre from the Brain does tear.
A skylark wounded in the wing
A cherubim does cease to sing.

The Game Cock clipt and arm'd for fight
Does the Rising Sun affright.
Every Wolf's and Lion's howl
Raises from Hell a Human Soul.

The wild deer, wand'ring here and there
Keeps the Human Soul from Care.
The Lamb misus'd breeds Public Strife.
And if Cows could speak, what would they say?

How many Cows grieve over Gold!
How many men destroy themselves!
How many Gods consult for Gold!
How many graves are empty!

中文翻译：

一粒沙子

从一粒沙子看到一个世界，
从一朵野花看到一个天堂，
把握在你手心里的就是无限，
永恒也就消融于一个时辰。

一只笼中的红雀，
让天上的众神愤怒。
一间充满鸽子的鸽舍，
使地狱充满恐怖。

一头饿狗在主人门口，
预示着国家的毁灭。
一匹在路上遭人滥用的马，
向天呼吁复仇。

一只野兔的每一声惨叫，
都撕裂人的大脑纤维。
一只翅膀受伤的云雀，
使天使停止歌唱。

一只斗鸡被修剪羽毛准备战斗，
惊吓得朝阳不敢升起。
每一声狼嚎和狮吼，
都从地狱唤起一个人的灵魂。

野鹿四处游荡，
使人的灵魂免于忧虑。
小羊受到虐待引发公众的争斗。
要是母牛能说话，它们会说什么？

多少母牛为金子而悲伤！
多少人毁了自己！
多少神灵为金子出谋划策！
多少坟墓空空如也！