雙語|現(xiàn)代散文:何為 最后一圈

The Last Lap 最后一圈

◎ He Wei ◎ 何為

Back in the late 1970s，I received a letter from Xiao Qian[1]，in which he said，“I shouldn't slacken off on this last lap of my life.”I was deeply touched and have remembered his words to this day．Last year，when I read his I'm an Octogenarian，in which he said，“Having covered more than half of this lap，I'm now close to the finishing line，”I was even more touched and seized with a feeling of sadness．To my great delight，however，his last lap，having lasted，as I figure out，for more than a decade now，is very long and fruitful．Judging by his strong will and broad-mindedness，the finishing line should undoubtedly be somewhere in the coming 21st century．Meanwhile，the last lap of human life has reminded me of the marathon race．According to legend，when the ancient Greeks defeated the invaders at Marathon[2]，a Greek soldier is believed to have run non-stop from Marathon to Athens，a distance of 42，195 metres，to announce the Athenian victory at the battlefield．Unfortunately，after making the announcement，he dropped dead from exhaustion．He was not only the courier carrying news of the Greek victory，but also the winner of the record journey．Now the long-distance foot race of the same distance has been named after the Battle of Marathon to commemorate the legendary feat of the Greek soldier.

70年代后期，收閱蕭乾同志的一封信，他說“要跑好人生的最后一圈”。當時怦然有所觸動，一直記得這句話。年前讀他的《八十自省》一文，自謂“這一圈跑了大半，離終點不會太遠了”。更是令人感慨萬千，不勝惆悵。算一下他的最后一圈，長達十余年，很長，也很有成績，殊堪慶幸。以他的堅毅頑強和曠達，其“終點”線設(shè)在21世紀，是完全可預(yù)期的。從人生道路上的最后一圈，想到馬拉松超長距賽跑。古希臘人在馬拉松地方戰(zhàn)勝敵軍，一名士兵為了迅速傳遞捷報，一鼓作氣跑畢四萬二千一百九十五米的路程，到了雅典后就力竭死去。他帶去勝利的信息，他又是長途跋涉的勝利者，后人將這一距離的競賽項目稱為馬拉松賽跑，作為紀念。

The marathon race is a sports event testing man's endurance and strength．Runners start from the same starting line and on the seemingly endless track the gap gradually widens between the strong and the weak．The last lap always witnesses the runners going all out to win success．The first to reach the finishing line is showered with warm applause and acclamation while the new record he or she has created is flashing across the screen.

馬拉松賽跑是考驗人的意志和力量的競技運動。長跑者在同一起跑線出發(fā)。一眼望不到盡頭的跑道上，強者與弱者的差距逐漸拉開。最后一圈是拼搏的時刻。第一個到達終點的優(yōu)勝者，迎來陣陣掌聲和熱烈歡呼，屏幕上閃耀著他創(chuàng)造的紀錄。

Nevertheless，we also see this moving scene：An exhausted runner，dragging a pair of weary feet and staggering as though about to fall into a faint，barely manages at long last to hit the finishing line after a desperate struggle．Oh，what a stirring moment！He may be the last，yet he is also a winner．He likewise deserves spectators' warm encouragement and approving applause．People are deeply moved by his tenacity.

然而，跑道上也有這樣的場面：拖著疲憊不堪的雙腿，苦苦掙扎著，搖搖欲墜幾乎昏厥的身子，終于奮力沖過封鎖線，那是多么激動人心的時刻！縱或是最后一名，也是一位勝利者，同樣贏得熱情的鼓勵和贊許的掌聲。人們?yōu)殚L跑者堅韌不拔的精神深深感動了。

Human life can be likened to the marathon race．All people，especially the aged who have already seen much of life，have the last lap．Septuagenarians and octogenarians are on the last lap of their lives after experiencing the twists and turns of life's journey，meeting human beings of all descriptions and going through one obstacle after another.

人的一生好比馬拉松賽跑。人人都有最后一圈，這一圈通常屬于人生道路漫長的老人。七老八十的人，穿過艱難的世途，穿過蕓蕓眾生，穿過重重障礙，于是到了人生的最后一圈。

The last lap may be long or short; the runners may be fast or slow．Some may run with firm and steady steps and self-possession; some may run very unsteadily and out of step; some may be sluggish and run with faltering steps．What is worse，some may resort to dishonest practices; some，being slow themselves，may purposely stand in the way of others; some may run without adhering to the rules of the competition．Such people are doomed to failure.

這一圈路程有長有短，跑得有快有慢。有的人穩(wěn)健有力，從容不迫；有的人歪歪扭扭，步子不正；有的人拖拖沓沓，蹣跚不前。也有跑入歪道的人，或跑不快還要擋道的人，或不按競賽規(guī)則亂跑的人，都是注定要失敗的。

Whoever acquits himself well on the last lap is a winner.

誰能跑好這最后一圈，誰就是勝利者。

《最后一圈》是著名散文家何為寫于1993年的一篇隨筆。作者引用作家蕭乾的話，把人生的晚年比作馬拉松長跑的最后一圈，鼓勵老年人保持晚節(jié)，跑好最后一圈，力求老有所為，發(fā)揮余熱。