首页 聆听花开的声音

第24章 勇气 Courage

字体:16+-

约翰·菲茨杰拉德·肯尼迪/John Fitzgerald Kennedy

约翰·菲茨杰拉德·肯尼迪(1917—1963),美国第35任总统、政治家。生于波士顿名门望族,毕业于哈佛大学,是美国历史上迄今为止最年轻、口才最好的总统。1963年11月22日遇刺身亡。著有《美国为何酣睡》一书,曾风靡一时。

The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the cour age of a final moment;but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triump h and tragedy.A man does what he must--in spite of personal consequence s,in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures--and that is the basi s of all human morality.

To be courageous...requires no exceptional qualifications,no magic formula,no special combination of time,place and circumstance.It is a n opportunity that sooner or later is presented to us all.Politics mere ly furnishes one arena which imposes special tests of courage.In whatev er arena of life one may meet challenge of courage,whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience--the loss of his friend s,his fortune,his contentment,even the esteem of his fellow men--each man must decide for himself the course he will follow.The stories of pa st courage can define that ingredient--they can teach,they can offer ho pe,they can provide inspiration.But they cannot supply courage itself.For this each man must look into his own soul.

人生中的勇气,经常不像紧要时刻的勇气那么富于戏剧性,但是这种勇气却同样是一个关于胜利和悲剧的壮观混合体。一个人去做他必须做的一切事情——不计个人得失,不考虑种种的障碍、危险和压力——这就是人类一切道德的基石。

勇敢不需要特殊的条件,也没有奇妙的规则,同样也不需要时间、地点和情况的特意配合。它是每个人迟早都会遇到的这么一个机会。政治不过是对勇气进行特殊考验的一个场所而已。不管在人生的什么场合下遭遇勇气的挑战,也不论为了遵从自己的良心而将面对什么样牺牲——朋友、财富和满足的丧失,甚至同伴对你的敬重——每个人都必须自己决断所遵行的方针政策。旁人勇敢的故事可以阐释那个因素——能够教导我们,为我们带来希望和灵感,但却不能给我们带来勇气。因为每个人必须到自己的灵魂深处去寻找勇气。