《朱自清·论青年》原文英译

原文

冯友兰先生在《新事论·赞中华》篇里第一次指出现在一般人对于青年的估价超过老年之上。这扼要的说明了我们的时代。这是青年时代，而这时代该从五四运动开始。从那时起，青年人才抬起了头，发现了自己，不再仅仅的做祖父母的孙子，父母的儿子，社会的小孩子。他们发现了自己，发现了自己的群，发现了自己和自己的群的力量。他们跟传统斗争，跟社会斗争，不断的在争取自己领导权甚至社会领导权，要名副其实的做新中国的主人。但是，像一切时代一切社会一样，中国的领导权掌握在老年人和中年人的手里，特别是中年人的手里。于是乎来了青年的反抗，在学校里反抗师长，在社会上反抗统治者。他们反抗传统和纪律，用怠工，有时也用挺击。中年统治者记得五四以前青年的沉静，觉得现在青年爱捣乱，惹麻烦，第一步打算压制下去。可是不成。于是乎敷衍下去。敷衍到了难以收拾的地步，来了集体训练，开出新局面，可是还得等着瞧呢。

青年反抗传统，反抗社会，自古已然；只是一向他们低头受压，使不出大力气，见得沉静罢了。家庭里父代和子代闹别扭是常见的，正是压制与反抗的征象。政治上也有老少两代的斗争，汉朝的贾谊到戊戌六君子，例子并不少。中年人总是在统治的地位，老年人势力足以影响他们的地位时，就是老年时代，青年人势力足以影响他们的地位时，就是青年时代。老年和青年的努力互为消长，中年人却总是在位，因此无所谓中年时代。老年人的衰朽，是过去，青年人还幼稚，是将来，占有现在的只是中年人。他们一面得安慰老年人，培植青年人，一面也在讥笑前者，烦厌后者。安慰还是顺的，培植却常是逆的，所以更难。培植是凭中年人的学识经验做标准，大致要养成有为有守爱人爱物的中国人。青年却恨这种切近的典型的标准妨碍他们飞跃的理想。他们不甘心在理想还未疲倦的时候就被压进典型里去，所以总是挣扎着，在憧憬那海阔天空的境界。中年人不能了解青年人为什么总爱旁逸斜出不走正路，说是时代病，其实这倒是成德达材的大路；压迫的，挣扎着，材德的达成就在这两种力的平衡里。这两种力永恒的一步步平衡着，自古已然，不过现在更其表面化罢了。

青年人爱说自己是“天真的”，“纯洁的”。但是看看这时代，老练的青年可真不少。老练却只是工于自谋，到了临大事，决大疑，似乎又见得幼稚了。青年要求进步，要求改革，自然很好，他们有的是奋斗的力量。不过大处着眼难，小处下手易，他们的饱满的精力也许终于只用在自己的物质的改革跟进步上；于是骄奢淫逸，无所不为，有利无义，有我无人。中年里原也不缺少这种人，效率却赶不上青年的大。眼光小还可以有一步路，便是做自了汉，得过且过的活下去；或者更退一步，遇事消极，马马虎虎对付着，一点不认真。中年人这两种也够多的。可是青年时就染上这些习气，未老先衰，不免更教人毛骨悚然。所幸青年人容易回头，“浪子回头金不换”，不像中年人往往将错就错，一直沉到底里去。

青年人容易脱胎换骨改样子，是真可以自负之处；精力足，岁月长，前路宽，也是真可以自负之处。总之可能多。可能多倚仗就大，所以青年人狂。人说青年时候不狂，什么时候才狂？不错。但是这狂气到时候也得收拾一下，不然会忘其所以的。青年人爱讽刺，冷嘲热骂，一学就成，挥之不去；但是这只足以取快一时，久了也会无聊起来的。青年人骂中年人逃避现实，圆通、不奋斗、妥协，自有他们的道理。不过青年人有时候让现实笼罩住，伸不出头，张不开眼，只模糊的看到面前一段儿路，真是“前不见古人，后不见来者”。这又是小处。若是能够偶然到所谓“世界之外之世界”里歇一下脚，也许可以将自己放大些。青年也有时候偏执不回，过去一度以为读书就不能救国就是的。那时蔡孑民先生却指出“读书不忘救国，救国不忘读书”。这不是妥协，而是一种权衡轻重的圆通观。懂得这种圆通，就可以将自己放平些。能够放大自己，放平自己，才有真正的“工作与严肃”，这里就需要奋斗了。

蔡孑民先生不愧人师，青年还是需要人师。用不着满口仁义道德，道貌岸然，也用不着一手摊经，一手握剑，只要认真而亲切的服务，就是人师。但是这些人得组织起来，通力合作。讲情理，可是不敷衍，重诱导，可还归到守法上。不靠婆婆妈妈气去乞怜青年人，不靠甜言蜜语去买好青年人，也不靠刀子手枪去示威青年人。只言行一致后先一致的按着应该做的放胆放手做去。不过基础得打在学校里；学校不妨尽量社会化，青年训练却还是得在学校里。学校好像实验室，可以严格的计划着进行一步；可不是温室，除非让它堕落到那地步。训练该注重集体的，集体训练好，个体也会改样子。人说教师只消传授知识就好，学生做人，该自己磨练去。但是得先有集体训练，教青年有胆量帮助人，制裁人，然后才可以让他们自己磨练去。这种集体训练的大任，得教师担当起来。现行的导师制注重个别指导，琐碎而难实践，不如缓办，让大家集中力量到集体训练上。学校以外倒是先有了集中训练，从集中军训起头，跟着来了各种训练班。前者似乎太单纯了，效果和预期差得多，后者好像还差不多。不过训练班至多只是百尺竿头更进一步，培植根基还得在学校里。在青年时代，学校的使命更重大了，中年教师的责任也更重大了，他们得任劳任怨的领导一群群青年人走上那成德达材的大路。

英译

Mr. Feng Youlan first pointed out that people now generally had higher evaluation of the youth than the elders in the 12th article Praising China of the book Xin Shi Lun, which indicated succinctly the times in which we are living. This time belongs to the youth, and it started with the May 4th Movement. From then on, the youth raised their heads and found themselves; they didn.t want to just be the grandchildren of their grandparents, the sons of their parents, or the kids of the society. They had found themselves, their own group and the strength of themselves and their group. In order to become the truly new Chinese masters, they fought against the tradition and society and struggled for their own leadership, even the social leadership. However, just like all the past times and societies, the leadership in China was in the hands of the elders and the middle-aged, more precisely, in the hands of the middle-aged. Then there came the resistance of the youth: in school they rebelled against the teachers and in society they revolted against the rulers. They defied tradition and discipline; sometimes they would be slack in work and sometimes attack violently. The middle-aged thought that the youth now were trouble-making while they were quiet before the May 4th Movement. Therefore they decided to suppress the youth; however, it didn.t work. Then they started to behave perfunctorily. When thing came to its awkward situation, group training emerged and opened a new dimension. We.d better wait and see.

Since ancient times, the youth have defied the tradition and society; however, they consistently remain lowering their heads and being oppressed and weren.t able to make use of their strength. This gives the elders a false image: they are quiet. In a family, it is common that parents have trouble with their offspring, which is a sign of suppression and resistance. The young and the old also dispute in politics; from Jia Yi the politician and litterateur of the Han dynasty to the six gentlemen martyrs of the failed reform movement of 1898, there are enough examples showing their battles. However, the middle-aged are always in the dominant position. When the elders.strength is strong enough to influence their position, the era belongs to the elders, and when the youth.s strength is strong, the era belongs to the youth. As the middle-aged are always in dominance, the efforts of the young and the old repel one another negatively. The feebleness and decadence of the elders can only represent the past while the youth are still naive and represent the future. The dominant position can only be occupied by the middle-aged. On one hand, they have to comfort the elders and cultivate the youth; on the other hand, they sneer at the former and get tired of the latter. Consolation does good to the old while cultivation is always opposite to the youth.s will. Moreover, it is always based on the middle-aged people.s knowledge and experience. They hope that the youth can become the ones having their own principles, and care and love others. However, the youth hate the typical norms, because it impedes their aspirations. They aren.t willing to be pressed into the mode, so they struggle and look forward to a boundless realm. The middle-aged can.t understand why the youth always try to escape from the regular education and think it the problem of the times. In fact, it.s the way for young people to become virtuous and successful—one side oppresses while the other side struggles. And talents and moralities are gained in this process. It has existed since ancient times, but now it becomes more apparent.

The youth believe that they are artless and unsophisticated, but looking at the world, the sophisticated youth are not rare. However, their tact only comes into play when they make their own living. When faced with big events, they become puerile. It.s very commendable of young people to desire for progress and reform, and they have sufficient strength to make a difference. As we all know, it.s difficult to be far-sighted but easier to start from the small aspect. So eventually they may focus on material reform and progress—they become extravagant and dissipated and do whatever they want; they concentrate on interests rather than loyalty, despise others and take pride of themselves. There are also such people among the middle-aged, but they are less influential. Near-sighted people can only care for themselves and drift along, or taking a step back, they can always take the negative side and deal with things in a careless and halfhearted way. These two types of people also exist among the middle-aged. But it.s terrible for people to contract such bad habits and become prematurely senile in their youth. Fortunately compared with the middle-aged, young people are more easily forgiven—just as the saying goes“a prodigal who returns is more precious than gold”. However, the middle-aged people will make the best of an error without rectifying it.

Young people.s conceit is always based on the idea that they are likely to thoroughly remold themselves; what.s more, they have sufficient energy and a wider road forward. In a word, there are a variety of possibilities for the youth. More possibilities mean greater advantages, which makes them egotistical. But if we are not egotistical in youth, then when should we be? However, we.d better control ourselves reasonably, or we will lose ourselves. Young people indulge in acrimony and sarcasm, and they are quick in learning; however, it can only please them for a while. It.s reasonable that the young people think that the middle-aged are likely to escape from reality and not willing to struggle, slippery and transient. But sometimes the youth are constrained by reality. They can.t stretch out their necks or open their eyes and can only hazily see the near future before themselves, just as the saying goes“I can.t see the great men of the past nor those of future years”. It comes back to the small aspect again. If there is an opportunity for them to live in“the world outside the world we are living in”, maybe they can get themselves improved. Sometimes the youth are illiberal. In the past, they believed that China couldn.t be saved through reading. At that time, Cai Jiemin indicated clearly that“one should read while not forgetting to save the nation and save the nation while not throwing reading away”. This isn.t a compromise, but a mature performance. If you understand, it.ll be easier for you to balance yourself.Improve yourself and balance yourself, there will be genuine“work and seriousness”. Here needs sweat.

Cai Jiemin is indeed a good teacher. Teachers play an important role in the youth.s lives. They don.t need to be sanctimonious or hold Confucian classics in one hand while a sword in the other; they just need to serve their students earnestly and courteously. However, they must be organized and learn to cooperate: being reasonable but not perfunctory, stressing guidance but also observing the law. They don.t need to beg young people with garrulous manners, ingratiate young people with honey-sweet words or menace them with knives and guns; they just need to live up to their words and do what they should do consistently and confidently. However, the foundation should be laid at school, that is, students should be trained well at school. Schools must be socializing and become a wonderful place for students to grow up. Schools can conduct plans in a prudent way just like a laboratory, but it should not become a greenhouse. Schools should pay more attention to group training, because if it works well, each student in the group can get improved. Some think that the only thing teachers need to do is imparting knowledge, but for character cultivation, it belongs to students.own business. However, in my opinion, the group training should come first.It can teach students to help others and stop the criminal. And teachers should undertake the important task. Currently, tutorial system lays emphasis on individual tuition, which is trivial and difficult to carry on. So it.s better for students to focus their strengths on group training. Though it.s a slow process, it indeed benefits to them. There are various sources of group training outside school. The group military training appears firstly, then many training classes emerge. The former seems too simple and its result is far from our expectation; the latter is more or less good. Since the function of the training class is limited, the training foundation should be laid at school. In this way, schools shoulder a greater mission when students are in their youth, and so do the middle-aged teachers. They must lead these young students to the highroad of morality and talents without complaints.