4月27日

說青年之人生
唐君毅 ( 1909~1978 )

青年朋友們，你可曾在自然的純潔外，
時時拂拭你心靈上的灰塵？

你可曾在不怕壓力，反抗權威，推
倒阻礙外，真正培植你自己之力量，
而深植其根於歷史文化之土壤，以吸
收地下養料與泉水？

你可曾細細去思惟什麼是人間社會
最高的正義，真正求實現此正義而百
折不回？

你可曾發憤求師友相勉或尚友古人，
以擴大你之胸量，提高你之志氣，
而看見更大的光明？

這些都賴你自覺的努力，而不能
恃你青年的天德。你要知，青年的德
性，隨青年以俱來者，亦將隨青年以
俱去。「朱顏今日雖欺我，白髮他年
不讓君」,你到中年老年時，你是不
是亦會同你所厭惡之頹敗的中年老年
一樣？「秦人不暇自哀而後人哀之。
後人哀之而不鑑之，亦使後人而復哀
後人也。」世界最大的悲劇，莫如
「後之視今亦猶今之視昔」了。

──選自《青年與學問》

April 27th

On Life as a Youth
Tang Junyi (1909 - 1978)
English translation: Zhi Yue

Dear young friends, outside of being natural and pure,
have you ever frequently wiped off the dusts in your mind?

In order to truly foster your own power, have you ever
remained fearless in the face of pressure, rebelled against
authority, and overthrown obstacles, so that you can
deeply root yourself in the soil of history and culture to
absorb its nutrients and hidden springs?

Have you ever carefully contemplated on the highest
justice in human society or sought to realize this justice
with all your might?

Have you ever aspired to seek mutual encouragement in a
mentor or friend, or the acquaintance of noble friends or
ancient sages, so that you could expand your heart and
increase your resolve to see an even brighter future?

These all depend on your own effort, and you cannot
take your youthful advantages for granted. You must
know that the advantage of youth comes with being
young, but will also fade away as youth does. “This fair
face may outshine me today, when you reach the same
old age I shall not yield.” In your middle ages, will you
become that dispirited middle or old aged person whom
you once despised? “The Qin people were too busy to
feel sad for themselves, and left it to those of later times
to feel sad for them. But if those people only felt sad
and never reflected or learnt from their tragedies, those
who then succeed their times will subsequently feel sad
for them as well.” The greatest tragedy in the world is
for people after our times to witness and feel sad for the
tragedy which we have repeated.

── from Qingnian Yu Xuewen (Youth and Knowledge)