初学者爱上英语经典美文10：如果你不能得到奇迹，就让自己成为奇迹（中英）
If You Can't Get a Miracle, Become One
如果你不能得到奇迹，就让自己成为奇迹
People often expect someone with a severe disability to be inactive, maybe even angry and withdrawn. I like to surprise them by showing that I lead a very adventurous and fulfilling existence. Despite my physical limitations, I'm living as though I have no limits.
人们常常认为一个有着严重残疾的人应该是消极的， 甚至也许脾气暴躁、沉默寡言。而我想令他们凉讶，我要向他们展示我的生活极具冒险色彩。并且富有成就。尽管我没有四肢，有着严重的身体缺陷，但我就像没有限制一样生活着。
I often ask myself the very question: "Nick, how can you be so happy?" Here is my answer: I found happiness when I realized that as imperfect as I may be, I am the perfect Nick Vujicic. I am God's creation, designed according to His plan for me. That's not to say that there isn't room for improvement. I'm always trying to be better so I can better serve Him and the world!
我经常问自己:“力克，你怎么能如此幸福呢?”这就是我的回答:当我意识到虽然我可能并不完美，但我是完美的力克·胡哲时，我找到了幸福。上帝根据他对我的计划创造了我，这并不是说我没有改进的空间了，我一直在尽力做到更好，这样才能更好地服务于上帝和世界。
I do believe my life has no limits. I want you to feel the same way about your life, no matter what your challenges may be. As we begin our journey together, please take a moment to think about any limitations you've placed on your life or that you've allowed others to place on it. Now think about what it would be like to free of those limitations. What would your life be if anything were possible?
我确实相信我的人生没有局限。我希望不论面对什么挑战，你对你的人生也有着和我相同的感触。当我们一起开始旅行时，请花上一小会儿，想想你曾经给自己的人生设置的所有限制，或者你曾经允许别人对你的人生施加的限制。现在想想如果没有那些限制，人生会是怎样?如果一切皆有可能.你的人生会是怎样？
I'm officially disabled, but I'm truly enabled because of my lack of limbs. My unique challenges have opened up unique opportunities to reach so many in need. Just imagine what is possible for you!
我身患残疾，但因为没有四肢，我真的无所不能。非同寻常的挑战赋子我非同寻常的机会，走到众多需要我的人身边。只要想象一下你可能做什么!
Too often we tell ourselves we aren't smart enough or attractive enough or talented enough to pursue our dreams. We buy into what others say about us, or we put restrictions on ourselves. What's worse is that when you consider yourself unworthy, you are putting limits on how God can work through you!
我们常常告诉自己我们不够聪明，或者不够有吸引力，或者天赋不够，不能追求梦想。我们接受别人对我们的看法，或者我们自己限制自己。更糟糕的是，当你认为自己毫无价值时，你是在限制上帝在你身上能取得的收获!
When you give up on your dreams, you put God in a box. After all, you are His creation. He made you for a purpose. Therefore your life cannot be limited any more than God's love can be contained.
当你放弃梦想，你把上帝放在了盒子里。毕竟，你是他的创作。他创造你是有用意的。所以，正如上帝的爱不能被限制一样，你的生活也不能被限制。
I have a choice. You have a choice. We can choose to dwell on disappointments and shortcomings. We can choose to be bitter, angry, or sad. Or when faced with hard times and hurtful people, we can choose to learn from the experience and move forward, taking responsibility for our own happiness.
我有一个选择。你有一个选择。我们可以选择对失望之事和自身缺点耿耿于怀，我们可以选择痛苦、生气或者悲伤。或者当面对艰难困苦和伤害自己的人时，我们可以选择从这种经历中学习，勇往直前，如此才能为自己的幸福负责。
As God's child, you are beautiful and precious, worth more than all the diamonds in the world. You and I are perfectly suited to be who we were meant to be! Even still, it should always be our goal to become an even better person and stretch out boundaries by dreaming big. Adjustments are necessary along the way because life isn't always rosy, but it is always worth living. I'm here to tell you that no matter what your circumstances may be, as long as you are breathing, you have a contribution to make.
作为上帝的孩子，你是美丽和珍贵的，价值超过世界上所有的钻石。你和我都完全适合成为上帝希望我们成为的人!即使如此，我们要成为更优秀的人，要有远大的理想，冲破重重局限，这应该永远是我们的目标。人生旅程中，调整是必要的，因为生活并非一直灿烂美好，但活着永远是值得的。我在这里告诉你，不管你的情况如何，只要你在呼吸，你都要有所贡献。
I can't put a hand on your shoulder to reassure you, but I can speak from the heart. However desperate your life may seem, there is hope. As bad as circumstances appear, there are better days ahead. No matter how dire your circumstances may appear, you can rise above them. l'o wish for change will change nothing. To make the decision to take action right now will change everything!
我不能把一只手放在你的肩上安慰你，但我可以对你说心底的话。不论生活有似多么绝望，总会有希望。不论情况显得多么糟糕.光明的日子总在前方。不论境遇看来多么可怕，你定能一一超越。希望改变不会改变任何事物，只有现在就下定决心，采取行动，才能改变一切！
All events come together for the good. I'm certain of that because it's been true in my life. What good is a life without limbs? Just by looking at me, people know that I faced and overcame many obstacles and hardships. That makes them willing to listen to me as a source of inspiration. They allow me to share my faith, to tell them they are loved, and to give them hope.
世间一切事情皆为美好而来。对此我坚信不疑，因为我的生命便是如此。没有四肢的人生有什么好呢？只要看看我.人们就知道我曾经面对过多少障碍和艰难，我战胜过多少障碍和艰难，这令他们愿意倾听我的声音，并视之为激发他们生命斗志的源泉。他们让我和他们一起分享我的信念，让我告诉他们自己是被爱着的，让我给他们以希望。
That is my contribution. It's important to recognize your own value. Know that you also have something to contribute. If you feel frustrated right now, that's okay. Your sense of frustration means you want more for your life than you have right now. That's all good. Often it's the challenges in life that show us who we are truly meant to be.
这就是我的贡献。重要的是要认识到自己的价值，知道你也能有所贡献。如果现在你感到沮丧，没关系。挫折感意味着你想为自己的生活拥有比现在更多的事物，这非常好。常常正是生活中的挑战告诉我们真正要成为什么样的人。
课堂笔记：
1.介词“despite”表示“尽管”的意思，与其同义的常用词组是“in spite of”。句子中的连词“as though"表示“仿佛，好像”。此句言辞简短，却气势恢宏，显示了力克非凡的勇气、自信和乐观。
2.此处的as ... as不是“……一样”的含义，而是表达让步，起强调作用，意思为“虽然”
3.英语表达中提及上帝时，常用大写的代词“He, Him或His”来指称.
4.此部分是由“or连接的两个并列定语从句，共同修饰先行词“limitations"，其中第一个定语从句的that予以省略."place limitations on sth.”意思为“对…加以限制”，文中还使用了如下同义词组:"put limits on”和“put restrictions on" .
5.此句运用了虚拟语气，表示假设.条件从句“if anything were possible”中“be”动词为"were"，是对现在的虚拟.
6."officially"意思为“官方地，正式地”，该词显示了力克不向噩运低头的乐观向上的精神.
7.此句的因果关联看似有些矛盾，一个人不可能因为缺少四肢而能力非凡，但正是力克这种超乎寻常的乐观精神打动着我们，使他成为无数人钦佩的精神楷模，也使语言显得如此生动有力。
8."not……any more than”意思是“不超过，不比…多”，等同于“no……more than"。该词组用于比较两事物，是对两者的否定。该句中的两者分别为“limit your life”及"contain God's love"，即“限制生命”和“限制上帝的爱”都是不可取的。
9."It is ...that...”是英语中的强调句型，此处对句子的主语“the challenges in life”进行强调。
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