you never wrong to do the right things
The Two Roads
It was New Year's Night.An aged man was
standing at a window.He raised his mournful eyes
towards the deep blue sky,where the stars were
floating like white lilies on the surface of a clear
calm lake.Then he cast them on the earth,where
few more hopeless people than himself now moved
towards their certain goal-the tomb.He had
already passed sixty of the stages leading to it,and
he had brought from his journey nothing but errors
and remorse.Now his health was poor,his mind vacant,his heart sorrowful,and his old age short
of comforts.
The days of his youth appeared like dreams
before him,and he recalled the serious moment
when his father placed him at the entrance of the
two roads-one leading to a peaceful,.sunny place
covered with flowers,fruits and resounding with
soft,sweet songs;the other leading to a deep,
dark cave,which was endless],where poison
flowed instead of wates and where devils and
poisonous snakes hissed and crawled.
He looked towards the sky and cried painfully,
O youth,return! O my father,place me once more at the entrance to life,and I'I choose the better way!” But both his father and the days of
his youth had passed away.
He saw the lights flowing away in the
darkness.These were the days of his wasted life;he saw a star fall from the sky and disappear,and
this was the symbel of himself.His remorse,
which was like a sharp arrow,struck deeply into
his heart.Then he remembered his friends in his childhood,who entered on life together with him.
But they had mada their wayto success and were now honoured and happy on this New Year's
Night.
The clock in the high church tower struck and
the sound made him remember his parents'early love for him.They had taught him and prayed to
God for his good.But he chose the wrong way.
With shame and grief he daredno-longer look
towards that heaven where his father lived.His
darkened eyes were full of tears,and with a
despairing effort,he burst out a cry:“Come back,
my early days! Come back!”
And his youth did return ,for all this was only
a dream which he had had in New Year's Night
He was still young though his faults were real ;he
had not yet entered the deep,dark cave,and he
was still free to walk on the road which leads to
the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still linger on the entrance of life hesitating to choose the bright road.
remember that when years are passed and your feet stumb on the dark mountains,you will crybitterly,but in vain :“O youth,return! Oh give
me back my early days!”
mournful悲伤的
lily百合花
remorse 悔恨
resound.回响
hiss/his/.嘶嘶作响
linger.徘徊
stumble/.端珊而行;绊绊倒