作者：Samuel Smiles 

1. A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.

通常看一个人读什么书就可以知道他的为人，就像看他同什么人交往就可以知道他的为人一样，因为有人以人为伴，有人以书为伴。无论是书友还是朋友，我们都应改以最好的为伴。

be known by由...而著名

as well as 如同

company he keeps:company此为“一群人”。经典老歌《绿袖子》当中一句歌词 “I have loved you all so long；Delighting in your company”（我心相属，日久月长。与卿相依，地老天荒。）其中的company用法与本句相同。

there is companionship of books与书相交

there is sompanionship of men与人相知

live in the best...与最好的...为伍

2. A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today that it always was, and it will never change.

好书就像你最要好的朋友。它始终不渝，过去如此，现在如此，将来也将永远不变。

it is the same...that+句子，表示“同样状况”

it is the same today that it was.今天过去同样如此。

3. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions.

它是最有耐心，最令人愉悦的伴侣。

4. It does not turn its back upon us in times of adversity or distress.

在我们穷困潦倒，临危遭难时，他也不会抛弃我们。

turn one's back upon置之不理

5. It always receives us with the same kindness; amusing and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling us in age.

对我们总是一如既往地亲切.在我们年轻时，好书陶冶我们的性情，增长我们的知识；到我们年老时，他又给我们以慰藉和勉力。

receive sb with 用...对待

in youth年轻时

in age年老时

comfort VS console

comfort普通用语，通过某种办法使人获得力量从而减轻痛苦

console正式用语，通过做事暂时忘记痛苦

6. Men often discover their affinity to each other by the mutual love they have for a book just as two persons sometimes discover a friend by the admiration which both entertain for a third.

人们常常引为喜欢同一本书而结为知己，就像两个人因为敬慕统一个人而成为朋友一样。

affinity 吸引力

mutual love for sth 对于...共同的热爱

7. There is an old proverb, ‘Love me, love my dog.”

有句古谚说到：“爱屋及乌”。

8. But there is more wisdom in this:” Love me, love my book.”

其实“爱我及书”这句话蕴藏着更多的哲理。

9. The book is a truer and higher bond of union.

书是更为真诚高尚的情谊纽带。

10. Men can think, feel, and sympathize with each other through their favorite author.

人们可以通过共同喜爱的作家沟通思想，交流感情，彼此息息相通。

11. They live in him together, and he in them.

与自己喜欢的作家沟通思想，情感交融。

they live in him

he (lives )in them省略

12. A good book is often the best urn of a life enshrining the best that life could think out; for the world of a man’s life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts.

好书常如最精美的宝器，珍藏着人生思想的精华，因为人生的境界主要就在于其思想的境界。

urn器具（通常带底座）

“for the world of a man’s life is, for the most part, but the world of his thoughts.”这个句子的主干成分the world of a man's life is the world of his thoughts.人生的境界即思想境界

“for the most part”在极大程度上，仅为插入成分

13. Thus the best books are treasuries of good words, the golden thoughts, which, remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters.

因此最好的书是金玉良言和崇高思想的宝库，这些良言和思想若铭记于心并多加珍视，就会成为我们忠实的伴侣和永恒的慰藉

句子主干部分：the best books are treasuries of.... which become companions and comforters.

再分析这句 which, remembered and cherished, become our constant companions and comforters.

which代替words,thoughts

"remembered and cherished"修饰words and houghts,意为被记住和珍视的良言和思想。

14. Books possess an essence of immortality.

书籍具有不朽的本质

essence精华

immortality不朽

15. They are by far the most lasting products of human effort.

书籍是人类创造得最为持久的成果。

by far到目前为止

16. Temples and statues decay, but books survive.

寺庙会倒坍，神像会腐烂，而书却经久长存。

17. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through their author’s minds, ages ago.

对于伟大的思想来说，时间是无关紧要的。

be of no account不重要的，无价值的

18. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly as ever from the printed page.

多年前初次闪现在作者脑海的伟大思想近日依然清新如故。他们当时的言论和思想刊于书页，现在依然生动如初。

 

19. The only effect of time have been to sift out the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive  but what is really good.

时间唯一的作用是淘汰不太好的作品，因为只有真正的佳作才能经世长存。

sift详细审阅

nothing...can survive but...除了...不能留下...

20. Books introduce us into the best society; they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived.

书籍介绍我们与最优秀的人为伍，使我们置于历代最伟大的巨匠之间。

21. We hear what they said and did; we see them as if they were really alive; we sympathize with them, enjoy with them, grieve with them; their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were in a measure actors with them in the scenes which they describe.

我们如闻其声、如观其行、如见其人。同他们情感交融、悲喜与共、感同身受。我们觉得仿佛在作者所描绘的舞台上与他们一起粉墨登场。

sympathize with 同感

enjoy with 同乐

grieve with同悲

22. The great and good do not die, even in this world.

即使在人世间，伟大杰出的人物也永生不灭。

23. Embalmed in books, their spirits walk abroad.

他们的精神被载入书册，传于四海。

embalmed用防腐药保护

24. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect to which one still listens.

数是人们至今仍在聆听的智慧之声，永远冲满着活力。