加载中…SH18翻译：就任北京大学校长之演说（蔡元培）
(2016-06-14 11:19:21)
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翻译就任北京大学校长教育 |
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SH18翻译：就任北京大学校长之演说（蔡元培）
Translation: Speech in Taking Office as
Peking University Principal (Cai Yuanpei)
(translated by: alexcwlin; edited by: Adam Lam)
Five years ago when Mr. Yan Jidao was principal of this University, I just started working in the Education Department.
开学日曾有所贡献于学校。
On the opening day of that school year, I was credited with some contributions to this university.
诸君多自预科毕业而来，想必闻知。
Ladies and gentlemen, I imagine all of you, being graduates from the preparatory program, would have got wind of that at the time.
士别三日，刮目相见，
A learned person could improve in a few days’ time and other people would look at him with a new perspective.
况时阅数载，诸君较昔当为长足之进步矣。
Besides, several years have come and gone and all of you must have made immense progress.
予今长斯校，请以三事为诸君告:
Now that I have taken over the rein of this University, there are three things I would like to inform all of you:
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一曰抱定宗旨。
Firstly you must stay steadfast with your objectives.
诸君来此求学，必有一定宗旨，
All of you who come here to learn must have objectives in mind.
欲求宗旨之正大与否，必先知大学之性质。
In finding out whether your objectives are righteous or not, you must understand the nature of university.
今人肄业专门学校，学成任事，此固势所必然。
A person nowadays who goes to vocational schools would get a job after graduation as a matter of course.
而在大学则不然，
But going to university is different.
大学者，研究高深学问者也。
University is a place where profound knowledge is studied.
外人每指摘本校之腐败，
Outside people always criticize the decadence of this university.
以求学于此者，皆有做官发财思想，
It seems all those who come here to study have thoughts in mind to assume high government posts or get rich.
故毕业预科者，多入法科，
Therefore graduates from preparatory course program mostly get into Law Faculty.
入文科者甚少，入理科者尤少，
Few of them enter the art programs and even fewer sign up with the science programs.
盖以法科为干禄之终南捷径也。
It is because a Law degree is seen as a shortcut to high government posts.
因做官心热，对于教员，则不问其学问之浅深，惟问其官阶之大小。
Because of the fervency to become government officials, therefore the criteria for a teaching staff in Law Faculty are not measured by how well his knowledge is but by how high he ranks in the government hierarchy.
官阶大者，特别欢迎，盖为将来毕业有人提携也。
High-ranking government officials are particularly welcomed since students could ride on his coattails upon graduation.
现在我国精于政法者，多入政界，专任教授者甚少，
Presently those people who are good at politics and laws mostly have entered the government circle and very few of them become full-time professors.
故聘请教员，不得不聘请兼职之人，亦属不得已之举。
Therefore in hiring teaching staff, we have no choice but to employ part-timers, and that is something we are forced to do for lack of a better alternative.
究之外人指摘之当否，姑不具论，
Let’s don’t delve into whether accusations made by outside people in this regard are justifiable or not.
然弭谤莫如自修，
The best way to put an end to criticism is to keep bettering ourselves.
人讥我腐败，问心无愧，于我何惧？
If people denounce us for impropriety, but in self-reflection we are true to our conscience, then what is there to be concerned about?
果欲达其做官发财之目的，则北京不少专门学校，
If your goal in life is to take office in government or get rich, specialized schools are plentiful in Beijing for the purposes.
入法科者尽可肄业于法律学堂，入商科者亦可投考商业学校，
There are law schools for law programs and business schools for business programs.
又何必来此大学？
Why then do you come to this university?
所以诸君须抱定宗旨，为求学而来，
Therefore all of you, ladies and gentlemen, must be firm in your objectives to come here for the study of knowledge.
入法科者，非为做官；入商科者，非为致富。
Here, a student going to the Law Faculty is not for the purpose of becoming a government official, and one going to the business program is not for reason of getting rich.
宗旨既定，自趋正轨，
Once you set your objectives straight, the rest will fall in place.
诸君肄业于此，或三年，或四年，时间不为不多，
All of you study here for three or four years and that is a fairly long time.
苟能爱惜分阴，孜孜求学，则求造诣，容有底止。
If you can make good use of your time and focus on academic achievements by studying hard, then the results will be phenomenal.
If your desires aim at political power and wealth, then the objectives are wrong and the direction will be deviated from the proper course.
平时则放荡冶游，考试则熟读讲义，
You would lead a dissipated life on regular days and cram lecture notes before exams.
不问学问之有无，惟争分数之多寡；
Your concerns would not be whether you have gained knowledge but how good are your exam marks.
试验既终，书籍束之高阁，毫不过问，
Once exams are over, you would put the books away in attics and not revisit them again.
敷衍三、四年，潦草塞责，文凭到手，即可借此活动于社会，
After doing the minimum for three or four years on what it takes to get the diploma, then you would rely on it to get around in society.
岂非与求学初衷大相背驰乎？
Wouldn’t such manners be completely contradictory to your original intention in pursuing studies?
光阴虚度，学问毫无，是自误也。
Having wasted your time and learned nothing, wouldn’t you have done yourselves a big disfavor?
且辛亥之役，吾人之所以革命，因清廷官吏之腐败。
In the battle of Xinhai, the reason why we revolted was because the government officials of Qing Dynasty were corrupt.
即在今日，吾人对于当轴多不满意，亦以其道德沦丧。
Even nowadays, dissatisfaction of many people with important government officials is because their integrity has been compromised.
今诸君苟不于此时植其基，勤其学，
All of you must build a good foundation for yourselves now by studying hard.
则将来万一因生计所迫，出而仕事，但任讲席，则必贻误学生；置身政界，则必贻误国家。
Otherwise in the event you have to work for a living in the future, you could mislead students if you become lecturers or disappoint your country if you become government officials.
是误人也。
Such are letdowns for others.
误已误人，又岂本心所愿乎？
Would failing yourselves and others be something you wish for?
故宗旨不可以不正大。
Therefore your objectives in life must be righteous.
此余所希望于诸君者一也。
This is the first thing I expect from all of you.
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二曰砥砺德行。
Secondly it is important to perfect your moral integrity.
方今风俗日偷，
Immoral conducts can be seen everywhere nowadays.
道德沦丧，
Social ethos is on the decline.
北京社会，尤为恶劣，败德毁行之事，触目皆是，
In particular, Beijing’s society is noticeably bad and immoral behaviors are all over the place.
非根基深固，鲜不为流俗所染。
Unless you are deep-rooted in your moral integrity, it would be hard to emerge untainted.
诸君肄业大学，当能束身自爱。
All of you studying in university of course are capable of self-disciplining and respectful in how you behave.
然国家之兴替，视风俗之厚薄。
Prosperity or decline of a country depends on whether society’s ethos is upright or decadent.
流俗如此，前途何堪设想。
If the prevailing social attitude is dismal, then how could anyone take an optimistic view on the future of the country?
故必有卓绝之士，以身作则，力矫颓俗，
Therefore it is necessary for prominent individuals to take the lead in averting the tide of immorality.
诸君为大学学生，地位甚高，
You, ladies and gentlemen, are university students with high social status.
肩此重任，责无旁贷，
Logically this burden falls on your shoulders which you cannot pass on to someone else.
故诸君不惟思所以感已，更必有以励人。
So all of you should not only think about staying virtuous to satisfy your own selves, but you should present yourselves as epitomes to encourage others to follow.
苟德之不修，学之不讲，同乎流俗，合乎污世，已且为人轻侮，更何足以感人。
If you don’t refine your moral conducts, refuse to lecture others on your beliefs, and pick up debauched habits that are all the rage in today’s society, then you are an insult to your own selves and how then can you be models for others?
然诸君终日伏首案前，芸芸攻苦，毫无娱乐之事，必感身体上之苦痛。
Putting your heads down on your desks to study hard all day without entertainment would take a toll on your bodies.
为诸君计，莫如以正当之娱乐，易不正当之娱乐，
For your sake, you should engage in proper entertainments and not improper entertainments.
庶几道德无亏，而于身体有益。
Such activities do not cause blemish on your moral integrity and are beneficial to your bodies.
诸君入分科时，曾填写愿书，遵守本校规则，
When you choose your majors in this university, you fill out application forms which undertake to abide by rules and regulations of the university.
苟中道而违之，岂非与原始之意相反乎？
If you violate them midway, wouldn’t you be contradicting your original intentions?
故品行不可以不谨严。
Therefore you must conduct yourselves in rigorous manners.
此余所希望于诸君者二也。
This is the second thing I expect from all of you.
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三曰敬爱师友。
Thirdly you must treat your teachers and classmates with respect and love.
教员之教授，职员之任务，皆以图诸君求学便利，诸君能无动于衷乎？
Imparting knowledge by teachers and providing services by university staff facilitate learning of all of you and how can you not be appreciative?
自应以诚相待，敬礼有加。
Therefore you should be sincere, respectful and polite towards them.
至于同学共处一室，尤应互相亲爱，
In dealing with schoolmates living together, you should care for others with affability and affection.
庶可收切磋之效。
This way you could learn from one another.
不惟开诚布公，更宜道义相勗，
Beside mutual sincerity and frankness, providing encouragement to others is also important in your relationship.
盖同处此校，毁誉共之。
The reason is under the same roof of the university, you share both the good and bad on its reputation.
同学中苟道德有亏，行有不正，为社会所訾詈，已虽规行矩步，亦莫能辨，
If your schoolmates have questionable moral conducts or behaviors which are censured by society, then even though you conduct yourselves appropriately, it would be hard for you to explain.
此所以必互相劝勉也。
Therefore you must guide and urge one another to conduct yourselves properly.
余在德国，每至店肆购买物品，店主殷勤款待，
Every time when I went shopping in Germany, the store owner would greet me warmly.
付价接物，互相称谢，
In paying price or receiving goods, we all said thanks to each other.
此虽小节，然亦交际所必需，
It was trivial yet necessary social courtesy.
常人如此，况堂堂大学生乎？
Ordinary people conduct themselves like that, then why shouldn’t university students behave likewise?
对于师友之敬爱，此余所希望于诸君者三也。
Treating teachers and friends with respect and love is the third thing I expect from all of you.
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I have assumed office in the university for only a few days.
校事多未详悉，
Many affairs in the university are still unfamiliar to me.
兹所计划者二事：
At present there are two projects in the works.
一曰改良讲义。
The first one is to improve on the lecture notes.
诸君既研究高深学问，自与中学、高等不同，
All of you are studying profound knowledge and naturally such is different from that in high school and higher education.
不惟恃教员讲授，尤赖一已潜修。
Such knowledge comes not only from lectures of teachers, but also through research on your own initiatives.
以后所印讲义，只列纲要，
Therefore from now on the printed lecture notes will only list outlines.
细微末节，以及精旨奥义，或讲师口授，或自行参考，
The details and succinct contents will be provided by lecturers or through your own research of reference materials.
以期学有心得，能裨实用。
As such, what you learn will include your own ideas which will be useful in the learning process.
二曰添购书籍。
The second one is to buy additional books.
本校图书馆书籍虽多，新出者甚少，
Although books are plentiful in our libraries, yet newly published ones are few.
苟不广为购办，必不足供学生之参考。
If we don’t widely buy more books, they will not provide sufficient reference materials for students.
刻拟筹集款项，多购新书，
Now we are raising money to buy more new books.
将来典籍满架，自可旁稽博采，无虞缺乏矣。
In the future when books filled the racks, we will then have references from more sources and we don’t have to worry about shortages.
今日所与诸君陈说者只此，
Today this is what I want to talk about to all of you.
以后会晤日长，
There is more time in the future.
随时再为商榷可也。
Anytime my door is open for discussion with you.
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