You Have to Water the Plant 你得浇灌理解之花
You Have to Water the Plant 你得浇灌理解之花 by Leland Stowe利兰•斯托For the things I believe in, I must give a reporter’s answer. Like everyone else, it’s out of my own experience.身为记者，我必须从职业的角度来说说何谓信仰。跟其他人一样，我也会从自身的经历谈起。For twenty-four years I’ve been up to my neck in the world’s troubles; meeting people in dozens of foreign countries; watching other nations drift into war—and America too. It’s convinced me that one of the most important things in life, for every one of us, is understanding—trying to see the other fellow’s point of view. I’ve often thought: If I could really put myself in the other person’s shoes, see things the way he sees them, feel what he feels, how much more tolerant and fair I’d be.
24年来，我始终在与世界上的各种麻烦打着交道……接触来自不同国家的人们……目睹其他国家(包括美国)陷入战乱。这让我坚信，对我们每个人而言，人生最重要的事情之一就是理解并努力去了解他人的想法。我常常想，如果我能够真正站在别人的角度来看他们所看，感他们所感，那我将会是多么的宽容公正。
I remember, back in the twenties, the bitter arguments between Europeans and Americans about reducing the war debts.
20年代，欧洲与美国之间关于缩减战争债务的那场激烈争议，我记忆犹新。I had to explain what the Europeans felt, and why. I learned then that there’s almost always some right, and some wrong, on both sides.
当时，我不得不为欧洲方面的想法与原因予以解释。我明白当时双方都有对与错，但我们都没有站在对方的立场上考虑。We didn’t think enough about ours. When lack of understanding becomes pronounced, it leads to hatred and war.
当理解的匮乏变得显而易见时，就导致了仇恨与战争。而这一点在我们的日常生活中也能体现出来。But it’s like that in our daily life, too. If I talk disparagingly about any racial group, I promote hatred—dissension in our society. I haven’t thought how I would feel if I belonged to that group.
如果我以轻蔑的口吻谈论任何种族，就会增加我们社会上的仇恨与纷争。如果我属于那个种族，我会有怎样的想法，这一点我却不曾考虑过。In Berlin I saw Hitler’s thugs beating up helpless Jews. Then, back home, sometimes I heard people say: “Well, it’s their affair.”
如果我以轻蔑的口吻谈论任何种族，就会增加我们社会上的仇恨与纷争。如果我属于那个种族，我会有怎样的想法，这一点我却不曾考虑过。They forgot that freedom and fair play belong to all human beings—not to lucky Americans only. They forgot that people are people—of whatever creed, color, or nationality.
他们忘记了自由与公平的行事的权利属于全人类，而并非只属于幸运的美国人。他们忘记了无论信仰、肤色和国籍有何不同，人都是人。I remember the poor Spanish and Greek peasants who shared their bread and cheese with me—all they had; the old Russian woman who made me take her bed, while she slept on the floor. So many simple people who couldn’t speak my language but spoke with their hearts.
我记得，贫穷的西班牙和希腊农民曾让我分享他们最后的面包和奶酪;年老的俄罗斯妇人把她的床让给了我，自己却睡在地板上。那么，多纯朴的人们，他们虽然与我在言语不通，但却是在用心与我沟通。One of the happiest things in my life is this: My best friends are like a roster of the United Nations—Europeans, Asians, Latin Americans, North Americans—just people, from all over the world.
正如联合国的成员名单一样，我也可以列出我最好的朋友们——他们来自欧洲、亚洲、拉丁美洲、北美洲，来自世界各地。The best part is discovering how much we have in common; the constant reminder that friendship has no national barriers, the knowledge that all kinds of people really can understand each other.
我最大的发现就是我们拥有很多共同之处——这一点常常提醒我：友谊没有国界，也让我认识到不同国界的人们真的可以互相了解。We all have to live in this world, but we are all a mixture of good and bad. But I’ve found more of the good than the bad in most people—in every country.
我们都必须在这个世界上生活，而我们每个人都有优点与缺点。但我发现，无论哪个国家的人们都是优点多于缺点的。I think you only have to look— Understanding is a flower blossoming. But you have to water the plant.
我想，只要用心去看，你也会发现的。理解就像盛开的花朵，你必须去浇灌它。Then, when it blossoms, what a wonderful feeling! You feel that way when you make a new friend. I guess understanding really is charity and love.
当它绽放时，那是一种多么美妙的感觉啊。当你拥有新朋友时，你就会明白这种感觉了。I know it gives a new meaning to our lives. When I die, I wish people might say: “He helped people to understand each other better.” Of course, I often fail. But just trying makes living seem worthwhile.
我认为，理解其实就是仁慈与爱心，它能为我们的生活带来崭新的意义。当我死去时，我希望人们可以说：“他曾为人们的相互理解做出了努力。”当然，我也常常会失败。但我的生活因这种努力似乎也充满了价值。
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