217 The tactile and the spiritual
217 实际的和精神的
My temper is such that I am not easily tantalized. The tedium of everyday existence does not tarnish my view of life, nor does it tamper with my ability to criticize it. In the final tally, life is teeming with both the interesting and the tedious. We must tap into previously untapped talents within ourselves so that we can tame our love for one and our hatred for the other. Tangible benefits will soon be noticed if such an approach to life is taken. We are tactile animals. This much cannot be denied. But we mustn’t tag ourselves strictly with this moniker from the outset. It would taint the view of our spiritual side. Our tactile side can enjoy a tasty meal or enjoy good beer at the tavern, but it is our spiritual side that enables us to enjoy a beautiful medieval tapestry or discover something as incredible as plate tectonics. Our base nature may allow us to tease or taunt someone, enjoy a tasteless joke, or trick us into believing it is okay to be tardy toward our responsibilities. We must cultivate the correct temper, not allowing too much of this but not allowing too little, either. If we focus, we can look upon the good and bad with equal disdain or pleasure. Our lives are diverse. Some of us are wealthy businessmen, others work in low-paying government jobs where they might do something mundane like set tariff levels. If we can look at one like we look at the other, we can then say we have accomplished something. This should be our goal.
我不易受到诱惑，我的性情就是这样。日常生存的单调乏味并没有影响我的人生观，也没有削弱我批判生活的能力。总而言之，生活充满着趣味和乏味。我们一定要挖掘我们内部未经利用的才智，以便抑制对一个人的爱以及对另一个人的恨。如果对生活采取这样的态度，很快就会看到实际的好处。我们是实际的动物。这一点不能否认。但是我们不能从一开始就严格给自己加上这个称呼。这样做会有损于我们精神层面的视野。我们的物质层面可以让我们在小酒店里享受可口的饭菜或爽口的啤酒，但是，是我们的精神层面让我们能够欣赏漂亮的中世纪挂毯，或者发现像板块构造学一样不可思议的东西。我们卑劣的本质可以让我们取笑或嘲笑别人，欣赏毫无品位的笑话，或者哄骗自己认为敷衍塞责没有什么大不了。我们一定要培养良好的脾性，不要过于放纵，也不要过于收敛。如果我们集中注意力，我们可以用同样鄙视或者愉快的眼光看待善恶。我们的生活千差万别。有些是富有的商人，有些在政府部门做薪水微薄的工作，他们做的事情可能像固定不变的关税等级一样平凡。如果我们用看待这种事物的眼光看待那种事物，我们就可以说，做到一视同仁，我们已经有所成就。这应该就是我们的目标。
Words:
tactile adj.触觉的,可触觉的
tag vt.给…加标签,添加,附加n.标签,货签
taint vt.污染,感染
talent n.才能,天才
tally v. (使)一致,吻合n.记录,记账
tame vt.驯养,驯服
tamper v.干预或干涉(某事)
tangible adj.明确的,真实的,可触知的,有形的
tantalize v.招惹,挑逗
tap vt.开发,利用
tapestry n.织锦,挂毯
tardy adj.迟到的,缓慢的
tariff n.关税
tarnish n. 晦暗,污点vt.使失去光泽,玷污
tasteless adj.没味道的
tasty adj.美味的,可口的
taunt n. 嘲笑,奚落v.嘲弄,激怒
tavern n.小酒店,客栈
tease v.逗弄,激怒
tectonics n.(地)构造学
tedious adj.单调乏味的,沉闷的
tedium n.单调乏味
teem vi.充满
temper n,脾气,性情,缓和,调节