Furthermore, experience is comparable to fashion;

经验和时尚有关，

an action that proved successful today will be unworkable and impractical tomorrow.

适合某一时代的行为,并不寻味着在今天仍然行得通。

Only principles endure and these I now possess,

只有原则是持久的，

for the laws that will lead me to greatness are contained in the words of these scrolls.

而我现在正拥有了这些原则。这些可以指引我走向成功的原则全写在这几张羊皮卷里。

What they will teach me is more to prevent failure than to gain success,

它教我如何避免失败，而不只是获得成功，

for what is success other than a state of mind?

因为成功更是一种精神状态。

Which two, among a thousand wise men,

人们对于成功的定义，

win define success in the same words;

见仁见智，

yet failure is always described but one way.

而失败却往往只有一种解释:

Failure is man's inability to reach his goals in life,

失败就是一个人没能达到他的人生目标，

whatever they may be.

不论这些目标是什么。

In truth, the only difference between those who have failed

事实上，成功与失败的最大分野，

and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits.

来自不同的习惯。

Good habits are the key to all success.

好习惯是开启成员的钥匙，

Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure.

坏习惯则是一扇向失败敞开的门。

Thus, the first law I will obey, which produce all others is

因此，我首先要做的便是养成良好的习惯，

I will form good habits and become their slaves.

全心全意去实行。

As a child I was slave to my impulses;

小时候．我常会感情用事，

now I am slave to my habits, as are all grown men.

长大成人了，我要用良好的习惯代替一时的冲动。

I have surrendered my free will to the years of accumulated habits

我的自由意志

and the past deeds of my life have already marked out a path

屈服于多年养成的恶习，

which threatens to imprison my future.

它们威胁着我的前途。

My actions are ruled by appetite,

我的行为受到品味、

passion, prejudice, greed, love, fear, environment, habit,

情感、偏见、欲望、爱、恐惧、环境和习惯的影响，

and the worst of these tyrants is habit,

其中最厉害的就是习惯。

Therefore, if I must be a slave to habit let me be a slave to good habits.

因此，如果我必须受习惯支配的话，那就让我受好习惯的支配。

My bad habits must be destroyed

那些坏习惯必须戒除，

and new furrows prepared for good seed.

我要在新的田地里播种好的种子。

I will form good habits and become their slave.

我要养成良好的习惯，全心全意去实行。

And how will I accomplish this difficult feat?

这不是轻而易举的事情，要怎样才能做到呢，

Through these scrolls, it will be done,

靠这些羊皮卷就能做到。

for each scroll contains a principle which will drive a bad habit from my life

因为每一卷里都写着一个原则，可以摒除—项坏习惯，

and replace it with one which will bring me closer to success.

换取一个好习惯，使人进步，走向成功。

For it is another of nature's laws

这也是自然法则之一，

that only a habit can subdue another habit.

只有一种习惯才能抑制另一种习惯。

So, in order for these written words to perform their chosen task,

所以，为了走好我选择的道路，

I must discipline myself with the first of my new habits which is as follows:

我必须养成的第一个习惯

I will read each scroll for thirty days

每张羊皮卷用三十天的时间阅读，

in this prescribed manner, before I proceed to the next scroll.

然后再进人下一卷。