It was June 15,
and in two days I would be turning thirty.
那天是6月15日，
再过两天我就要30岁了。
I was insecure about entering a new decade
of my life and feared
that my best years were now behind me.
要进入生命中又一个新的十年，
我对此感到忐忑不安，
担心自己最美好的岁月已经离我远去了。
My daily routine included going to the gym
for a workout beforegoing to work.
我每日上班前都去体育馆锻炼一阵。
Every morning
I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym.
He was seventy-nine years old
andin terrific shape.
每天早上
我都会在体育馆见到我的朋友尼古拉斯。
他79岁，身材棒极了。
As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day,
he noticed I wasn't full of my usual vitality
and asked if there was anything wrong.
那天我跟他打招呼时，
他注意到我不象往常那样充满活力，
便问我有什么不对劲。
I told him
I was feeling anxious about turning thirty.
我告诉他自己就要30岁了，
心里很担忧。
I wondered
how I would look back on my life once
I reached Nicholas's age,
so I asked him,
What was the best time of your life?
不知道我要是到了尼古拉斯的岁数
会怎么回顾自己的一生，
于是我问他：
你一生中最美好的时光是在什么时候？
Without hesitation,
Nicholas replied,
Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer
to your philosophical question.
尼古拉斯毫不迟疑地答道：好吧，乔，
以下就是我对于
你那富有哲理的问题所作出的
富有哲理的回答。

When I was a child in Austria
and everything was taken care of for me
and I was nurtured by my parents,
that was the best time of my life.
小时候我在奥地利，
一切都被照顾得好好的，
我在父母的抚育下成长，
那是我一生中最美好的时光。
When I was going to school
and learning the things I know today,
that was the best time of my life.
上学的时候
我学着至今都不忘记的知识，
那是我一生中最美好的时光。
When I got my first job
and had responsibilities
and got paid for my efforts,
that was the best time of my life.
当我找到第一份工作，
承担了工作中的职责
并且为自己的努力获得报酬时，
那是我一生中最美好的时光。
When I met my wife and fell in love,
that was the best time of my life.
当我遇到我的妻子并坠入爱河时，
那是我一生中最美好的时光。
The Second World War came,
and my wife and I had to flee Austria
to save our lives.
二次大战来临，
妻子和我为活命不得不逃离奥地利。
When we were together
and safe on a ship bound for North America,
that was the best time of my life.
当我们一起安安全全地坐上驶往北美洲的轮船时，
那是我一生中最美好的时光。
When we came to Canada
and started a family,
that was the best time of my life.
当我们来到加拿大建立了家庭时，
那是一生中最美好的时光。
When I was a young father,
watching my children grow up,
that was the best time of my life.
当我成了一位年轻的父亲，
看着自己的孩子一点点地长大时，
那是我一生中最美好的时光。
And now, Joe,
I am seventy-nine years old.
I have my health,
I feel good and I am in love with my wife
just as I was when we first met.
而现在，乔，
我79岁了。
我身体健康，感觉很好，
而且还和初次相遇时一样爱我的妻子。
This is the best time of my life.
这是我一生中最美好的时光。

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