哲理晨读英语美文：宁静的真谛
There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all the pictures. But there were only two he really liked, and he had to choose between them. One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead was a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. All who saw this picture thought that it was a perfect picture of peace.
从前有个国王，悬赏能画出最好的静态画的画家。很多画家都试过了。国王看了所有的作品，但他真正喜欢的只有两幅。一幅画中是一片宁静的湖泊，四周群山环绕，而湖泊就是一面完美的镜子。蓝色的天空中白云飘，每个看到这幅画的人都认为这真是一幅表现宁静的完美作品。
The other picture had mountains, too. But these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky, from which rain fell and in which lightning played. Down the side of the mountain tumbled afoaming waterfall. This did not look peaceful at all.
另一幅画也有山脉,但却崎岖不平，而且光秃秃的。上面是乌云密布的天空，而且狂风骤雨、闪电雷鸣，一条白色的瀑布从山的一侧倾泻下来。这看起来一点都不宁静。
But when the king looked closely, he saw behind the waterfall a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock. In the bush a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest — in perfect peace.
然而当国王仔细地看了看，他看到在岩石的裂隙中长着一颗小小的灌木。在汹涌的水流中间，鸟妈妈安坐在她的巢穴中——如此和谐。 Which picture do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. Do you know why?
你认为哪幅画能得到国王的赞赏呢?当然，国王选择了第二幅。你知道为什么吗?
“Because,” explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."
国王说:“这是因为，宁静并不是指在这个地方没有噪音，没有烦扰,没有艰难的劳动。宁静意味着所有这些因素都存在于你的周围，而你的心中依然能保持安宁。这才是宁静的真谛。”
哲理晨读英语美文：悟透自我
In all one’s lifetime it is oneself that one spends the most time being with or dealing with. But it is precisely oneself that one has the least understanding of.
人生在世，相处最多、打交道最多的就是自己，但是人最不了解的也恰恰是自己。
When you are going upwards in life you tend to overestimate yourself. It seems that everything you seek for is within your reach; luck and opportunities will come your way and you are overjoyed that they constitute part of your worth. When you are going downhill you tend to underestimate yourself, mistaking difficulties and adversities for your own incompetence. It’s likely that you think it wise for yourself to know our place and stay aloof from worldly wearing a mask of cowardice, behind which the flow of sap in your life will be retarded.
人生走上坡路时，往往把自己估计过高，似乎一切所求的东西都能唾手可得，甚至把运气和机遇也看做自己身价的一部分而喜出望外。人在不得志时，又往往把自己估计过低,把困难和不利也看做自己的无能，以至把安分守己、与世无争误认为有自知之明，而实际上往往被怯懦的面具窒息了自己鲜活的生命。
To get a thorough understanding of oneself is to gain a correct view of oneself and be a soberrealist-aware of both one’s strength and shortage. You may look forward hopefully to the future but be sure not to expect too much, for ideals can never be fully realized. You may be courageous to meet challenges but it should be clear to you where to direct your efforts.
悟透自己，就是正确认识自己，也就是说要做一个冷静的现实主义者，既知道自己的优势，也知道自己的不足。我们可以憧憬人生，但期望值不能过高。因为在现实中，理想总是会打折扣的，我们要经得起挑战。
To get a thorough understanding of oneself needs self-appreciation. Whether you like yourself to a towering tree or a blade of
