～ 雲淡風輕草碧綠 ～

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Rudyard Kipling（1865-1936），英國人，生於印度。他是英國第一位獲得諾貝爾文學獎的詩人與小說家。主要著作有兒童故事《叢林之書》（The Jungle Book，1894年）、印度偵探小說《基姆》（Kim，1901年）、 詩集《營房謠》（Gunga Din，1892年）、短詩《如果》（If—，1895年）等。

根據Kipling過世後才出版的自傳"Something of Myself "(1937)，這首詩是受到Dr. Leander Starr Jameson的啟發。1895年 Dr. Jameson（詹森）率眾對德蘭士瓦共和國（Transvaal）逕行突擊，史稱"Jameson Raid"；這個突擊失敗，使得英國和德蘭士瓦共和國間的張力升高，最後導致第二次波爾戰爭（Second Boer War）。雖然突襲沒有成功，但英國媒體將詹森塑造成災難英雄，將突襲說成是英國的勝利。（translated from: If—Wikipedia）

(by Rudyard Kipling; 中譯: Cyberreading)

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;

And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;

If all men count with you, but none too much,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

★ Rudyard Kipling （中文、英文）