做一個戰士 
      ——巴金 
    一個年輕的朋友寫信問我：“應該做一個什么樣的人？”我回答他：“做一個戰士。” 
    另一個朋友問我：“怎樣對付生活？(1)”我仍舊答道：“做一個戰士。” 
   《戰士頌》的作者曾經寫過這樣的話： 
   “我激蕩在這綿綿不息、滂沱四方的生命洪流中，我就應該追逐這洪流，而且追過它，自己去造更廣、更深的洪流。” 
   “我如果是一盞燈，這燈的用處便是照徹那多量黑暗。我如果是海潮，便要鼓起波濤(2)去洗滌海邊一切陳腐的積物。” 
這一段話很恰當地寫出了戰士的心情(3)。 
    在這個時代，戰士是最需要的。但是這樣的戰士并不一定要持槍上戰場。他的武器還可以是知識、信仰和堅強的意志。他并不一定要流仇敵的血，卻能更有把握地致敵人的死命(4)。 
    戰士是永遠追求光明的。他并不躺在晴空下享受陽光(5)，卻在暗認夜里燃起火炬，給人們照亮道路，使他們走向黎明(6)。驅散黑暗，這是戰士的任務。他不躲避黑暗，卻要面對黑暗，跟躲藏在陰影里的魑魅、魍魎搏斗。他要消滅它們而取得光明。戰士是不知道妥協的。他得不到光明便不會停止戰斗。 
    戰士是永遠年輕的，他不猶豫，不休息。他深入人叢中，找尋蒼蠅、毒蚊等等危害人類的東西(7)。他不斷地攻擊它們，不肯與它們共同生存在一個天空下面。對于戰士，生活就是不停的戰斗。他不是取得光明而生存，便是帶著滿身傷痕而死去。在戰斗中力量只有增長， 信仰只有加強。在戰斗中給戰士指路的是“未來”，“未來”給人以希望和鼓舞。戰士永遠不會失去青春的活力。 
    戰士是不知道灰心與絕望的。他甚至在失敗的廢墟上，還要堆起破碎的磚石重建九級寶塔。任何打擊都不能擊破戰士的意志。只有在死的時候他才閉上眼睛。 
    戰士是不知道畏縮的。他的腳步很堅定。他看定目標，便一直向前走去。他不怕被絆腳石摔倒，沒有一種障礙能使他改變心思。假象絕不能迷住戰士的眼睛，支配戰士的行動的是信仰。他能夠忍受一切艱難、痛苦，而達到他所選擇的目標。除非他死，人不能使他放棄工作。 
    這便是我們現在需要的戰士。這樣的戰士并不一定具有超人的能力(8)。他是一個平凡的人。每個人都可以做戰士，只要他有決心。所以我用“做一個戰士”的話來激勵那些在彷徨、苦悶中的年輕朋友。

注釋： 
《做一個戰士》寫于1938年，時值抗戰初期，文章表達了作者自己的高昂思想情懷和對青年們的殷切期望。 
(1)“怎樣對付生活？”意即“怎樣生活？”，故譯為How should I live my life? 
(2)“鼓起波濤”中的“鼓起”意即“集結”或“動員”，因此“鼓起波濤”譯為marshal rolling waves。 
(3)“戰士的心情”譯為the state of mind of a fighter或the frame of mind of a fighter均可。 
(4)“并不一定要流仇敵的血，卻能更有把握地致敵人的死命”譯為can bring the enemy sure death without drawing his blood，其中the enemy在指“敵軍”、“敵國”、“敵對勢力”時是集合名詞（collective noun），動詞用復數或單數均可。“仇敵的血”可譯為his blood、their blood或its blood。 
(5)“躺在晴空下享受陽光”譯為basking in the sunshine under a clear sky，其中basking除作“取暖”解外，并有“舒適”、“享受”的含義。 
(6)“走向黎明”譯為continue their journey till they see the dawn of new day, 其中see和of a new day均為添加成份，用以烘托原意。 
(7)“危害人類的東西”譯為vermin，為復數，本指老鼠、虱子等害蟲，意同pests。 
(8)“具有超人的能力”譯為is…possessed of superhuman capability，其中possessed of為慣用搭配，與in possession of 或having同義。

Be a Fighter 
         ——Ba jin 
     A young friend of mine asked me in a letter, “What kind of man should I be? My answer was, “Be a fighter.” 
     Another friend of mine inquired, “How should I live my life?” Again my answer was, “Be a fighter.” 
     The author of In Praise of the Fighter says: 
     Riding on the ceaseless rushing torrent of life, I should pursue and overtake it so as to create an even greater and deeper torrent of my own. 
     If I were a lamp, it would be my duty to light up thick darkness. If I were the sea tide, I would marshal rolling waves to cleanse the beach of all accumulated filth. 
     This quotation reflects aptly the state of mind of a fighter. 
     Fighters are badly needed in our time. But such fighters do not necessarily go to the battlefield gun in hand. Their weapons are not necessarily bullets. Their weapons may be knowledge, faith and strong will. They can bring the enemy sure death without drawing his blood. 
     A fighter is always in pursuit of light. Instead of basking in the sunshine under a clear sky, he holds a burning torch in the darkness of night to illuminate people’s way so that they can continue their journey till they see the dawn of a new day. It is the task of a fighter to dispel darkness. Instead of shirking darkness, he braves it and fights the hidden demons and monsters therein. He is determined to wipe them out and win light. He knows no compromise. He will keep on fighting until he wins light. 
     A fighter is perennially young. He is never irresolute or inactive. He plunges deep into teeming crowds in search of such vermin as flies and venomous mosquitoes. He will flight them relentlessly and refuse to coexist with them under the same sky. To him, life means nothing but continuous fighting. He either survives by winning light, or perishes with his body covered all over with cuts and bruises.    Fighting just serves to increase his stamina and strengthen his faith. In the course of the struggle, it is the “future” that serves as the beacon light to him; the “future” gives people hope and inspiration. He will never lose his youthful vigour. 
     A fighter will never lose heart or despair. He will pile up broken pieces of brick and stone to rebuilt a nine-story pagoda on the ruins of failure. No blows will ever break his will. He will never close his eyes until he has breathed his last. 
     A fighter is always fearless. His steps are firm. Once he has settled on an objective, he will press right ahead. He is never afraid of being tripped by a stumbling block. No obstacles will ever make him change his mind. His eyes will never be hoodwinked by false appearances. His actions are guided by faith. He can endure any hardships or sufferings while striving to attain his chosen objective. He will never abandon work as long as he is alive. 
     This is the kind of fighter we now need. He is not necessarily possessed of superhuman capability. He is just an ordinary person. Anyone can be fighter so long as he has the determination. Hence a few words of mine about “being a fighter” to encourage those young people who wander about in a depressed state, not knowing which way to go.