Translation homework

Dear Sir,

Being busy with various matters, I am deeply sorry for not being able to reply sooner. In my view, the primary responsibilty of any person is to be self-dependent in order to release others the burden of taking care of his life. In addition, learning how to rigorously and carefully engage in valuble works in the society is a very important education. Its effect will be relfected on all your practices. The habit of doing what you are not interested in while you wish you would rather do somethig else is a very valuable. If I had cultivated this habit while I were young, I would have not waisted a staggering amount of time.

Every achivement in scientifi career requires outstanding talent, deligence and effort. If you have the above mentioned qulaties, you will have the leisure to find a foothold in the scientific community after your daily business hours. If you don't have those qualities, you better stay focus on your current business. The last thing in the world any young man should do is as what Scottish proberb puts it, "made no spoon, destroyed claw", otherwise he will simply make the number in the community of literature, arts and sciences. He will probably be a useful and valuable number of the society if he is working in a different field.

I think you should let your father read this letter as well.

Yours sincerely,

T.H.

親愛的閣下：

　　近來忙於各種事務，未能及早複信，深感抱歉。

　　依我看來，一個．人的首要職責是設法自立，以免除別人對他生活的負擔。此外，學會嚴謹而審慎地從事社會上有實際價值的工作，其本身就是一種非常重要的教育，其效果必將體現在所有別的事業上。在你寧願做其他事情的時候，卻仍能夠從事你不感興趣的工作，這種習慣是十分可貴的。要是我在年輕時養成了這種習慣，就可以避免時間上驚人的浪費。

　　任何科學事業上的成就，都需要具有不尋常的才能、勤勉和精力。你若具有上述資質，你在日常商業工作之餘，將有足夠的閑暇為自己在科學界覓得立足之地。你若不具有那種資質，還是一心經商為宜。天下最不足取的事情，莫過於一個年輕人如同蘇格蘭諺語所說的那樣，"匙子沒做成，倒毀了羊角，"成為在文學或科學領域裏濫竽充數的食客，要是去從事其他工作的話，他或許會成為社會上有用和有價值的一員。

　　我認為此信應請你父親一閱。

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