我今年一百歲，已經走到了人生的邊緣，我無法確知自己還能走多遠，壽命是不由自主的，但我很清楚我快「回家」了。
我得洗淨這一百年沾染的汙穢回家。我沒有「登泰山而小天下」之感，隻在自己的小天地裏過平靜的生活。細想至此，我心靜如水，我該平和地迎接每一天，準備回家。
在這物欲橫流的人世間，人生一世實在是夠苦。你存心做一個與世無爭的老實人吧，人家就利用你欺侮你。你稍有才德品貌，人家就嫉妒你排擠你。你大度退讓，人家就侵犯你損害你。你要不與人爭，就得與世無求，同時還要維持實力準備鬥爭。你要和別人和平共處，就先得和他們周旋，還得準備隨時吃虧。
少年貪玩，青年迷戀愛情，壯年汲汲於成名成家，暮年自安於自欺欺人。
人壽幾何，頑鐵能煉成的精金，能有多少？但不同程度的鍛煉，必有不同程度的成績；不同程度的縱欲放肆，必積下不同程度的頑劣。
上蒼不會讓所有幸福集中到某個人身上，得到愛情未必擁有金錢；擁有金錢未必得到快樂；得到快樂未必擁有健康；擁有健康未必一切都會如願以償。
保持知足常樂的心態才是淬煉心智，淨化心靈的最佳途徑。一切快樂的享受都屬於精神，這種快樂把忍受變為享受，是精神對於物質的勝利，這便是人生哲學。
一個人經過不同程度的鍛煉，就獲得不同程度的修養、不同程度的效益。好比香料，搗得愈碎，磨得愈細，香得愈濃烈。我們曾如此渴望命運的波瀾，到最後才發現：人生最曼妙的風景，竟是內心的淡定與從容……我們曾如此期盼外界的認可，到最後才知道：世界是自己的，與他人毫無關係。
《一百歲感言》楊絳
英文版轉自譯言網
Words From a Lady of 100 Years Old
I am 100 years old to this year. I have been to the edge of my life. I am unable toascertain how far I could go as life is beyond my own control, but I am clear that I would “go home” before long.
I would like to wash away all filth piled upon me within 100 year’s time before going home. I have been leading a peaceful life in my own small world without getting a sense that “on top of the Taishan Mount you look down upon the whole world”. When I am pondering this my heart is as calm and serene as water. I would like to welcome every coming day and get ready to go home.
In this utterly materialized world it’s really bitter for us to live on. If you tend to be an honest guy who avoids any worldly competitions, the others would take advantage of you and bully you. If you are slightly meritorious in talent and morality, the others would envy you and push you aside. If you are generous enough to give in, the others would attack you and harm you. If you don’t want to compete against others, you should exterminate your desire while maintain your power for preparing to take part in a combat. If you would like to be harmonious with others, you have to deal with them first and get ready to suffer losses.
We indulge in play when we are kids. We are obsessed in love when we are adolescents. We always endeavor to make ourselves famous and expert in our adulthood. And we soothe ourselves by cheating both you and me at the end of our lifetimes.
How long could the life of a humanbeing be? How much remained after raw iron being tempered into refined metals? But one could acquire achievements to a certain extent alongside the extent of his effort, while one could accumulate evil characters as well according to the extent of his self-indulgence.
It’s unlikely that God would bestow all happiness to one person. Your love doesn’t assure your money, your money doesn’t assure you happiness, your happiness doesn’t assure your health and your health doesn’t assure that all your dreams would come true.
Always being contented is after all the best approach to refining intelligence and purifying mind. The appreciation of all sorts of happiness belongs to the realm of spirit. When the happiness turns endurance into enjoyment the spirit wins the material and this is the life philosophy.
One could obtain different level of self-cultivation and benefit after experiencing different level of toughness. This is just like spice which is more fragrant when it is grinded finer. We used to be longing for the waves of our fate but eventually we realize that the most beautiful scenery in our life is a mindset of calmness and serenity. We used to be eager to acquire acknowledgment from outside but to the end we get to know that the world is yours after all and it’s none of anybody else’s business.
