When you get what you want in your struggle for self,
And the world makes you King for a day,
Then go to the mirror and look at yourself,
And see what that guy has to say.
For it isn't your father, your mother or wife,
Who judgment upon you must pass.
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the guy staring back from the glass.
He's the feller to please, never mind all the rest,
For he's with you clear up to the end,
And you've passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the guy in the glass is your friend.
You may be like Jack Horner and "chisel" a plum,
And think you are a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.
You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you've cheated the guy in the glass.
--Dale Wimbrow
[1895-1954]
《鏡中人》
當妳在自我奮鬥中堅持不懈，
而世界只給妳壹天好日子，
那麽就照照鏡子，
聽聽鏡中人說些什麽。
他不是妳的母親、父親和配偶，
他是主宰妳命運的人，
他希望妳快樂、不要介意生活中的不愉快，
他會壹直陪伴妳抵達終點。
假如鏡中人是妳的朋友，
他會幫妳通過最危險最困難的考驗。
也許妳像傑克荷爾挖到壹棵神奇的種子，
想像自己出人頭地，
但是鏡中人說妳遊手好閑。
假如妳不敢直視他的眼睛，
也許妳欺騙了整個世界，
所到之處仍然掌聲如潮。
但假如妳欺騙鏡中人，
最終的報應就是心痛和眼淚。
（美國詩人）