英语PK台 第644期:用内在的声音打开陌生的心

 My day started just like all the other days for the past 15 years where I get up, make some coffee, shower, get dressed and leave for the train station at precisely 1 7:35 A.M. to arrive at work by 8:30. While on the train I would always choose a seat away from the crowd so I can read the newspaper in peace and quiet.

这一天的开始，与过去15年没什么两样——起床、煮咖啡、淋浴、穿好衣服、出门赶7:35准时出发的火车、8:30到达工作单位。在火车上，我总是会选择一个远离人群的座位，这样我就可以平静地看看报纸。
At work I am always being bombarded with questions from co-workers, suppliers, telephone calls and then those dreaded 2 meetings so the last thing I need is some stranger to sit beside me and start small talk.
在工作中，我总是会受到来自同事的提问、供应商、电话，还有那些可怕的会议的轮番轰炸，所以在这样的一天后，我最不需要的就是——有那么个陌生人坐在我旁边，与我闲聊点儿什么。
I don't know why but for some reason when I got on the train today it was unusually full, something I don't recall ever happening in the past. With hesitation 3 I sat down in the only seat available beside a middle-aged 4 man that had his head down and seemed to be lost in his thoughts. I was glad that he didn't notice when I sat next to him as he just continued to look down towards the floor.
我不清楚为什么，但出于某种原因，今天我上了火车就发现车上不同寻常地坐满了乘客，我完全没有印象以前出现过这样的情况。我犹豫了一下，然后坐在了一位中年男士旁边的唯一座位上。当时，这位中年男士正低着头，似乎在沉思着什么。我坐下时，他仍继续看着地板，我很高兴他没注意到我。
Shortly after the train left for my 30-minute ride downtown I found myself wondering what this man was thinking about. What could be so important that he didn't even see me sitting next to him? I tried to forget about it and started to read my paper. However, for some strange reason this "inner voice" kept prompting me to talk to this man. I tried to ignore the "voice" as there was no way I was starting a conversation with a complete stranger.
火车驶离车站，我的30分钟市中心车程开始了，但不久后，我就发现自己真的想了解这个人正在思考着什么。有什么事如此重要，甚至都没看到我坐在他身边？我试图忘掉这个念头，就开始看我的报纸。然而，出于某种奇怪的原因，这种“内心的声音”一直在促使我和这个人交谈。我试着忽视这个“声音”，因为我不知道该怎么开始与一个完全陌生的人交谈。
As you probably guessed I eventually broke down and came up with an excuse to ask him a question. When he raised his head and turned his eyes towards me I could see that he must have been really upset as he had red eyes and still had some tears rolling down the side of his face despite his feeble 5 attempt to wipe them away. I can't describe the sadness I felt seeing someone in so much pain.
正如你可能猜到的，我终于克服了心理障碍，找到了一个借口，向他提出了一个问题。当他抬起头，眼睛转向我时，我可以看得出他一定是真的很伤心，他双眼满是血丝，而且仍有泪水从面颊滚落下来，尽管他还在毫无意义地尝试着擦去泪水。我无法形容当我看到有人这么痛苦时自己内心的悲伤。
We talked for about 20 minutes and in the end he seemed to be doing better. As we were leaving the train he thanked me profusely 6 for being an angel by taking the time to talk. I never did find out what was making his heart so heavy with pain but was glad I listened to the "voice" that day.
我们聊了大约20分钟，最后他似乎心情好多了。我们下车时，他表示非常感谢我能够花时间陪他说话，成为他的天使。我完全没有从交谈中发现是什么让他的心情如此沉重，但还是很高兴自己听到了那天的那个“声音”。
Several weeks had passed when I noticed an envelope on my desk after returning from lunch. It was not addressed to anyone and only had the word "Angel" written on it. My receptionist attached a note saying a gentleman dropped it off saying he did not know my name but had described me well enough that the receptionist knew it was for me.
几星期后的一天，我吃完午餐回到办公室，发现办公桌上有一个信封。信封上没有收信人姓名，只写着“天使收”。我的接待员附上了一张纸条，大意是：一位先生留下了这封信，说他不知道我的名字，但把我描述得非常细致，这让接待员知道这封信是给我的。
When I read the note inside the envelope I was so filled with emotions that I couldn't contain myself. It was a letter from the man I met on the train thanking me again for talking to him and saving his life that day.
当我看到信封里的纸条时，我的内心思绪澎湃，无法抑制。这封信来自我在火车上遇到的那个人，他在信中再次感谢了我那天能够与他交谈，挽救了他的生命。
Apparently 8 he had some very hurtful personal problems that were so overwhelming 9 he was planning to take his life that day. In his letter he went on to explain that he was a religious person and in desperation screamed out to God that if God really cared about him he would send someone to prevent him from taking his life. In his eyes I was that someone, that Angel sent by God.
显然，他遇到了一些非常令人伤痛的个人问题，这些问题已经几乎把他压垮，他打算就在那天结束自己的生命。他在信中接着解释说，他是个宗教信仰者，曾绝望地向上帝呐喊，如果上帝真的关心他，就会派人来阻止他自杀。在他眼里，我就是那个上帝派来的天使。
Not being a religious person myself I don't know what that "voice" was that made me take a chance and talk to a stranger but I do know that it made a difference in someone's life that day. So the next time you feel prompted for no apparent 7 reason to talk to a friend, relative, neighbour or even a complete stranger please remember my story. You just may make a difference in someone's life when you listen to your inner voice.
我本身并不信奉宗教，也不知道那个促使我尝试与一位陌生人交谈的“声音” 代表着什么，但是我知道那个声音就在那天让某个人的生活发生了改变。因此，下次当你体会到那种促使你与一位朋友、一位亲人、一位邻居，或者甚至一位完全陌生的人交谈，却找不到任何明显理由的感觉时，请记起我的故事。倾听自己内心的声音，你可能会改变某个人的人生。