y sea. No one
knows for sure what that only sea is and when the torrent is going to empty into it.
Like everybody else, I live in this world for the purpose of conquering life. I have also
taken part in the “struggle”. I have my own love and hate, and happiness and sorrow. But I
have never lost my faith—a faith in life. There is still some way to go before my life runs
out, and I do not know what the future has in store for me. Nevertheless, I am not without
some idea of what the future is like because the past, being no silent mute, will give me
some hint.
What I unfold here in the Trilogy before my readers is a picture of life of the past ten
odd years. Of course it reflects only a small section of life, but enough, however, to afford
a glimpse of the turbulent torrent of life with its love and hate, happiness and sorrow. I am
no religious preacher, so I cannot point out a definite way out. Readers may here find a
way out for themselves.
Some say that there is at first no road at all and that a road is created simply by the
treading of passers-by. Others say that there is at first already a road available before more
and more people come to walk on it. I do not want to judge who are right or who are wrong.
I am still young, I want to live on, I want to conquer life. I know the torrent of life will
never stop. Let’s see where is it going to carry me!
注释：
这篇散文是作者为自己创作的小说《激流三部曲》（《家》、《春》、《秋》）所写的序。
(1) 标题译为Preface to the Torrent Trilogy，其中Trilogy是译者增添的词，用来说明文章是“三部曲”的“总”序。
(2) “为的是来征服它”引自罗曼?罗兰关于法国大革命的剧本《爱与死的搏斗》。
(3) “无边的黑暗”译为all darkness，其中all作complete解，是常见的搭配。
(4) “具有排山之势”不宜直译。现译意为with terrific force，其中terrific作very great解。
(5) “我也不知道在前面还有什么东西等到着我”译为and I do not know what the future has in
store for me，其中短语in store for作waiting或about to happen解。
做一个战士
巴金
一个年轻的朋友写信问我：“应该做一个什么样的人？”我回答他：“做一个战
士。”
另一个朋友问我：“怎样对付生活？(1)”我仍旧答道：“做一个战士。”
《战士颂》的作者曾经写过这样的话：
“我激荡在这绵绵不息、滂沱四方的生命洪流中，我就应该追逐这洪流，而且追
过它，自己去造更广、更深的洪流。”
“我如果是一盏灯，这灯的用处便是照彻那多量黑暗。我如果是海潮，便要鼓起
波涛(2)去洗涤海边一切陈腐的积物。”
这一段话很恰当地写出了战士的心情(3)。
在这个时代，战士是最需要的。但是这样的战士并不一定要持枪上战场。他的武
器还可以是知识、信仰和坚强的意志。他并不一定要流仇敌的血，却能更有把握地致
敌人的死命(4)。
战士是永远追求光明的。他并不躺在晴空下享受阳光(5)，却在暗认夜里燃起火炬，
给人们照亮道路，使他们走向黎明(6)。驱散黑暗，这是战士的任务。他不躲避黑暗，
却要面对黑暗，跟躲藏在阴影里的魑魅、魍魉搏斗。他要消灭它们而取得光明。战士
是不知道妥协的。他得不到光明便不会停止战斗。
战士是永远年轻的，他不犹豫，不休息。他深入人丛中，找寻苍蝇、毒蚊等等危
害人类的东西(7)。他不断地攻击它们，不肯与它们共同生存在一个天空下面。对于战
士，生活就是不停的战斗。他不是取得光明而生存，便是带着满身伤痕而死去。在战
斗中力量只有增长，信仰只有加强。在战斗中给战士指路的是“未来”，“未来”给
人以希望和鼓舞。战士永远不会失去青春的活力。
战士是不知道灰心与绝望的。他甚至在失败的废墟上，还要堆起破碎的砖石重建
九级宝塔。任何打击都不能击破战士的意志。只有在死的时候他才闭上眼睛。
战士是不知道畏缩的。他的脚步很坚定。他看定目标，便一直向前走去。他不怕
被绊脚石摔倒，没有一种障碍能使他改变心思。假象绝不能迷住战士的眼睛，支配战
士的行动的是信仰。他能够忍受一切艰难、痛苦，而达到他所选择的目标。除非他死，
人不能使他放弃工作。 ≡≡文≡檔≡共≡享≡與≡在≡線≡閱≡讀≡
这便是我们现在需要的战士。这样的战士并不一定具有超人的能力(8)。他是一个
平凡的人。每个人都可以做战士，只要他有决心。所以我用“做一个战士”的话来激
励那些在彷徨、苦闷中的年轻朋友。
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