我今年一百岁，已经走到了人生的边缘，我无法确知自己还能走多远，寿命是不由自主的，但我很清楚我快「回家」了。
我得洗净这一百年沾染的污秽回家。我没有「登泰山而小天下」之感，只在自己的小天地里过平静的生活。细想至此，我心静如水，我该平和地迎接每一天，准备回家。
在这物欲横流的人世间，人生一世实在是够苦。你存心做一个与世无争的老实人吧，人家就利用你欺侮你。你稍有才德品貌，人家就嫉妒你排挤你。你大度退让，人家就侵犯你损害你。你要不与人争，就得与世无求，同时还要维持实力准备斗争。你要和别人和平共处，就先得和他们周旋，还得准备随时吃亏。
少年贪玩，青年迷恋爱情，壮年汲汲于成名成家，暮年自安于自欺欺人。
人寿几何，顽铁能炼成的精金，能有多少？但不同程度的锻炼，必有不同程度的成绩；不同程度的纵欲放肆，必积下不同程度的顽劣。
上苍不会让所有幸福集中到某个人身上，得到爱情未必拥有金钱；拥有金钱未必得到快乐；得到快乐未必拥有健康；拥有健康未必一切都会如愿以偿。
保持知足常乐的心态才是淬炼心智，净化心灵的最佳途径。一切快乐的享受都属于精神，这种快乐把忍受变为享受，是精神对于物质的胜利，这便是人生哲学。
一个人经过不同程度的锻炼，就获得不同程度的修养、不同程度的效益。好比香料，捣得愈碎，磨得愈细，香得愈浓烈。我们曾如此渴望命运的波澜，到最后才发现：人生最曼妙的风景，竟是内心的淡定与从容……我们曾如此期盼外界的认可，到最后才知道：世界是自己的，与他人毫无关系。
《一百岁感言》杨绛
英文版转自译言网
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.
