Be the Change Before it is too Late

趁还不晚改变自己吧！

Following on from Gandhi’s message about being the change you want the world to be, when does one begin?!

继甘地说出改变自己让世界成为你想的那样之后，什么时候有人改变过？

We can learn from someone who never began, almost a thousand years ago.

我们可以从一个约一千年以前的某个从未开始改变的人学到些东西。

These words are inscribed on the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in Westminster Abby (1100 A.D.):-

以下这些话是写在公元1100年在威斯敏斯特教堂的英国圣公会主教的墓上：

When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.

当我年轻又自由的时候，我的想象力无拘无束，梦想着改变世界。随着我长大点懂事了，我发现世界并没有改变，所以我稍微缩短了我的目光，决定只改变我的国家。

But it, too, seemed immovable.

但是这个好像也显得无法改变。

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

当我进入了暮年的时候，我决定孤注一掷地去改变我的家人，这些我最亲近的人。但是哎，他们一个都没有变。

And now, as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example I would have changed my family.

现在，我躺在临终的床上，突然明白了：如果我仅仅从改变自己做起，然后通过榜样我就可以改变我的家人。

From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country, and who knows, I may have even changed the world.

通过他们的鼓舞和鼓励，我就可以使我的国家变得更好，谁知道呢，或许我就会改变世界。

So begin today to change yourself – the world will then inevitably follow.

所以从今天开始，改变自己吧——世界就会必然跟着改变。