英语美文欣赏：秋天是收获的季节

    Autumn－the Harvest Season

    The autumn， with its ripening fruits， and waving harvest， is now with us. We see on every hand the results of the farmer‘s toil and forecast in the springtime. Then it was that he broke up the soil， sowed the seed， pruned his trees， and guarded the tender plants. Now we see the ripening crops. The trees are bending with golden fruit， and abundance rewards farmer’s toil.

    But suppose in spring the farmer had left the soil unturned， the seed unsown， the trees untrimmed， and everything neglected， what would now be the result？ We should see nothing but barren fields， overrun with weeds and biers； and the farmer would feel that a winter of want and distress is before him.

    And let us remember that the autumn of life will come on apace； and that what we now sow， we shall then reap. If we would reap an abundant harvest， and gather precious fruit， and secure an autumn of plenty prosperity， we must now， in the springtime of life， be diligent and careful in the cultivation of our hearts. We must form only those habits which will produce good fruits. Our acts must be noble， our thoughts and our words must be pure， and our feelings must be kind. As we now sow， we shall then reap. If we “sow to the wind， we shall reap the whirlwind”。

    伴着成熟的果实和翻腾的谷浪，秋天来到了我们身旁。从每一位农民的手上，我们看到了辛勤劳作的成果和春天期望的实现。在春天，是他们耕耘土地，拨下种籽，修剪果树，照看嫩苗。现在我们看到了成熟的庄稼。金黄的果实压弯了果树枝头，丰厚地回报农民的劳作。

    但是，假定农民们在春天土地不耕，种籽不播，果实不修剪，什么都不干，那么现在会是什么结果呢？我们只会看到贫瘠的土地，野草疯长，荆棘丛生。这个时候农民们就会感觉到，一个匮乏而忧伤的冬季就在他们面前。

    让我们记住，人生的秋天很快就会来临；我们现在播种什么，到那时就会收获什么。如果我们要获取丰硕的收成，摘取珍贵的果实，确保充裕旺盛的秋天，现在，在这个人生的春天，我们就必须勤勤恳恳、小心翼翼地培育我们的心灵。我们必须养成只会产生好的结果的习惯。我们的行为必须高尚，我们的思想和言语必须纯洁，我们的情操必须善良。我们现在播种，到时候定有收获。如果我们“风中播种，将来必然收获旋风”（“现在做坏事，将来必收恶果”）。