Life in the Philosophy Class

 A professor stood before his Philosophy class and had some items in front of him.    
一个教授带了一些东西来到他的哲学课堂
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.  
开始上课的时候他一言不发地拿起一个大的空的蛋黄酱瓶子。然后往里面放满了高尔夫球。    
He then asked the students if the jar was full.  
然后他问学生这个瓶子是否满了  
They agreed that it was.    
他们说是的  
The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.    
然后教授又拿起一些小一些的鹅卵石继续放入瓶子  
He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.    
他轻轻晃动瓶子以至鹅卵石填满了高尔夫球的所有空隙  
He then asked the students again if the jar was full.    
然后他又问学生是否这个瓶子满了  
They agreed it was.    
学生回答满了  
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.    
教授又继续往里倒入了沙子  
Of course, the sand filled up everything else.    
当然沙子填满了整个瓶子  
He asked once more if the jar was full.    
教授又问同样的问题  
The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'    
学生异口同声回答满了  
The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire co ntents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.    
这是教授从桌子下面倒了两杯咖啡，然后把咖啡一滴不剩地倒入了瓶子里，咖啡很快渗入了每个角落  
The students laughed.    
学生们都大笑了起来  
'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.    
'现在'教授等笑声平息以后说道：'我希望你们把这个瓶子比作你们的生活'  
'The golf balls are the important things - your God, family, your children, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.    
'高尔夫球代表了你生命中所有最重要的元素-你的信仰，家庭，你的孩子，健康，朋友，还有你的激情-这些就算什么其他的你都失去了你也还一样拥有的话，你的生活还是会一样充实。'  
'The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car.    
'鹅卵石就代表了那些其他事情比如：工作，房子还有你的车子。'  
'The sand is everything else--the small stuff.    
'沙子更是那些最次要的琐屑事'  
'If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.    
'如果你先把沙子放入瓶中，'他继续说：'那就不会再有放鹅卵石和高尔夫球的空间了'  
'The same goes for life.
'If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.    
'生活也是一样的。  
'如果你花了你所有的时间和精力在那些琐事上，你永远也不会有时间和机会花在那些对你其实意味深远的事上。  
'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.    
'请把注意力放在那些最你有真正意义的事上：  
'Play with your children.    
'花时间和孩子玩耍  
'Take time to get medical checkups.    
'花时间去做健康检查  
'Take your partner out to dinner.    
'带你的伴侣出去晚餐  
'Play another 18.    
'花时间在你的兴趣上  
'There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal.    
'永远应该有时间去整理房子和把该修的地方修好  
'Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter.  
'首先照顾好你的'高尔夫球'，这才是你最重要的  
'Set your priorities.  
'按优先级别安排你的生活  
'The rest is just sand.'    
'其他的事情就只是些沙子  
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented..    
这是一个学生举手提问问:那咖啡代表什么  
The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked.    
教授笑着说：我很高兴你问问这个问题  
'It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.'    
'其含义就是让你知道，不管你的生活安排得有多满，你也总该有时间和朋友喝上两杯咖啡 ;o)