周敦颐 《爱莲说》

---Love of Water-lily

1.水陆草木之花，可爱者甚蕃。晋陶渊明独爱菊；自李唐来，世人盛爱牡丹；予独爱莲之出淤泥而不染，濯清涟而不妖，中通外直，不蔓不枝，香远益清，亭亭静植，可远观而不可亵玩焉。

Lovers of flowering plants and shrubs we have had by scores, but Tao Qian alone devoted himself to the chrysanthemum. Since the opening days of the Tang dynasty, it has been fashionable to admire the peony; but my favourite is the water-lily.How stainless it rises from its slimy bed! How modestly it reposes on the clearpool — an emblem of purity and truth! Symmetrically perfect, its subtle perfume is wafted far and wide, while there it rests in spotless state, something to be regarded reverently from a distance, and not be profaned by familiar approach.

2.予谓菊，花之隐逸者也；牡丹，花之富贵者也；莲，花之君子者也。噫！菊之爱，陶后鲜有闻；莲之爱，同予者何人？牡丹之爱，宜乎众矣。

In my opinion the chrysanthemum is the flower of retirement and culture; the peony the flower of rank and wealth; the water-lily, the Lady Virtue sans pareille.

Alas! few have loved the chrysanthemum since Tao Qian, and none love the water-lily like myself, whereas the peony is a general favourite with all mankind.

作者 周敦颐：又名周元皓，原名周敦实，字茂叔，号濂溪，谥号元公，道州营道楼田保（今湖南省道县）人，世称濂溪先生。是北宋五子之一，宋朝理学思想的开山鼻祖，文学家、哲学家。著有《周元公集》、《爱莲说》、《太极图说》、《通书》。

英文朗诵：洁白 ：中学英语高级教师。中国朗诵联盟会员。喜欢朗读，希望通过自己的声音向世界传播中国文化，讲好中国故事。