“Seven Times Have I Despised My Soul" is a poem that opens our minds and parses our lives to help us understand and see ourselves more clearly. However, when we peel back the layers of our hearts like peeling an onion, we will find that our souls are such weak, humble, wavering, self-contradictory, self-doubting, self-denying, and self-comforting, which makes us feel deeply sad and deeply helpless.
《我曾七次鄙视自己的灵魂》是一首让人直面自己的内心的诗，它将人生剖开展示开来，来帮助我们了解更透彻地看清自己。而当我们将自己的内心如洋葱一般层层拨开后，会发现自己的灵魂竟是这般的懦弱卑微，摇摆不定，自我矛盾，自我怀疑，自我否定，自我安慰，并为此感到深深的悲哀，也感到深深的无奈。
Take myself for example, I often regret that I didn't work harder and more attentively in my senior year of high school, if I did so, maybe I could study the English major once I wanted to choose. I often regret that I didn't put my feet on the ground until the last minute. I also often regret being defeated by my own sluggishness when I clearly realized that I wasn’t good enough and want to better myself.
拿我自己来说，我时常会后悔自己高三时为什么不能更努力、更沉下心来去学习，也许这样我就能去读我想选择的英语专业；我也时常后悔为什么没有在平时脚踏实地，到最后关头才开始奋发图强；我还时常后悔明明有想让自己变得更好的愿望，却总是被自己的惫懒打败。
But maybe everything is just like Dr. Luo Xiang said you want—in fact, there is nothing to regret. Even if the time can be repeated, with the mind and experience at that time, we will still make the same choice and can not avoid the same result. People are learned in failure, rather than holding the past regret, it is better to wipe the tears and go forward.
但也许凡事都像罗翔老师说的那样——其实没什么好后悔的，很多事情就算时间能重来一遍，以当时的心智和阅历还是会做同样的选择，避免不了同样的结果。人本来就是在失败中学乖的，与其抱着过去后悔，不如擦擦眼泪向前走吧。
We may often think, "If only I had done like that; If only I had changed my major; I wish I had never been in this city; If only I had seen him again. It seems that the road not taken is always better, but is it? Maybe you choose another road, It is most likely that your will get in a new trouble. Those choices which seem to inevitably lead to a good outcome is just your daydream.
我们可能经常会想:“如果当初我怎样怎样就好了;如果当初我换了一个专业就好了;如果当时没来这个城市就好了;如果当初再见他一面就好了。似乎末选择的那条路总是更好的，但事实真的如此吗?可能你选择另一条路，大概率也是换个新的烦恼，那些似乎必然通向好的结局也只是你的遐想。
But the most interesting thing about life is that no matter what choice you make, you're always moving forward. So don't tangle and regret, the road at your feet is the best way, don't always beautify the road not chosen, don't stand in the present point of view to criticize yourself at the past time, to believe that everything is God's best arrangement, God is protecting you through letting you lose something.
但人生最有趣的一点就是，无论你做出什么选择，你都是在向前走。所以不要纠结和后悔，脚下的这条路就是最好的路，不要总是去美化未选择的路，不要站在现在的角度去批判当时的自己，要相信一切都是上天最好的安排，你所错过的很可能都是上天在保护你。
So, accept the path you have chosen. Whatever you gain and whatever you miss is your treasure. If you want to change, then start with the present step. Do not looking back on the past, just focus on the future.
所以，接受自己所选择的路吧，一切得到的、任何错过的都是我们的宝物。如果想要改变，那就从当下的一步开始，无问过去，只看将来。
Author: Wang Ruoxi
Date: January 18, 2023
