過去的已經過去了, 未來的仍然需要努力.
2014-01-14 23:32:04 補充:
There is another sentence AFTER the portion you have stated:
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
I think, words, language, and voice means things and efforts.
2014-01-15 02:24:53 補充:
In my opinion, because the missing part of the quote, "And to make an end is to make a beginning." It used "make", it implies "effort". It doesn't use "have". Hence, I wouldn't use "靜待" or "靜靜守候".
2014-01-15 02:26:46 補充:
After all, "靜待" or "靜靜守候" doesn't correspond to the use of "make".
In a word, the quote does have its implied action, so one shall include this action in the translation.
2014-01-15 02:37:02 補充:
Of course, this is just my own take for this statement. Like Ben has pointed out, this kind of statement has lots of space for imagination. My saying is simply my own understanding.
2014-01-15 02:40:46 補充:
T.S. Eliot was a famous poet, so maybe, he was just doing a little complaining (發牢騷) to express his feeling at that time.
2014-01-15 07:25:06 補充:
Ha! Ha! That might be another way to look at it.
2014-01-15 10:03:24 補充:
Very interesting, among the answer and opinions, NO one use "今年", "去年", "字" , "语文" … in their translation. Are we all drunk or what?
2014-01-15 10:08:35 補充:
I went to try google translation, it actually is not bad. At least, it did translation its literal meaning.
2014-01-15 13:30:16 補充:
Your translating "即將展翅" seems to be a little overkilled. If you want to get into that thought, I think, master rjamesho is better. Of course, poet's thought can be wild.
2014-01-15 13:34:29 補充:
make an end is to make a beginning = 努力完成了一個, 另一個新的又重新開始.
2014-01-15 13:36:09 補充:
所以整句話 可譯為:
過去的已經過去了, 未來的仍然需要努力. 努力完成了一個, 另一個新的又重新開始.
2014-01-15 13:37:24 補充:
I am NOT good with Chinese translation, my translation is just to give you an idea what it MIGHT mean.
2014-01-15 14:40:21 補充:
Master Ben! Your link is one of the versions, here is another version:
http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/127410-for-last-year-s-words-belong-to-last-year-s-language-and
I use the above version, because it has "And to make an end is to make a beginning."
2014-01-15 14:41:01 補充:
It means, the same sentence used in different context can have different meaning!
2014-01-15 14:42:47 補充:
I have no doubt about your take of the meaning! After all, we are NOT talking about the SAME context that the questioned sentence belongs to.