And I make a solemn oath to myself that nothing will
retard1(延迟,阻止) my new life's growth. I will lose not a day from these readings for that day cannot be
retrieved2 nor can I substitute another for it. I must not , I will not, break this habit of daily reading from these
scrolls4 and, in truth, the few moments spent each day on this new habit are but a small price to pay for the happiness and success that will be mine.
As I read and re-read the words in the scrolls to follow, never will I allow the
brevity(简洁) of each
scroll3 nor the
simplicity5 of its words to cause me to treat the scroll's message lightly. Thousands of grapes are pressed to fill one jar with wine, and the grapeskin and
pulp6(纸浆,果肉) are tossed to the birds. So it is with these grapes of wisdom from the ages. Much has been filtered and tossed to the wind. Only the pure truth lies
distilled7 in the words to come. I will drink as instructed and spill not a drop. And the seed of success I will swallow.
Today my old skin has become as dust. I will walk tall among men and they will know me not, for today I am a new man, with a new life.