夢想美好的未來中英文美文賞析
Now is the time to dream. When things are at their worst, when people say there is no hope, when the future looks bleak, now is the time to dream.
Forget about transport hikes, CPF cuts, ERP and GST raises. There is so much more in store, greater things to see, new heights to reach, new depths to hollow. Now is the time to dream.
If we have a large enough ambition to serve an entire community ourselves instead of looking to the government for answers, would not ours be a better place? If we enlarge our thinking and invite a wider circle to contribute to the vision of a better Singapore, is it not better than complaining about long queues and less savings?
Is it not better that we dream dreams and reach for more instead of concentrating on what we have less?
So let us meet, let us talk, let us gather in discussion for a better Singapore. Let us articulate our hopes, our missions, our values and our vision instead of waiting for the government to state it for us.
Let us recognise and respect diverse approaches and questions and celebrate our unique Singapore culture, a blend of many races, born out of adversity but perhaps spoiled in prosperity.
And let us not laugh, declare foolish or cower in alarm if different views result from our efforts. Those who emerge strongest, as Singapore did 37 years ago, belonged to many races, many aptitudes, many interests, and many points-of-view but happened to pull together.
Should we be fired with a passionate vision to work on something that needs doing, let us not wait for the government to give us a grant, a handout or a memo on how to go about doing it.
Let us move, on our own accord, with the community, expecting nothing but seeing everything.
Do you know how the future should look? Do you see a better way? There is no need to wait. There is no need to recline and rest in mock desperation. Complaining does nothing.
Waiting for a suggestion from above does nothing. Hoping to strike 4D is nothing. Rather, let us meet, let us talk, let us gather in discussion for a better Singapore.
We are not hopeless. We are not children without voices. But we are restricted in our own minds. We self-censor our thoughts for fear of reprisal.
We hush our voices for fear of being heard. And perhaps we are also bound by our own laziness.
The government, after all, can do the thinking for us. Our sense of civic duty to engage in public debate and critical thinking is lost except unfortunately for issues that affect our pockets.
But understand this: We may not be in government but we are whom the government works for. We can contribute and do instead of follow. We can let go of our parent's hand and grow up. Now is the time to dream.
Perhaps all of us have tentative notions about the future. Some of us fear, some of us rejoice. Only a few of us will probably see correctly and understand how to get there.
Not all of us will be good at identifying and analysing problems. Solutions will perhaps escape most of us. But without discourse, without sharing, we do not even give ourselves the simple chance of being able to try to work things out.
Would you gather to discuss a better vision for our Singapore?
譯文：
現在是夢想美好未來的時候。當情況已經糟透了，當人們表示感到絕望，當前路似乎沒有曙光時，我們更應該有夢有理想。
不要再為車資漲價、公積金繳交率削減、公路電子收費和消費稅提高耿耿於懷。生命裡還有更多的期待和更美好的事物，我們要更深刻的體驗生活和攀登更高峰。現在正是夢想美好未來的時候。
如果我們有為社會服務的遠大目標，不凡事都要求政府提供答案，我們的社會會不會變得更美好？集思廣益讓更多人提供創造一個更美好新加坡願景的意見，會不會比花時間投訴銀行的人龍越來越長，戶頭的儲蓄卻越來越少來得有意義？
設法實現我們的夢想取得更多收穫，難道不比沉湎於我們已經失去多少來得實際？所以，我們應該面對面交換意見，探討如何把新加坡變成一個更好的家園。讓我們說出我們的希望、意見、價值觀和期待，不要等政府為我們一一列明。
我們應該認可和尊重不同的問題和處理問題的方式，歡慶新加坡獨特的多元種族文化。我們的社會在逆境中成長，國人卻可能已經被長期的繁榮寵壞。
如果我們的努力導致不同意見的出現，我們也不應該互相譏諷、嘲笑或感到擔憂。我們在37年前建國時，那些經得起考驗的強者，來自不同種族，有不同的才能、不同的興趣和不同的看法，但卻因為共同的目標團結一致。
如果我們認為某些事情應該義不容辭的.去做，就不需要等政府點頭、給我們提供資助或者一份如何進行的書面指示。
讓我們自動自發的和社群一起行動起來。我們只問耕耘，不問收穫，但是努力的成果總是看得到的。
你所要的是怎麼樣的未來？你有沒有更好的設想？不要再等下去，更不要以絕望無助的姿態坐視不理，怨天尤人並不能解決問題。
祈望上天有所指示或希望中馬票都於事無補。我們應該結合大家探討如何把新加坡變成一個更好的家園。
我們並非無能為力，也不是無法表達自己看法的小孩子，我們只是衝不出思想的桎梏。因為害怕會有嚴重的後果，我們自行審查我們言行。因為害怕隔牆有耳，我們連說話也得放低聲音。當然，惰性也使我們安於現狀，反正政府會為人民設想周到。
很不幸的，正是這種想法使我們失去了作為公民應有義務參與辯論和深入分析問題的責任感，除非有關的課題會影響我們的口袋，我們才會有所反應。
我們必須明白，我們雖然不是政府，政府卻應該為民服務。不過，我們也可以透過具體行動作出貢獻而不是一味追隨政府的政策。我們可以放開父母的手，學習自己走路。
我們對於未來都有一些模糊的概念，有些人感到恐懼，有些人則充滿喜悅。大概只有一些人能夠認清並知道如何達到目標。
不是所有的人都有能力確認和分析，更談不上解決問題。但是，如果完全沒有參與任何討論和交流，我們就連嘗試克服困難的機會都不給自己。
你願不願意參與新加坡願景的討論？