A man may usually be known by the books he reads as well as by the company he keeps2; for there is a companionship of books as well as of men; and one should always live in the best company, whether it be of books or of men.
A good book may be among the best of friends. It is the same today as it always was, and it will never change. It is the most patient and cheerful of companions. It does not turn its back upon3 us in times of adversity4 or distress5. It always receives us with the same kindness, amusing6 and instructing us in youth, and comforting and consoling7 us in age.
Books possess an essence of immortality8. They are by far9 the most lasting products of human effort. Temples and statues10 decay11, but books survive. Time is of no account with great thoughts, which are as fresh today as when they first passed through12 their author's minds ages ago. What was then said and thought still speaks to us as vividly13 as ever from the printed page. The only effect of time has been to sift out14 the bad products; for nothing in literature can long survive but what is really good.
Books introduce us into the best society; they bring us into the presence of the greatest minds that have ever lived. We hear what they said and did; we see them as if they were really alive; we sympathize with15 them, enjoy with them, grieve with them; their experience becomes ours, and we feel as if we were, in a measure16, actors with them in the scenes17 which they describe.
The great and good do not die even in this world. Embalmed18 in books, their spirits walk abroad. The book is a living voice. It is an intellect19 to which one still listens. Hence20 we ever remain under the influence of the great men of old. The imperial21 intellects of the world are as much alive now as they were ages ago.
从一个人交什么朋友，你可以了解他的为人。同样，从一个人读些什么书，你也可以了解他的为人。书籍如人， 都是人类的朋友。人总是与最好的伙伴为伍，不管这伙伴是书还是人。
一本好书堪为最好的朋友。它每天始终如一， 永不变心。 它最有耐心、最令人愉悦。我们遇到困难或情绪低落时，它不会背弃我们。它总是一如既往，宽厚待人。年轻时它教导我们， 给我们带来快乐；进入暮年，它安慰我们，使我们倍受关怀。
书籍之精髓永垂不朽。迄今为止，书是人类成就最为不朽的作品。寺庙和雕像终会腐朽，但书籍却能永存。伟大的思想不会随时间的流逝而褪色，而是历久弥新，一如多年前作者脑海里初次闪现的思想。当年的言论和思想跃然纸上，依旧生动地展现在我们面前。时间的惟一作用是去粗存精，因为文学著作中惟有好书才能流芳百世。
书籍使我们得以与最优秀的人物结交，拉近我们与历史伟人的距离。我们听其言，观其行，仿佛他们仍然健在。我们与他们情感相通，悲喜与共，他们的经历成了我们的财富。在某种程度上，我们感觉好像就是他们笔下描绘的舞台角色。
时至今日，伟人、伟业光辉依旧。他们的事迹被载入史册，他们的精神传遍四方。书是一种充满生气的声音，是人们仍在聆听的智者。因此，我们从来就沐浴着历代伟人的影响。世间的伟人历经沧桑岁月，生命力依旧不减当年。
1. companionship n． 友谊，交往
2． keep company (with) 与…作伴
3． turn one＇s back upon sb． 背弃某人
4． adversity n． 不幸
5． distress n． 苦痛
6． amusing adj． 有趣的
7． console v． 安慰
8． immortality n． 不朽
9． by far …得多（对比较级或最高级进行强调）
10． statue n． 塑像
11． decay v． 腐朽
12． pass through 经过
13． vividly adv． 生动地
14． sift out 筛选出 sift [sift] v． 筛选，过滤
15． sympathize with 同情
16． in a measure 在某种程度上
17． scene n． 场景
18． embalm v． 使不朽
19． intellect n． 智者
20． hence [hens] adv． 因此
21． imperial adj． 特大的