范晔·《后汉书·班超列传·小子安知壮士之志》英译

班超……为人有大志，不修细节。然内孝谨，居家常执勤苦，不耻劳辱。有口辩，而涉猎书传。<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

永平五年，兄固被召诣校书郎，超与其母随至洛阳。

家贫，常为官佣书以供养。久劳苦，常辍业投笔叹曰：“大丈夫无它志略，犹当效傅介子、张骞立功异域，以取封侯，安能久事笔砚间乎？”左右皆笑之，超曰：“小子安知壮士志哉！”

How Can You Possibly Understand a Hero's Ambition

Ban Chao who was filled with ambition was careless about his trifling personal matters and appearance. In fact, he was filial and circumspect. He worked hard in the household, never finding physical labour repulsive. He was skilled in both speech and argument, for he read many ancient books.

In the 5th year of Yongping [62AD], as his elder brother Ban Gu was appointed as a supreme official in charge of the state library, Ban Chao and his mother followed him and settled in the capical of Luo Yang too.

The want of his family required that Ban Chao frequently copy books in the employment of local authorities to support himself and his mother. After labouring for quite a long time, he once stopped copying, and throwing his writing brush to the ground, sighed out:

"If a real man has no other desire or plan, he had better follow Fu Jiezi and Zhang Qian's examples of edtablishing merit abroad and winning a high official post and favour upon return. How can he misspend his youth among writing brushes and inkstone year in and year out?" All his colleagues around laughed at him. Ban Chao said:"How can you possibly understand a hero's ambition!"