最近图书馆的领导同志要我写一篇讲 图书馆的文章，我连考虑都没有，立即一口答应。
Therefore, recently when the curator asked me to write an article on the library, Ireadily agreed without any hesitation.
1946年，我从欧洲回国。
In 1946, I returned to China after staying in Europe for about eleven years.
去国将近11年，在落叶满长安(长安街 也〉的深秋季节，又回到了北平。
When I arrived in Peiping, it was late autumn, with Chang'an Street strewn with fallen leaves.
然而我立刻就到了 一个可以安身立命的地方，这就是北大图书馆。
Fortunately, I soon found a place where could settle down to a tranquil life and get on with my work, that is, Peking University Library.
当时我单身住在红 楼，我的办公室(东语系办公室)是在灰楼。
At that time, I lived alone at the Red Building and office, the office of the Oriental Languages Department, was in the Gray Building.
图书馆就介乎其中。
And the University library was situated in-between.
承当 时图书馆的领导特别垂青，在图书馆里给了我一间研究室，在楼下 左侧。
Thanks to the thoughtfulness of the curator, I was allotted a research room in the library, on the left side of its ground floor.
但是在图书馆这一面，却是清静异常。
But it was very quiet in the library itself though.
我的研究室左右，也都是教授 研究室，当然室各有主，但是颇少见人来。
Around me were also research rooms belonging to other professors, but I seldom saw them.
所以走廊里静如古寺，真 是念书写作的好地方。
So it was all quiet in the corridor, like in an ancient temple.
我能在奔波数万里扰攘十几年，有时梦想得到 -张一尺见方的书桌而渺不可得的情况下，居然有了一间窗明几净 的研究室，简直如坐天堂，如享天福了の。
Imagine how overwhelmed with joy I was to have a bright research room complete a with a desk after spending more than a decade rushing about from place place sometimes with the vain dream of getting a mere small desk of my To me, however, what really mattered in a research room were not bright windows and clean desks, which were of course also indispensable, I but sufficient books.
图书馆 的领导允许我从书库里提一部分必要的书，放在我的研究室里，供随 时查用Q。
I was given permission from the curator to equip my research room with necessary books for easy reference taken direct from the stack rooms.
我当时是东语系的主任，虽然系非常小，没有多少学生四， 但是，仍然有一些会要开，一些公要办，所以也并不太闲。
As head of Department of Oriental Languages, I was busy with meetings and official duties although the said a Department had a relatively small enrollment.
Spite of that, I would withdraw at the first opportunity to my research room to enjoy the privacy of having a place all to myself, a place where am my own master.
我回国以后，由于资料缺乏，在国外时的研究工作， 无法进行，只能有多大碗，吃多少饭，找一些可以发挥自己的长处而 又有利于国计民生的题目，来进行研究。
Upon my return to China, had to discontinue, for lack of reference materials, the research I had been doing abroad.
北大图书馆藏书甲全国大 学，我需要的资料基本上能找得到，因此还能够写出一些东西来。
As Peking University Library boasted the largest collection of books of all university libraries in the country, I was able to write with materials available to me.
如 果换一个地方，我必如车辙中的鲋鱼那样0，什么书也看不到，什么 文章也写不出。
Otherwise, with no access to books I needed, I would have accomplished nothing at all, like a fish stranded in a dry rut.
作为全国最高学府的北京大学，我们有悠久的爱国主义的革命历 史传统，有实事求是的学术传统，这些都是难能可贵的，但是，我认 为，一个第一流的大学，必须有第一流的设备、第一流的图书、第一 流的教师、第一流的学者和第一流的管理。
However, in my opinion, a first-rate university should have facilities, teaching staff, scholars and administration of the best quality.
因此，我们有充分的基础，可 以来弘扬祖国的优秀文化，为我国四化建设培养德才兼备的人才，对 外为祖国争光，对内为人民立功。
We of University are, therefore, fully qualified for the job of carrying forward the splendid cultural heritage of our nation and training people of ability and virtue for our country's modernization drive, thereby winning honor for our country and rendering meritorious service to our people.
但是，我们全校师生员工却不能躺在这个骄傲上、这个幸福上睡 大觉。
Nevertheless, we teachers, students and all employees should not be satisfied with the success we have already won.
我们必须努力学习，努力工作，像爱护自己的眼球一样，爱护 北大，爱护北大的一草一木、一山一石，爱护我们的图书馆。
We should study and work hard, and cherish, as we do our eyes, our university and everything in including its library.
就像人每天必须吃饭一样 我们念书人都一样，嗜书如命。
Libraries Are Indispensable Like Food O Ji Xianlin All intellectuals love books.
我小学的时候，当时学校还没有 图书馆。
The primary school where I studied didn't have a library.
打念中学开始，一直到出国深造，我几乎一天也没离开过图 书馆。
But, all the way from middle school to university abroad, \] never let a day pass without consulting a library.
我大学是在清华念的。
I obtained higher education at Tsinghua University, Beijing, where I had four-year dealings with its prestigious library.