(Clearwisdom.net) I became a translator for the Clearwisdom website by chance at the end of 1999. My first assignment was a four-sentence, short article. The polisher made changes in three of those sentences. My translation skills improved after many years of actual practice. Moreover, looking back at years of cultivation practice while doing translation work for Minghui, my heart is full of gratitude.
Cultivate and Improve Xinxing in Doing Translation
Doing translation work can also meet with Xinxing tests. The following are some obvious challenges and improvement of my xinxing that I can remember.
At one time, all other team members went to attend a Fa conference held in Washington DC. It happened that there were many photo reports needed to be translated that day. I translated several reports overnight. I felt complacent, and had a sense of achievement, thinking that I had a high realm, and I was remarkable. After I calmed down later, I realized that this was my own choice and what I should do, nothing to show off about. It wouldn't do if I did not do well.
As I'm not confident in my English skills, usually when I'm on duty, I often assign Chinese reports to other practitioners in my sub-team. I won't do translation unless some article(s) are left after the rest are assigned, or other team members are not available. Sometimes, when I had nothing to translate, I had the thought that if so, wasn't I missing an opportunity to practice my translation skills? But after thinking it over, other practitioners have better English language skills, and for the same type of articles, if translated by different translators, the readers will read articles with different styles, which is better.
Cultivation states affect the quality and efficiency of translation. A bad cultivation state makes for great interference, and when doing translation, I'm muddle-headed, sleepy, slow, and the translated article is not good. But to get the article published on the website on time, I do not have any chance to delay and do the translation when I'm clear-headed. I have to submit the unsatisfactory translation, and thus add more work to polishers. They have to spend more time and make many changes in the article. When my cultivation state is good, I can do translation efficiently, and it turns out to be quick and of good quality, the polisher won't make many changes in it.
Hard but Happy Work
Every year, when the New Year, Chinese New Year and World Falun Dafa Day come, Dafa disciples from around the world, especially from different places in mainland China, send cards accompanied with their congratulatory messages to the Minghui website to extend their respect to revered Master and wish Master a Happy New Year and Happy Birthday. Our team is fortunate to do the translation of these greetings and congratulations. It is usually the busiest time for the team. As the number of submissions has increased every year, and all need to be translated within two to three days, all team members will take some parts to translate if their time permits. Most of the translation consists of names of different places. It seems a boring task, but I do the translation meticulously, and do not want to miss any place name, knowing that, each place name is not simply a name of a place, but means a lot for practitioners in China. It's not easy to circumvent China's Internet blockade to get a message to Minghui Net.
Every year, I can find some new place names, and I'm happy for the practitioners in those small remote places in China, because they can also circumvent the Internet blockade to send their congratulations and best wishes to compassionate great Master.
I also enjoy looking at each beautifully designed card. The practitioners must have put all their best energy into making the cards. I'm also moved by reading their congratulation messages.
Put Minghui Translation Work as Top Priority
Doing translation for the website, we can't receive feedback as other media do. We don't get a lot of feedback from readers, and we can't see the immediate result of our work. Moreover, many practitioners create other projects, and are short-handed, so some translators for Minghui consider turning to other projects. I also had such a thought one time, but I feel I'm unable to put aside Minghui translation work, and take up another new project. So I have put Minghui translation work as top priority, and only help do some less demanding tasks in other projects in my local area.
My advantage is that the place I'm living is 12 to 13 hours away from North America by airplane; my day time is night time there. So I have sufficient time during the day to handle some time-sensitive translation tasks. Moreover, there are no big projects such as Shen Yun where I live that require much involvement of manpower and time, and there are not as many local activities as in North America.
Our team members are all friendly. We don't have conflicts, because we can't see each other in person. If anything comes up, the coordinator will take care of everything. I have been having a wonderful time working in such a warm and supportive environment.
Be diligent as Always
My cultivation environment is stable, I have not met any big tribulations. So I easily slacked off as time passed. Moreover, there is not much difference if most translated articles are published one day earlier or later on the website. I feel I'm not as diligent as I was when I first joined the translation team. Revered Master said in a recent Fa lecture that practitioners should be "always cultivating as if you were just starting," (2009 New York International Fa Conference). This Fa urged me to be diligent.
Thank you, revered Master for providing me such an opportunity to share my thoughts. When writing this sharing paper, I felt from the bottom of my heart that the path of cultivation that revered Master has arranged for me is most suitable for me. Looking back, I feel happy that I can use my translation skills to do my part in Fa-validation and offering salvation to sentient beings.
Thank you, Master,
Thank you, fellow practitioners!
