It was the best of times, it was the worst of times; it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness; it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity; it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness; it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair; we had everything before us, we had nothing before us; we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way.

Excerpt from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

參考譯文

這是一個最好的時代，也是一個最壞的時代;這是明智的年代，這是愚昧的年代;這是信任的紀元，這是懷疑的紀元;這是光明的季節，這是黑暗的季節;這是希望的春日，這是失望的冬日;我們面前應有盡有，我們面前一無所有;我們都將直下地獄……