It was the best of times,

it was the worst of times,

这是最好的时代，这是最坏的时代；

it was the age of wisdom,

it was the age of foolishness,

这是智慧的时代，这是愚蠢的时代；

it was the epoch of belief,

it was the epoch of incredulity,

这是信仰的时期，这是怀疑的时期；

it was the season of light,

it was the season of darkness,

这是光明的季节，这是黑暗的季节；

it was the spring of hope,

it was the winter of despair,

这是希望之春，这是失望之冬；

we had everything before us,

we had nothing before us,

人们面前有着各样事物，人们面前一无所有；

we were all going direct to heaven,

we were all going direct the other way.

人们在直登天堂，人们在直下地狱。