In short, I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.
七岁时，有一次放假，朋友们给了我很多铜币，塞了满满一口袋。于是，我便直奔一家儿童玩具专卖店。路上，我被一个男孩手中哨子的哨音吸引住了，于是，我主动提出用我所有的铜币换他的哨子。我很得意，一回到家里，就吹着哨子满世界跑，但这哨音打扰了家人。哥哥、姐姐和表亲们得知我做的这笔交易后，就告诉我，我付了四倍于哨子价值的钱。他们说我多付的钱可以买好多好东西，还笑话我竟然做出这等蠢事。我懊恼得哭了起来，这件事带给我的苦恼多于快乐。
不过，这件事一直留在我的记忆中，对我今后的人生益处良多。从那以后，每当我想去买一些不必要的东西时，总对自己说：不要为哨子付出太多。于是，我便省下了钱。
长大后，进入社会，遇到了很多人。我观察着人们的行为，最后发现，他们都为自己的哨子付出了过高的代价。
当我看见一个人过分热衷于攀附权贵，把时间都花在谋求接见之中，而不惜牺牲自己的睡眠、自由、德行甚至朋友时，我便对自己说，这个人为了他的哨子付出了昂贵的代价。
当我看见另一个人醉心于名望，一次次地投身于政界的纷扰繁杂之中，忽视了自己的分内之事，最后因这种忽视而毁了自己时，我说，他确实为他的哨子付出了昂贵的代价。
当我得知一个守财奴为了积累财富，宁愿放弃舒适的生活、行善的乐趣、同胞的尊重和友爱带来的欢愉时，我会说，可怜的人啊，为了他的哨子，他付出了昂贵的代价。
当我遇到一个沉湎于享乐，为了追求肉体上的享受，牺牲一切精神或物质上值得称道的改进，甚至不惜毁掉自己的健康时，我要说，误入歧途的人啊，他是有福不享，自讨苦吃，为了他的哨子，他付出了昂贵的代价。
当我看到一个人追求外表，或沉迷于精致的服装、豪华的住宅、富丽的家具、漂亮的马车；以致入不敷出、债台高筑，最后锒铛入狱时，我说，天哪！为了他的哨子，他付出了如此昂贵的代价。
当我看到一个美丽动人、性情温顺的女孩，嫁给一个粗野、残忍的丈夫时，我说，真是可惜，为了她的哨子，她付出了昂贵的代价。
总之，我认为，人类遭受的不幸很大一部分都是由于他们对事物的价值作出错误的评估所造成的，他们为自己的哨子付出了过高的代价。
生活是一首和弦曲，只有各种音符的默契配合才可能奏出悦耳的音乐，而每个音符停留的时间要依这首曲子的整体效果而定。生命中每个人都有各种欲望、期待和理想，它们正如这些音符，只有准确衡量其轻重缓急，为其支付等值的钞票，才可能使这首生命之曲悦耳动听。
voluntarily ['vlntrili] adv. 自动地；自发地
The reactionary classes never give up power voluntarily.
反动阶级从来不会自动放弃政权。
disturbing [di'st:bi] v. 打扰；妨碍；弄乱
They were charged with disturbing the peace.
他们被指控犯了扰乱治安罪。
bargain ['b:in] n. 协议；交易
He drove a hard bargain.
他拼命地讨价还价。
vexation [vek'sein] n. 懊恼；烦恼
What a bundle of contradictions is a man！Surety, humour is the
saving grace of us, for without it we should die of vexation.
人真是充满矛盾啊！毫无疑问，幽默是帮助我们摆脱烦恼的唯一办法，要是没有它，我们将死于烦恼。
有一次放假，朋友们给了我很多铜币，塞了满满一口袋。
每当我想去买一些不必要的东西时，总对自己说：不要为哨子付出太多。
我认为，人类遭受的不幸很大一部分都是由于他们对事物的价值作出错误的评估所造成的。
...being charmed with the sound of a whistle...
be charmed with：醉心于……；被……迷住
When I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, Don't give too much for the whistle.
be tempted to：受诱惑做某事
那片羽毛随风飘散
Feather in the Wind
佚名 / Anonymous
A certain good woman one day said something that hurt her best friend of many years. She regretted immediately and would have done anything to have taken the words back. What she said hurt the friend so much that this good woman was herself hurt for the pain she caused. In an effort to undo what she had done, she went to an older, wiser woman in the village, explained her situation, and asked for advice.
Listening to her, the older woman sensed the younger woman's distress and knew she must help her. She also knew she could never alleviate her pain, but she could teach. She knew the outcome would depend solely on the character of the younger woman. She said, "Tonight, take your best feather pillows and put a single feather on the doorstep of each house in town before the sun rises."
The young woman hurried home to prepare for her chore, even though the feather pillows were very dear to her. All night long, she labored alone in the cold. Finally the sky was getting light, she placed the last feather on the steps of the last house. Just as the sun rose, she returned to the older woman.
"Now," said the wise woman, "Go back and refill your pillows with the feather you have put on the steps. Then everything will be as it was before."
"You know that's impossible! The wind blew away each feather as fast as I placed them on the doorsteps!" The young woman was surprised.
"That's true," said the older woman, "Never forget. Each of your words is like a feather in the wind. Once spoken, no amount of effort, regardless how heartfelt or sincere, can never return them to your mouth. Choose your words well and guard them most of all in the presence of those you love."
一天，一个善良的女人说了一些话，伤害了多年的好友。话刚出口，她就后悔了，若能收回已说出口的话，她愿意付出一切代价。她的话不但深深地伤害了朋友，自己也因此痛苦不堪。为了弥补自己的过失，她求助于村里的一位有智慧的老妇人，向她诉说了自己的苦恼。
从这个年轻女人的话里，老妇人能体会到她的苦恼，因此，她决定帮她一把。同时，她也知道，自己虽不可能减轻她的痛苦，但至少可以让她吸取教训；结果将会取决于这个年轻女人的性格。于是，老妇人说：“今夜，你将最好的羽绒枕头拿出来，天亮之前，在镇上每一户人家的门阶上放一根羽毛。”
尽管这个年轻女人舍不得那些珍贵的羽绒枕头，但她还是匆忙回家，准备按老妇人的话去做。整整一夜，她顶着寒风，一个人奔忙于镇上。终于在天快亮时，她把最后一根羽毛放在了最后一幢房子的门阶上。日出之时，她又来到老妇人那里。
这位智慧长者说：“现在回去，将你放在门阶前的羽毛收齐装进枕头。然后，一切就会恢复从前的样子。”
年轻女人惊呼：“那怎么可能！我把羽毛一放在门阶上，风马上就将它吹走了！”
老妇人说：“没错。所以，你得记住，你所说的每一句话就像风中的羽毛一样。一旦说出口，不论你怎样努力，也不管你如何有诚意，都再也收不回来。说话要慎重，在你爱的人面前尤其要注意这点。”
古语云：“覆水难收”，事后想办法补救固然是好的，但事情已经随着时间的流逝而不可逆转了。如果真的要自己问心无愧，就要在说每一句话、做每一件事之前三思，尊重别人，也尊重自己，为自己留下无悔的记忆，也为别人带去温暖。
undo [,n'du] v. 松开；解开
It is better for the doer to undo what he has done.
解铃还须系铃人。
distress [dis'tres] n. 悲痛；痛苦；忧伤；苦恼
Company in distress makes trouble less.
同病相怜，痛苦减轻。
alleviate ['li:vieit] v. 减轻；缓解； 缓和
Tea with milk can alleviate fatigue, stimulate appetite and help assimilation.
奶茶有解除疲劳、使人兴奋、增强食欲、帮助消化等作用。
refill ['ri:fil] v. 再注满；重新装满
Print your document after you refill your ink to check the nozzle condition.
填充墨水后，打印文档，检查喷嘴状态。
你所说的每一句话就像风中的羽毛一样。
一旦说出口，不论你怎样努力，也不管你如何有诚意，都再也收不回来。
说话要慎重，在你爱的人面前尤其要注意这点。
She regretted immediately and would have done anything to have taken the words back.
take back：收回；撤回
Choose your words well and guard them most of all in the presence of those you love.
in the presence of：在……面前
失败是刚迈进成功的那只脚
The Uncertainty Principle
佚名 / Anonymous
Two sailors ran into each other in a pub. Over a few beers, one of the men told the other about his last voyage: "After a month at sea," he said, "we discovered our masts had been eaten through by termites ! Almost nothing left of them."
"That's terrible," said the second sailor.