书城外语尽头处,生命更灿烂
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第39章 生命值得我们活下去 (13)

"For every ten coins you placest within your purse take out for use but nine. Your purse will start to fatten at once and its increasing weight will feel good in your hand and bring satisfaction to your soul."

2. Control your expenditures.

"Budget your expenses that you might have coins to pay for your necessities, to pay for your enjoyments and to gratify your worthwhile desires without spending more than nine-tenths of your earnings."

3. Make your gold multiply.

"Put each coin to laboring that it may reproduce its kind even as flocks of the field and help to bring to you income, a stream of wealth that shall flow constantly into your purse."

4. Guard your treasures from loss.

"Guard your treasure from loss by investing only where your principle is safe. Consult with wise men. Secure the advice of those experienced in the profitable handling of gold. Let their wisdom protect your treasure from unsale investments."

5. Make of your dwelling a profitable investment: "Own your own home."”

6. Insure a future income.

7. Increase your ability to earn.

"Cultivate your own powers, to study and become wiser, to become more skilful, to act as to respect yourself."

Arkad ended his lecture urging the hundred that there is more gold than you can dream of, abundance for all, so go forth "grow wealth yourself, as is your right."

巴比伦的明君萨贡王,始终担心自己臣民的生活。那里的富人越来越富,穷人却越来越穷。全城的金子都跑到了少数富人的囊中。

“为什么财富只掌握在少数人手里呢?”国王问道。

“因为他们懂得生财之道,任何人都不能谴责那些懂得如何成功的人。”大臣回答说。

“你知道谁是巴比伦城内最精通致富之道的人吗?”国王问道。

“陛下,你的问题里就有答案。您想想看,巴比伦最富有的人是谁呢?当然是阿卡德了。”大臣回答道。

于是,阿卡德便被请到萨贡王面前,并就积累财富问题进行了一番探讨。

“你是怎样积累这么多钱的,阿卡德?”国王问道。

“只靠一颗迫切渴望获得财富的心,除此之外别无其他。”阿卡德回答道。

“那么,是否有获得财富的奥秘呢?这个奥秘可以传授给别人吗?”国王继续问道。

“陛下,任何懂得致富之道的人都可以将这个奥秘告诉他人——那是个很实用的奥秘。”阿卡德回答道。

萨贡王希望阿卡德能够将致富秘诀拿出来与世人共享。于是,他选派了一百位大臣坐在阿卡德面前。

阿卡德站在众人面前,详细讲述了自己发财的原因。他总结了七条,并将摆脱贫困的七大要领教给了大臣们:

第一,先让你的钱包鼓起来。

“如果你将十枚硬币放进钱包里,那么你最多只能花九个,这样一来,你的钱包不久之后就会再次鼓起来。把它握在手里,感受它逐渐增加的重量,你会有一种满足感,你的灵魂也不再空虚。”

第二,学会做预算。

“学会做预算,以防不时之需时手足无措。除此之外,它可以使你在能够承受得起的范围内实现你的欲望。”

第三,让你的钱不断升值。

“让每一枚硬币的价值都发挥最大作用,如果你能使它们像田地里的牲畜一样不断繁殖,金钱就会源源不断地流入你的钱包。”

第四,谨慎投资,避免损失。

“如果你的计划尚不成熟,千万不要盲目地进行投资,首先应该向智者咨询,确定计划切实可行后再付诸行动,智者的话可以使你的财产不受损失。”

第五,拥有属于自己的房子,让你的住宅变成可盈利的投资。

第六,为将来作好准备。

第七,不断提高自己的赚钱能力。

“通过不断学习努力提升自身能力,不仅使自己更加聪明,而且还要有实际技能,要相信自己确实具备这样的能力。”

最后,阿卡德强调说:“朋友们,巴比伦有无数黄金等待着你们去挖掘,黄金的数量会远远超出你们的想象,它足以使所有人丰衣足食。因此,努力去做吧,你们一定能行!”

贫困并不可怕,关键是你有没有摆脱贫困的决心。

lament [l'ment] v. 悲叹;悔恨;哀悼;痛惜

She always laments her misfortunes.

她总是悲叹自己的不幸。

amass ['m鎠] v. 积聚;积累

You should amass a fortune.

你正在积聚财富。

remedy ['remidi] n. 治疗;补救;赔偿

Patience is the remedy for every trouble.

耐心是医治任何烦恼的良药。

budget ['bdit] v. 安排;预定;把……编入预算

You have to budget your time.

你必须把你的时间安排一下。

那里的富人越来越富,穷人却越来越穷。

如果你将十枚硬币放进钱包里,那么你最多只能花九个。

如果你的计划尚不成熟,千万不要盲目地进行投资。

The start of the conversation sums up the topic.

sum up:总结;计算……的总数;概述

Put each coin to laboring that it may reproduce its kind even as flocks of the field and help to bring to you income, a stream of wealth that shall flow constantly into your purse.

put to:靠岸;应用

49相信明天会更美

A Better Tomorrow

赫伯特·克拉克·胡佛 / Herbert Clark Hoover

People often wonder why historians go to so much trouble to preserve millions of books, documents and records of the past. Why do we have libraries? What good are these documents and the history books? Why do we record and save the actions of men, the negotiations of statesmen and the campaigns of armies?

Because, sometimes, the voice of experience can cause us to stop, look and listen. And because, sometimes, past records, correctly interpreted, can give us warning of what to do and what not to do.

If we are ever to create enduring peace, we must seek its origins in human experience and in the record of human idealism. From the story of the fortitude, courage and devotion of men and women, we create the inspirations of youth. From stories of the Christian martyrs, right down to Budapest' s heroic martyrs of today, history records the suffering, the self-denial, the devotion and the heroic deeds of men. Surely from these records there can come help to mankind in our confusions and perplexities, and in our yearnings for peace.

The supreme purpose of history is a better world. History gives a warning to those who would promote war. History brings inspiration to those who seek peace. In short, history helps us learn. Yesterday' s records can keep us from repeating yesterday' s mistakes. And from the pieces of mosaic assembled by historians come the great murals which represent the progress of mankind.

人们常常不能理解,历史学家为什么要千方百计地去保存数以百万计的历史书籍、文献和史实?我们为什么要有图书馆?这些文献和史书又有什么用处?我们为什么要记载并保存人类的行为、政治家的谈判和军队的征战?

因为经验之音可以帮助我们驻足、观察和倾听。还因为过去的记载经过正确的检验,可以给我们以警示,告诉我们该做什么,不该做什么。

假如我们想要营造永久的和平,就一定要从人类的经验和人类追求理想的记录当中去探究其渊源。从男男女女的刚毅、勇敢和奉献的故事中,我们获得了青春的灵感。远自基督教殉道者的故事,近至当代布达佩斯的英勇烈士,历史记载着人类的苦难,以及克己、忠诚和英勇的事迹。当然,这些记载一定会给处于困惑、茫然之中并渴望和平的人们带来益处。

历史的最高目标是使世界变得更加美好。历史对那些热衷于战争的人加以警告,对那些追求和平的人予以鼓励。总之,历史帮助我们学习。昨日的记载可以使我们不再重蹈覆辙。而这些由历史学家所拼合的马赛克,将成为展示人类进步的伟大壁画。

要想预见未来,必须了解历史。历史的最高目标是使世界变得更美好。世界永远都在发展之中,我们没有理由不去相信明天会更美好。

document ['dkjumnt] n. 文件;公文;文档;证件

I need you to save the document.

我需要你把这份文件保存下来。