羊皮卷之四（1）

The Scroll¹ Marked 4

羊皮卷之四

I am nature's greatest miracle.

我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。

Since the beginning of time

自从上帝创造了天地万物以来，

never has there been another with my mind,

没有一个人和我一样，我的头脑、

my heart, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my hair, my mouth.

心灵、眼睛、耳朵、双手、头发、嘴唇都是与众不同的。

None that came before, none that live today,

言谈举止和我完全一样的人以前没有，

and none that come tomorrow can walk

现在没有，

and talk and move and think exactly like me.

以后也不会有。

All men are my brothers yet I am different from each.

虽然四海之内皆兄弟，然而人人各异。

I am a unique creature.

我是独一无二的造化。

I am nature's greatest miracle.

我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。

Although I am of the animal kingdom, animal rewards alone will not satisfy me.

我不可能像动物一样容易满足，

Within me burns a flame which has been passed from generations uncounted

我心中燃烧着代代相传的火焰，

and its heat is a constant irritation² to my spirit

它激励我超越自己，

to become better than I am, and I will.

我要使这团火燃得更旺，

I will fan this flame of dissatisfaction and proclaim my uniqueness to the world.

向世界宣布我的出类拔萃。

None can duplicate my brush strokes,

没有人能模仿我的字迹

none can make my chisel³ marks,

我的商标，

none can duplicate my handwriting,

我的笔迹，

none can produce my child,

我的成果，

and, in truth, none has the ability to sell exactly as I.

我的推销能力。

Henceforth, I will capitalize on this difference

从今往后，我要使自己的个性充分发展，

for it is an asset to be promoted to the fullest.

因为这是我得以成功的一大资本。

I am nature's greatest miracle.

我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。

Vain attempts to imitate others no longer will I make.

我不再徒劳地模仿别人，

Instead will I place my uniqueness on display in the market place.

而要展示自己的个性。

I will proclaim it, yea, I will sell it.

我不但要宣扬它，还要推销它。

I will begin now to accent my differences;

我要学会去同存异，强调自己与众不同之处，

hide my similarities.

回避人所共有的通性，

So too will I apply this principle to the goods I sell.

并且要把这种原则运用到商品上。

Salesman and goods, different from all others,

推销员和货物，两者皆独树一帜，

and proud of the difference.

我为此而自豪。

I am a unique creature of nature.

我是独一无二的奇迹。

I am rare, and there is value in all rarity;

物以稀为贵。我独行特立，

there-fore, I am valuable.

因而身价百倍。

I am the end product of thousands of years of evolution;

我是千万年进化的终端产物，

therefore, I am better equipped in both mind and body than all the emperors and wise men who preceded me.

头脑和身体都超过以往的帝王与智者。

But my skills, my mind, my heart, and my body will stagnate⁵,

但是，我的技艺，我的头脑，我的心灵，我的身体，若不善加利用，

rot, and die lest I put them to good use.

都将随着时间的流逝而迟钝，腐朽,甚至死亡。

I have unlimited⁶ potential

我的潜力无穷无尽，

Only a small portion of my brain do I employ; only a paltry⁷ amount of my muscles do I flex⁸.

脑力、体能稍加开发，

A hundredfold or more can I increase my accomplishments⁹ of yesterday

就能超过以往的任何成就。

and this I will do, beginning today.

从今天开始。我就要开发潜力。

Nevermore will I be satisfied with yesterday's accomplishments

我不再因昨日的成绩沾沾自喜，

nor will I indulge, anymore, in self-praise

不再为微不足道的成绩目吹自擂。

for deeds which in reality are too small to even acknowledge.

我能做的比已经完成的更好。

I can accomplish far more than I have, and I will, for why should the miracle which produced me end with my birth?

我的出生并非最后一样奇迹，

Why can I not extend that miracle to my deeds of today?

为什么自己不能再创奇迹呢？

I am nature's greatest miracle.

我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。

I am not on this earth by chance.

我不是随意来到这个世上的。

I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain,

我生来应为高山。

not to shrink to a grain of sand.

而非草芥。

Hence forth⁴ will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all

从今往后，我要竭尽全力成为群峰之巅。

and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.

将我的潜能发挥到最大限度.

I will increase my knowledge of mankind, myself, and the goods I sell,

我要吸取前人的经验，了解自己以及手中的货物，

thus my sales will multiply.

这样才能成倍地增加销量。

1 scroll   

n.卷轴，纸卷；(石刻上的)漩涡

参考例句：

• As I opened the scroll,a panorama of the Yellow River unfolded.我打开卷轴时，黄河的景象展现在眼前。
• He was presented with a scroll commemorating his achievements.他被授予一幅卷轴，以表彰其所做出的成就。

2 irritation   

n.激怒，恼怒，生气

参考例句：

• He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
• Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。

3 chisel   

n.凿子；v.用凿子刻，雕，凿

参考例句：

• This chisel is useful for getting into awkward spaces.这凿子在要伸入到犄角儿里时十分有用。
• Camille used a hammer and chisel to carve out a figure from the marble.卡米尔用锤子和凿子将大理石雕刻出一个人像。

4 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

5 stagnate   

v.停止

参考例句：

• Where the masses are not roused,work will stagnate.哪里不发动群众，哪里的工作就死气沉沉。
• Taiwan's economy is likely to stagnate for a long time to come.台湾经济很可能会停滞很长一段时间。

6 unlimited   

adj.无限的，不受控制的，无条件的

参考例句：

• They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
• There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。

7 paltry   

adj.无价值的，微不足道的

参考例句：

• The parents had little interest in paltry domestic concerns.那些家长对家里鸡毛蒜皮的小事没什么兴趣。
• I'm getting angry;and if you don't command that paltry spirit of yours.我要生气了，如果你不能振作你那点元气。

8 flex   

n.皮线，花线；vt.弯曲或伸展

参考例句：

• We wound off a couple of yards of wire for a new lamp flex.我们解开几码电线作为新的电灯花线。
• He gave his biceps a flex to impress the ladies.他收缩他的肱二头肌以吸引那些女士们的目光。

9 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》