The Scroll Marked Three 羊皮卷之四

 

I am nature's greatest miracle. Since the beginning of time never has there been another with my mind, my heart, my eyes, my ears, my hands, my hair, my mouth. None that came before, none that live today, and none that come tomorrow can walk and talk and move and think exactly like me. All men are my brothers yet I am different from each. I am a unique creature. I am nature's greatest miracle. Although I am of the animal kingdom, animal rewards alone will not satisfy me. Within me burns a flame, which has been passed from generations uncounted and its heat is a constant irritation1 to my spirit to become better than I am, and I will. I will fan this flame of dissatisfaction and proclaim my uniqueness to the world. None can duplicate my brush strokes, none can make my chisel2 marks, none can duplicate my handwriting, none can produce my child, and, in truth, none has the ability to sell exactly as I. Henceforth, I will capitalize on this difference for it is an asset to be promoted to the fullest. I am nature's greatest miracle. Vain attempts to imitate others no longer will I make. Instead will I place my uniqueness on display in the market place. I will proclaim it, yea, I will sell it. I will begin now to accent my differences; hide my similarities. So too will I apply this principle to the goods I sell. Salesman and goods, different from all others, and proud of the difference. I am a unique creature of nature. I am rare, and there is value in all rarity; therefore, I am valuable. I am the end product of thousands of years of evolution; therefore, I am better equipped in both mind and body than all the emperors and wise men who preceded me. But my skills, my mind, my heart, and my body will stagnate4, rot, and die lest I put them to good use. I have unlimited5 potential. Only a small portion  of my brain do I employ; only a paltry6 amount of my muscles do I flex7. A hundredfold or more can I increase my accomplishments8 of yesterday  and this I will do, beginning today. Nevermore will I be satisfied with yesterday's accomplishments nor will I indulge, anymore, in self-praise for deeds which in reality are too small to even acknowledge. I can accomplish far more than I have, and I will, for why should the miracle  which produced me end with my birth? Why can I not extend that miracle to my deeds of today? I am nature's greatest miracle. I am not on this earth by chance. I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy. I will increase my knowledge of mankind, myself, and the goods I sell, thus my sales will multiply. I will practice, and improve, and polish the words I utter to sell my goods, for this is the foundation on which I will build my career and never will I forget that many have attained9 great wealth and success with only one sales talk, delivered with excellence10. Also will I seek constantly to improve my manners and graces, for they are the sugar to which all are attracted. I am nature's greatest miracle. I will concentrate my energy on the challenge of the moment and my actions will help me forget all else. The problems of my home will be left in my home. I will think naught11 of my family when I am in the market place for this will cloud my thoughts. So too will the problems of the market place be left in the market place and I will think naught of my profession when I am in my home for this will dampen my love. There is no room in the market place for my family, nor is there room in my home for the market.  Each I will divorce from the other and thus will I remain wedded12 to both. Separate must they remain or my career will die. This is a paradox13 of the ages. I am nature's greatest miracle. I have been given eyes to see and a mind to think and now I know a great secret of life for I perceive, at last, that all my problems, discouragements, and heartaches are, in truth, great opportunities  in disguise. I will no longer be fooled by the garments they wear for mine eyes are open. I will look beyond the cloth and I will not be deceived. I am nature's greatest miracle. No beast, no plant, no wind, no rain, no rock, no lake had the same beginning as I, for I was conceived in love and brought forth3 with a purpose.  In the past I have not considered this fact but it will henceforth shape and guide my life. I am nature's greatest miracle. And nature knows not defeat. Eventually, she emerges victorious14 and so will I, and with each victory the next struggle becomes less difficult. I will win, and I will become a great salesman, for I am unique. I am nature's greatest miracle.

我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 自从上帝创造了天地万物以来，没有一个人和我一样，我的头脑、心灵、眼睛、耳朵、双手、头发、嘴唇都是与众不同的。言谈举止和我完全一样的人以前没有，现在没有，以后也不会有．虽然四海之内皆兄弟，然而人人各异。我是独一无二的造化。 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 我不可能像动物一样容易满足，我心中燃烧着代代相传的火焰，它激励我超越自己，我要使这团火燃得更旺，向世界宣布我的出类拔萃。 没有人能模仿我的笔迹，我的商标，我的成果，我的推销能力。从今往后，我要使自己的个性充分发展，因为这是我得以成功的一大资本。 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 我不再徒劳地模仿别人，而要展示自己的个性。我不但要宣扬它，还要推销它。我要学会去同存异，强调自己与众不同之处，回避人所共有的通性，并且要把这种原则运用到商品上．推销员和货物，两者皆独树一帜，我为此而自豪。 我是独一无二的奇迹。 物以稀为贵。我独行特立，因而身价百倍。我是千万年进化的终端产物，头脑和身体都超过以往的帝王与智者。 但是。我的技艺，我的头脑，我的心灵，我的身体，若不善加利用，都将随着时间的流逝而迟钝，腐朽,甚至死亡．我的潜力无穷无尽，脑力、体能稍加开发，就能超过以往的任何成就。从今天开始。我就要开发潜力。 我不再因昨日的成绩沾沾自喜，不再为微不足道的成绩目吹自擂。我能做的比已经完成的更好。我的出生并非最后一样奇迹，为什么自己不能再创奇迹呢？ 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 我不是随意来到这个世上的.我生来应为高山。而非草芥。从今往后，我要竭尽全力成为群峰之巅．将我的潜能发挥到最大限度. 我要吸取前人的经验，了解自己以及手中的货物，这样才能成倍地增加销量。我要字斟句酌，反复推敲推销时用的语言。因为这是成就事业的关键.我绝不忘记,许多成功的商人，其实只有一套说词。却能使他们无往不利。我也要不断改进自己的仪态和风度，因为这是吸引别人的美德。 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 我要专心致志对抗眼前的挑战，我的行动会使我忘却其它一切，不让家事缠身。身在商场，不可恋家，否则那会使我思想混饨。另一方面，当我与家人同处时，一定得把工作留在门外，否则会使家人感到冷落。 商场上没有一块属于家人的地方，同样，家中也没有谈论商务的地方，这两者必须截然分开，否则就会顾此失彼，这是很多人难以走出的误区． 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 我有双眼，可以观察；我有头脑，可以思考。现在我已洞悉了一个人生中伟大的奥秘．我发现，一切问题、沮丧、悲伤，都是乔装打扮的机遇之神．我不再被他们的外表所蒙骗，我已睁开双眼，看破了他们的伪装． 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹． 飞禽走兽、花草树木、风雨山石、河流湖泊，都没有像我一样的起源，我孕育在爱中，肩负使命而生。过去我忽略了这个事实，从今往后，它将塑造我的性格，引导我的人生。 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。 自然界不知何谓失败，终以胜利者的姿态出现，我也要如此，因为成功一旦降临，就会再度光顾。 我会成功，我会成为伟大的推销员，因为我举世无双。 我是自然界最伟大的奇迹。

 

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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》

9 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

10 excellence   

n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德

参考例句：

• His art has reached a high degree of excellence.他的艺术已达到炉火纯青的地步。
• My performance is far below excellence.我的表演离优秀还差得远呢。

11 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

12 wedded   

adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She's wedded to her job. 她专心致志于工作。
• I was invited over by the newly wedded couple for a meal. 我被那对新婚夫妇请去吃饭。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 paradox   

n.似乎矛盾却正确的说法；自相矛盾的人(物)

参考例句：

• The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
• The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。

14 victorious   

adj.胜利的，得胜的

参考例句：

• We are certain to be victorious.我们定会胜利。
• The victorious army returned in triumph.获胜的部队凯旋而归。