精美英文欣赏:何为优秀的领导者?（在线收听）

With Parliament in recess, we don't hear much from our political masters.

在国会休会期间，政治精英们没有发表太多言论，

MP's, as well as many business leaders, are on holiday.

议员和商界领导正在度假。

I hope they have a good holiday.

祝他们假期愉快，

I hope that they'll not be like the 70% of smartphone users,

也祝他们不要像70%的智能手机用户一样

who was reported yesterday, stay wired to work ensuring that business can invade pleasure.

紧张地工作，得到了金钱，却失去了快乐。

I hope our nation's leaders get passionate about other interests, so passionate that they might even be reticent to return.

希望我们的领导人能在度假时对其他事情产生兴趣，甚至流连忘返。

And I say this because of a story I read yesterday. I can tell it in a minute. It's about trees.

我这么说是因为我昨天读了一篇关于树的故事，请允许我花一分钟讲讲。

It's about how once upon a time the trees wanted to appoint a king over them.

从前树木想要选一棵树作为王来管理他们。

So they asked the olive tree first. And the olive tree refused.

他们先找到了橄榄树，但橄榄树拒绝了他们的请求，

It didn't want to leave behind its production of oil by which humanity was enriched.

人类要靠他制造的油发家致富，它不愿丢下他们。

Then the trees tried to get the fig tree to become king.

他们又找到了无花果树，请他来当王。

But the fig tree was unwilling to leave the production of fruit which was a delight those who ate it.

但无花果树不愿作王，它还想长出甜美的果实供人们享用。

The trees then turned to the vine and asked if it would become king.

树木又找到葡萄树，问他能否作他们的王。

But the vine also refused. It enjoyed producing grapes which became wine which was pleasing to everyone who drank it.

但葡萄树也拒绝了他们，他还想继续长出葡萄，酿成葡萄酒供人们畅饮。

So then the trees went to the thorn and asked if it would be king over them.

于是树木请荆棘来作他们的王。

And the thorn tree said, "If you really want to appoint me, come under my protection. Otherwise you will be scorched by fire.

荆棘回答说：“你们若真想封我为王，就要投在我的荫下。不然，你们将遭受火焰的炙烤。”

"That's it, the story about the trees trying to appoint a king. It's not one of Aesop's fables.

这就是众树选王的故事，它并非伊索寓言，

It comes from the book of Judges and Bible, which, along with other things, is about leadership.

而是一则关于领导者的圣经故事。

It's a divinely inspired parable which suggests that those who have other passions will be reluctant to lead,

这一神学寓言告诉我们，另有追求的人不愿当领导，

whereas those who simply want to have power will jump at the chance of being the chief.

而那些一味追求权势的人会欣然登上首领之席。

And more than that, they will give dire warning of what might happen if they are not allowed to have their way.

可怕的是，如遇到有人阻碍，他们会不惜恐吓对方以达成自己的目的。

Hence the thorn tree, "If you really want to appoint me, come under my protection. Otherwise you will be scorched by fire.

正因如此，荆棘说道：“你们若真想封我为王，就要投在我的荫下。不然，你们将遭受火焰的炙烤。”

"There's something profound here with which I'm still wrestling,

我仍在试图想明白一些更加深刻的问题：

something about how people whose life is about more than being in charge have other yardsticks, other perspectives,

那些看淡权势的人，是如何获得自己的做事标准、观点

other passions which enable them to make balanced judgments.

及热情，去权衡、判断的。

It raises the question as to whether the best leaders are those who achieve first class honours degrees

这引出了一个疑问：优秀的领导人是否应该是那些获得了一级荣誉学位，

and get catapulted to the top to organise things the way they want.

有优秀的组织能力的人；

Or are the best leaders those who, like the olive and fig and vine, have flourished in other fields,

还是他们应该像橄榄树、无花果树和葡萄树一样，

which makes them grounded and experienced if also a little reticent?

脚踏实地、默默无闻地在其他领域做出杰出贡献。

The story asks whether those most worthy of power in the parliaments of the world, in finance, industry, the church,

这一故事促使人们去思考，在国会、工商业和教堂，

are those who crave power, or those who have other lodestars by which they live.

最有价值的力量是那些渴求权力的人，还是那些靠其他准则生存的人。