《穷理查智慧书》节选1

《穷理查智慧书》节选 【美】本杰明-富兰克林著

 “POOR RICHARD’S ALMANACK” by Benjamin frankin

朝前看，否则你将发现自己已经落后于人。 Look before, or you'll find yourself behind.

人心和瓜瓤一样，从外表很难分辨（里子的好坏）。 Men and Melons are hard to know.

美好和愚蠢从来都是好朋友。 Beauty and folly are old companions.

快乐之后是悲伤，总不长。 Happy's the wooing, that's not long a doing.

（得到）今天的一枚蛋，总好过（观望）明天生蛋的鸡。 An egg today is better than a hen tomorrow.

往往都是一无所知的人可能偶然间就成了预言家，而绝顶聪明的人却碰巧错失了良机。 He that knows nothing of it,may by chance be a Prophet; while the wisest that is may happen to miss.

奉承之人的话不能信。 Approve not of him who commends all you say.

哪里礼多，哪里骗术多。 Full of courtesies, full of craft.

看好店铺，用心经营，必能致富。 Keep the shop, and shop will keep thee.

财富属于会享受它的人，而不是只会拥有它的人。 Wealth is not his that has it,but his that enjoys it.

要知晓现在发生的事容易，但知晓未来发生的事是困难的。看当下事容易，观未来事困难。 'Tis easy to see, hard to foresee.

若风透过洞口吹到你身上，则须坚定自己的意志，看顾好自己的灵魂，不要动摇。 If wind blows on you thro'a hole,make your will and take care of your soul.

绝世的美貌，再大的优势和巨富的家财真的是并无大用，对的心地胜过一切。 Great beauty, great strength, and great riches, are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all.

穷人拥有很少，乞丐几乎一无所有；富人拥有很多，却无人知道满足。 The poor have little, beggars none; the rich too much, enough not one.

你若聪明就会懂，触碰他人宗教，信用或者眼睛，小心为妙。 You will be careful, if you are wise, how you touch Men's Religion, or Credit or Eyes.

祸福都是真正测试诚实正直的试金石。 Calamity and Prosperty are the Touchstones of Integrity.

最期望的礼物是有偿的，不是白给的。 Gifts much expected, are paid, not given.

在市场上有耐心，年年都赚钱。 Patience in Market, is worth Pounds in a year.

 柳条虽弱，却能绑柴火。 Willows are weak, but they bind the Faggot.

有时人的自我感觉很糟糕，有时又会觉得自己真的很行。 You may sometimes be much in the wrong, in owning your being in the right.

命运的沉浮不会对一个高明有判断力的人造成伤害，正如月亮的圆缺对他没什么影响。 A change of fortune hurts a wise man no more than a change of the moon.

朋友和朋友做生意，也要明码标价，好好算账。只有这样，友谊才能天长地久。 When a friend deals with a friend 'Let the bargain be clear and well penn'd, that they may continue friends to the end.

赚能赚的，赚到就要守住，这才是点金石。 Get what you can,and what you get hold; 'Tis the stone that will turn all your lead into gold.

省钱之后有钱好过花钱之后渴求。 Spare and have is better than spend and crave.

人常常不认识自己，搞错自己是谁，却很少忘记真实的自己。 Men often mistake themselves, seldom forget themselves.

有时拒绝也是种帮助。 Do me the favour to deny me at once.

鱼放三天就会臭，客人留三天就得遭人嫌。 Fish & Visitors stink in 3 days.

不做自己从未了解的事。 Do not do that which you would not have known.