美國語文第六冊 第75期:欠債諷誦(4)
無法想象人們竟然認為他的債主已經(jīng)要求他務(wù)必讓他獲得滿足，
and that he must do to others as others must do to him.
他對別人的做法必須像其他人對待他那樣。
A creditor is a personification of exaction.
債主是敲詐勒索的化身，
He is supposed to be always taking in, and never giving out.
他始終在索取，而不是給予。
People idly fancy that the possession of riches is desirable. What blindness!
人們愚蠢地猜想擁有財富是可取的。多么盲目啊!
Spend and regale. Save a shilling and you lay it by for a thief.
這不過是花錢和逗人取樂的游戲罷了。節(jié)約每一個先令，結(jié)果是為竊賊準(zhǔn)備的禮物。
The prudent men are the men that live beyond their means.
審慎的人都是生活依據(jù)自己的需要。
Happen what may, they are safe. They have taken time by the forelock. They have anticipated fortune.
不管發(fā)生什么事情，他們都能渡過難關(guān)。他們會提前做好準(zhǔn)備。他們已經(jīng)預(yù)感到財富會降臨到他們頭上。
"The wealthy fool, with gold in store," has only denied himself so much enjoyment, which another will seize at his expense.
“富裕的傻瓜，庫里藏金。”這句老話只不過是用來告誡自己不要高興過頭而已，以備別人奪走了自己的錢財。
Look at these people in a panic. See who are the fools then.
瞧啊，這些人生活在恐懼之中，不難發(fā)現(xiàn)誰才是真正的傻瓜。
You know them by their long faces. You may say, as one of them goes by in an agony of apprehension,
你或許會說，你是根據(jù)他們拉長的臉而加以揣測的，當(dāng)一個人臉上掛著因憂慮過度而陷于極度痛苦中的神情時，
"There is a stupid fellow who fancied himself rich, because he had fifty thousand dollars in bank."
“有一個愚蠢的家伙幻想自己變得富有了，因為他在銀行里存了50000美元。”
The history of the last ten years has taught the moral, "spend and regale."
最近十年來這種故事已經(jīng)讓我們明白了“花錢和逗人取樂”的寓意。
Whatever is laid up beyond the present hour, is put in jeopardy.
一個人在活著時不論怎么儲蓄，都是危險的。
There is no certainty but in instant enjoyment.
除了能給自己帶來愉悅以外，沒有多少確定性。
Look at schoolboys sharing a plum cake.
觀察一下眼睛盯著葡萄干糕餅的學(xué)童，就會明白其中的道理。
