A note that Albert Einstein gave to a courier in Tokyo, briefly describing his theory on happy living, has surfaced after 95 years and is up for auction in Jerusalem.
95年前,阿爾伯特•愛(ài)因斯坦在東京時(shí)曾經(jīng)給一個(gè)郵遞員寫(xiě)過(guò)一個(gè)字條,簡(jiǎn)要描述了他的幸福生活理論。如今,這一字條浮出水面,并將在耶路撒冷拍賣(mài)。
The year was 1922, and the German-born physicist, most famous for his theory of relativity, was on a lecture tour in Japan.
這張字條是愛(ài)因斯坦在1922年寫(xiě)的,當(dāng)時(shí)他正在日本做巡回講座。這位德國(guó)出生的物理學(xué)家最著名的就是他的相對(duì)論。
He had recently been informed that he was to receive the Nobel Prize for physics, and his fame outside of scientific circles was growing.
在那之前不久,愛(ài)因斯坦被告知將獲得諾貝爾物理學(xué)獎(jiǎng),他在科學(xué)圈外的名氣正與日俱增。
A Japanese courier arrived at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo to deliver Einstein a message. The courier either refused to accept a tip, in line with local practice, or Einstein had no small change available.
一位日本郵遞員到東京帝國(guó)酒店給愛(ài)因斯坦送信。這位郵遞員按本地慣例謝絕了小費(fèi),也可能是愛(ài)因斯坦手邊沒(méi)有零錢(qián)。
Either way, Einstein didn't want the messenger to leave empty-handed, so he wrote him two notes by hand in German, according to the seller, a relative of the messenger.
字條的賣(mài)家介紹稱,不管當(dāng)時(shí)是哪種情況,愛(ài)因斯坦不想讓郵遞員空手離去,所以他就用德文手寫(xiě)了兩張字條。字條的賣(mài)家是那位郵遞員的親戚。
"Maybe if you're lucky those notes will become much more valuable than just a regular tip," Einstein told the messenger, according to the seller, a resident of the German city of Hamburg who wished to remain anonymous.
據(jù)賣(mài)家稱,愛(ài)因斯坦對(duì)郵遞員說(shuō),“如果你幸運(yùn)的話,這些字條可能會(huì)比尋常小費(fèi)有價(jià)值得多。”賣(mài)家是德國(guó)漢堡市一位不愿透露姓名的居民。
One note, on the stationary of the Imperial Hotel Tokyo, says that "a quiet and modest life brings more joy than a pursuit of success bound with constant unrest."
其中一句話是寫(xiě)在一張東京帝國(guó)酒店便簽紙上的:“平靜樸素的生活帶來(lái)的快樂(lè)比追逐成功、永無(wú)安寧的生活帶來(lái)的快樂(lè)更多。”
The other, on a blank piece of paper, simply reads: "where there's a will, there's a way."
另外一句話寫(xiě)在一張空白紙上:“有志者事竟成。”
It is impossible to determine if the notes were a reflection of Einstein's own musings on his growing fame, said Roni Grosz, the archivist in charge of the world's largest Einstein collection, at Jerusalem's Hebrew University.
耶路撒冷希伯來(lái)大學(xué)的檔案保管員羅尼•格羅茨掌管著全世界最大的愛(ài)因斯坦藏品。格羅茨說(shuō),無(wú)法確定這些字條是否反映了愛(ài)因斯坦對(duì)自己與日俱增名氣的反思。
While the notes, previously unknown to researchers, hold no scientific value, they may shed light on the private thoughts of the great physicist whose name has become synonymous with genius, according to Grosz.
研究人員此前對(duì)這些字條一無(wú)所知。格羅茨說(shuō),盡管這些字條沒(méi)有科學(xué)價(jià)值,但可能有助于人們了解這位偉大物理學(xué)家的私人想法。愛(ài)因斯坦的名字已經(jīng)成為天才的代名詞。
"What we're doing here is painting the portrait of Einstein -- the man, the scientist, his effect on the world -- through his writings," said Grosz.
格羅茨說(shuō):“我們這里所做的就是通過(guò)愛(ài)因斯坦的文字勾勒出他的形象——作為男人和科學(xué)家的愛(ài)因斯坦,以及他對(duì)世界的影響。”
"This is a stone in the mosaic."
“這些字條就是構(gòu)成愛(ài)因斯坦馬賽克肖像畫(huà)的一塊石頭。”
The two notes will go on sale on Tuesday at the Winner's auction house in Jerusalem, alongside other items including two letters Einstein wrote in later years.
這兩張字條周二將在耶路撒冷的贏家拍賣(mài)行進(jìn)行拍賣(mài),一起拍賣(mài)的其他物品還包括愛(ài)因斯坦在晚年寫(xiě)的兩封信。