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第15章 致富之道 2（第1页）

owhatsignifieswishingandhoingforbettertimes。Wemaymakethesetimesbetter，ifwebestirourselves。Industryneednotwish，asPoorRichardsays，andhethatlivesuonhoewilldiefasting。Therearenogainswithoutains；thenhelhands，forIhavenolands，orifIhave，theyaresmartlytaxed。And，asPoorRichardlikewiseobserves，hethathathatradehathanestate；andhethathathacalling，hathanofficeofrofitandhonor；butthenthetrademustbeworkedat，andthecallingwellfollowed，orneithertheestatenortheofficewillenableustoayourtaxes。Ifweareindustrious，weshallneverstarve；for，asPoorRichardsays，attheworkingman’shousehungerlooksin，butdaresnotenter。Norwillthebailiffortheconstableenter，forindustryaysdebts，whiledesairincreaseththem，saysPoorRichard。Whatthoughyouhavefoundnotreasure，norhasanyrichrelationleftyoualegacy，diligenceisthemotherofgoodluck，asPoorRichardsays，andGodgivesallthingstoindustry。Thenlowdee，whilesluggardsslee，andyoushallhavecorntosellandtokee，saysPoorDick。Workwhileitiscalledtoday，foryouknownothowmuchyoumaybehinderedtomorrow，whichmakesPoorRichardsays，onetodayisworthtwotomorrows，andfarther，haveyousomewhattodotomorrow，doittoday。Ifyouwereaservant，wouldyounotbeashamedthatagoodmastershouldcatchyouidle？Areyouthenyourownmaster，beashamedtocatchyourselfidle，asPoorDicksays。Whenthereissomuchtobedoneforyourself，yourfamily，yourcountryandyourgraciousking，beubyeeofday；letnotthesunlookdownandsay，ingloriousherehelies。Handleyourtoolswithoutmittens；rememberthatthecatinglovescatchesnomice，asPoorRichardsays。’Tistruethereismuchtobedone，anderhasyouareweakhanded，butsticktoitsteadily；andyouwillseegreateffects，forconstantdroingwearsawaystones，andbydiligenceandatiencethemouseateintwothecable；andlittlestrokesfellgreatoaks，asPoorRichardsaysinhisAlmanack，theyearIcannotjustnowremember。”

“MethinksIhearsomeofyousay，‘mustamanaffordhimselfnoleisure？’Iwilltellthee，myfriend，whatPoorRichardsays，emloythytimewell，ifthoumeanesttogainleisure；and，sincethouartnotsureofaminute，thrownotawayanhour。Leisureistimefordoingsomethinguseful；thisleisurethediligentmanwillobtain，butthelazymannever；sothat，asPoorRichardsaysalifeofleisureandalifeoflazinessaretwothings。Doyouimaginethatslothwillaffordyoumorecomfortthanlabor？No，forasPoorRichardsays，troublesringsfromidleness，andgrievoustoilfromneedlessease。Manywithoutlabor，wouldlivebytheirwitsonly，buttheybreakforwantofstock。Whereasindustrygivescomfort，andlenty，andresect：flyleasures，andthey’llfollowyou；thediligentsinnerhasalargeshift；andnowIhaveasheeandacow，everybodybidsmegoodmorrow；allofwhichiswellsaidbyPoorRichard。”

参考译文

善解人意的读者：

我听说一个作家的作品被其他博学的作家充满敬意地引用是他最大的快乐。这种快乐我很少有过，虽然整整25年来，我年年都是历书的知名作家——如果我没有自夸的话——可不知为什么，跟我同道的作家们却一直都很吝啬他们的掌声，甚至没有一个作家丝毫注意过我，虽然我的作品带给我很多实惠，但掌声太少实在是件很让人泄气的事情。

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