羊皮卷之一（1）（在线收听）

Today I begin a new life.

今天，我天始新的生活

Today I shed my old skin which hath, too long, suffered the bruises of failure and the wounds of mediocrity.

今天，我爬出满是失败创伤的老茧

Today I am born anew and my birthplace is a vineyard where there is fruit for all.

今天，我重新来到这个世上，我出生在葡萄园中，国内的葡萄任人享用。

Today I will pluck grapes of wisdom from the tallest and fullest vines in the vineyard,

今天，我要从最高最密的藤上摘下智慧的果实，

for these were planted by the wisest of my profession

这葡萄藤是

who have come before me, generation upon generation.

好几代前的智者种下的。

Today I will savor the taste of grapes from these vines

今天，我要品尝葡萄的美味，

and verily I will swallow the seed of success buried in each

还要吞下每一位成功的种子，

and new life will sprout within me.

让新生命在我心里萌牙。

The career I have chosen is laden with opportunity

我选择的道路充满机遇，

yet it is fraught with heartbreak and despair

也有辛酸与绝望。

and the bodies of those who have failed, were they piled one atop another,

失败的同伴数不胜数，

would cast its shadow down upon all the pyramids of the earth.

叠在一起，比金字塔还高。

Yet I will not fail,

然而，

as the others,

我不会像他们一样失败，

for in my hands I now hold the charts which will guide me through perilous waters

因为我手中持有航海图，

to shores which only yesterday seemed but a dream.

可以领我越过汹涌的大海，抵达梦中的彼岸。

Failure no longer will be my payment for struggle.

失败不再是我奋斗的代价。

Just as nature made no provision for my body to tolerate pain

它和痛苦都将从我的生命中消失。

neither has it made any provision for my life to suffer failure.

失败和我，

Failure, like pain, is alien to my life.

就像水火一样，互不相容。

In the past I accepted it as I accepted pain.

我不再像过去一样接受它们。

Now I reject it

我要在智慧的指引下，

and I am prepared for wisdom and principles which will guide me out of the shadows

走出失败的阴影，

into the sunlight of wealth, position, and happiness

步入富足、健康、快乐的乐园，

far beyond my most extravagant dreams

这些都超出了我以往的梦想。

until even the golden apples in the Garden of Hesperi des will seem no more than my just reward.

这些都将成为我的无价之宝

Time teaches all things to he who lives forever,

我要是能长生不老，就可以学到一切，

but I have not the luxury of eternity.

但我不能永生，

Yet, within my allotted time

所以，在有限的人生里，

I must practice the art of patience for nature acts never in haste.

我必须学会忍耐的艺术，因为大自然的行为一向是从容不迫的。

To create the olive, king of all trees, a hundred years is required.

造物主创造树中之王橄摊树需要一百年的时间，

An onion plant is old in nine weeks.

而洋葱经过短短的九个星期就会枯老。

I have lived as an onion plant.

我不留恋从前那种洋葱式的生活，

It has not pleased me.

我对此毫无兴趣

Now I would become the greatest of olive trees

我要成为万树之王——橄榄树，

and, in truth, the greatest of salesmen.

成为现实生活中最伟大的推销员。

And how will this be accomplished?

怎么可能？

For I have neither the knowledge nor the experience to achieve greatness

我既没有渊博的知识，又没有丰富的经验，

and already I have stumbled in ignorance and fallen into pools of self-pity.

况且，我曾一度跌入愚昧与自怜的深渊。

The answer is simple.

答案很简单。

I will commence my journey unencumbered with either the weight of unnecessary knowledge

我不会让所谓的知识

or the handicap of meaningless experience.

或者经验妨碍我的行程。

Nature already has supplied me with knowledge

造物生已经赐予我足够的知识和本能，

and instinct far greater than any beast in the forest

这份天赋是其它生物望尘莫及的。

and the value of experience is overrated, usually by old men

经验的价值往往被高估了，

who nod wisely and speak stupidly.

人老的时候开口讲的多是糊涂话。

In truth, experience teaches thoroughly yet her course of instruction devours men's years

说实在的，经验确实能教给我们很多东西，只是这需要花费太长的时间。

so the value of her lessons diminishes with the time necessary to acquire her special wisdom.

等到人们获得智慧的时候，其价值已随着时间的消逝而减少了。

The end finds it wasted on dead men.

结果往往是这样，经验丰富了，人也余生无多。