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0巴比伦最富有的人
The Richest Man in Babylon
今天，多吉要讲的是美国作家乔治·克拉森的《巴比伦最富有的人》。
Today, Doji is telling you The Richest Man in Babylon, by the American writer George S. Clason.
一个造战车的，一个弹琴的，干了大半辈子活，钱袋却还是空的。
One man built chariots. The other played the lyre. They had worked most of their lives, and their purses were still empty.
他们有个老同学，同一位老师教过，同样的游戏玩过，如今却成了全巴比伦最富有的人。起点一样，他到底多懂了什么？
They had an old classmate who studied under the same teacher and played the same games. Now he was the richest man in all of Babylon. They had started out equal, so what did he know that they didn't?
故事，得从一堵矮墙说起。
The story begins on a low wall.
造战车的班西尔坐在自家院墙上，半天没动。妻子几次在门口探头，米袋快见底了，那辆战车得赶紧做完，交给有钱的主顾。
Bansir, the chariot builder, sat on the wall around his yard and did not move. His wife kept peeking out the door. The meal bag was nearly empty, and the chariot had to be finished and handed over to his wealthy customer.
可他满脑子都是昨夜的梦。梦里他腰间挂着一只沉甸甸的钱袋，银币随手赏给乞丐，金币压在身上，让他对明天一点不慌。醒来，钱袋还是空的。
But his mind was full of last night's dream. In it, a heavy purse hung from his belt. He tossed silver to beggars, and the gold in his pocket kept him calm about tomorrow. Then he woke up, and the purse was empty.
老朋友科比拨着琴弦走来，笑着想借两枚钱币，等晚上贵族的宴席散了就还。
His old friend Kobbi came along, strumming his lyre. He asked, with a smile, to borrow two coins until after the nobles' feast that night.
班西尔苦笑着说，就算我有两枚，也借不出去。那是我的全部家当，没有人会把全部家当借出去，连最好的朋友也不会。
Bansir laughed bitterly. Even if I had two coins, I couldn't lend them, he said. They'd be everything I own, and no one lends everything he owns, not even to his best friend.
他又说，我们从早干到黑，盼着神灵看见，可神灵从没赏过我们。
He went on. We work from dawn until dark, he said, hoping the gods will notice us, but they have never rewarded us.
科比说，今天他在街上遇见了阿卡德。阿卡德坐在金色的战车里，还朝他这个穷琴师挥了挥手。人人都说，他是巴比伦最富的人。
Kobbi said he had passed Arkad in the street that day. Arkad was riding in a golden chariot, and he still waved at a poor musician like Kobbi. Everyone says he is the richest man in Babylon.
科比说，钱袋鼓起来不算富，金子不断流进来才算。班西尔眼睛亮了：收入，这正是我要的，哪怕坐在墙上，钱袋里也有钱流进来。
A full purse doesn't make a man rich, Kobbi said. Rich is when gold keeps flowing in. Bansir's eyes lit up. Income, he said, that is what I want, gold flowing into my purse even while I sit on this wall.
听说阿卡德的儿子去了尼尼微，没靠父亲，也成了那里的富人。这么说，赚钱的门道是可以教的。
They had heard that Arkad's son went to Nineveh and became wealthy there without his father's help. So the way to wealth could be taught.
于是他们动身去找阿卡德，还叫上了少年时同样没混出头的朋友。
So they set out to find Arkad, and they brought along friends from their youth who had not done well either.
老朋友们对阿卡德说：我们一起读书，一起玩耍，你没有比我们更勤奋，也没有比我们更体面，凭什么命运偏偏挑中了你？
The old friends said to Arkad: We studied together and played together. You were no harder a worker than we were, and no more respected. Why did fate choose you?
阿卡德说，你们几十年没攒下什么，要么是没学会赚钱的规矩，要么是学了却不遵守。
Arkad said that if they had saved nothing in all those years, it was because they had not learned the rules of making money, or had learned them and not followed them.
你们说的命运，只会给人横财，然后毁掉他。有的人把钱挥霍一空，只剩下满身的欲望。有的人成了守财奴，天天怕被偷。
The fate they spoke of only hands out sudden riches and then ruins the one who gets them. Some people waste it all and are left with nothing but appetites. Others turn into misers, afraid every day of thieves.
想想那些突然继承了财产的人。朋友们想了想，承认确实如此。
Think of the men who suddenly inherit wealth, he said. The friends thought about it and admitted he was right.
接着，阿卡德讲起了自己的事。
Then Arkad told them his own story.
他是小商人的儿子，没有遗产可等，也不算格外聪明。他想，那就花时间去学。
He was a small merchant's son. He had no inheritance to wait for, and he was not especially clever. So he decided to spend his time learning.
他在档案厅做抄写员，每天在泥板上刻字，可工钱全花光了，什么也没剩下。
He worked as a scribe in the hall of records, carving letters into clay tablets all day. But he spent every coin he earned and had nothing left.
有一天，放债人阿尔加米什来取一份《第九法》的抄本，说两天内要，给两枚铜币。抄本没刻完，老人发了火。
One day a moneylender named Algamish came for a copy of the Ninth Law. He needed it in two days and would pay two coppers. The copy wasn't finished, and the old man was angry.
阿卡德知道城主不会让老人伤害他，就说：您很有钱，请告诉我怎样才能富起来，我今晚通宵把它刻完。老人骂他无礼，却答应了。
Arkad knew the city master would not let the old man hurt him. So he said: You are a rich man. Tell me how to become rich, and I will carve all night until it is done. The old man called him insolent, but he agreed.
阿卡德刻了一整夜。天亮了，老人说：我找到发财的路，是从我决定，赚来的钱，有一部分是留给自己的那天开始。你也一样，不管赚多少，至少留下十分之一。
Arkad carved all night. At daybreak the old man said: I found my road to wealth the day I decided that a part of what I earn is mine to keep. You must do the same. However much you earn, keep at least a tenth.
你付钱给做衣服的，付钱给做鞋的，付钱给卖吃的，偏偏不付给自己。存下来的每一枚金币，都是替你干活的奴隶。它赚来的每一枚铜币，是它的孩子，也能替你赚钱。
You pay the tailor, the sandal maker, and the food seller, and the only one you never pay is yourself. Every gold piece you save is a slave who works for you. Every copper it earns is its child, and that child can earn for you too.
阿卡德照做了。每次领工钱，他都抽出十分之一藏起来。奇怪的是，日子并没有更紧。
Arkad did as he was told. Each time he was paid, he hid away a tenth. Oddly, he was no worse off for it.
一年后，老人问：钱呢？阿卡德说，借给砖匠阿兹穆尔了。他要去泰尔买珠宝，回来平分。
A year later the old man asked, where is your money? Arkad said he had lent it to Azmur, a brickmaker, who was going to Tyre to buy jewels and would split the profit with him.
老人说：你为什么相信一个砖匠懂珠宝？你想问星星的事，会去找面包师吗？你的财富树，被你连根拔了。
The old man said: Why trust a brickmaker about jewels? If you wanted to ask about the stars, would you go to a baker? You have pulled your tree of wealth up by the roots.
结果，腓尼基人卖给阿兹穆尔的，是冒充宝石的碎玻璃。阿卡德第一年的存款，就这样没了。可他照老人说的，重新开始存。
In the end, the Phoenicians sold Azmur worthless glass made to look like gems. Arkad's first year of savings was gone. But he did as the old man said and started saving again.
又过了一年，他把存款交给盾牌匠阿格尔去买青铜，每隔四个月收一次租金。
Another year went by. This time he gave his savings to Agger, a shield maker, to buy bronze, and every four months Agger paid him rent for the money.
老人问租金怎么用，他说，办了宴席，买了件猩红色的外衣，还打算买头小驴骑。
The old man asked what he did with the rent. Arkad said he had held a feast, bought a scarlet tunic, and planned to buy a young donkey to ride.
老人大笑：你把存款的孩子吃了，它们还怎么替你干活？先有一支金奴隶的大军，再去享受宴席。
The old man laughed. You eat the children of your savings, he said, so how can they work for you? First build an army of golden slaves, and then enjoy your feasts.
两年后，老人又来了，更老了。阿卡德说，还没有我想要的那么多，但已经有一些了，它在生利，利又生利。
Two years later the old man came again, older now. Arkad told him he did not have as much as he wanted yet, but he had some, and it was earning, and its earnings were earning too.
老人说：你学会了三件事。花得比赚得少，向懂行的人求教，让金子替你干活。
The old man said: You have learned three things. Spend less than you earn, take advice from people who know, and make your gold work for you.
我的儿子只想着花钱，我的产业又太大，我一个人管不过来。你去尼普尔替我看管田产，我让你做合伙人，分我的遗产。
My sons think only of spending, he said, and my holdings are too large for me to manage alone. Go to Nippur and look after my lands. I will make you my partner, and you will share in my estate.
阿卡德去了，把田产经营得更值钱。老人去世后，他依约分得了一份遗产。
Arkad went and made the lands worth more. When the old man died, Arkad received his share, just as they had agreed.
有人说，你运气真好。阿卡德说，一个渔夫研究了多年鱼群，风向一变就能撒网，你会说他走运吗？机会这位女神，从不把时间浪费在没有准备的人身上。
Someone said, you were lucky. Arkad answered: A fisherman studies the fish for years, and when the wind changes he casts his net. Would you call him lucky? Opportunity is a goddess who wastes no time on people who are not ready.
最后有人说，我们都老了，什么也没存下。
Finally someone said, we are all old now, and we have saved nothing.
阿卡德说，那就把阿尔加米什的话，对自己说。早晨说，中午说，夜里说：我赚来的钱，有一部分是我的。先拿出这一份，至少十分之一，再安排别的开销。
Arkad said, then say Algamish's words to yourselves. Say them in the morning, at noon, and at night: a part of all I earn is mine to keep. Set that part aside first, at least a tenth, and then arrange your other spending.
让它去生钱，要谨慎。高得吓人的利息，是骗人撞上礁石的海妖歌声。要向每天跟钱打交道的人请教。
Then put it to work, and be careful. Interest that is too high is a siren's song that lures the unwary onto the rocks. Ask advice from people who handle money every day.
也别逼自己攒太多。生活是好的，该享受的，就要享受。
And do not force yourself to save too much. Life is good, and what is worth enjoying should be enjoyed.
朋友们道了谢，各自离开了。有人沉默，没听懂。有人冷笑，觉得这么富的人，本该分一些给老朋友。也有人眼里有了光。
The friends thanked him and went their separate ways. Some were silent because they did not understand. Some sneered, thinking so rich a man should share with old friends. And some had a new light in their eyes.
他们这才明白，阿尔加米什每次回到抄写员的房间，是在看一个人怎样从黑暗里一步步走出来。等那个人找到了光，他的位置就在那里等着。
Those friends understood that each time Algamish returned to the scribes' room, he was watching a man work his way out of the dark. When that man found the light, a place was waiting for him.
此后几年，这几个人常去看阿卡德。他高兴地接待他们，教他们把积蓄放到既有利息、又不会丢掉的地方。
In the years that followed, those friends often visited Arkad. He welcomed them gladly and showed them where to put their savings so that they would earn interest and not be lost.
