The Way to Wealth

本杰明·富兰克林/Benjamin Franklin

本杰明·富兰克林（1706—1790），18世纪美国最伟大的科学家、著名的政治家和文学家。他生于波士顿，幼年家境贫穷，一生只受过两年正式教育。1726年，他出版了《穷查理历书》，当时被译成12种文字，畅销欧美各国，也奠定了他在文学上的地位。独立战争爆发后，他参加了第二届大陆会议和《独立宣言》的起草工作。

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。

最后我得出了结论，人民是判定我的价值的最好法官，因为我的书都是他们买的。而且，我在没有人认识的地方散步时，经常听见有人重复我的一两句格言，结尾时总有“穷理查说”这样的句子。这让我感到某种满足，因为它不仅表明我的教导受到重视，而且反映了人们对我的权威给予了一定的尊重。我本人为了鼓励大家都来背诵和运用那些充满智慧的句子，也不时引用自己的话。

那么，请看下面我要讲的这件事，它让我感到了很大的满足。最近，我在一个人山人海的商品拍卖会上停下来。交易还没有开始，人们谈论着严峻的时势。其中一个人对一个相貌平平、衣着整洁、留着几缕白发的老人叫道：“亚伯拉罕神父，请问您怎么看这世道？这么重的税不是简直要亡国了吗？怎么才能交得起税呢？您有什么建议吗？”亚伯拉罕神父站起来回答说：“你想听我的建议，我就简单地给你说说，因为‘智者听一句话足够，多了也装不满一桶’，这是穷理查说的。”人们认为他讲得很好，把他围了起来，都想听他谈谈自己的看法。他就开始讲了：

“朋友们，乡邻们，”他说，“税确实很重，如果我们仅仅缴纳政府摊派的税，那就会容易一些。但我们还要缴很多别的税，这些税对有些人来说比缴给政府的税要重得多。懒散征的税是两倍，骄傲征的税是三倍，愚蠢征的税是四倍；当官的可以让我们少缴些税，却没有办法使我们免缴或少缴这些恶习的税。但是，让我们来听听更好的建议，也许能对大家有所启发，因为穷理查在他的《1733年历书》中说：‘天助自助者。’”

“如果政府征用人民十分之一的时间为它效力，人民会认为这是苛政。但懒散征用我们的时间更多，想想极度懒散、无所事事所花去的时间吧，再想想干活松松垮垮，只图快活，最终一事无成所耗费的时间吧。懒散引起疾病，必然减短寿命。‘懒散像铁锈，比劳作更容易消耗生命’，而‘常用的钥匙总是亮的’，穷理查这样说。但‘如果你热爱生命，那么不要浪费时间，因为时间是组成生命的材料’，穷理查这样说。我们用于睡觉的不必要的时间是如此之多，别忘了穷理查说的‘贪睡的狐狸逮不着鸡’，‘坟墓里可以睡个够’。”

“‘如果时间是最宝贵的东西，浪费时间必定是最大的浪费。’穷理查这样说，他还告诉我们，‘逝去的时间再也无法找回’，‘我们说时间很多，结果时间总是很少’。那么让我们振作起来努力吧，朝着目标努力；勤奋努力，少些困惑，我们会取得更大的成绩。‘人懒万事难，人勤万事易’，穷理查说；‘起床晚的人必须成天赶路，到了晚上活也忙不完’；‘懒惰走得很慢，贫穷很快就能赶上’，我们在《穷理查历书》中读到过。穷理查还说，‘驱赶你的活儿，不要叫它驱赶你’，‘早睡早起使人健康、富有、聪明’。”

“所以重要的是希望和向往好的时代。如果我们行动起来，我们可以让眼前这个时代好起来。‘勤奋不需要愿望’，穷理查说，‘靠希望生活的人会饿死’。‘不下苦功无所得’；‘学好手艺，因为我们没有土地’，如果有，会缴纳重税。穷理查还说，‘有手艺的人就有财产’，‘有职业的人就有名利双收的公司’；但是手艺必须做好，职业必须认真从事，否则即使有财产和公司，我们也缴不起税。人勤奋永远不挨饿；因为穷理查说，‘勤劳者的家，饥饿会朝里看但不敢进。’法警和警官也不会进，因为‘勤奋能还债，绝望添新债’，穷理查说。如果你没有财富，也没有富亲戚留给你遗产怎么办？‘勤奋是好运之母’，穷理查说，‘上帝把一切交给勤奋’。‘懒汉睡时你深耕，自有玉米卖和存’，穷理查说。今天要干的活今天干，因为你不知道明天会遇到多大的阻力，所以穷理查说，‘一个今天顶两个明天’，还说，‘明天要做的事今天就做’。如果你是仆人，好主人发现你不干活你不惭愧吗？如果你是自己的主人，‘发现自己不干活应当感到惭愧’，穷理查说。既然有那么多事要为自己做，为国家做，为仁慈的国王做，天一亮就起床，‘不要让太阳向下一看，说，他无耻地躺在这里’。不要戴着手套用工具，‘戴手套的猫逮不住老鼠’，穷理查说。确实有许多事要做，也许你力量不大，但只要坚持下去，就会发现卓有成效，因为‘水滴石穿’，‘有了勤奋和耐心，老鼠可以把缆绳咬成两半’，‘一下下轻轻地砍可以砍倒大橡树’，穷理查在他的《历书》中说，我现在记不得是哪一年了。”

“我好像听见有人说：‘一个人就不能给自己留点儿闲暇吗？’朋友，我要告诉你穷理查说的话，‘好好利用时间，如果你想有闲暇’，‘既然你不能把握一分钟，就不要扔掉一小时’。闲暇是拿来做有用的事的时间，这种闲暇勤奋的人会得到，但懒人永远得不到，因此穷理查说‘闲暇的生活和懒惰的生活是两码事’。你认为懒散会比勤劳带给你更多的舒适吗？不，因为穷理查说‘麻烦源于懒散，痛苦的劳作源于不必要的舒适。’‘那些不劳动的人只能靠智力生活，但他们会因为缺少粮食储备而崩溃’。而勤劳则带来舒适、富裕和尊敬，‘逃避快乐，快乐会跟着你’，‘勤奋的纺纱工衣服多’，‘现在我有一只羊一头奶牛，人人向我道早安’，穷理查说的这些话都是至理名言。”

Courteous Reader，

I have heard that nothing gives an author so great pleasure， as to find his works respectfully quoted by other learned authors. This pleasure I have seldom enjoyed；for though I have been， if I may say it without vanity， an eminent author of almanacs annually now a full quarter of a century， my brother authors in the same way， for what reason I know not， have ever been very sparing in their applause， and no other author has taken the least notice of me， so that did not my writings produce me some solid pudding， the great deficiency of praise would have quite discouraged me.

I concluded at length， that the people were the best judges of my merit；for they buy my works；and besides， in my rambles， where I am not personally known， I have frequently heard oneor other of my adages repeated with "as Poor Richard says" at the end on it；this gave me some satisfaction， as it showed not only that my instructions were regarded， but discovered likewise some respect for my authority；and I own， that to encourage the practice of remembering and repeating those wise sentences， I have sometimes quoted myself with great gravity.

Judge， then， how much I must have been gratified by an incident I am going to relate to you. I stopped my horse lately where a great number of people were collected at a vendue of merchant goods.The hour of sale not being come， they were conversing on the badness of the times and one of the company called to a plain clean old man， with white locks， "Pray， Father Abraham， what think you of the times？Won't these heavy taxes quite ruin the country？How shall we be ever able to pay them？What would you advise us to？" Father Abraham stood up， and replied， "If you'd have my advice， I'll give it to you in short， for a word to the wise is enough， and many words won't fill a bushel， as Poor Richard says." They joined in desiring him to speak his mind， and gathering round him， he proceeded as follows：

"Friends，" says he， "and neighbors， the taxes are indeed very heavy， and if those laid on by the government were the only ones we had to pay， we might more easily discharge them；but we have many others， and much more grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness， three times as much by our pride， and four times as much by our folly；and from these taxes the commissioners cannot ease or deliver us by allowing an abatement.However， let us hearken to good advice， and something may be done for us；God helps them that help themselves， as Poor Richard says， in his Almanack of 1733."

"It would be thought a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their time， to be employed in its service. But idleness taxes many of us much more， if we reckon all that is spent in absolute sloth， or doing of nothing， with that which is spent in idle employments， or amusements， that amount to nothing.Sloth， by bringing on diseases， absolutely shortens life.Sloth， like rust， consumes faster than labor wears；while the used key is always bright， as Poor Richard says.But dost thou love life， then do not squander time， for that's the stuff life is made of， as Poor Richard says.How much more than is necessary do we spend in sleep， forgetting that the sleeping fox catches no poultry and that there will be sleeping enough in the grave， as Poor Richard says."

"If time be of all things the most precious， wasting time must be， as Poor Richard says， the greatest prodigality；since， as he elsewhere tells us， lost time is never found again；and what we call time enough， always proves little enough. Let us then up and be doing， and doing to the purpose；so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity.Sloth makes all things difficult， but industry alleasy， as Poor Richard s a y s；a n d h e t h a t rises late must trot all day， and shall scarce overtake his business at night；while laziness travels so slowly， that poverty soon overtakes him， as we read in Poor Richard， who adds， drive thy business， let not that drive thee， and early to bed， and early to rise， makes a man healthy， wealthy and wise."

"So what signifies wishing and hoping for better times. We may make these times better， if we bestir ourselves.Industry need not wish， as Poor Richard says， and he that lives upon hope will die fasting.There are no gains without pains；then help hands， for I have no lands， or if I have， they are smartly taxed.And， as Poor Richard likewise observes， he that hath a trade hath an estate；and he that hath a calling， hath an office of profit and honor；but then the trade must be worked at， and the calling well followed， or neither the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our taxes.If we are industrious， we shall never starve；for， as Poor Richard says， at the workingman's house hunger looks in， but dares not enter.Nor will the bailiff or the constable enter， for industry pays debts， while despair increase them， says Poor Richard.What though you have found no treasure， nor has any rich relation left you a legacy， diligence is the mother of good luck， as Poor Richard says， and God gives all things to industry.Then plow deep， while sluggards sleep， and you shall have corn to sell and to keep， says Poor Dick.Work while it is called today， for you know not how much you may be hindered tomorrow， which makes Poor Richard says， one today is worth two tomorrows， and farther， have you somewhat to do tomorrow， do it today.If you were a servant， would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle？Are you then your own master， be ashamed to catch yourself idle， as Poor Dick says.When there is so much to be done for yourself， your family， your country and your gracious king， be up by peep of day；let not the sun look down and say， inglorious here he lies.Handle your tools without mittens；remember that the cat in gloves catches no mice， as Poor Richard says.'Tis true there is much to be done， and perhaps you are weakhanded， but stick to it steadily；and you will see great effects， for constant dropping wears away stones， and by diligence and patience the mouse ate in two the cable；and little strokes fell great oaks， as Poor Richard says in his Almanack， the year I cannot just now remember."

"Methinks I hear some of you say， 'must a man afford himself no leisure？'I will tell thee， my friend， what Poor Richard says， employ thy time well， if thou meanest to gain leisure；and， since thou art not sure of a minute， throw not away an hour. Leisure is time for doing something useful；this leisure the diligent man will obtain， but the lazy man never；so that， as Poor Richard says a life of leisure and a life of laziness are two things.Do you imagine that sloth will afford you more comfort than labor？No， for as Poor Richard says， trouble springs from idleness， and grievous toil from needless ease.Many without labor， would live by their wits only， but they break for want of stock.Whereas industry gives comfort， and plenty， and respect：fly pleasures， and they'll follow you；the diligent spinner has a large shift；and now I have a sheep and a cow， everybody bids me good morrow；all of which is well said by Poor Richard."