本杰明·富兰克林/Benjamin Franklin
When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children. Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way, in the hands of another boy, I handed over all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation. Thinking about the matter gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
This, however, was afterwards of use to me, for the impression continued on my mind, so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need, I said to myself, "Don't give too much for the whistle," and I saved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who "gave too much for the whistle." When I saw some men too eager for court favour, wasting his time at court gatherings, giving up his rest, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, for royal favour, I said to myself— "This man gives too much for the whistle." When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs, neglecting his own business, and ruining it by neglect, "He pays, indeed," said I, "too dear for his whistle."
If I knew a miser who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship, for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth— "Poor man," said I, "yon pay too dear for your whistle." When I met a man of pleasure, who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time, perhaps neglecting his health, "Mistaken man," said I, "you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your whistle." If I saw someone fond of appearance who had fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, all above his fortune, and for which he had run into debt, "Alas," said I, "he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle." In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their putting a false value on things—to giving "too much for their whistles".
七岁时，我的朋友们在一个假日里，往我的口袋里装满了铜币。我马上跑到一家专门出售儿童玩具的商店。在路上，我看到一个男孩手中拿着一只哨子，我被哨音迷住了，于是我拿出了所有的钱买了一只。我回到家以后，满屋子都是哨音，我对这只哨子满意极了，但是吵到了全家人。当我将这桩交易告诉大家后，我的兄弟姐妹，还有我的表兄弟姐妹，都说我为这只哨子付出了四倍的价钱。他们告诫我，多余的钱可以用来买许多别的好东西，还嘲笑我的愚蠢。我十分懊恼，便哭了起来。一想起这件事，我就懊恼不已，远远胜过了那只哨子给我带来的欢乐。
但是后来，这件事帮助了我，因为我一直记着这件事，所以每当我想要买什么东西却又并不需要时，我就对自己说：“别为这只哨子花费太多。”于是，钱就省下了。当我长大后，迈向世界，对人们的行为进行观察，我发现我遇到很多“为一只哨子花费太多”的人。当我看到一些人急于向宫廷献殷勤，把时间浪费在宫廷聚会上，置休息、自由与美德于不顾，甚至牺牲了自己的朋友，仅仅为了得到朝廷的宠爱时，我对自己说：“这个人为这只哨子花费太多了。”当我看到一些人为了出风头，频繁地参加政治活动，荒废了自己的事业，最后一败涂地时，“他为那只哨子所付出的，”我说，“简直太昂贵了。”
假如我知道一个守财奴，放弃各种舒适的环境，抛弃了为他人做善事所带来的愉悦，放弃别人的尊重和友谊的快乐，一门心思地聚敛钱财——我会说：“可怜的人哪，你为你的哨子付出太多了。”当我看到一个只图欢娱的人，既不努力提高他的智慧，也不设法增加他的财富，只想着寻欢作乐，甚至忽略自己的健康。“迷惘的人啊，”我说，“你那不是欢乐，而是自讨苦吃。你为你的哨子花费太多了。”假如我看见有的人讲究穿着，穿着漂亮的衣服，住着高档的房屋，用着名贵的家具，佩戴着闪亮的耳环，所有的物品远远超出他的财力，甚至债台高筑。“天哪，”我说，“他为他的哨子付出的简直太多了！”总之，人类所有的不幸大部分都源于对事物的错误认识，也就是说，他们为自己的哨子付出了昂贵的代价。
在做任何事之前，我们都需要思考，是否值得去做。如果值得去做，那就做好！
copper ['k?p?] n.铜；铜币；铜制品
Money—That bring me to money, which is the standard Gold, Silver, and Copper system.
货币——标准金币、银币和铜币系统把我吸引到货币问题上。
charmed [t?ɑ:md] adj.陶醉；入迷的；喜悦的
He was charmed by her vivacity and high spirits.
她的活泼与兴高采烈的情绪把他迷住了。
bargain ['bɑ:gin] n.交易；买卖；物美价廉的东西
If you promote our goods, we will give you a good discount as our part of the bargain.
若你方经销我们的货物，我方愿给予你相当大的优惠作为回报。
vexation [vek'sei??n] n.恼怒
What can we do to lessen her vexation?
我们做些什么才能减轻她的烦恼呢？
一想起这件事，我就懊恼不已，远远胜过了那只哨子给我带来的欢乐。
当我长大后，迈向世界，对人们的行为进行观察，我发现我遇到很多“为一只哨子花费太多”的人。
总之，人类所有的不幸大部分都源于对事物的错误认识，也就是说，他们为自己的哨子付出了昂贵的代价。
My brothers and sisters and cousins, when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth.
as much as：差不多；和……一样多；多达
They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation.
laugh at：嘲笑；取笑；因……而笑