羊皮卷之九（2）

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

I will repeat these words again and again and again.

我一遍又一遍地重复这句话。

When I awake I will say them and leap from my cot

清晨醒来时，失败者流连于床榻，

while the failure sleeps yet another hour.

我却要默诵这句话，然后开始行动。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

When I enter the market place I will say them and immediately confront my first prospect¹

我要默诵着句话，面对第一个来临的顾客

while the failure ponders yet his possibility of rebuff.

外出推销时，失败者还在考虑是否遭到拒绝的时候。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

When I face a closed door I will say them and knock

面对紧闭的大门，我默诵着句话，随即上前敲门。

while the failure waits outside with fear and trepidation².

而失败者怀着恐惧与惶惑的心情，在门外等候；

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

When I face temptation I will say them and immediately act to remove myself from evil.

面对诱惑时，我默诵这句话，然后远离罪恶。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

When I am tempted³ to quit and begin again tomorrow

当我每一次打算放弃的时候

I will say them and immediately act to consummate⁴ another sale.

我就会默诵着句话，然后完成一笔买卖。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

Only action determines my value in the market place

只有行动才能决定我在商场上的价值。

and to multiply my value

若要加倍我的价值，

I will multiply my actions.

我必须加倍努力。

I will walk where the failure fears to walk.

我要前往失败者惧怕的地方，

I will work when the failure seeks rest.

当失败者休息的时候，我要继续工作。

I will talk when the failure remains⁵ silent

失败者沉默的时候，我开口推销，

I will call on ten who can buy my goods

我要拜访十户可能买我东西的人家，

while the failure makes grand plans to call on one.

而失败者在一番周详的计划之后，却只拜访一家。

I will say it is done before the failure says it is too late.

在失败者认为太晚时，我能够说大功告成。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

For now is all I have.

这就是我所用的一切。

Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor⁶ of the lazy.

明日是为懒汉保留的工作日，

I am not lazy.

我并不懒惰。

Tomorrow is the day when the evil become good.

明日是弃恶从善的日子，

I am not evil.

我并不邪恶。

Tomorrow is the day when the weak become strong.

明日是弱者变强者的日子，

I am not weak.

我并不软弱。

Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed.

明日是失败者借口成功的日子，

I am not a failure.

我并不是失败。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

When the lion is hungry he eats.

我是雄狮，饥即食，

When the eagle has thirst he drinks.

我是苍鹰，渴即饮。

Lest they act, both will perish.

除非行动，否则死路一条。

I hunger for success.

我渴望成功，

I thirst for happiness and peace of mind.

渴望快乐，心灵的平静。

Lest I act I will perish in a life of failure,

除非行动，否则我将在失败、

misery⁷, and sleepless⁸ nights.

不幸、夜不成眠的日子中死亡。

I will command,

我发布命令。

and I will obey mine own command.

我要服从自己的命令。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

Success will not wait

成功不是等待。

If I delay she will become betrothed⁹ to another

如果我迟疑，她会投入别人的怀抱，

and lost to me forever.

永远弃我而去。

This is the time.

此时。

This is the place.

此地。

I am the man.

此人。

I will act now.

我现在就付诸行动。

1 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

2 trepidation   

n.惊恐，惶恐

参考例句：

• The men set off in fear and trepidation.这群人惊慌失措地出发了。
• The threat of an epidemic caused great alarm and trepidation.流行病猖獗因而人心惶惶。

3 tempted   

v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词）

参考例句：

• I was sorely tempted to complain, but I didn't. 我极想发牢骚，但还是没开口。
• I was tempted by the dessert menu. 甜食菜单馋得我垂涎欲滴。

4 consummate   

adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle

参考例句：

• The restored jade burial suit fully reveals the consummate skill of the labouring people of ancient China.复原后的金缕玉衣充分显示出中国古代劳动人民的精湛工艺。
• The actor's acting is consummate and he is loved by the audience.这位演员技艺精湛，深受观众喜爱。

5 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

6 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

7 misery   

n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦

参考例句：

• Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
• He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。

8 sleepless   

adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的

参考例句：

• The situation gave her many sleepless nights.这种情况害她一连好多天睡不好觉。
• One evening I heard a tale that rendered me sleepless for nights.一天晚上，我听说了一个传闻，把我搞得一连几夜都不能入睡。

9 betrothed   

n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She is betrothed to John. 她同约翰订了婚。
• His daughter was betrothed to a teacher. 他的女儿同一个教师订了婚。