Honesty is the Greatest Gift　誠(chéng)實(shí)是最棒的禮物

Honesty is the Greatest Gift　誠(chéng)實(shí)是最棒的禮物

◎ John Hughes

I believe honesty is one of the greatest gifts there is. I know they call it a lot of fancy names these days, like integrity and forthrightness. But it doesn’t make any difference what they call it; it’s still what makes a man a good citizen. This is my code, and I try to live by.

我相信誠(chéng)實(shí)是件最棒的禮物。我知道如今他們給它取了許多好聽(tīng)的名字，像正直和直率。但是怎么稱呼并不會(huì)有什么不同，關(guān)鍵還在于怎樣才算一個(gè)好公民。這就是我的準(zhǔn)則，我努力試著按這一準(zhǔn)則生活。

I’ve been in the taxicab business for thirty-five years, and I know there is a lot about it that is not so good. Taxicab drivers have to be rough and tumble fellows to be able to take it in New York. You’ve got to be tough to fight the New York traffic eight hours a day, these days. Because taxi drivers are tough, people get the wrong impression that they are bad. Taxi drivers are just like other people. Most of them will shake down as honest fellows. You read in the papers almost every week where a taxi driver turns in money or jewels or bonds, stuff like that, people leave in their cabs. If they weren’t honest, you wouldn’t be reading those stories in the papers.

我入出租車這一行已經(jīng)35個(gè)年頭了，知道這一行有很多不好的地方。的士司機(jī)得兇狠粗暴才能在紐約干這一行。在這些日子里，你必須得有副好身板兒，才頂?shù)米〖~約一天八小時(shí)艱苦的交通戰(zhàn)。由于態(tài)度都很粗暴，人們誤認(rèn)為出租司機(jī)都是壞人，其實(shí)，他們和其他人沒(méi)什么區(qū)別。他們大多都是誠(chéng)實(shí)的家伙，與人和睦相處。你幾乎每一周都可以從報(bào)紙上讀到，某的士司機(jī)歸還了乘客掉在車?yán)锏腻X或珠寶或票據(jù)之類的東西。如果他們不誠(chéng)實(shí)，你就不會(huì)在報(bào)紙上讀到那些故事了。

One time in Brooklyn, I found an emerald ring in my cab. I remembered helping a lady with a lot of bundles that day, so I went back to where I had dropped her off. It took me almost two days to trace her down in order to return her ring to her. I didn’t get as much as “thank you.” Still, I felt good because I had done what was right. I think I felt better than she did.

一次在紐約的布魯克林，我發(fā)現(xiàn)車?yán)镉幸幻蹲婺妇G鉆戒，我記得那天幫一位女士拉了很多捆行李，所以我開回到她下車的地方。我?guī)缀趸藘商鞎r(shí)間才找到她，把戒指還給了她。我連個(gè)“謝謝”也沒(méi)得到，但還是感到很高興，因?yàn)槲易隽思檬?。我想我比她更高興。

I was born and raised in Ireland and lived there until I was nineteen years old. I came to this country in 1913 where I held several jobs to earn a few dollars before enlisting in World War I. After being discharged, I bought my own cab and have owned one ever since. It hasn’t been too easy at times, but my wife takes care of our money and we have a good bit put away for a rainy day.

我生長(zhǎng)在愛(ài)爾蘭，在那兒一直待到19歲。1913年來(lái)到這個(gè)國(guó)家，為了掙幾個(gè)錢干了不少工作，第一次世界大戰(zhàn)時(shí)當(dāng)了兵。退伍之后自己買了輛出租，從此有了自己的車。有時(shí)日子不太容易，可我妻子精打細(xì)算，我們還存了些錢，以備不時(shí)之需。

When I first started driving a cab, Park Avenue was mostly a bunch of coal yards. Hoofer’s Brewery was right next to where the Waldorf-Astoria is now. I did pretty well, even in those days.

剛開始開出租的時(shí)候，公園大道幾乎全是一片煤場(chǎng)。胡弗釀酒廠旁邊就是現(xiàn)在的沃爾多夫·阿斯托里亞。就是在那些年頭，我干得也挺不錯(cuò)。

In all my years of driving a taxicab, I have never had any trouble with the public, not even with drunks. Even if they get a little headstrong once in a while, I just agree with them and then they behave themselves.

開出租的這些年，我從沒(méi)和乘客有過(guò)糾紛，連給醉鬼開車也沒(méi)出過(guò)麻煩。即使他們偶爾有點(diǎn)倔犟，我也就同意他們所說(shuō)的，不和他們爭(zhēng)執(zhí)，他們接下來(lái)就規(guī)規(guī)矩矩了。

People ask me about tips. As far as I know, practically everyone will give you something. Come to think of it, most Americans are pretty generous. I always try to be nice to everyone, whether they tip or not. I believe in God and try to be a good member of my parish. I try to act toward others like I think God wants me to act. I have been trying this for a long time, and the longer I try, the easier it gets.

有人問(wèn)我小費(fèi)的事。據(jù)我所知，實(shí)際上幾乎每個(gè)人都會(huì)給一點(diǎn)。想想吧，大多數(shù)美國(guó)人是很慷慨的。不管他們付不付小費(fèi)，我都盡力好好為每位乘客服務(wù)。我信仰上帝，努力成為教區(qū)的好教民。我想上帝希望我怎么對(duì)待別人，我就努力怎么對(duì)待別人。我堅(jiān)持這樣做很長(zhǎng)時(shí)間了，時(shí)間越久，這樣做就越容易。

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