27 · 不卖也不买
Nothing to Sell and Nothing to Buy
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It has been said that everyone lives by selling something. In the light of this statement, teachers live by selling knowledge, philosophers by selling wisdom and priests by selling spiritual comfort. Though it may be possible to measure the value of material goods in terms of money, it is extremely difficult to estimate the true value of the services which people perform for us. There are times when we would willingly give everything we possess to save our lives, yet we might grudge paying a surgeon a high fee for offering us precisely this service. The conditions of society are such that skills have to be paid for in the same way that goods are paid for at a shop. Everyone has something to sell.
Tramps seem to be the only exception to this general rule. Beggars almost sell themselves as human beings to arouse the pity of passers-by. But real tramps are not beggars. They have nothing to sell and require nothing from others. In seeking independence, they do not sacrifice their human dignity. A tramp may ask you for money, but he will never ask you to feel sorry for him. He has deliberately chosen to lead the life he leads and is fully aware of the consequences. He may never be sure where the next meal is coming from, but he is free from the thousands of anxieties which afflict other people. His few material possessions make it possible for him to move from place to place with ease. By having to sleep in the open, he gets far closer to the world of nature than most of us ever do. He may hunt, beg, or steal occasionally to keep himself alive; he may even, in times of real need, do a little work; but he will never sacrifice his freedom. We often speak of tramps with contempt and put them in the same class as beggars, but how many of us can honestly say that we have not felt a little envious of their simple way of life and their freedom from care?
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整篇课文
It has been said that everyone lives by selling something. In the light of this statement, teachers live by selling knowledge, philosophers by selling wisdom and priests by selling spiritual comfort. Though it may be possible to measure the value of material goods in terms of money, it is extremely difficult to estimate the true value of the services which people perform for us. There are times when we would willingly give everything we possess to save our lives, yet we might grudge paying a surgeon a high fee for offering us precisely this service. The conditions of society are such that skills have to be paid for in the same way that goods are paid for at a shop. Everyone has something to sell.
Tramps seem to be the only exception to this general rule. Beggars almost sell themselves as human beings to arouse the pity of passers-by. But real tramps are not beggars. They have nothing to sell and require nothing from others. In seeking independence, they do not sacrifice their human dignity. A tramp may ask you for money, but he will never ask you to feel sorry for him. He has deliberately chosen to lead the life he leads and is fully aware of the consequences. He may never be sure where the next meal is coming from, but he is free from the thousands of anxieties which afflict other people. His few material possessions make it possible for him to move from place to place with ease. By having to sleep in the open, he gets far closer to the world of nature than most of us ever do. He may hunt, beg, or steal occasionally to keep himself alive; he may even, in times of real need, do a little work; but he will never sacrifice his freedom. We often speak of tramps with contempt and put them in the same class as beggars, but how many of us can honestly say that we have not felt a little envious of their simple way of life and their freedom from care?
有人说，人人都靠出售某种东西谋生。照这种说法，教师出售知识，哲学家出售智慧，牧师出售精神慰藉。实物的价值也许可以用金钱衡量，可别人为我们提供的服务，真正价值多少，却极难估算。有时候，为了保住性命，我们甘愿付出自己拥有的一切；可真要为外科医生提供的救命服务付一大笔钱，又可能心有不舍。社会就是如此：购买技能和到店里购买商品一样，都得付钱。每个人都有可以出售的东西。
流浪汉似乎是这条普遍规律唯一的例外。乞丐为了博取路人的同情，几乎连自己身为一个人的尊严都拿来出卖；真正的流浪汉却不是乞丐。他们没有什么要卖，也不向别人索取什么，不会为了独立而牺牲人格尊严。流浪汉也许会向你讨钱，却绝不会求你可怜他。他有意选择了自己的生活方式，也完全清楚随之而来的后果。他也许不知道下一顿饭在哪里，却摆脱了困扰别人、数也数不清的烦恼。随身家当很少，让他可以轻松地四处迁移。露宿野外，又使他比我们大多数人更亲近自然。为了活下去，他偶尔也许打猎、乞讨或偷窃，真到了万不得已，甚至也会干一点活，但绝不肯牺牲自己的自由。我们常轻蔑地谈论流浪汉，把他们和乞丐混为一谈；可又有多少人能坦然地说，自己从未羡慕过他们那简单、无忧无虑的生活呢？
学完这一课
比较两种工作或学习成果：承认一种易衡量，再说明另一种难在哪。
译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时、何景霖整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第91—93页，2022年2月第3版。