Methods of Economy　开辟幸福人生

时间：2024-03-21 02:37:07

（单词翻译:单击）

Methods of Economy　开辟幸福人生
◎ Samuel Smiles
The methods of practicing economy are very simple. Spend less than you earn. That is the first
rule. A portion should always be set apart for the future. The person who spends more than he earns,
is a fool.
The next rule is to pay ready money, and never, on any account, to run into debt.
The person who runs into debt is apt to get cheated; and if he runs into debt to any extent, he
will himself be apt to get dishonest. “Who pays what he owes, enriches himself.”
The next is, never to anticipate uncertain profits by expending2 them before they are secured. The
profit may never come, and in that case you will have taken upon yourself a load of debt which you
may never get rid of.
Another method of economy is, to keep a regular account of all that you earn, and of all that you
expend1. An orderly man will know beforehand what he requires, and will be provided with the
necessary means for obtaining it. Thus his domestic budget will be balanced; and his expenditure3
kept within his income.
It is difficult to fix the precise limits of economy. Bacon says that if a man would live well
within his income, he ought not to expend more than one-half, and save the rest. This is perhaps too
exacting4; and Bacon himself did not follow his own advice. What proportion of one’s income should
be expended6 on rent? That depends upon circumstances.
Wherever there is a large family, the more money that is put to one side and saved, the better.
Economy is necessary to the moderately rich, as well as to the comparatively poor man. Without
economy, a man cannot be generous. He cannot take part in the charitable work of the world.
If he spends all that he earns, he can help nobody. He cannot properly educate his children, nor
put them in the way of starting fairly in the business of life. Thousands of witnesses daily testify, that
men even of the most moderate intelligence, can practice the virtue7 with success.
Men of all classes are, as yet, too little influenced by these considerations. They are apt to live
beyond their incomes. To save money for avaricious8 purposes is altogether different from saving it
for economical purposes. The saving may be accomplished9 in the same manner by wasting nothing,
and saving everything. But here the comparison ends. The miser10’s only pleasure is in saving, the
prudent11 economist12 spends what he can afford for comfort and enjoyment13, and saves a surplus for
some future time. The avaricious person makes gold his idol14, whereas the thrifty15 person regards it as
a useful instrument, and as a means of promoting his own happiness and the happiness of those who
are dependent upon him. The miser is never satisfied. He amasses16 wealth that he can never consume,
but leaves it to be squandered17 by others, probably by spendthrifts; whereas the economist aims at
securing a fair share of the world’s wealth and comfort, without any thought of amassing18 a fortune.
There is a dignity in the very effort to save with a worthy19 purpose, even though the attempt
should not be crowned with eventual20 success. It produces a well regulated mind it gives prudence21 a
triumph over extravagance; it gives virtue the mastery over vice5; it puts the passions under control; it
drives away care; it secures comfort. Saved money, however little, will serve to dry up many a tear;
will ward22 off many sorrows and heart burnings, which otherwise might prey23 upon us. Possessed24 of a
little store of capital, a man walks with a lighter25 step his heart beats more cheerily.
When interruption of work or adversity happens, he can meet them; he can recline on his capital,
which will either break his fall, or prevent it altogether.
By prudential economy, we can realize the dignity of man; life will be a blessing26.
想要生活节俭是一件十分容易的事。首要原则是：收入大于支出。为了将来，我们应该
储存一部分钱。那些支出大于收入的人，是十足的笨蛋。
第二条原则就是不要四处借钱。抵制任何让自己负债累累的行为。
负债的人大都习惯编造谎言。某人一旦债务缠身，他就很容易变得不诚实。“将花销控制
在收入的范围内，就会使自己变得富有。”
第三条原则就是在不确定的利润到手之前，永远不要动用自己的存款。一旦没有得到利
润，你便会深陷债务危机，甚至永远不能翻身。
第四条原则就是定期将你所有的收入与花销记录下来。无论做什么事，一个生活有规划
的人事先总会知道要做什么，并提供此事所需的资金。更重要的是，他们往往能够达到收支
平衡。
人们很难精准地确定节俭的范围和程度。培根曾说过，如果一个人要达到收支平衡，他
花销的数额一定不能超出收入额的一半，并能将其余的钱都存起来。或许这种定位太过苛
刻，连培根也没有遵循自己的言论。一个人应该将收入的多少用在房租上？这恐怕得由个人
的情况而定。
无论家庭成员有多少，积累的钱越多，人们的生活就越好。节俭，无论对中等收入家庭
还是贫穷人群，都是至关重要的。不知道节俭的人，就无法成为一个慷慨大方的人。囊中羞
涩的他，只能远离所有的社会慈善活动。
一个人假如身无分文，那就根本谈不上帮助别人。他既不能给予孩子良好的教育，也不
能指导孩子在社会上找到发展方向。日常生活中，成千上万的事实已充分证明，即使智商不
高的人，也可以成功地养成节俭的习惯。
然而，节俭对于各阶层人士的影响仍显得微不足道。他们更习惯过着负债的生活。出于
贪欲与吝啬而存钱与节俭是截然不同的概念。两者都主张杜绝浪费，竭尽全力节省每一样东
西，不过两者的出发点则各不相同。守财奴唯一的乐趣在于积累；而谨慎的节俭之人是在力
所能及的范围内，尽情享受生活的同时，积攒钱财以备不时之需。在贪婪的人心中，金子就
是他的偶像；而在节俭之人看来，金子只是一种有用的工具，一种提高自身以及家人生活质
量的物质。守财奴永远不会有满足感。他们从不享用自己积累起来的财富，而他们留下的遗
产，最大的可能就是被他的家人挥霍一空。而节俭的人根本没有聚敛多少财富的想法，他们
在乎的是眼前的生活，确保优质生活的同时积累金钱。

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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 expend Fmwx6     
vt.花费，消费，消耗
参考例句：
  • Don't expend all your time on such a useless job.不要把时间消耗在这种无用的工作上。
  • They expend all their strength in trying to climb out.他们费尽全力想爬出来。
2 expending 2bc25f0be219ef94a9ff43e600aae5eb     
v.花费( expend的现在分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽
参考例句：
  • The heart pumps by expending and contracting of muscle. 心脏通过收缩肌肉抽取和放出（血液）。 来自互联网
  • Criminal action is an action of expending cost and then producing profit. 刑事诉讼是一种需要支付成本、能够产生收益的活动。 来自互联网
3 expenditure XPbzM     
n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗
参考例句：
  • The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
  • The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。
4 exacting VtKz7e     
adj.苛求的，要求严格的
参考例句：
  • He must remember the letters and symbols with exacting precision.他必须以严格的精度记住每个字母和符号。
  • The public has been more exacting in its demands as time has passed.随着时间的推移，公众的要求更趋严格。
5 vice NU0zQ     
n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的
参考例句：
  • He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
  • They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。
6 expended 39b2ea06557590ef53e0148a487bc107     
v.花费( expend的过去式和过去分词 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽
参考例句：
  • She expended all her efforts on the care of home and children. 她把所有精力都花在料理家务和照顾孩子上。
  • The enemy had expended all their ammunition. 敌人已耗尽所有的弹药。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 virtue BpqyH     
n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力
参考例句：
  • He was considered to be a paragon of virtue.他被认为是品德尽善尽美的典范。
  • You need to decorate your mind with virtue.你应该用德行美化心灵。
8 avaricious kepyY     
adj.贪婪的，贪心的
参考例句：
  • I call on your own memory as witness:remember we have avaricious hearts.假使你想要保证和证明，你可以回忆一下我们贪婪的心。
  • He is so avaricious that we call him a blood sucker.他如此贪婪，我们都叫他吸血鬼。
9 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的
参考例句：
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。
10 miser p19yi     
n.守财奴，吝啬鬼 (adj.miserly)
参考例句：
  • The miser doesn't like to part with his money.守财奴舍不得花他的钱。
  • The demon of greed ruined the miser's happiness.贪得无厌的恶习毁掉了那个守财奴的幸福。
11 prudent M0Yzg     
adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的
参考例句：
  • A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
  • You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。
12 economist AuhzVs     
n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人
参考例句：
  • He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
  • He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。
13 enjoyment opaxV     
n.乐趣；享有；享用
参考例句：
  • Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
  • After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。
14 idol Z4zyo     
n.偶像，红人，宠儿
参考例句：
  • As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
  • Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。
15 thrifty NIgzT     
adj.节俭的；兴旺的；健壮的
参考例句：
  • Except for smoking and drinking,he is a thrifty man.除了抽烟、喝酒，他是个生活节俭的人。
  • She was a thrifty woman and managed to put aside some money every month.她是个很会持家的妇女，每月都设法存些钱。
16 amasses 1052da56164df2dabe16e17085af6186     
v.积累，积聚( amass的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • In the end, victory Le Havre goes to the player who amasses the largest fortune. 拥有最多财富的玩家将赢得游戏的胜利。 来自互联网
17 squandered 330b54102be0c8433b38bee15e77b58a     
v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句：
  • He squandered all his money on gambling. 他把自己所有的钱都糟蹋在赌博上了。
  • She felt as indignant as if her own money had been squandered. 她心里十分生气，好像是她自己的钱给浪费掉了似的。 来自飘（部分）
18 amassing hzmzBn     
v.积累，积聚( amass的现在分词 )
参考例句：
  • The study of taxonomy must necessarily involve the amassing of an encyclopaedic knowledge of plants. 分类学研究一定要积累广博的植物知识。 来自辞典例句
  • Build your trophy room while amassing awards and accolades. 建立您的奖杯积累奖项和荣誉。 来自互联网
19 worthy vftwB     
adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的
参考例句：
  • I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
  • There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。
20 eventual AnLx8     
adj.最后的，结局的，最终的
参考例句：
  • Several schools face eventual closure.几所学校面临最终关闭。
  • Both parties expressed optimism about an eventual solution.双方对问题的最终解决都表示乐观。
21 prudence 9isyI     
n.谨慎，精明，节俭
参考例句：
  • A lack of prudence may lead to financial problems.不够谨慎可能会导致财政上出现问题。
  • The happy impute all their success to prudence or merit.幸运者都把他们的成功归因于谨慎或功德。
22 ward LhbwY     
n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开
参考例句：
  • The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
  • During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。
23 prey g1czH     
n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨
参考例句：
  • Stronger animals prey on weaker ones.弱肉强食。
  • The lion was hunting for its prey.狮子在寻找猎物。
24 possessed xuyyQ     
adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的
参考例句：
  • He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
  • He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。
25 lighter 5pPzPR     
n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级
参考例句：
  • The portrait was touched up so as to make it lighter.这张画经过润色，色调明朗了一些。
  • The lighter works off the car battery.引燃器利用汽车蓄电池打火。
26 blessing UxDztJ     
n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿
参考例句：
  • The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
  • A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。

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