爱迪生（Thomas Alva Edison，1847～1931)）被誉为 “世界发明大王”，他一生共有约两千项创造发明，为人类的文明和进步做出了巨大的贡献。他对天才的解释是 “天才就是百分之一的灵感加上百分之九十九的汗水”。爱迪生的成就主要归功于他的勤奋和创造性才能以及集体的力量。同时这位发明大王的一生告诉我们最基本的一个事实： 成就来自坚持不懈的劳动。

1 Be courageous¹. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous.
勇敢些！我对经济萧条司空见惯，但美国恰恰就是从这些萧条中振作起来而且变得更加强大和繁荣。
Courageous: 勇敢的
Depression: 萧条；消沉
Emerge: 出现
Prosperous: 繁荣的

2 Discontent is the first necessity of progress.
不满足是进步的首要条件。
Discontent: 不满意
Necessity: 必需

3 Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration².
天才就是百分之一的灵感加上百分之九十九的汗水。
Genius: 天才
Inspiration: 灵感
Perspiration: 出汗

4 I find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.
我在工作中找到最大的快乐和回报，而不是工作所带来的成功。
Precede: 在…之前；早于

5 I have friends in overalls³ whose friendship I would not swap⁴ for the favor of the kings of the world.
我和普通工人之间的友谊任何东西都交换不了。
Overall: 工作服
Swap: 交换

6 If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally⁵ astound⁶ ourselves.
如果我们所做的都是我们擅长的事情，我们最终将使自己大吃一惊。
Astound: 使吃惊

7 Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
放弃是我们最大的弱点。成功的方法只不过是失败之后再尝试一次。
Weakness: 缺点；弱点

8 Maturity⁷ is often more absurd than youth and very frequently is most unjust to youth.
成熟通常比稚嫩更荒唐，也最易待稚嫩以不公。
Maturity: 成熟
Absurd: 荒唐的
Frequently: 经常地
Unjust: 不公正的

9 Non-violence leads to the highest ethics⁸, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages¹⁰.
非暴力将带领人类到达最崇高的伦理规范。除非我们停止伤害所有其它的生物，我们仍然是野蛮人。
Ethics: 伦理规范
Evolution: 进化
Savage⁹: 野蛮人

10 The best thinking has been done in solitude¹¹. The worst has been done in turmoil¹².
最好的思想在独处中诞生；最糟的思想在混乱中产生。
Solitude: 独处
Turmoil: 混乱

11 The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.
勤奋、坚持不懈和常识是成就任何有价值事业的三项最根本的条件。
Essential: 根本；实质
Worthwhile:  值得的
Stick-to-itiveness: 坚持

12 There is no substitute for hard work.
努力不可取代。
 Substitute: 代替品

13 They say President Wilson has blundered. Perhaps he has, but I notice he usually blunders forward.
人们说威尔逊总统犯了大错误。也许他的确如此，但是我注意到他在错误中前进。
Blunder: 犯错误
Forward: 向前

14 To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
为了发明创造，你同时需要不错的想象力和无数次的失败。
Junk: 垃圾

15 Great ideas originate in the muscles.
好想法来自实践。
 Originate: 来源

16 I know this world is ruled by infinite intelligence. Everything that surrounds us- everything that exists - proves that there are infinite laws behind it.
我知道这个世界被无限的智慧所统治。我们周围所有东西——所有存在的东西——证明在所有的东西背后都有无限的规律。
Infinite: 无限的
Intelligence: 智慧
     
17 The object of all work is production or accomplishment¹³ and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration.
所有工作的目的要么是生产产品，要么是有所成就， 要达到其中任何一个目的，必须要求具有预见、系统性、计划、智慧、真实的目的以及勤奋。
Accomplishment: 成就
Forethought: 预见；预想

18 Show me a thoroughly¹⁴ satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
一个对现状完全满意的人是不会有所成就的。
Thoroughly: 完全地；十足地
  
19 Anything that won't sell, I don't want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.
我不发明卖不出去的东西。销售出去是实用的证明，而实用就是成功。
Utility: 实用

20 The scope of thrift¹⁵ is limitless.
节俭永无止境
Thrift: 节俭；节省
Limitless: 无限的