书城外语灵魂也有一席之地
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第35章 金钱的价值

The Value of Money

佚名 / Anonymous

Money is a blessing when it is used rightly. The same is true of all other good things. They bless if used well; they curse when abused. Many people do not seem to know what money is for. They want it above all things. But they want it to spend chiefly on themselves.

Some boys appear to think that money is to buy good clothes and foods, toys and amusements. Some also seem to think that money is to buy leisure time. They consider that the highest happiness is to live without work. But that is not at all what money is for. We should get nearer the truth than that.

Money is our circulating medium in trade. Families need it to buy things they must have. In this way society exists, and the world of traffic prospers. Money means food, clothing, dwelling, schools, books, wise recreation, and the means of doing good.

Of course money is not something to hoard. Its value is in its use. And so money that is simply hoarded is of no value. It does not purchase the necessaries of life, nor relieve those who are in want . That is not what money is for.

Some people say that “the love of money is the root of all evil”. That is, money sought for its own sake is the cause of all sorts of evil—lying, stealing, cheating, robbery, and even murder. This is the best reason for avoiding the love of money.

当金钱被正当使用时,才会是一种幸福。一切美好的事物亦如此:金钱,若被善加利用,就会赐福于你;滥加使用,则会降祸于你。似乎许多人都不知道金钱的真正用途,世间万物中,他们最想得到的就是金钱,可他们只想把钱花在自己身上。

一些年轻人似乎认为,钱就是用来买好的衣服、食品和玩具,和娱乐活动。另一些人则认为,钱可以买来闲暇。他们认为,人生最大的幸福就是无须工作地活着。金钱的用途根本不是无须工作,我们应该探求其更为深层的价值。

金钱是商贸流通的媒介。家庭要用钱来购买生活日用品,社会存在和商贸繁荣的标志都是货币。有了钱,就有了衣、食、住,可以接受学校教育,拥有许多可读之书,也可以进行许多益智娱乐,行善事。

当然,金钱不是供储存的东西,它只有在被使用时才能体现其价值。仅是为了储存金钱,则毫无价值。不用金钱去买生活必需品,也不去救济需要帮助的人,而是把它储存起来,那不是金钱的用途。

有人说:“爱钱是万恶之源。”就是说,一切邪恶——撒谎、偷盗、欺骗、抢掠甚至谋杀都源于对金钱的追求。因此,我们不要嗜钱如命。

1. Many people do not_________to know what money is for. They want it above all things. But they want it to spend chiefly_________themselves.

2. They consider that the highest_________ is to live without work. But that is not at all ______money is for. We should get nearer the truth than that.

3. Some people _________that “the love of money is the root of all evil”. That is, money sought for its own sake is the_________of all sorts of evil—lying, stealing, cheating, robbery, and even murder. This is the best ______for avoiding the love of money.

1. 当金钱被正当使用时,才会是一种幸福。

2. 金钱不是供储存的东西,它只有在被使用时才能体现其价值。

3. 爱钱是万恶之源。

1. Some boys appear to think that money is to buy good clothes and foods, toys and amusements.

appear to:似乎;好像

2. In this way society exists, and the world of traffic prospers.

in this way:这样;用这种方法