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I cannot call riches better than the baggage of virtue.把财富叫做美德的负担或包袱——我看是再好不过的了。The Roman word is better, impedimenta. For as the baggage is to an army, so is riches to virtue.古罗马用的impedimenta “辎重”一词就更好，因为“辎重”对于军队，正如同财富对于美德。It cannot be spared, nor left behind, but it hinders the march;它不能节省，也不能抛弃；但它防碍行军； yea, and the care of it, sometimes, loses or disturbs the victory: of great riches, there is no real use, except it be in the distribution; the rest is but conceit. 是的，为了照顾辎重，有时会失去或干扰胜利；至于巨大的财富，它并无真正的用途，除了可以施舍与继承，就只能供自我陶醉或自欺欺人了。So saith Solomon: “Where much is, there are many to consume it; and what has the owner, but the sight of it with his eyes?” 所以所罗门说：“财富多，消费它的人就多；对于拥有者来说，它只是过眼云烟。”The personal fruition in any man cannot reach to feel great riches: there is a castody of them; or a power of dole and donative of them; or a fame of them; but no solid use to the owner.任何人的个人享受极其有限，感觉不出与巨额财富有直接关系；他感觉的只是对财富的保管，财富具有的施舍与捐赠能力，财富产生的声望；但对拥有者来说，这没有非常实在的用处（或译“真正的实用价值”）。Do you not see what feigned prices are set upon little stones and rarities? And what works of ostentation are undertaken because there might seem to be some use of great riches? 君不见：小的石头和稀罕物品竟被虚假地说成价值连城！财富据说有某种用途而因此被炫耀卖弄！ But then you will say, they may be of use to buy men out of dangers or troubles.于是，你们会说：财富可以用来消灾解难。 As Solomon says: “Riches are as a strong hold, in the imagination of the rich man." 正如所罗门所说：“在富人的想象里，财富是手里紧握不放的东西。”But this is excellently expressed that it is in imagination, and not always in fact.这话说得太妙了：那是在富人的“想象里”，而不经常在事实上！For certainly great riches have sold more men than they have bought out. 因为人们变卖巨额财富多于买进巨大财产。Seek not proud riches, but such as thou mayest get justly, use soberly, distribute cheerfully, and leave contentedly. 不要追求骄傲自豪的巨额财富，财富要取之有道，用之正当，乐于施舍，离开它也感到满足，知足常乐。（thou表示单数的“你”或“您”，而you当时表示多数的“你们”；但用于“泛指”的情况下，二者已经看不出数的差别，不过thou比you显得亲热些。另外，用thou时，助动词或其他动词要加词尾，如thou mayest。译者注）Yet have neither abstract, nor friarly contempt of them. 然而你们不要抽象地、像修道士那样藐视财富。But distinguish, as Cicero says well of Rabirius Postumus; in studil rei amplificandae apparebat non avaritiae praedam, sed insrumentum bonitati, quaeri. Hearken also to Solomon, and beware of hasty gathering of riches: qui festinat ad divitias, non erit insons. 而是要区别对待，如西塞罗正确评价拉比立斯·波斯图穆斯那样：“他追求财富不是为了满足贪婪之心，而是为了获得行善的资本。”（拉丁文）（西塞罗是古罗马著名的政治家、思想家与史学家，他这里为同时期的古罗马著名财政学家的一桩案情辩护。译者注）你再听听所罗门的忠告，千万不要急于积累财富：“妄想一夜暴富，难免不清不白”。（拉丁文）The poets feign that when Plutus (which is riches) is sent from Jupiter, he limps, and goes slowly; but when he is sent from Pluto, he runs, and is swift of foot. 诗人们杜撰这样的寓言：当普鲁图斯（他就是财富）从爱神丘比特那里打发出来时，他一瘸一拐，走得很慢；但当他从死神普鲁托那里打发出来时，他跑起来，脚步如飞。Meaning that riches gotten by good means and just labour pace slowly; but when they come by the death of others (as by the course of inheritance, testaments, and the like), they come tumbling upon a man. 寓意是：财富靠正当手段与诚实的劳动取得，其过程是缓慢的；财富因别人的死亡而到来（如通过继承、遗嘱之类），一夜暴富，意外又突然。But it might be applied likewise to Pluto, taking him for the devil. 但如果把死神当作魔鬼，也是可以适用的。For when riches come from the devil (as by fraud, and oppression, and unjust means), they come upon speed.因为当财富来自魔鬼（如通过欺骗，压迫、不正当手段），来的速度就快。The ways to enrich are many, and most of them foul.致富的方法很多，大都是不干不净。Parsimony is one of the best, and yet is not innocent: for it withholds men from works of liberality and charity.吝啬是最好的一种，但也不是清白无罪。因为它束缚人们做慷慨施舍与慈善救人的工作。The improvement of the ground is the most natural obtaining of riches; for it is our great mother’s blessing, the earth’ s; but it is slow. 土地的改善是获取财富最自然的方法；因为这是我们伟大母亲——大地赐予的福利”；但它来得慢。And yet, where men of great wealth do stoop to husbandry, it multiplies riches exceedingly.不过，大富翁亲自经营的地方，财富增加得特别快。 I knew a nobleman in England that had the greatest audits of any man in my time: a great grazier, a great sheep-master, a great timber man, a great collier, a great corn-master, a great lead-man, and so of iron, and a number of the like points of husbandry.我认识英格兰的一个贵族，他是我们时代无人可比的大富翁，拥有不计其数的财产：牧场、羊群、森林、木材、煤矿、矿工、粮食、粮仓、铅矿、铁矿，以及许多此类经营项目。So the earth seemed a sea to him in respect of the perpetual importation. 大地就仿佛是他永久的财富之海。It was truly observed by one that himself came very hardly to little riches and very easily to great riches. 有人真实地指出：他本人发小财很难，发大财很容易。For when a man’s stock is come to that he can expect the prime of markets and overcome those bargains which for their greatness are few men’s money and be partner in the industries of younger men, he cannot but increase mainly. 因为一个人的股票达到他有望霸占市场，完全控制跟很少几个富人进行的议价交易，而且跟一些年轻人合伙开办各种企业，那么他就只能天天发大财了。The gains of ordinary trades and vocations are honest and furthered by two things chiefly: by diligence and by a good name, for good and fair dealing. 正常的行业、职业的收益（或译”赢利”）是诚实的，收益的增加主要靠两点：一靠勤劳；二靠好的名誉，即工作好，经营好。But the gains of bargains are of a more doubtful nature; when men shall wait upon others’ necessity, broke by servants and instruments to draw them on, put off others cunningly that would be better chapmen, and the like practices which are crafty and naught.但议价交易的收益，其性质就值得怀疑了：他们将等待别人的困难，利用仆人和手段拉这些人上钩，导致他们破产，他们还将狡猾地排挤可能比较好的小商，或采取类似的狡诈不良行为。（broke是形容词，表示“破产”。介词短语by servants and instruments修饰 to draw them on。译者注） As for the chopping of bargains, when a man buys not to hold, but to sell over again, that commonly grinds double, both upon the seller and upon the buyer. 至于议价交易中的砍价（或译“讨价还价”），当一个人买进不是为了拥有，而是为了卖出，这种砍价一般可以从卖者与另外的买者双方榨取油水。Sharings do greatly enrich, if the hands be well chosen, that are trusted. 合伙经商能发大财，如果伙伴选得好，忠实可靠。Usury is the certainest means of gain, though one of the worst; as that, whereby a man does eat his bread; in sudore vultus alieni: and besides, does plough upon Sundays. 高利贷是最可靠的获利手段，虽然是最坏的手段之一；这就如同吃别人“用满脸汗水换来的”（拉丁文）的面包，而且这也是此人在星期天辛苦劳动（或直译“拉犁”）换来的啊！But yet, certain though it be, it has flaws; for that the scriveners and brokers do value unsound men, to serve their own turn. 高利贷虽然可靠，但也有弊端；因为公证人和经纪人为了自己的利益（或直译“为了自己以后放高利贷”），可以给不可靠的人提供担保。The fortune, in being the first in an invention or in a privilege, does cause sometimes a wonderful overgrowth in riches; as it was with the first sugar man in the Canaries: therefore, if a man can play the true logician, to have as well judgement as invention, he may do great matters; especially if the times be fit. 如果有幸最先发明了什么或拥有某种特权，有时这也能使人暴富，加那利群岛的第一个糖商就是这样；所以，如果一个人能成为一个真正的逻辑学家，具有发明家的高智能，他就可以做成大事，特别是在时机到来之际。（加那利群岛是北大西洋部火山群岛，东距非洲西海岸约130公里。译者注）He that rests upon gains certain shall hardly grow to great riches; and he that puts all upon adventures does oftentimes break and come to povety: it is good therefore, to guard adventures with certainties that may uphold losses. 完全依靠固定收入者很难发大财，把一切都用来冒险者常常破产而沦于贫穷（或译“一贫如洗”）；所以最好用固定收入来预防风险，这样可以避免一败涂地。Monopolies and coemption of wares for resale, where they are not restrained, are great means to enrich; especially if the party have intelligence that things are like to come into request, and so store himself beforehand. 垄断与囤积那些不受限制的货物，为了高价出售——这是发财致富的重要手段，特别是当事人有先见之明，断定那些货物很可能畅销，因此事先全力储备。Riches gotten by service, though it be of the best rise, yet when they are gotten by flattery, feeding humours and other servile conditions, they may be placed amongst the worst.靠职务得到收入，虽然也能迅速增加财富，但如果是靠阿谀奉承或其他奴颜媚骨的手段获得的，那么这种财富也可以放在最坏的一类。As for fishing for testaments and executorships (as Tacitus says of Seneca; testamenta et orbos, tanquam indagine capi) it is yet worse; by how much men submit themselves to meaner persons than in service. 至于从遗嘱与遗嘱的执行中渔利，如塔西图关于塞内加说的：“他把无人继承的遗产一网打尽”（拉丁文），这就更坏了，因为人们委托的人物远比在职务中遇到的更卑劣！Believe not much them that seem to despise riches; for they despise them, that despair of them; and none worse, when they come to them. 不要太相信那些似乎轻视财富的人：他们轻视财富，是因为他对财富感到绝望；如果财富来临，他们的手段比任何人都坏。（despair是不及物动词，上海译文出版社《新英汉词典》里有例句Never despair of success.不要对成功绝望。译者注）Be not penny-wise; riches have wings.不要小气，在小钱上耍聪明；（比较成语：Penny wise, pound foolish.小事聪明，大事糊涂。译者注）财富有翅膀。And sometimes they fly away of themselves, sometimes they must be set flying to bring in more.有时候，财富会自己飞跑；有时候它必须放飞，为了带回更多。Men leave their riches either to their kindred or to the public, and moderate portions prosper best in both.人们把自己的财富既遗留给自己的亲人，又遗留给公众；二者的份额如果比例适当，对二者的增值都很有利。A great estate left to an heir is as a lure to all the birds of prey round about, to seize on him, if he is not better established in years and judgement.一笔很大的财产遗留给在年龄和智力上还不成熟的继承人，这无异于引诱周围的猛禽来扑捉他。（现代英语里，state不能表示“财产”；是estate表示“财产”。在《论消费》篇中，就见到state表示“状况”或“经济状况”而estate表示“财产”的两个例子。译者注） Likewise glorious gifts and foundations are like sacrifices without salt and but the painted sepulchres of alms which soon will putrefy and corrupt inwardly. 同样，荣耀的馈赠与捐献就像是没有放盐的祭品，只不过是经过油漆的墓穴，里边的东西很快就会腐朽糜烂。Therefore, measure not thine advancements by quantity, but frame them by measure; and defer not charities till death; for certainly, if a man weigh it rightly, he that does so is rather liberal of another man’s than of his own. 所以，不要按数量来衡量你的贡献，而是靠衡量来确定你贡献的规模，也不要把你的慈善事业拖到临死前才做；的确，如果一个人能正确衡量自己做的这件事，那么这贡献与其说是他自己的，毋宁说是某别人的（或意译“某继承人的”）。
