轻松美语会话第3辑 创业从现在开始
Graduates of Yale University,I apologize if you have endured this type of prologue before,but I want you to do something for me.
耶鲁大学的毕业生们，如果我们发言是你们难以忍受的那一种，我深表歉意，不过我想你们为我做一件事。
Please,take a good look around you.
那就是，请你们好好看看自己的周围。
Look at the classmate on your left.
看一看坐在你们左旁的同学们，
Look at the classmate on your right.
坐在你右边的同学。
Now,consider this:five years from now,10 years from now,even thirty years from now,odds are the person on your left is going to be a loser.
从现在算起的五年以后，十年以后，甚至三十年以后，你们左边的这些同学有多少会成为失败者。
The person on your right,meanwhile,will also be a loser.
你右边的有多少会成为失败者。
And you,in the middle?What can you expect?
还有你，坐在中间的你，你觉得未来会怎样呢？
Loser.Loserhood.Loser Cum Laude.
成为失败者，以优等成绩毕业的失败者。
In fact,as I look out before me today,I don't see a thousand hopes for a bright tomorrow.
说实话，今天当我面对着大家，我看不出有什么希望我们可以拥有一个光明的前途。
I don't see a thousand future leaders in a thousand industries.
我看不出这里会诞生多少各行各业的领导者。
I see a thousand losers.You're upset.That's understandable.
你们看上去有点沮丧，这是可以理解的。
After all,how can I,Lawrence"Larry Ellison,college dropout,
话说回来，我，劳伦斯•拉里•埃里森，一个从大学辍学的人，
have the audacity to spout such heresy to the graduating class of one of the nation's most prestigious institutions?
怎敢如此厚颜无耻，对着美国最高学院府的毕业生们大放厥词？
I'll tell you why.Because I,Lawrence"Larry Ellison,second richest man on the planet,am a college dropout,and you are not.
我来告诉你们为什么。因为我，劳伦斯•拉里•埃里森，是这个星球上第二富有的人，是一个辍学者，而你们不是。
Because Bill Gates,richest man on the planet_for now anyway_is a college dropout,and you are not.
因为比尔•盖茨，这个星球上第一富有的人（至少现在还是），是一个辍学者，而你们不是。
Because Paul Allen,the third richest man on the planet,dropped out of college,and you did not.
因为保罗•艾伦，这个星球上第三富有的人，是一个辍学者，而你们不是。
And for good measure,because Michael Dell,No.9 on the list and moving up fast,is a college dropout,and you,yet again,are not.
还因为迈克尔•戴尔——他在富人名单上名列第九并且正在迅速攀升——也是一个辍学者，而你们不是。
Hmm...you've very upset.That's understandable.
嗨，你们看上去很是沮丧，这是可以理解的。
So let me stroke your egos for a moment by pointing out,quite sincerely,that your diplomas were not attained in vain.
因此，为了激发一下你们的自负，我要真诚地指出，你们拿到的毕业证书也不是毫无用处的。
Most of you,I imagine,have spent four to five years here,
我想，你们中的大多数在这里度过了四到五年的时光，
and in many ways what you've learned and endured will serve you well in the years ahead.
你们以各种方式学到的以及忍受的将会对你们今后的日子很有帮助。
You've established good work habits.
你们已经养成了良好的工作的习惯。
You've established a network of people that will help you down the road.
你们已经建立起自己的关系网，那些人会帮助你们走以后的路。
And you've established what will be lifelong relationships with the word"therapy".
你们已经和“治疗”这个词建立起一种终生相连的关系。
All of that is good.For in truth,you will need that network.
所以这一切都很好。因为实际上，你们需要那种关系网，
You will need those strong work habits.
你们需要那些固定不变的工作习惯，
You will need that therapy.
你们需要那种治疗。
You will need them because you didn't drop out,and so you will never be among the richest people in the world.
你们需要它们因为你们没有辍学，也正因如此，你们将永远不会跻身世界上最富有者之列。
Oh,sure,you many,perhaps,work your way up to #10 or #11,like Steve Ballmer.
当然了，也许你们按照自己的方式努力，会成为第10号或者11号的人物，就象史蒂夫•巴艾默那样。
But then,I don't have to tell you who he really works for,do I?
不过我不用告诉你们他实际上为谁工作吧？
And for the record,he dropped out of grade school.Bit of a late bloomer.
而且从他的履历上看，他小学没读完就辍学了。可以说是个大器晚成的人。
Finally,I realize that many of you,and hopefully by now most of you,are wondering,'Is there anything I can do?
最后我想说，我感到你们中间的大多数，很可能是直到现在你们中的大多数才在思考一个问题：“我会做什么？
Is there any hope for me at all?
对我而言到底有没有希望？”
Actually,no.It's too late.You've absorbed too much,think you know too much.
事实上，答案是没有。太迟了，你们专注于太多事情了。你们以为自己什么都懂。
You're not 19 anymore.
你们不再是19岁的孩子了。
You have a built-in cap,and I'm not referring to the mortarboards on your heads.
你们戴了一顶内置的帽子——我并不是指你们戴在头上的那顶学位帽。
Hmm...you're really very upset.That's understandable.
哦，你们看上去真是太沮丧了，这是可以理解的。
So perhaps this would be a good time to bring up the silver lining.
也许这是带来一线希望的最佳时机，
Not for you,Class of 2000.You are a write_off,so I'll let you slink off to your pathetic $ 200,000,a-year jobs,
不过不是为你们，2000年的毕业生，你们已被一笔勾销，已经没有任何价值了，你们会去做那可怜的年薪20万美元的工作，
where your checks will be signed by former classmates who dropped out two years ago.
而给你们签支票的正是两年前辍学的同学，所以你们还是离开这样的工作吧！
Instead,I want to give hope to any underclassmen here today.
不过对于那些还没毕业的同学，我今天给你们带来了希望。
I say to you,and I can't stress this enough:leave.
我要对你们说——我要说的怎么强调都不为过——离开。
Pack your things and your ideas and don't come back.Drop out.Start up.
收拾起你的行李和你的主意，离开，并且别再回来，辍学！开创你自己的事业吧！
For I can tell you that a cap and gown will keep you down just as surely as these security guards dragging me off this stage are keeping me down...
我可以告诉你，方帽长袍只会束缚你，压制你——一定会的，正如这些保安一定会把我拉下讲台，一定会压制我……
At this point The Oracle CEO was ushered off stage.
这时候，甲骨文公司的首席执行官被带离了讲台
