拖船的哲理 Philosophy from a Tugboat

One night many years ago I was on the bridge of a ship that passed one of our large cities on aquiet night. I saw its lights reflected in the sky and heard the rumblings of the city’s noises.

多年前的一個(gè)晚上，我在寧靜的夜色中乘船經(jīng)過某個(gè)大都市。站在艦橋上，我眺望著萬家燈火輝映在夜空中，聆聽著城市的喧囂。

As I looked to my other side, I could see nothing but open space of darkness and endlesswater. I realized how small I was and that my own problems of life did not seem great.

而在我的另一側(cè)，除了無盡的黑暗與無邊的海水之外什么也看不到。剎那間，我意識(shí)到自己是多么的渺小，生活中的一切煩惱也顯得微不足道。

I have spent twenty five years on boats. Now I am a docking pilot. My job is to bring in thelarge luxury liners and stay with them until they are safely moored in their berths. Sometimesthis requires two tugs, sometimes many more, depending on the tide, the weather, and thedraft of the vessel.

我在船上生活了25年，如今是一名港口領(lǐng)航員，負(fù)責(zé)將大型豪華客輪引航入港，直到它們安全地靠港。這項(xiàng)工作有時(shí)需要兩艘拖船，或者更多，這要根據(jù)潮水、天氣以及船只的吃水度而定。

Most of you no doubt have seen these tugs pushing and pulling at the big liners. What they aredoing doesn’t seem to make much sense, but presently the big boat is alongside her pier, herhawsers made fast, and the job is done.

不用說，很多人都見過拖船拖拉巨輪的情景。看上去拖船的工作似乎微不足道，很快巨輪就可以停泊就位，下牢錨鏈，拖船也就完成了任務(wù)。

These tugs, whether one or ten, move about in accord with whistle signals I send them fromthe bridge of the big liner. These signals make up a language that is just as dependable as thespoken word; or even more so, because our docking signals are rarely misunderstood.

無論一艘還是10艘拖船，它們的行動(dòng)都是聽命于我在巨輪艦橋上的鳴笛信號(hào)。這些信號(hào)便是一種語言，它的可靠程度可與口頭語言相比，甚至有過之而無不及。這是因?yàn)槲覀兊钠研盘?hào)幾乎不會(huì)被誤解。

The captain of each tug does his work according to the signals he receives. He never asksquestions. He takes everything on faith, and it always works out.

每艘拖船的船長會(huì)根據(jù)接收到的指令嚴(yán)格行動(dòng)。而對(duì)于我的指揮，他們毫無疑問且完全信任，因此我們的配合一直很默契。

Working around tugboats, where so much depends on teamwork, has had its effect on what Ibelieve. I believe that if I am to attain a successful place in the world I must have the help of myfellow man just as the great transatlantic liners depend on the help of the little tugs to bringthem safely to port.

對(duì)于我的工作而言，團(tuán)隊(duì)合作尤為重要，這也影響著我的人生觀。我相信，如果沒有同伴們的幫助，我絕對(duì)不會(huì)有今天的成功，正如遠(yuǎn)洋航行的萬噸巨輪要想安全入港停泊，還得依靠小小拖船的幫助一樣。

I felt very important the first time I ever docked a big liner. She came riding up the harbor on aflood tide and towered high over the stout little tug that carried me. As we drew alongside, adoorway opened almost at water level and two smartly rigged sailors helped me aboard.

第一次將巨輪引航入港時(shí)，我感覺自己相當(dāng)了不起。那艘巨輪乘風(fēng)破浪駛向海港，高塔般矗立在我所在的矮墩拖船前。當(dāng)我們靠近船邊時(shí)，艙門打開到水平面一樣的高度，我在兩名衣著講究的船員的幫助下登上了船。在他們的陪同下我走上艦橋，從船長手中接過船的“指揮棒”。

I was escorted to the bridge where I took over from the captain. I realized I was in control of agreat ship worth millions of dollars and the owners were depending on me to bring her safely toher berth. After I had docked several of the large liners, I realized I was not important, butsimply the quarterback who called the signals.

我意識(shí)到，自己正在掌控一艘價(jià)值百萬美金的巨輪，而它的主人正依靠我將它安全停泊。后來，在引領(lǐng)了幾艘同樣的巨輪入港后，我明白自己不過是一個(gè)傳達(dá)信號(hào)的人而已，沒有什么了不起的。

In spite of what we read in the newspapers, I have a great faith in this country and I pray thata peaceful understanding will come to this unsettled world, so that my children can grow up ina world that will give them happiness instead of bloodshed. I believe this will come about.

不管每天從報(bào)紙上讀到多少壞消息，我依然對(duì)國家充滿信心。我祈禱著和平與理解降臨到這個(gè)動(dòng)亂的世界，讓我的孩子們能夠在一個(gè)幸福而非血腥沖突的世界中生活。我相信這一天終會(huì)到來。

I remember the understanding and sympathy that took over this country, back in 1949, whena little girl named Kathy Fiskus fell into an abandoned well out in California. Engineers andsandhogs and people in all walks of life worked almost three days, and when they got her outshe was dead.

我還記得，在1949年，一個(gè)名叫凱西?菲絲庫斯的小女孩失足跌入了加利福尼亞的一口廢井之中，全國的人們都對(duì)她充滿了同情與關(guān)愛。當(dāng)工程師、隧道工以及各行各業(yè)的人們經(jīng)過三天三夜的努力將她從井底救出來時(shí)，她已經(jīng)沒有了呼吸。

People sent in thousands of dollars in rescue funds, but those who did the work and furnishedthe equipment wouldn’t take money. They worked for bigger stakes. I talked to captains offoreign ships that came into New York Harbor, and they were just as concerned as weAmericans over the tragedy.

人們?yōu)闋I救工作捐了數(shù)千美金，但是營救人員及提供器械的人們卻分文未收。他們之所以奮力救人是為了比錢更重要的東西。當(dāng)時(shí)，我曾對(duì)駛?cè)爰~約港的一些國外客輪船長提及此事，他們也一樣被深深地感動(dòng)了。

I believe some way will be found to work together for world peace with the same sympathy andunderstanding that people worked to rescue little Kathy Fiskus. I believe God will somedaybring this about.

我相信，如同人們營救小凱西一樣，他日我們也定能用同樣的同情與理解贏來世界的和平。我相信，上帝總會(huì)讓我如愿以償?shù)摹?br />