TO MADAME BRILLON.
Passy, November 10, 1779.
I am charmed with your description of Paradise, and with your plan of living there; and I approve much of your conclusion, that, in the mean time, we should draw all the good we can from this world.
我对您对天堂的描述和您计划在那里生活的想法感到非常高兴；我也非常赞同您的结论，即在此期间，我们应当尽可能从这个世界中汲取一切好处。
In my opinion, we might all draw more good from it than we do, and suffer less evil, if we would take care not to give too much for whistles.
在我看来，我们每个人从这个世界中汲取的好处本可以比现在更多，遭受的痛苦也可以更少，如果我们小心不要为“口哨”付出过多的话。
For to me it seems that most of the unhappy people we meet with are become so by neglect of that caution.
因为在我看来，我们遇到的大多数不幸的人，正是因为忽视了这一警告才变得不幸的。
You ask what I mean? You love stories, and will excuse my telling one of myself.
您问我是什么意思？您喜欢故事，应该不会介意我讲一个关于我的故事。
When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holyday, filled my pocket with coppers.
当我七岁时，在一个假日，我的朋友们把一些铜钱塞进了我的口袋里。
I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children; and, being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one.
我直接走到一家卖儿童玩具的商店，途中遇到一个男孩手中拿着一个口哨，听着它的声音我被迷住了，于是我自愿拿出所有的钱买了一个。
I then came home and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family.
然后我回到家，拿着口哨到处吹，虽然自己很高兴，但却打扰了全家人。
My brothers, and sisters, and cousins, understanding the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
我的兄弟、姐妹和堂兄妹知道了我做的交易后，告诉我我为它付出了四倍于它实际价值的钱；提醒我如果不买这个口哨，我本可以用剩下的钱买其他更有用的东西；他们嘲笑我傻得不可理喻，直到我因懊恼而哭了。这个反思带给我的痛苦，比口哨带来的快乐还要多。
This, however, was afterward of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, Don't give too much for the whistle; and I saved my money.
然而，这件事后来对我有了帮助，这个印象一直深刻在我的脑海里；所以，每当我想买一些不必要的东西时，我都会提醒自己，不要为口哨付出过多；这样我便省下了钱。
As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.
随着我长大，步入社会，观察到人们的行为，我发现我遇到了很多，甚至非常多的人，他们为口哨付出了过多。
When I saw one too ambitious of court favour, sacrificing his time in attendance on levees, his repose, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, to attain it, I have said to myself, This man gives too much for his whistle.
当我看到一个过于渴望宫廷宠幸的人，为了得到这个宠幸，他牺牲了自己的时间、休息、自由、道德，甚至可能是他的朋友，我就对自己说，这个人为他的口哨付出了过多。
When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly employing himself in political bustles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect, He pays, indeed, said I, too much for his whistle.
当我看到另一个热衷于追求名声的人，时常忙于政治纷争，忽视自己的事务，并因此把自己的事务弄得一团糟，我就说，确实，他为他的口哨付出了过多。
If I knew a miser, who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the sake of accumulating wealth, Poor man, said I, you pay too much for your whistle.
如果我知道有一个吝啬鬼，为了积累财富，放弃了任何舒适的生活，放弃了做善事的乐趣，放弃了同胞的尊重，也放弃了仁爱友情的欢乐，我就会说，可怜的人，你为你的口哨付出了过多。
When I met with a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind or of his fortune to mere corporeal sensations, and ruining his health in their pursuit, Mistaken man, said I, you are providing pain for yourself instead of pleasure; you give too much for your whistle.
当我遇到一个只顾追求享乐的人，他为了一时的肉体感官放弃了任何值得赞赏的心智或财富的提升，甚至为此毁掉了自己的健康，我就会说，愚蠢的人，你在为自己提供痛苦，而不是享乐；你为你的口哨付出了过多。
If I see one fond of appearance, or fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts and ends his days in prison, Alas! say I, he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.
如果我看到一个热衷于外表、精美衣服、华丽房屋、豪华家具和奢华装备的人，他为此借债并最终在监狱里度过余生，我会说，唉！他为他的口哨付出了极其高昂的代价。
When I see a beautiful, sweet-tempered girl married to an ill-natured brute of a husband, What a pity, say I, that she should pay so much for a whistle!
当我看到一个美丽、性格温和的女孩嫁给了一个脾气暴躁、粗暴的丈夫，我会说，真可惜，她为她的口哨付出了这么多！
In short, I conceive that great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.
总之，我认为人类大部分的不幸都是由于他们对事物的价值做出了错误的估计，并且为口哨付出了过多。
Yet I ought to have charity for these unhappy people, when I consider that, with all this wisdom of which I am boasting, there are certain things in the world so tempting, for example, the apples of King John, which, happily, are not to be bought; for if they were put to sale by auction, I might very easily be led to ruin myself in the purchase, and find that I had once more given too much for the whistle.
然而，当我考虑到，尽管我在夸耀自己拥有的智慧，世上仍有一些东西是如此诱人，例如，约翰国王的苹果，幸运的是，这些东西不能购买；因为如果它们通过拍卖出售，我可能会很容易在购买时把自己引向毁灭，并发现我再次为口哨付出了过多。
Adieu, my dear friend, and believe me ever yours very sincerely and with unalterable affection, B. Franklin.
再见，亲爱的朋友，请相信我永远真诚且毫不改变地属于您，
本杰明·富兰克林