佚名/Anonymous
Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold. If it is possible for leaves and clay and wood and hair to have their value multiplied a hundred, yea a thousandfold by man, cannot I do the same with the clay which bears my name?
I am likened to a grain of wheat which faces one of three futures. The wheat can be placed in a sack and dumped in a stall until it is fed to swine. Or it can be ground to four and made into bread. Or it can be placed in the earth and allowed to grow until its golden head divides and produces a thousand grains from the one.
I am likened to a grain of wheat with one difference. The wheat cannot choose whether it be fed to swine, ground for bread, or planted to multiply. I have a choice and I will not let my life be fed to swine nor will I let it be ground under the rocks of failure and despair to be broken open and devoured by the will of others.
To grow and multiply it is necessary to plant the wheat grain in the darkness of the earth and my failures, my despairs, my ignorance, and my inabilities are the darkness in which I have been planted in order to ripen. Now, like the wheat grain which will sprout and blossom only if it is nurtured with rain and sun and warm winds, I too must nurture my body and mind to fulfll my dreams.
Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
The height of my goals will not hold me in awe though I may stumble often before they are reached. If I stumble I will rise and may falls will not concern me for all men must stumble often to reach the hearth. Only a worm is free from the worry of stumbling. I am not a worm. I am not an onion plant. I am not a sheep. I am a man. Let others build a cave with their clay. I will build a castle with mine.
I will commit not the terrible crime of aiming too low. I will do the work that a failure will not do. I will always let my reach exceed my grasp. I will always raise my goals as soon as they are attained. I will always strive to make the next hour better than this one. I will always announce my goals to the world. Yet, never will I proclaim my accomplishments. Let the world, instead, approach me with praise and may I have the wisdom to receive it in humility.
Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
One grain of wheat when multiplied a hundredfold will produce a hundred stalks. Multiply these a hundredfold, ten times, and they will feed all the cities of the earth. Am I not more than a grain of wheat?
今天，我要加倍提升自己的價值。如果桑葉、黏土、柏樹、羊毛經過人的創造，可以成百上千倍地提高自身的價值，那麽，由黏土構成的我們為什麽不能呢？
我把自己的命運比做一顆麥粒，要麵臨三種不同的道路。麥粒可能被裝進麻袋，丟進牲畜棚，等著喂豬；也可能被磨成麵粉，做成麵包；還可能撒在土壤裏，讓它生長，直到金黃的麥穗不斷衍生，結出上千顆麥粒。
我和麥粒唯一的區別在於：麥粒沒有選擇的權利，任憑被喂豬或被磨碎做成麵包，或是被種下，生長繁衍。我卻有選擇的自由。我絕不會讓我的生命成為喂豬的飼料，也不會讓它在失敗與絕望的岩石下煎熬，任人調遣。
為了讓麥粒生長、結實，將其種植在黑暗的泥土中是必需的，我的失敗、絕望、無知、無能便是那黑暗的泥土，我必須牢牢紮根於泥土中，等待成熟。現在，就像麥粒在陽光雨露與和風的哺育下發芽、開花一樣，我也要鍛煉自己的身心，去實現夢想。
今天，我要加倍提升自己的價值。
高遠的目標不會讓我有絲毫畏懼，即使在達到目標的過程中可能屢受挫折。摔倒了，再爬起來，這不會讓我有絲毫遲疑，因為每個人在抵達目標之前都須曆盡艱辛。隻有小爬蟲不必擔心摔倒。而我不是小爬蟲，不是洋蔥，不是綿羊。我是一個堂堂正正的人。隨便別人用他們的黏土造穴吧，我要用自己的雙手建造一座城堡。
我絕不犯嚴重的錯誤——放低目標。失敗者不敢做的事才是我發揮的舞台。我不止步於我的能力範圍，目標達到後緊接著就是一個更高的目標。我要竭盡全力地使下一刻比此刻更好。我要常常向世人宣布我的目標，可我絕不炫耀我的成績。讓世人來稱讚我吧，但願我能明智而謙恭地接受它們。
今天，我要加倍提升自己的價值。
一顆麥粒繁衍之後，可以變成成千上萬的麥子，將這些麥苗繼續繁衍百倍，如此十次，便能供養世界上所有的城市。難道我不比一顆麥粒強嗎？
W詞匯筆記
multiply['m?ltiplai]v.乘；增加；繁殖
例 The only way on earth to multiply happiness is to divide it.
世界上唯一成倍地增加幸福的辦法是與人分享。
dump[d?mp]v.傾倒；傾卸
例 There are special places where you can dump things you don't want.
有一些指定的地方，你可以把不需要的東西倒在那裏。
stall[st?:l]n.貨攤；畜欄；托詞
例 A pile of straw in a stall is a bed, properly regarded.
如果正確看待的話，窩棚裏的稻草堆就是一張床。
devour[di'vau?]v.毀滅；吞食；凝視
例 We watched the flames devour the entire building.
我們看著火苗吞噬了整座大樓。
S小試身手
現在，就像麥粒在陽光雨露與和風的哺育下發芽、開花一樣，我也要鍛煉自己的身心，去實現夢想。
譯________________________________________
高遠的目標不會讓我有絲毫畏懼，即使在達到目標的過程中可能屢受挫折。
譯________________________________________
我不止步於我的能力範圍，目標達到後緊接著就是一個更高的目標。
譯________________________________________
P短語家族
……and my inabilities are the darkness in which I have been planted in order to ripen.
in order to：為了；以便；想要
造________________________________________
I will always raise my goals as soon as they are attained. as soon as：一……就……
造________________________________________