Mark Bezos: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter

Translator: Antonio Pedrós Reviewer: Guillermo Parra

Back in New York, I am the head of development

A Nova York sóc el director de desenvolupament

for a non-profit called Robin Hood.

d'una fundació sense ànim de lucre anomenada Robin Hood.

When I'm not fighting poverty, I'm fighting fires

Quan no lluito contra la pobresa, ho faig contra els incendis

as the assistant captain of a volunteer fire company.

com a cap adjunt d'una empresa de bombers voluntaris.

Now in our town,

Actualment a la nostra ciutat,

where the volunteers supplement a highly skilled career staff,

on els voluntaris complementen un equip de professionals altament qualificats,

you have to get to the fire scene pretty early

s'ha d'arribar bastant prompte al lloc de l'incendi

to get in on any action.

per poder participar en l'acció.

I remember my first fire.

Em recordo del meu primer incendi.

I was the second volunteer on the scene,

Vaig ser el segon voluntari a arribar al lloc,

so there was a pretty good chance I was going to get in.

així que tenia bastantes possibilitats d'entrar.

But still it was a real footrace against the other volunteers

Però faltava la carrera contra els altres voluntaris

to get to the captain in charge

per arribar al cap a càrrec

to find out what our assignments would be.

i descobrir quines serien les nostres tasques.

When I found the captain,

Quan vaig trobar el cap,

he was having a very engaging conversation

estava embrancat en una conversa molt seriosa

with the homeowner,

amb la propietària de l'habitatge,

who was surely having one of the worst days of her life.

que segurament tenia un dels pitjors dies de la seua vida.

Here it was, the middle of the night,

Era allà dreta, enmig de la nit,

she was standing outside in the pouring rain,

a la intempèrie, sota la pluja intensa,

under an umbrella, in her pajamas, barefoot,

tapada amb un paraigües, en pijama, descalça,

while her house was in flames.

mentre la seua casa cremava en flames.

The other volunteer who had arrived just before me --

El voluntari que havia arribat just abans que jo,

let's call him Lex Luther --

anomenem-lo "Lex Luthor",

(Laughter)

(Rialles)

got to the captain first

va arribar al cap primer

and was asked to go inside

i li van demanar que entrés

and save the homeowner's dog.

i salvés el gos de la propietària.

The dog! I was stunned with jealousy.

El gos! Em moria d'enveja.

Here was some lawyer or money manager

Davant tenia un advocat o administrador de fons

who, for the rest of his life, gets to tell people

que, durant la resta de la seua vida, podria contar a la gent

that he went into a burning building

que havia entrat en una casa en flames

to save a living creature,

per salvar un ésser viu,

just because he beat me by five seconds.

només perquè m'havia superat per cinc segons.

Well, I was next.

Bé, jo era el següent.

The captain waved me over.

El cap em va fer senyals per a que m'hi apropés.

He said, "Bezos, I need you to go into the house.

Em va dir: "Bezos, necessito que entris en la casa.

I need you to go upstairs, past the fire,

Necessito que pugis les escales, travessis el foc,

and I need you to get this woman a pair of shoes."

i necessito que li portis a esta dona un parell de sabates."

(Laughter)

(Rialles)

I swear.

Ho juro.

So, not exactly what I was hoping for,

No era exactament el que esperava,

but off I went --

però allà vaig anar:

up the stairs, down the hall, past the 'real' firefighters,

Escales amunt, travessant el vestíbul, passant els bombers "de veritat",

who were pretty much done putting out the fire at this point,

que en aquell moment ja quasi havien apagat el foc,

into the master bedroom to get a pair of shoes.

i fins a l'habitació principal per agafar un parell de sabates.

Now I know what you're thinking,

Sé el que esteu pensant,

but I'm no hero.

però no sóc cap heroi.

(Laughter)

(Rialles)

I carried my payload back downstairs

Vaig transportar la meua càrrega de nou escales avall,

where I met my nemesis

on em vaig trobar amb el meu nèmesi

and the precious dog by the front door.

i el preat gos a la porta principal.

We took our treasures outside to the homeowner,

Vam traure els nostres tresors i els vam donar a la propietària.

where, not surprisingly,

Evidentment,

his received much more attention than did mine.

el seu va rebre molta més atenció que el meu.

A few weeks later,

Unes setmanes després,

the department received a letter from the homeowner

el departament va rebre una carta de la propietària

thanking us for the valiant effort displayed

agraint-nos el valerós esforç realitzat

in saving her home.

en salvar la seua casa.

The act of kindness she noted above all others:

Va remarcar un acte de bondat per damunt dels altres:

someone had even gotten her a pair of shoes.

Algú inclús li havia aconseguit un parell de sabates.

(Laughter)

(Rialles)

In both my vocation at Robin Hood

Tant en la meua vocació a Robin Hood

and my avocation as a volunteer firefighter,

com en el meu passatemps com a bomber voluntari,

I am witness to acts of generosity and kindness

sóc testimoni d'actes de generositat i bondat

on a monumental scale,

a una escala descomunal,

but I'm also witness to acts of grace and courage

però també sóc testimoni d'actes de gràcia i coratge

on an individual basis.

a títol individual.

And you know what I've learned?

I sabeu què he après?

They all matter.

Que tots ells són importants.

So as I look around this room

Així que mentre miro en esta sala

at people who either have achieved,

a gent que, o bé ha aconseguit,

or are on their way to achieving,

o està en el camí d'aconseguir,

remarkable levels of success,

nivells importants d'èxit,

I would offer this reminder:

us ofereixo este recordatori:

don't wait.

No espereu.

Don't wait until you make your first million

No espereu a haver guanyat el primer milió

to make a difference in somebody's life.

per marcar la diferència en la vida d'algú.

If you have something to give,

Si teniu alguna cosa a oferir,

give it now.

feu-la ara.

Serve food at a soup kitchen. Clean up a neighborhood park.

Serviu menjar en un menjador benèfic, netegeu el parc del barri,

Be a mentor.

feu-vos mentors.

Not every day is going to offer us a chance

No tots el dies tindrem l'oportunitat

to save somebody's life,

de salvar la vida a algú,

but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one.

però tots els dies tenim l'oportunitat d'afectar-ne una.

So get in the game. Save the shoes.

Així que entreu en el joc, salveu les sabates.

Thank you.

Gràcies.

(Applause)

(Aplaudiments)

Bruno Giussani: Mark, Mark, come back.

(Bruno Giussani) Mark, torna.

(Applause)

(Aplaudiments)

Mark Bezos: Thank you.

(Mark Bezos) Gràcies.