Mark Bezos: A life lesson from a volunteer firefighter

翻译人员: Coco Shen 校对人员: Geoff Chen

Back in New York, I am the head of development

在纽约，我是“罗宾汉”非营利机构

for a non-profit called Robin Hood.

发展部门的主管

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

在我消灭贫穷之余，我也灭火

as the assistant captain of a volunteer fire company.

我是志愿消防居的副指挥

Now in our town,

在我们的小镇

where the volunteers supplement a highly skilled career staff,

在一个志愿者都是成功人士的地方

you have to get to the fire scene pretty early

你必须要很早到现场

to get in on any action.

才有可能加入战况

I remember my first fire.

我记得我第一场火

I was the second volunteer on the scene,

我是第二个到现场的志愿者

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

很有可能可以进火场

But still it was a real footrace against the other volunteers

但你还得跑赢其它志愿者

to get to the captain in charge

先找到总指挥

to find out what our assignments would be.

让他分配工作给你

When I found the captain,

当我好不容易找到总指挥

he was having a very engaging conversation

他正全神贯注地

with the homeowner,

和屋主讨论

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

她显然正经历人生中最糟糕的一天

Here it was, the middle of the night,

当时是大半夜

she was standing outside in the pouring rain,

她站在滂沱大雨中

under an umbrella, in her pajamas, barefoot,

穿着睡衣、打赤脚、撑着伞

while her house was in flames.

她的房子正在熊熊燃烧

The other volunteer who had arrived just before me --

另外一个比我先来一步的志愿者

let's call him Lex Luther --

就叫他Lex Luther （超人中的反派）好了

(Laughter)

（笑声）

got to the captain first

先到了总指挥身边

and was asked to go inside

他被分配到

and save the homeowner's dog.

杀进火场去拯救屋主的小狗

The dog! I was stunned with jealousy.

小狗哎！我嫉妒死了

Here was some lawyer or money manager

这个律师或财务经理

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

终身都可以告诉别人

that he went into a burning building

他深入火场

to save a living creature,

救出一条活生生的小狗

just because he beat me by five seconds.

就因为他比我早到五秒

Well, I was next.

好吧，接下来轮到我了

The captain waved me over.

总指挥叫我过去

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

他说，“Bezos，我需要你杀进火场

I need you to go upstairs, past the fire,

我需要你上楼，越过火焰

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

我需要你为这位女士拿双鞋。 “

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I swear.

是真的，我发誓

So, not exactly what I was hoping for,

这不是我心中描绘的图像

but off I went --

但我去了

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

上楼，走到走廊底，穿过那些”真正的“消防员

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

他们差不多已经把火熄灭了

into the master bedroom to get a pair of shoes.

我走进主卧室，拿了一双鞋

Now I know what you're thinking,

我知道你在想什么

but I'm no hero.

但我非英雄

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I carried my payload back downstairs

我把我的任务带下楼

where I met my nemesis

在前门遇见那位早我五秒的先生

and the precious dog by the front door.

和他救出的那条狗

We took our treasures outside to the homeowner,

我们带着我们的宝藏走向前门

where, not surprisingly,

毫无意外的

his received much more attention than did mine.

他比我获得更多关注

A few weeks later,

几个礼拜后

the department received a letter from the homeowner

我们部门收到从屋主来的一封信

thanking us for the valiant effort displayed

谢谢我们的拯救她家的

in saving her home.

义勇行为

The act of kindness she noted above all others:

她特别提到一件温馨的细节

someone had even gotten her a pair of shoes.

甚至有人为她拿来一双鞋

(Laughter)

（笑声）

In both my vocation at Robin Hood

无论是我在“罗宾汉”的工作

and my avocation as a volunteer firefighter,

或是我身为志愿消防员的副业

I am witness to acts of generosity and kindness

我目睹许多非常慷慨的

on a monumental scale,

善行

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

我同时也目睹一个人的勇气和慈悲

on an individual basis.

能带来多大的不同

And you know what I've learned?

你知道我学到什么？

They all matter.

它们都一样重要。

So as I look around this room

当我环顾四周

at people who either have achieved,

这些成功的

or are on their way to achieving,

或正要成功的人士

remarkable levels of success,

你们都有着令人激赏的成就

I would offer this reminder:

我想在这里提醒你们：

don't wait.

不要等待

Don't wait until you make your first million

不要等待你赚到第一个一百万

to make a difference in somebody's life.

才开始改变别人的生活

If you have something to give,

如果你有什么可以给予

give it now.

现在就开始付出

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

无论是供应穷人食物

Be a mentor.

做个榜样

Not every day is going to offer us a chance

不是每一天我们都有机会

to save somebody's life,

拯救他人的生命

but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one.

但每一天我们都有机会影响他人的生命

So get in the game. Save the shoes.

来吧：救那双鞋。

Thank you.

谢谢各位

(Applause)

（掌声）

Bruno Giussani: Mark, Mark, come back.

Bruno Giussani：Mark，Mark，回来

(Applause)

（掌声）

Mark Bezos: Thank you.

谢谢各位