‘The spirit of every man who does not help other people in life has to travel endlessly through the world after his death.We have to carry the chains that we made for ourselves in our lifetime.Do you,Ebenezer Scrooge,recognize my chain?It is very like the one that you wear!’
“那些在世时不帮助他人的人,其灵魂死后都要在这个世界上永无休止地游荡。我们不得不戴着我们活着时为自己制造的锁链。埃比尼泽·斯克罗吉,你认出我的锁链了吗?它和你戴的锁链很相似!”
Scrooge looked around him,but could see no chain.‘Jacob,’he said,‘please tell me more!’
斯克罗吉向他四周看了看,但没看到锁链。“雅各布,”他说,“请你再多告诉我一些!”
‘I cannot help you much,Ebenezer!I cannot rest,I cannot stay anywhere for long.I have been dead for seven years and all that time I have been travelling on the wings of the wind! No peace,no rest for me in death,because I was never good or kind in life!’
“我帮不上你太大的忙,埃比尼泽!我不能停下来,我不能在一个地方久留。我已经死了七年了,在这七年中,我一直借着风的翅膀飘游着!没有安宁,死了也不得休息,因为我活着的时候从来没有行善积德!”
‘But you were always a good man of business,Jacob,’said Scrooge,who was now beginning to worry about his own life.
“但你是一个精明的商人,雅各布,”斯克罗吉说,他现在开始担忧起自己的命运来。
‘Business!’cried the ghost miserably.‘Why didn't I think of people as my business?I thought only about making money,not about being kind and helpful to other people.Listen to me,Ebenezer!I am here tonight to warn you.You still have a chance to save yourself from what has happened to me.
“生意!”鬼魂悲惨地说。“我为什么不把人看作是我的生意?我一心想的就是赚钱,但没有想过善待别人或是帮助别人。听我说,埃比尼泽!我今晚来这儿是要警告你,你还有机会拯救你自己避免重蹈我的覆辙。