Graduates of Yale University,I apologize if you have endured this type of prologue before,but I want you to do something for me.
耶魯大學(xué)的畢業(yè)生們,如果我們發(fā)言是你們難以忍受的那一種,我深表歉意,不過(guò)我想你們?yōu)槲易鲆患隆?br />
Please,take a good look around you.
那就是,請(qǐng)你們好好看看自己的周圍。
Look at the classmate on your left.
看一看坐在你們左旁的同學(xué)們,
Look at the classmate on your right.
坐在你右邊的同學(xué)。
Now,consider this:five years from now,10 years from now,even thirty years from now,odds are the person on your left is going to be a loser.
從現(xiàn)在算起的五年以后,十年以后,甚至三十年以后,你們左邊的這些同學(xué)有多少會(huì)成為失敗者。
The person on your right,meanwhile,will also be a loser.
你右邊的有多少會(huì)成為失敗者。
And you,in the middle?What can you expect?
還有你,坐在中間的你,你覺(jué)得未來(lái)會(huì)怎樣呢?
Loser.Loserhood.Loser Cum Laude.
成為失敗者,以優(yōu)等成績(jī)畢業(yè)的失敗者。
In fact,as I look out before me today,I don't see a thousand hopes for a bright tomorrow.
說(shuō)實(shí)話,今天當(dāng)我面對(duì)著大家,我看不出有什么希望我們可以擁有一個(gè)光明的前途。
I don't see a thousand future leaders in a thousand industries.
我看不出這里會(huì)誕生多少各行各業(yè)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。
I see a thousand losers.You're upset.That's understandable.
你們看上去有點(diǎn)沮喪,這是可以理解的。
After all,how can I,Lawrence"Larry Ellison,college dropout,
話說(shuō)回來(lái),我,勞倫斯•拉里•埃里森,一個(gè)從大學(xué)輟學(xué)的人,
have the audacity to spout such heresy to the graduating class of one of the nation's most prestigious institutions?
怎敢如此厚顏無(wú)恥,對(duì)著美國(guó)最高學(xué)院府的畢業(yè)生們大放厥詞?
I'll tell you why.Because I,Lawrence"Larry Ellison,second richest man on the planet,am a college dropout,and you are not.
我來(lái)告訴你們?yōu)槭裁?。因?yàn)槲?,勞倫?bull;拉里•埃里森,是這個(gè)星球上第二富有的人,是一個(gè)輟學(xué)者,而你們不是。
Because Bill Gates,richest man on the planet_for now anyway_is a college dropout,and you are not.
因?yàn)楸葼?bull;蓋茨,這個(gè)星球上第一富有的人(至少現(xiàn)在還是),是一個(gè)輟學(xué)者,而你們不是。
Because Paul Allen,the third richest man on the planet,dropped out of college,and you did not.
因?yàn)楸A_•艾倫,這個(gè)星球上第三富有的人,是一個(gè)輟學(xué)者,而你們不是。
And for good measure,because Michael Dell,No.9 on the list and moving up fast,is a college dropout,and you,yet again,are not.
還因?yàn)檫~克爾•戴爾——他在富人名單上名列第九并且正在迅速攀升——也是一個(gè)輟學(xué)者,而你們不是。
Hmm...you've very upset.That's understandable.
嗨,你們看上去很是沮喪,這是可以理解的。
So let me stroke your egos for a moment by pointing out,quite sincerely,that your diplomas were not attained in vain.
因此,為了激發(fā)一下你們的自負(fù),我要真誠(chéng)地指出,你們拿到的畢業(yè)證書也不是毫無(wú)用處的。
Most of you,I imagine,have spent four to five years here,
我想,你們中的大多數(shù)在這里度過(guò)了四到五年的時(shí)光,
and in many ways what you've learned and endured will serve you well in the years ahead.
你們以各種方式學(xué)到的以及忍受的將會(huì)對(duì)你們今后的日子很有幫助。
You've established good work habits.
你們已經(jīng)養(yǎng)成了良好的工作的習(xí)慣。
You've established a network of people that will help you down the road.
你們已經(jīng)建立起自己的關(guān)系網(wǎng),那些人會(huì)幫助你們走以后的路。
And you've established what will be lifelong relationships with the word"therapy".
你們已經(jīng)和“治療”這個(gè)詞建立起一種終生相連的關(guān)系。
All of that is good.For in truth,you will need that network.
所以這一切都很好。因?yàn)閷?shí)際上,你們需要那種關(guān)系網(wǎng),
You will need those strong work habits.
你們需要那些固定不變的工作習(xí)慣,
You will need that therapy.
你們需要那種治療。
You will need them because you didn't drop out,and so you will never be among the richest people in the world.
你們需要它們因?yàn)槟銈儧](méi)有輟學(xué),也正因如此,你們將永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)躋身世界上最富有者之列。
Oh,sure,you many,perhaps,work your way up to #10 or #11,like Steve Ballmer.
當(dāng)然了,也許你們按照自己的方式努力,會(huì)成為第10號(hào)或者11號(hào)的人物,就象史蒂夫•巴艾默那樣。
But then,I don't have to tell you who he really works for,do I?
不過(guò)我不用告訴你們他實(shí)際上為誰(shuí)工作吧?
And for the record,he dropped out of grade school.Bit of a late bloomer.
而且從他的履歷上看,他小學(xué)沒(méi)讀完就輟學(xué)了??梢哉f(shuō)是個(gè)大器晚成的人。
Finally,I realize that many of you,and hopefully by now most of you,are wondering,'Is there anything I can do?
最后我想說(shuō),我感到你們中間的大多數(shù),很可能是直到現(xiàn)在你們中的大多數(shù)才在思考一個(gè)問(wèn)題:“我會(huì)做什么?
Is there any hope for me at all?
對(duì)我而言到底有沒(méi)有希望?”
Actually,no.It's too late.You've absorbed too much,think you know too much.
事實(shí)上,答案是沒(méi)有。太遲了,你們專注于太多事情了。你們以為自己什么都懂。
You're not 19 anymore.
你們不再是19歲的孩子了。
You have a built-in cap,and I'm not referring to the mortarboards on your heads.
你們戴了一頂內(nèi)置的帽子——我并不是指你們戴在頭上的那頂學(xué)位帽。
Hmm...you're really very upset.That's understandable.
哦,你們看上去真是太沮喪了,這是可以理解的。
So perhaps this would be a good time to bring up the silver lining.
也許這是帶來(lái)一線希望的最佳時(shí)機(jī),
Not for you,Class of 2000.You are a write_off,so I'll let you slink off to your pathetic $ 200,000,a-year jobs,
不過(guò)不是為你們,2000年的畢業(yè)生,你們已被一筆勾銷,已經(jīng)沒(méi)有任何價(jià)值了,你們會(huì)去做那可憐的年薪20萬(wàn)美元的工作,
where your checks will be signed by former classmates who dropped out two years ago.
而給你們簽支票的正是兩年前輟學(xué)的同學(xué),所以你們還是離開(kāi)這樣的工作吧!
Instead,I want to give hope to any underclassmen here today.
不過(guò)對(duì)于那些還沒(méi)畢業(yè)的同學(xué),我今天給你們帶來(lái)了希望。
I say to you,and I can't stress this enough:leave.
我要對(duì)你們說(shuō)——我要說(shuō)的怎么強(qiáng)調(diào)都不為過(guò)——離開(kāi)。
Pack your things and your ideas and don't come back.Drop out.Start up.
收拾起你的行李和你的主意,離開(kāi),并且別再回來(lái),輟學(xué)!開(kāi)創(chuàng)你自己的事業(yè)吧!
For I can tell you that a cap and gown will keep you down just as surely as these security guards dragging me off this stage are keeping me down...
我可以告訴你,方帽長(zhǎng)袍只會(huì)束縛你,壓制你——一定會(huì)的,正如這些保安一定會(huì)把我拉下講臺(tái),一定會(huì)壓制我……
At this point The Oracle CEO was ushered off stage.
這時(shí)候,甲骨文公司的首席執(zhí)行官被帶離了講臺(tái)