有些金錢是人生不能承受之重大綱

"Some money is too expensive."

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“有些金錢的代價太過昂貴。”

When I got my first grown-up job after college my dad asked me how much money I'd be willing to embezzle.

大學畢業後，我得到了成年後的第一份工作，我爸問我願意貪污多少錢。

My dad was an aerospace engineer, one of the most straight-edge ethical men you can imagine. So I told him the truth, "You raised me to be honest. There is no amount of money that could induce me to steal.

"我爸是個航天工程師，是個你能想象的那種最正直最講道德的人。所以我告訴了他事實：“你從小教我要誠實。根本就沒有什麼錢能讓我去偷。”

But he wasn't having it. "A thousand dollars?" he asked, "Ten thousand?"

但是他並不接受這個回答。“一千美金？”他問道，“還是一萬？”

"Will I get caught?"

“我會被抓嗎？”

"No one who embezzles thinks they will get caught."

“沒有哪個貪污的人會認爲自己會被抓。”

"Ok, so it would have to be enough to escape the country and get a new identity."

“好吧，那這些錢足夠我逃到國外並且獲得另一個身份。”

"Which is?" he asked.

“要多少？”他問。

"Fifty million dollars." I said. "If they left fifty million with me and I thought I could get away scout free, I might take it."

“5000萬美金。”我說。“如果他們把5000萬給了我，我覺得我可以逃過檢查然後拿走它。”

"Excellent," he said. "Now never sell out for a box of pens and a three hole punch. If fifty million dollars is your price, never steal a penny less."

“好，”他說。“現在開始，永遠不要爲了一盒筆或者一個三孔的打孔機而出賣了自己。如果你要的是5000萬美金，那就一分都不能少。”