TED英语演讲：成为英雄不需等待

Back in New York, I am the head of development for a non-profit called Robin Hood. When I'm not fighting poverty, I'm fighting fires as the assistant captain of a volunteer fire company. Now in our town, where the volunteers supple❥ment a highly skilled career staff, you have to get to the fire scene pretty early to get in on any action.

在纽约，我是“罗宾汉”非营利机构，发展部门的主管。在我消灭贫穷之余，我也灭火，我是志愿消防居的副指挥，在我们的小镇，在一个志愿者都是成功人士的地方，你必须要很早到现场，才有可能加入战况。

I remember my first fire. I was the second volunteer on the scene, so there was a pretty good chance I was going to get in. But still it was a real footrace against the other volunteers to get to theผ captain in charge to find out what our assignments would be.

我记得我第一场火，我是第二个到现场的志愿者，很有可能可以进火场，但你还得跑赢其它志愿者，先找到总指挥，让他分配工作给你。

When I found the captain, he was having a very engaging conversation with the homeowner, who was surely having one of the worst days of her life. Here it was,▲ ¿the middle of the night, she was standing outside in the pouring rain, under an umbrella, in her pajamas, barefoot, while her house was in flames.

当我好不容易找到总指挥，他正全神贯注地和屋主讨论。她显然正经历人生中最糟糕的一天，当时是大半夜，她站在滂沱大雨中，穿着睡衣、打赤脚、撑着伞，她的房子正在熊熊燃烧。

The other volunteer who had arrived just before me -- let's call him Lex Luther -- got to the captain first and was asked to go inside and save the homeowner's dog. The dog! I was stunned with jealousy. Here was some lawyer or money manager who, for the rest of his life, gets to tell people that he went into a burning building to save a living creature, just because he beat me by five seconds.

另外一个比我先来一步的志愿者，就叫他Lex，Luther。好了，先到了总指挥身边，他被分配到，杀进火场去拯救屋主的小狗，小狗哎!我嫉妒死了。这个律师或财务经理，终身都可以告诉别人，他深入火场，救出一条活生生的小狗，就因为他比我早到五秒。

Well, I was next. The captain waved me over. He said, "Bezos, I need you to go into the house. I need you to go upstairs, past the fire, and I need you to get this woman a pair of shoes." I swear. So, not exactly what I was hoping for, but off I went -- up the stairs, down the hall, past the 'real' firefighters, who were pretty much done putting out the fire at this point, into the master bedroom to get a pair of shoes.

好吧，接下来轮到我了，总指挥叫我过去。他说，“Bezos，我需要你杀进火场，我需要你上楼，越过火焰，我需要你为这位女士拿双鞋。，“ 是真的，我发誓，这不是我心中描绘的'图像，但我去了，上楼，走到走廊底，穿过那些”真正的“消防员，他们差不多已经把火熄灭了，我走进主卧室，拿了一双鞋。

Now I know what you're thinking, but I'm no hero. I carried my payload back downstairs where I met my nemesis and the precious dog by the front door. We took our treasures outside to the homeowner,where, not surprisingly, his received much more attention than did mine. A few weeks later, the department received a letter from the homeowner thanking us for the valiant effort displayed in saving her home. The act of kindness she noted above all others: someone had even gotten her a pair of shoes.

我知道你在想什么，但我非英雄。我把我的任务带下楼，在前门遇见那位早我五秒的先生和他救出的那条狗，我们带着我们的宝藏走向前门，毫无意外的他比我获得更多关注。几个礼拜后，我们部门收到从屋主来的一封信，谢谢我们的拯救她家的，义勇行为，她特别提到一件温馨的细节，甚至有人为她拿来一双鞋。

In both my vocation at Robin Hood a♛nd my avocation as a volunteer firefighter, I am witness to acts of generosity and kindness on a monumental scale, but I'm also witness to acts of grace and courage on an individual basis. And you know what I've learned? They all matter.

无论是我在“罗宾汉”的工作，或是我身为志愿消防员的副业，我目睹许多非常慷慨的善行，我同时也目睹一个人的勇气和慈悲能带来多大的不同。你知道我学到什么?它们都一样重要。

So as I look around this room at people who either have achieved, or are on their way to achieving, remarkable levels of success, I would offer this reminder: don't wait. Don't wait until you make your first million to make a difference in somebody's life. If you have something to give, give it now. Serve food at a soup kitchen. Clean up a neighborhood park. Be a mentor.

当我环顾四周，这些成功的，或正要成功的人士，你们都有着令人激赏的成就，我想在这里提醒你们：不要等待，不要等待你赚到第一个一百万，才开始改变别人的生活，如果你有什么可以给予，现在就开始付出。无论是供应穷人食物，做个榜样。

Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody's life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one. So get in the game. Save the shoes.

不是每一天我们都有机会，拯救他人的生命，但每一天我们都有机会影响他人的生命，来吧：救那双鞋。

Thank you.

Bruno Giussani: Mark, Mark, come back.

Mark Bezos: Thank you.

谢谢各位

Bruno，Giussani：Mark，Mark，回来

谢谢各位