-By Henry Blair Graybilt亨
But I warm you against thinking that riches necessarily confer happiness; or that poverty confers unhappiness. Do not begin life supposing that you shall be heart-rich when you are purse-rich. A man's happiness depends primarily upon his disposition. If that be good, riches will bring pleasure; but only vexation if that be evil.
To lavish money upon shining trifles, to make an idol of one's self for fools to gaze at, to rear mansions beyond our wants, to garnish them for display and not for use, to chatter through the heartless rounds of pleasure, to lounge, to gape, to simper and giggle-can wealth make vanity happy by such folly?…
But riches indeed bless that heart whose almoner is benevolence. If the taste is refined, if the affections are pure, if conscience is honest, if charity listens to the needy, and generosity relieves them; if the public-spirited hand fosters all that embellishes and all that ennobles society - then is the rich man happy.
参考中文译文
作者：利·布菜尔·格雷比尔
我要警告你：别以为财富一定会带来幸福，贫穷必定会招致不幸。不要以为生活是荷包满满，就会称心如意。人的幸福主要取决于其性格。如果秉性善良，财富自会带来快乐；如果生性邪恶，财富只会造成苦恼。
把金钱浪费在富丽堂皇而无益的琐物上；把自己打扮得像神像一般，吸引愚者的目光；兴建超过需求的豪宅，加以装潢修饰，不为实用，只求炫耀；浸淫于安逸享乐之中，悠闲懒散、浑噩懵懂，嘻嘻哈哈——财富可以借此愚行驶喋喋不休、浮夸虚荣的人快乐吗？……
可是财富确实能为仁慈而慷慨的人带来好运。如果品味高雅，情感真挚，心境磊落，对有需要的人提供慈爱，并且慷慨济助；如果热心公益之手从事于美化社会的事业，促使社会更加高尚——那么富人才是快乐的。