拖船的哲理 Philosophy from a Tugboat

One night many years ago I was on the bridge of a ship that passed one of our large cities on a quiet night. I saw its lights reflected in the sky and heard the rumblings of the city’s noises.

多年前的一個晚上，我在寧靜的夜色中乘船經過某個大都市。站在艦橋上，我眺望着萬家燈火輝映在夜空中，聆聽着城市的喧囂。

As I looked to my other side, I could see nothing but open space of darkness and endless water. I realized how small I was and that my own problems of life did not seem great.

而在我的另一側，除了無盡的黑暗與無邊的海水之外什麼也看不到。剎那間，我意識到自己是多麼的渺小，生活中的一切煩惱也顯得微不足道。

I have spent twenty five years on boats. Now I am a docking pilot. My job is to bring in the large luxury liners and stay with them until they are safely moored in their berths. Sometimes this requires two tugs, sometimes many more, depending on the tide, the weather, and the draft of the vessel.

我在船上生活了25年，如今是一名港口領航員，負責將大型豪華客輪引航入港，直到它們安全地靠港。這項工作有時需要兩艘拖船，或者更多，這要根據潮水、天氣以及船隻的吃水度而定。

Most of you no doubt have seen these tugs pushing and pulling at the big liners. What they are doing doesn’t seem to make much sense, but presently the big boat is alongside her pier, her hawsers made fast, and the job is done.

不用說，很多人都見過拖船拖拉巨輪的情景。看上去拖船的工作似乎微不足道，很快巨輪就可以停泊就位，下牢錨鏈，拖船也就完成了任務。

These tugs, whether one or ten, move about in accord with whistle signals I send them from the bridge of the big liner. These signals make up a language that is just as dependable as the spoken word; or even more so, because our docking signals are rarely misunderstood.

無論一艘還是10艘拖船，它們的行動都是聽命於我在巨輪艦橋上的鳴笛信號。這些信號便是一種語言，它的可靠程度可與口頭語言相比，甚至有過之而無不及。這是因爲我們的汽笛信號幾乎不會被誤解。

The captain of each tug does his work according to the signals he receives. He never asks questions. He takes everything on faith, and it always works out.

每艘拖船的船長會根據接收到的指令嚴格行動。而對於我的指揮，他們毫無疑問且完全信任，因此我們的配合一直很默契。

Working around tugboats, where so much depends on teamwork, has had its effect on what I believe. I believe that if I am to attain a successful place in the world I must have the help of my fellow man just as the great transatlantic liners depend on the help of the little tugs to bring them safely to port.

對於我的工作而言，團隊合作尤爲重要，這也影響着我的人生觀。我相信，如果沒有同伴們的幫助，我絕對不會有今天的成功，正如遠洋航行的萬噸巨輪要想安全入港停泊，還得依靠小小拖船的幫助一樣。

I felt very important the first time I ever docked a big liner. She came riding up the harbor on a flood tide and towered high over the stout little tug that carried me. As we drew alongside, a doorway opened almost at water level and two smartly rigged sailors helped me aboard.

第一次將巨輪引航入港時，我感覺自己相當了不起。那艘巨輪乘風破浪駛向海港，高塔般矗立在我所在的矮墩拖船前。當我們靠近船邊時，艙門打開到水平面一樣的高度，我在兩名衣着講究的船員的幫助下登上了船。在他們的陪同下我走上艦橋，從船長手中接過船的“指揮棒”。

I was escorted to the bridge where I took over from the captain. I realized I was in control of a great ship worth millions of dollars and the owners were depending on me to bring her safely to her berth. After I had docked several of the large liners, I realized I was not important, but simply the quarterback who called the signals.

我意識到，自己正在掌控一艘價值百萬美金的巨輪，而它的主人正依靠我將它安全停泊。後來，在引領了幾艘同樣的巨輪入港後，我明白自己不過是一個傳達信號的人而已，沒有什麼了不起的。

In spite of what we read in the newspapers, I have a great faith in this country and I pray that a peaceful understanding will come to this unsettled world, so that my children can grow up in a world that will give them happiness instead of bloodshed. I believe this will come about.

不管每天從報紙上讀到多少壞消息，我依然對國家充滿信心。我祈禱着和平與理解降臨到這個動亂的世界，讓我的孩子們能夠在一個幸福而非血腥衝突的世界中生活。我相信這一天終會到來。

I remember the understanding and sympathy that took over this country, back in 1949, when a little girl named Kathy Fiskus fell into an abandoned well out in California. Engineers and sandhogs and people in all walks of life worked almost three days, and when they got her out she was dead.

我還記得，在1949年，一個名叫凱西?菲絲庫斯的小女孩失足跌入了加利福尼亞的一口廢井之中，全國的人們都對她充滿了同情與關愛。當工程師、隧道工以及各行各業的人們經過三天三夜的努力將她從井底救出來時，她已經沒有了呼吸。

People sent in thousands of dollars in rescue funds, but those who did the work and furnished the equipment wouldn’t take money. They worked for bigger stakes. I talked to captains of foreign ships that came into New York Harbor, and they were just as concerned as we Americans over the tragedy.

人們爲營救工作捐了數千美金，但是營救人員及提供器械的人們卻分文未收。他們之所以奮力救人是爲了比錢更重要的東西。當時，我曾對駛入紐約港的一些國外客輪船長提及此事，他們也一樣被深深地感動了。

I believe some way will be found to work together for world peace with the same sympathy and understanding that people worked to rescue little Kathy Fiskus. I believe God will someday bring this about.

我相信，如同人們營救小凱西一樣，他日我們也定能用同樣的同情與理解贏來世界的和平。我相信，上帝總會讓我如願以償的。