For more than five years I maintained myself thus solely by the labor of my hands, and I found that, by working about six weeks in a year, I could meet all the expenses of living. The whole of my winters, as well as most of my summers, I had free and clear for study. I have thoroughly tried school-keeping, and found that my expenses were in proportion, or rather out of proportion, to my income, for I was obliged to dress and train, not to say think and believe, accordingly, and I lost my time into the bargain. As I did not teach for the good of my fellow-men, but simply for a livelihood, this was a failure. I have tried trade; but I found that it would take ten years to get under way in that, and that then I should probably be on my way to the devil. I was actually afraid that I might by that time be doing what is called a good business. When formerly I was looking about to see what I could do for a living, some sad experience in conforming to the wishes of friends being fresh in my mind to tax my ingenuity, I thought often and seriously of picking huckleberries; that surely I could do, and its small profits might suffice, -- for my greatest skill has been to want but little, -- so little capital it required, so little distraction from my wonted moods, I foolishly thought. While my acquaintances went unhesitatingly into trade or the professions, I contemplated this occupation as most like theirs; ranging the hills all summer to pick the berries which came in my way, and thereafter carelessly dispose of them; so, to keep the flocks of Admetus. I also dreamed that I might gather the wild herbs, or carry evergreens to such villagers as loved to be reminded of the woods, even to the city, by hay-cart loads. But I have since learned that trade curses everything it handles; and though you trade in messages from heaven, the whole curse of trade attaches to the business.

（徐迟译）我仅仅依靠双手劳动，养活了我自己，已不止五年了，我发现，每年之内我只需工作六个星期，就足够支付我一切生活的开销了。整个冬天和大部分夏天，我 自由而爽快地 读点儿书。我曾经全心全意办过学校，我发现得到的 利益顶多抵上了支出，甚至 还抵不上，因为我必须穿衣，修饰，不必说还必须 像别人那样来 思想和信仰，结果这一笔生意损失了我不少时间， 吃亏得很 。 由于我教书不是为了我同类的好处，而只是为了生活，这失败了。 我也尝试过做生意，可是我发现要善于经商，得花上十年工夫，也许那时我 正投到魔鬼的怀抱中去 。我倒是真正担心我的生意到那时已很兴隆。从前，我东找西找地找一个谋生之道的时候，由于曾经想符合几个朋友的希望，而有过一些可悲的经验，这些经验在我脑中 逼得我多想些办法 ，所以我常常严肃地想到还不如去拣点浆果；这我自然能做到，那蝇头微利对我也够了， —— 因为我的最大本领是需要极少， —— 我这样愚蠢地 想着 ，这只要极少资本，对我一贯的情绪又极少抵触。当我熟识的那些人毫不踌躇地做生意，或就业了，我想我这一个职业倒是最接近于他们的 榜样了 ；整个暑天漫山遍野地跑路，一路上拣起面前的浆果来，过后 随意处置了它们 ；好像是在看守阿德默特斯的羊群。我也梦想过，我可以采集些闲花野草，用运干草的车辆把常青树给一些爱好树林的村民们运去，甚至还可以运到城里。可是从那时起我明白了，商业诅咒它经营的一切事物；即使你经营天堂的福音，也摆脱不了商业对它的全部诅咒。

1 ） The whole of my winters, as well as most of my summers, I had free and clear for study.

这里的 most of my summers 尽管是复数形式的夏天，仍然是指夏天的大部分时间，而不是指“大多数夏天（王义国译）。”

free 是指这时间没有被劳动所占，是空闲的； clear 是指“完全（用于学习）”。徐译“ 自由而爽快地 ”与戴译“ 自由而清静地 ”都不妥，王译“都空闲，可以把时间都用于学习”是正确的。

2 ） I have thoroughly tried school-keeping 这里的 thorough 与梭罗的名字 Thoreau 谐音，是个难译的双关。详注本上说“ pun on his name ”。

3 ） found that my expenses were in proportion, or rather out of proportion, to my income

徐译“ 利益顶多抵上了支出，甚至还抵不上 ”，然而从原文中看不出“顶多”，“ or rather ”用来纠正刚说的话，给出更精确表达，也不是“甚至”。梭罗的意思当是“我的支出与收入成比例（收入增加，花费也增加），更准确地说是不相称。”

4 ） dress and train 徐译“ 穿衣，修饰 ”应该比王译“穿衣、坐车”好。穿衣与修饰、整形近，与坐火车太远，并列一处显得不伦不类，译成空泛一些的“坐车”调整显得吃力。

5 ） I was obliged to dress and train, not to say think and believe, accordingly

“ accordingly ”一词是说根据不同情况而改变，徐译“ 像别人那样来（思想和信仰） ”不妥，王译“相应地”好些。

我怀疑“ accordingly ”一词修饰的并不是“ think and believe ”，而是“ dress and train ”。

6 ）徐译“ 吃亏得很 ”大概是译“ into the bargain ”的。“ into the bargain ”这个词组是“ Over and above what is expected; in addition ”之意。

7 ） As I did not teach for the good of my fellow-men, but simply for a livelihood, this was a failure.

徐译“ 由于我教书不是为了我同类的好处，而只是为了生活，这失败了。 ”没有译出英语的时态来。梭罗说他当时办学是一种谋生，后来停了，并不意味着他所有的教书都只为谋生，也不意味着为谋生的办学“ 当然是不会成功的 ”。

Ken Kifer 评道：梭罗拒绝教学是因为教学改变了他的行为乃至信仰。他做生意的经历是指其家族制售铅笔的生意；如果他有发家的愿望，他早就很富有了。（ Thoreau rejects teaching because it changed his behavior and even beliefs. His experience with trade was through the family business of making and selling pencils; Thoreau could have become wealthy, if he had desired. ）

8 ） be on my way to the devil 徐译“ 正投到魔鬼的怀抱中去 ”。我觉得词组“ go to the devil ”也许比较相近： To be unsuccessful; fail. （ 不成功；失败 ），同时还有一层“ To become depraved （ 堕落 ）”的意思。

9 ） I was actually afraid that I might by that time be doing what is called a good business. 戴译“我其实担心的是，到那时我真成了人们眼中的所谓成功商人。”比较好。

10 ） When formerly I was looking about to see what I could do for a living, some sad experience in conforming to the wishes of friends being fresh in my mind to tax my ingenuity, I thought often and seriously of picking huckleberries; 徐译没有把“ being fresh in my mind ”译出来。

11 ） and thereafter carelessly dispose of them

梭罗批评人们的职业如同漫游山野采撷果实，又随手扔掉。

12 ） I have since learned that trade curses everything it handles; and though you trade in messages from heaven, the whole curse of trade attaches to the business.

只要与交易 / 生意沾边，一切就都被糟蹋了。你就是贩卖上天的旨意，这事（ business ）也会被变成苦难的根源 (curse) 。

（戴欢译）我仅靠自己双手的劳作，已经过活 5 年多了。我因而发现，一年之内仅需工作 6 周，就足以应对我全年的生活支出了。整个冬季和大部分夏天，我可以 自由而清静地 读书。我曾经专心致志地办过学校，可发现我 顶多 收支平衡， 甚至 还入不敷出。因为我还得置衣、修饰，且不说我还得随波逐流地去思考与信仰，这笔交易让我白白浪费了好多时间。因为我授课不是为了让同胞受益，而纯粹是为了谋生，我 当然是不会成功的了 。我还试过经商，但我发觉，要精于此道还得花上 10 年的功夫，而到那时我很可能已走到邪路上去了。我其实担心的是，到那时我真成了人们眼中的所谓成功商人。

以前，当我四处找寻一条谋生之道时，我由于迎合了几个朋友的意愿结果窒息了我的灵性，经历了惨痛的教训，这些至今仍记忆犹新。因此，我常常真的想去靠采摘浆果为生，我确信自己可以做到，它的蝇头小利就能让我知足了——因为我的最大本事就是需求甚少——这生意只需极少的本钱，与我一向的心态也较为相符，我就是这样蠢愚地想过。当我相识的人毫不犹豫地投入商海或是谋了份职业时，我以为采摘浆果这个职业倒是与他们的职业极其相似：整个夏天我去山林中游荡，信手采摘沿路的浆果，然后 就随便卖出了事 ，这样做有点像是在放牧阿德默特斯的羊群。我也曾梦想过，或许可采集些山野花草或是常青藤，用运送干草的马车将它们带给喜爱花草树木的村民，甚至带到城里。但是从此，我懂得了商业诅咒它买卖的所有东西；即使你买卖天堂的福音，也难逃商业对它的诅咒。