爱迪生被誉为 “世界发明大王”，他一生共有约两千项创造发明，为人类的文明和进步做出了巨大的贡献。他对天才的解释是 “天才就是百分之一的灵感加上百分之九十九的汗水”。爱迪生的成就主要归功于他的勤奋和创造性才能以及集体的力量。同时这位发明大王的一生告诉我们最基本的一个事实： 成就来自坚持不懈的劳动。
1 Be courageous1. I have seen many depressions in business. Always America has emerged from these stronger and more prosperous.
勇敢些！我对经济萧条司空见惯，但美国恰恰就是从这些萧条中振作起来而且变得更加强大和繁荣。
Courageous: 勇敢的
Depression: 萧条；消沉
Emerge: 出现
Prosperous: 繁荣的
2 Discontent is the first necessity of progress.
不满足是进步的首要条件。
Discontent: 不满意
Necessity: 必需
3 Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration2.
天才就是百分之一的灵感加上百分之九十九的汗水。
Genius: 天才
Inspiration: 灵感
Perspiration: 出汗
4 I find my greatest pleasure, and so my reward, in the work that precedes what the world calls success.
我在工作中找到最大的快乐和回报，而不是工作所带来的成功。
Precede: 在…之前；早于
5 I have friends in overalls3 whose friendship I would not swap4 for the favor of the kings of the world.
我和普通工人之间的友谊任何东西都交换不了。
Overall: 工作服
Swap: 交换
6 If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally5 astound6 ourselves.
如果我们所做的都是我们擅长的事情，我们最终将使自己大吃一惊。
Astound: 使吃惊
7 Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.
放弃是我们最大的弱点。成功的方法只不过是失败之后再尝试一次。
Weakness: 缺点；弱点
8 Maturity7 is often more absurd than youth and very frequently is most unjust to youth.
成熟通常比稚嫩更荒唐，也最易待稚嫩以不公。
Maturity: 成熟
Absurd: 荒唐的
Frequently: 经常地
Unjust: 不公正的
9 Non-violence leads to the highest ethics8, which is the goal of all evolution. Until we stop harming all other living beings, we are still savages10.
非暴力将带领人类到达最崇高的伦理规范。除非我们停止伤害所有其它的生物，我们仍然是野蛮人。
Ethics: 伦理规范
Evolution: 进化
Savage9: 野蛮人
10 The best thinking has been done in solitude11. The worst has been done in turmoil12.
最好的思想在独处中诞生；最糟的思想在混乱中产生。
Solitude: 独处
Turmoil: 混乱
11 The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are: Hard work, Stick-to-itiveness, and Common sense.
勤奋、坚持不懈和常识是成就任何有价值事业的三项最根本的条件。
Essential: 根本；实质
Worthwhile: 值得的
Stick-to-itiveness: 坚持
12 There is no substitute for hard work.
努力不可取代。
Substitute: 代替品
13 They say President Wilson has blundered. Perhaps he has, but I notice he usually blunders forward.
人们说威尔逊总统犯了大错误。也许他的确如此，但是我注意到他在错误中前进。
Blunder: 犯错误
Forward: 向前
14 To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.
为了发明创造，你同时需要不错的想象力和无数次的失败。
Junk: 垃圾
15 Great ideas originate in the muscles.
好想法来自实践。
Originate: 来源
16 I know this world is ruled by infinite intelligence. Everything that surrounds us- everything that exists - proves that there are infinite laws behind it.
我知道这个世界被无限的智慧所统治。我们周围所有东西——所有存在的东西——证明在所有的东西背后都有无限的规律。
Infinite: 无限的
Intelligence: 智慧
17 The object of all work is production or accomplishment13 and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration.
所有工作的目的要么是生产产品，要么是有所成就， 要达到其中任何一个目的，必须要求具有预见、系统性、计划、智慧、真实的目的以及勤奋。
Accomplishment: 成就
Forethought: 预见；预想
18 Show me a thoroughly14 satisfied man and I will show you a failure.
一个对现状完全满意的人是不会有所成就的。
Thoroughly: 完全地；十足地
19 Anything that won t sell, I don t want to invent. Its sale is proof of utility, and utility is success.
我不发明卖不出去的东西。销售出去是实用的证明，而实用就是成功。
Utility: 实用
20 The scope of thrift15 is limitless.
节俭永无止境
Thrift: 节俭；节省
Limitless: 无限的
