Do unto Others
善待他人
Judith Simon Prager
朱迪思·西蒙·普拉杰
Of all the sadness that came out of September 11, one story shines like a jewel in the dust. It is a story of giving and receiving — a story of saving and being saved and not knowing which is which — the story of the firefighters of Ladder Company 6 and Josephine.
在911事件引发的种种悲伤哀痛之中,有一个故事犹如尘埃中的珠宝熠熠发光。那是一则关于助人与受助的故事——一则关于拯救与被救,却不知谁为救者谁为被救者的故事——一则关于云梯六连的消防队员和约瑟芬的故事。
More than three hundred firefighters perished in the tragedy of the World Trade Center.On September 29, at a time when the country was desperate for good news, NBC Dateline reported "The Miracle of Ladder Company 6." By the time I sat around their table in the back of the firehouse two weeks later and heard them recount it, the firefighters of Ladder 6 had said these words many times, but every word was still flooded with the vibrant sound of their gratitude.
三百多名消防队员在世贸中心的惨祸中失去了生命。9月29日,正值全国上下亟盼能有振奋人心的消息之时,全国广播公司专题新闻节目报道了“云梯6连的奇迹”。两个星期后,我在消防站的后面与他们围桌而坐,倾听他们叙述时,虽说云梯6连的队员们已经把同样的话重复过许多遍了,但字字句句仍饱含着感激之情。
They had gone to the World Trade Center that day to give. To rescue. That's what firefighters do. They run into burning buildings against instinct and nature, while the rest of us are running out, trying to save our own lives. They had entered the building at Number One,as had so many of their brothers, after the first plane had mortally wounded it. People were streaming down beside them, saying words of thanks and encouragement to them, offering them drinks from the machines and telling them they should get a pay raise.
那天他们去世贸中心是为了帮助别人。去救援。这是消防队员的职责。正当我们其余的人纷纷向外奔逃以图活命之际,他们却冲入燃烧着的大楼,尽管人有逃生的本能与天性。在第一架飞机重创1号楼之后,他们跟许多消防队的弟兄们一样冲了进去。人们从他们身旁鱼贯而下,说着感激与鼓励的话语,从售货机买饮料给他们,跟他们说他们应该获得加薪。
They,in turn, offered words of encouragement back. "It's over for you," the firefighters said to those lucky enough to be exiting."Go out through the lobby and go home now. You're okay."
他们反过来给大伙鼓劲。“你们没事了,”消防队员们对那些有幸逃出的人说。“从大堂出去,快回家。你们没事了。”