An enterprise can grow bigger and bigger like a snowball, but in the meantime, it can go bankrupt instantly like a deflated balloon, all depending on whether the operating strategy and specific measures are appropriate. Just as the old saying goes: As long as the line is right, the future is bright. Long-term development doesn't depend on good luck. Therefore we believe that spiritually rich is really rich, and spiritual wealth is the biggest wealth. Judging a man, we should see whether he has the wisdom while judging an enterprise, we should see whether its strategies and measures are in accordance with the historical trends. Never trust beautiful illusions like the moon in the water and flowers reflected in a mirror that will not last long. We don't advocate beggarism, so we are not afraid of wealth, but uphold wealth. However, we should acquire wealth in a proper way, and think more about the future. We should not forsake good for the sake of gold, nor should we benefit ourselves at the expenses of others. What we should do is to enjoy our own share at the common wealth of the human beings. Wealth is not absolute. A great man may as rich as owning the whole world, at the same time, he may also as poor as penniless. Therefore, as long as we are not spiritually poor, it is all right even if we are not rich man for the whole life.
Being poor is not because someone is penniless, but mainly because of the lonely misery in his inner world. They are green-eyed, because they are never satisfied with what they have, but are always jealous of people who are successful or who earn higher salaries. They never look at other people's devotions and contributions, but with their habit of jealousy they always feel poor and uncomfortable. It is more difficult to solve internal poverty. Suppose we can look back at the past with the concept of wealth, how can we stay poor? We may well say that wealth lies in your heart and we should know how to treasure it.
Translated by Zhang Baodan
June 20, 2004
財富
北京外國語大學北戴河外語培訓基地校長 宋遠利
一說到財富，人們就會想到金錢，又會想到與錢有關的許多說法和觀念。比如：錢能通神。有錢能使鬼推磨。人為財死，鳥為食亡。窮在鬧市無人問，富在深山有遠親。人窮志短，馬瘦毛長。一分錢難倒英雄漢，等等。
八十年代前，都是國營商店，明碼標價，差一分真不賣給你，一分錢也確能難倒個英雄漢。那時有支應運而生的歌曲是：我在馬路邊，揀到一分錢，交到警察叔叔手裡邊……。到了現在，一毛錢在地上，經常沒有人再留意了。
人們對錢的恭維，表現在許多方面。給公司或商店起名子，經常是：豪門啤酒，富豪酒家，貴族商店，名門飯店等（個人連名字也是金滿，萬財之類）。過年了，要請財神，畫上印滿了金元寶。遇到百萬富翁過市，明知並不會給自己一分錢，仍會恭恭敬敬地迎送和瞻仰。英國電影《百萬英鎊》，揭露的淋漓盡致，百萬英鎊在手，允許賒欠，可以借貸，甚至會送給你錢物。雖然片尾主人公失去百萬英鎊仍能和女友相好，但如果沒有這個百萬英鎊，他們還是不能結識的。人們很難直接去結交一個叫花子。
《紅樓夢》在好了歌里雖然抨擊了拜金主義者，說到：“世人都曉神仙好，只有金銀忘不了。終朝只恨聚無多，待到多時眼閉了。”但在甄士隱的注釋里談到世態炎涼，人心冷暖，又不得不說：“金滿箱，銀滿箱，轉眼乞丐人皆謗。”結論是：沒錢還是不行。