ProZ.com translation contests »
9th ProZ.com Translation Contest: "Business" » English to Vietnamese

Competition in this pair is now closed.

Source text in English

I remember reading once that some fellows use language to conceal thought, but it's been my experience that a good many more use it instead of thought.

A businessman's conversation should be regulated by fewer and simpler rules than any other function of the human animal. They are:

Have something to say.

Say it.

Stop talking.

Beginning before you know what you want to say and keeping on after you have said it lands a merchant in a lawsuit or the poorhouse, and the first is a short cut to the second. I maintain a legal department here, and it costs a lot of money, but it's to keep me from going to law.

It's all right when you are calling on a girl or talking with friends after dinner to run a conversation like a Sunday-school excursion, with stops to pick flowers; but in the office your sentences should be the shortest distance possible between periods. Cut out the introduction and the peroration, and stop before you get to secondly. You've got to preach short sermons to catch sinners; and deacons won't believe they need long ones themselves. Give fools the first and women the last word. The meat's always in the middle of the sandwich. Of course, a light butter on either side of it doesn't do any harm if it's intended for a man who likes butter.

Remember, too, that it's easier to look wise than to talk wisdom. Say less than the other fellow and listen more than you talk; for when a man's listening he isn't telling on himself and he's flattering the fellow who is. Give most men a good listener and most women enough note-paper and they'll tell all they know. Money talks -- but not unless its owner has a loose tongue, and then its remarks are always offensive. Poverty talks, too, but nobody wants to hear what it has to say.

The winning entry has been announced in this pair.

There were 9 entries submitted in this pair during the submission phase, 4 of which were selected by peers to advance to the finals round. The winning entry was determined based on finals round voting by peers.

Competition in this pair is now closed.


Entries (9 total; 4 finalists) Expand all entries

Entry #8807
Lys Nguyen
Lys Nguyen
Vietnam
Winner
Voting points1st2nd3rd
225 x41 x20
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry3.133.25 (8 ratings)3.00 (8 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 3 "like" tags
  • 1 user agreed with "likes" (1 total agree)
  • 2 users disagreed with "likes" (2 total disagrees)
+1
nhưng bản thân cha đã từng trải nghiệm rằng còn có nhiều người hơn thế dùng lời nói thay cho suy nghĩ.
Flows well
it shows a​ literal t​ranslation​ with good​ style
Cindy Le
-1
Con phải giảng đạo bằng những bài thuyết giáo ngắn gọn mới tóm được những kẻ tội đồ
Flows well
Long Phuong
-1
1
Tiền bạc biết nói – nhưng trừ phi người chủ của nó biết uốn lưỡi bảy lần, không thì những nhận xét của nó lúc nào cũng luôn dễ xúc phạm người khác
Flows well
Cindy Le
Entry #8494
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
123 x400
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry3.934.29 (7 ratings)3.57 (7 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • 2 users entered 6 "like" tags
  • 2 users agreed with "likes" (2 total agrees)
  • 2 users disagreed with "likes" (6 total disagrees)
Không nhất thiết phải có phần mở đầu mà cũng chẳng nhất thiết phải kết thúc câu chuyện, và hãy nhớ ngừng ngay chớ nói tiếp sang phần hai.
Flows well
Tu Bui
-2
1
Gặp kẻ ngu ngốc cứ nói thẳng ngay còn với phụ nữ thì phải luôn dứt khoát.
Other
good trans​lation
Tu Bui
-1
+1
Tất nhiên, một chút hình thức bên ngoài cũng chẳng sao nếu người ta thích hình thức
Flows well
good trans​lation
tranthibay_12e
+1
Nên nói ít hơn người ta và nên nghe nhiều hơn nói; vì khi nghe người ta sẽ chẳng nói về mình mà lại được lòng người mình nghe.
Flows well
Tu Bui
-1
1
Với đàn ông hãy chú ý lắng nghe và với phụ nữ hãy ghi lại lời họ, con sẽ thấy họ sẽ dốc hết cả gan ruột ra với con.
Other
good trans​lation
Tu Bui
-2
1
Chuyện nghèo đói, cũng vậy, chẳng có ai muốn nghe điều mà họ chẳng muốn nhắc đến.
Flows well
Tu Bui
Entry #9485
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
1001 x1
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.803.00 (4 ratings)2.60 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • No "like" tags
Entry #8813
Issie96
Issie96
Vietnam
Finalist
Voting points1st2nd3rd
0000
Rating typeOverallQualityAccuracy
Entry2.602.80 (5 ratings)2.40 (5 ratings)
Entry tagging:
  • No "like" tags