Some people get somewhat defensive when I laugh at the scientific data relating apes to humans. They sound very hurt when I say that we are likely not descended from apes, and they often say, “but they look so much like us.”

当我看到一些关于猿类和人的科学数据笑的时候， 有些人觉得有些被冒犯。当我说我们可能不是猿类的后代时，他们看起来很伤心，也经常说，“但它们和我们这么像。”

I love to suggest that your dog looks much more like you, than any ape or monkey or chimpanzee, or any of our so-called relatives. Your dog loves you, welcomes you when you come home, and basically gives you a hug and a smile, usually even more than humans. And he knows when you are sick and sad, and tries to comfort you. And when he is sick, your heart breaks, you want to bring him to the best doctor in town, and you are more than willing to pay the best prices for his care, because you feel that he is really family and so much like you. I have not known anyone give that much attention to any ape or other so-called ape relatives, except the rare professional ape-handler.

我喜欢暗示你的狗看起来比任何猿类，猴子或猩猩，或任何我们所谓的亲戚更像你。 你的狗爱你，当你回家的时候欢迎你，也会给你一个拥抱和微笑，有时甚至比人类做的更多。 它知道你什么时候生病和伤心，还试图安慰你。 当它生病时，你会心碎，你想带它去看城里最好的医生，你非常愿意支付照顾它的昂贵费用，因为你觉得它真的是你的家人并且这么像你。 我从不知道任何人倾注这么多注意力给任何猿类和其他所谓的猿类亲属，除了一些少见的的专业驯猿人。

In fact, what I know about apes or monkeys or chimpanzees or any of these so-called relatives is that you really do not want any of them in your home. In fact some apes or monkeys or relatives are notorious for being nasty animals, thieves, or destroyers of your home. Just look at the number of cartoons that depict these creatures in a pretty negative manner (remember the apes that supposedly trashed your luggage when you fly commercial airlines). Definitely much worse than depictions of any dogs, who are nearly always described as cuddly, friendly, or even protective of you.

事实上，据我说知，不管是猿类，猴子，猩猩或其他任何我们所谓的亲属，你真的不愿意它们在你家里。并且很多猿类或猴子或其他亲属有令人讨厌，小偷，或毁坏家的臭名。看看很多动画片都把它们塑造成很负面的形象（还记得当你坐飞机时，把你的行李当垃圾扔掉的猴子吗）。肯定比任何狗的描述都要糟，人们把狗总描述为可爱的，友好的，甚至可以保护你的。

It is quite amazing that everyone has their own favorite animal, and the common excuse given for that choice is something like “he looks just like me.” Cats are proud and haughty, but are smart to curl at key moments into your bosom. Rabbits are great to watch as they scamper around and munch, munch, munch away. Horses are truly sensitive, affectionate, and very loyal. But no one that I know would love to have an ape or any of his relatives in their homes.

很有趣的是每个人都有自己喜欢的动物，通常这样选择的理由像是“它看起来和我很像。”猫是骄傲和傲慢的，但也会很聪明的在你的怀里弓背弯曲。兔子很好看，因为它们跑来跑去躲起来并且一直在咀嚼,咀嚼,咀嚼。马是很敏感，深情而又忠诚的。 但据我所知没人喜欢在家养猩猩或其他亲属。

My favorite animal is actually the otter, even though I cannot actually raise one in my home. I just love to watch otters lie on their backs on the surface of the water, basking in the sunshine, with a large sea conch on their chest. They have perfected the system of feasting on great sea food, by cracking open a sea conch with a rock, beating on the conch as it lies calmly on their chest, and then sucking up the delicious insides. I can even imagine myself reading a book on my chest as I lie floating on the ocean eating terrific seafood. That’s my idea of an animal just like me, the seafood loving nerd me.

我最喜欢的动物实际上是水獭，尽管我不能真的在家里养一个。我只是喜欢看水獭躺在水面上，在阳光下晒太阳。 胸部还躺着一个大海螺。 他们是吃海鲜大餐的最好模型，用石头撬开一个海螺，在海螺安静的躺在身上的时候撬开它， 然后吮吸里面的美味。 我甚至想象自己漂浮在大洋的水面上看着书，吃这些美味的海鲜。这是我的想法，很像我，一个喜欢海鲜的书呆子。

Frankly you can say that every living thing in this world has some resemblance to humans, because there is a common original Creator who created everything in all their diversity, based on basic principles derived from their one Creator. So, it is not really any surprise to find that any animal you look at, you could say “he looks just like me.” Similarities in outward appearance are wonderful, and provide us with great encouragement and enjoyment, but they do not say anything about if or how one animal somehow magically changes to become another different one (except in story books).

诚然你可以说这个世界上的每个生物都和人类有一定的相似， 因为有一个共同的起源造物主。 他根据在从造物主而来的基本原则，又使万物有自己的多样性。所以当你看到某个动物的时候，你会说“它看起来真像我” 这一点也不奇怪。外观的相似性很好，也给我们提供了鼓励和乐趣， 但它们并不说明一种动物是否能或怎么如何奇迹般的变化为另一种（除非是故事书里）。

In addition, you can teach an ape, or a parrot for that matter, for even hundreds of years, to try to learn to speak like a human, but they will never do so, simply because they are truly different. It is not a matter of education, no matter how much effort and time is put into it. It is fun to do this exercise, but it bears no relationship to whether any animal can spontaneously change to be another one and start talking like us (again, except in story books).

另外，你可以教猿猴,或鹦鹉一些技能，甚至持续数百年， 试图教它们像人一样说话，但它们永远不能这样做，只是因为它们真的不同。这不是教育的问题，不管投入多少时间或精力。 做这种实验很有趣，但这和一种动物是否能自发变成另一种，并像我们一样说话无关（还是除非在故事书里）。

Humans write poetry and story books; but no animals ever do that, in spite of fantasies about how some sounds seem to have poetic rhythm. Humans play violin recitals; apes can never play the violin like a human, even if we try and try to make them. Humans, even so-called cavemen, draw creative pictures on a wall, which uses brain power not that different from the brain power necessary for drawing on a piece of paper, or on a computer. Not even the most intelligent ape can do anything similar. Some animals such as elephants (who are really smart) can be taught to do repetitive rhythmic color designs, but they cannot actually create unique art work, in spite of relaxing under a coconut tree and lots of encouragement.

人类写诗和故事书，但没有动物曾经这样做，尽管幻想如何一些声音似乎有诗的节奏。人类演奏小提琴，猿猴永远不能像人一样演奏， 尽管我们尝试并试图让它们这样做。 人类，即使所谓的山洞人， 也会在墙上画创造性的图画，所用的脑力和在纸上或电脑上画画没有什么区别。 即使是最智能的猿也不能做相似的事情。 有些动物比如大象（它们真的很聪明）可以学会做重复性节律性的色彩设计，但它们并不能真的创造特别的艺术作品，即使在椰子树下放松，给它们很多鼓励也不可以。

Humans and all other animals are basically the difference between day and night, even though for generations people have been trying to say that they are just a difference in gradations. No sir, it’s not a matter of gradation, but a matter of total quality. We are unique. Unique means one of a kind. That means there are no animals really like us. Because we are made in the image of God, and therefore special. Special.

人类和其他动物的区别就像是白天和黑夜， 尽管数辈人一直在试图说这只是渐变出现的区别。不是的，先生，这不是渐变的事情，而是完全的质变。我们是独一无二的，独一无二意味着只有一种。这意味着没有动物真的像我们。 因为我们是按着神的形象造的，因而是特别的。特别的。