中國寓言故事雙語版 第97期:斷織勸學

A long time ago, in Henan there was a young man named Le whose family was very poor.

從前，河南有個青年，名叫樂羊子，家裏很窮。

One day, Le Yangzi picked up a piece of gold on the road.

有一天，樂羊子在路上拾到一塊金子。

He happily took it home and gave it to his wife.

高高興興地拿回家，交給妻子。

His wife said in all seriousness:

妻子卻一本正經地說:

"I heard that men with aspiration do not drink from the Dao (meaning steal in Chinese) Spring, and honest men do not take handout food.

“我聽說，有志氣的人不喝盜泉之水，廉潔的人不吃磋來之食。

Furthermore, picked-up money and things will stain one's moral character."

何況，這拾來的錢物，會站污一個人的品德!”

Hearing this, Yangzi was very ashamed of himself.

樂羊子聽了妻子的話，心裏感到非常慚愧。

So he threw the piece of gold away in the open field.

就把金子扔到野外去了。

This incident touched Le Yangzi deeply.

這件事，對樂羊子的觸動很大。

He made up his mind to leave home and go to a faraway place to study under a master.

他下了決心，離家去很遠的地方，拜老師學習。

One year later, Le Yangzi returned home.

一年以後，樂羊子回到家裏。

His wife inquired why he returned so soon. Le Yangzi smiled and said:

妻子詢問丈夫爲什麼這麼快就回來了。樂羊子笑着說:

"There is no other reason except that I, being all alone away from home, miss you so much that I come back."

“沒有別的原因，只是一個人在外面太想念你了，所以就回來了。”

His wife turned pale at his words.

妻子一聽，臉色變得刷白。

She took up a knife, ran to the silk loom, put the knife on the silk fabric woven from natural silk, and said to Le Yangzi in an agitated tone:

她順手拿起一把刀，奔到絲織機前，把刀放在蠶絲織成的綢面上，激動地對樂羊子說:

"I reeled silk strand by strand from cocoons and, with the shuttle moving to and fro, weaved it inch by inch into this bolt of silk fabric.

“這絲綢，是我從蠶繭繳成絲線，一絲一縷，一梭子來，一梭子去，一寸一寸地織，才織成這一匹的啊!

Now if I should cut the fabric with the knife, all the previous efforts and time I've devoted would be wasted.

現在，我假使一刀割斷這匹絲綢，豈不前功盡棄，白白地浪費了時間嗎?

While studying, you should always remind yourself that there is yet much more to learn.

你呀，讀書求知識，也應該隨時提醒自己學得還很不夠。

Only in this way can you cultivate a noble moral character.

這樣才能養成高尚的品德。

If you give up halfway, it will be just like cutting up this silk fabric at one stroke."

如果你半途而廢，那麼跟一刀割斷這匹絲綢又有什麼兩樣呢!”

Deeply moved by his wife's words, Le Yangzi bid farewell to her at once, went to the faraway place, and made determined efforts to study hard.

聽了妻子的這番話，樂羊子深深地感動了。他馬上告別了妻子，去遠方發憤攻讀。

He had been away from home for a good seven years, and finally succeeded in his studies.

整整七年沒有回家，最後終於學成功了。