那些給我智慧和勇氣的寓言故事32:天使的故事

Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angels stay in the mansion's guestroom.

兩個旅行中的天使到一個富有的家庭借宿。這家人對他們並不友好，並且拒絕讓他們在舒適的客人臥室過夜，

Instead the angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it.

而是在冰冷的地下室給他們找了一個角落。當他們鋪牀時，較老的天使發現牆上有一個洞，就順手把它修補好了。

When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "things aren't always what they seem."

年輕的天使問爲什麼，老天使答到：“有些事並不象它看上去那樣。”

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife.

第二晚，兩人又到了一個非常貧窮的農家借宿。

After sharing what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

主人夫婦倆對他們非常熱情，把僅有的一點點食物拿出來款待客人，然後又讓出自己的牀鋪給兩個天使。

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears.

第二天一早，兩個天使發現農夫和他的妻子在哭泣--他們唯一的生活來源，一頭奶牛死了。

Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angel was infuriated and asked the older angel how could you have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you helped him, she accused. The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die.

年輕的天使非常憤怒，他質問老天使爲什麼會這樣，第一個家庭什麼都有，老天使還幫助他們修補牆洞，第二個家庭儘管如此貧窮還是熱情款待客人，而老天使卻沒有阻止奶牛的死亡。

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "when we stayed in the basement of the mansion, i noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.

“有些事並不象它看上去那樣。”老天使答道，“當我們在地下室過夜時，我從牆洞看到牆裏面堆滿了金塊。

Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to share his good fortune, i sealed the wall so he wouldn't find it."

因爲主人被貪慾所迷惑，不願意分享他的財富，所以我把牆洞填上了，他也就再也找不到這些黃金了。

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren't always what they seem."

“昨天晚上，死亡之神來召喚農夫的妻子，我讓奶牛代替了她。所以有些事並不象它看上去那樣。”