【赫临译笔】生命中的四位爱人 - 心云驛站

一位富商有四个妻子。他最爱老四，让她穿华服，吃佳肴。精心照顾她，把最好的东西都给了她。

富商也很爱老三。他以她为荣，总是在朋友面前将她炫耀。然而，他总是心存诫惧，怕她与人私奔。

富商也爱老二。她非常体贴，非常有耐心，事实上，她是富商的红颜知己。每当富商面临困境时，他总是求助于老二，她也总是出手相助，帮他度过困难时期。

老大是富商的忠诚伴侣，不仅守家而且对维持他的财富居功至伟。然而，富商并不爱她，尽管她深爱着富商，他却几乎无视她的存在。

一天，富商生病了。不久，他知道自己来日无多。他想自己风光一世，自语道：“我有四位爱人，可，死亡，只能独自面对。这会多么孤独！”

因此，他问老四：“我最爱你了，我把最好的衣服给了你，又给了你极大的关爱。现在，我要去了，你愿意跟着我做个伴吗？”“不可能！”她二话没说，就走开了。

老四的回答像一把尖刀插进了他的心脏。伤心的富商转而问老三：“我终生都如此爱你。现在，我要去了，你愿意跟着我做个伴吗？”“不愿意。”老三回答，“这里的生活如此美好，你死后，我会再嫁。”富商的心开始下沉变冷。

他接着问老二：“我总是向你求助，你一直都在帮我。现在我需要你的再次帮助。我死时，你愿意跟着我做个伴吗？”“很遗憾，这次我帮不了你。”老二答道，“最多，我只能把你下葬。”回答如一声惊雷，富商被摧毁了。

此时，一个声音传来：“我会和你一起走。无论你去哪里，我都与你相伴。”富商抬头一看，说话的是他第一位妻子。只见她瘦骨嶙峋，好像营养不良。极度悲伤，富商说：“我以前真该对你多加照顾。”

老四是我们的躯体。不论我们付出多少时间多少努力来保持它的体面，死时，它都会与我们分离。

老二是家人和朋友。不管生前与我们关系多么密切，他们最远也只能伴我们到坟墓。

老大其实是我们的灵魂，在我们追求物质，财富以及感官的愉悦时，它常常被我们忽略。

你猜怎么着？只有灵魂无论你去哪儿，都能与你相伴。也许与其临终叹惋，还不如此时就去精心培育，使之更加强大。

附：原文

There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He’s very proud of her and always wanted to show her off to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant’s confidante. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

Now, the merchant’s 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, “Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I’ll be alone. How lonely I’ll be!"

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!” replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant’s heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, “I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!” replied the 3rd wife. “Life is so good over here! I’m going to remarry when you die!” The merchant’s heart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I've always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

Then a voice called out: “I’ll leave with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.” The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, “I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!”

The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it’ll leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we’re alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re on our deathbed to lament.

弓虽发表于 2013-9-16 14:13
坐沙发欣赏富有哲理的译文！问好！

丛中笑发表于 2013-9-16 21:57
淡然生活，不图贵富。
心平气静，只求安宁。

丛中笑发表于 2013-9-17 17:53
祝福所有的亲人朋友中秋节快乐！