摘要：我早就注意到了你的裂缝，我就是利用这一点，在你这侧的路边种上花籽。每天，我们从小溪回来时，你就给它们浇了水。这两年，我就采这些漂亮的花朵来装点雇主的桌子。

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole which he carriedacross his neck.

One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a fullportion of water.

印度有一个挑水工，他有两个大罐子，分别挂在肩上的扁担两头。

其中一个罐子做工精细，从不漏水，另一个上面则有一道裂缝。

有裂痕的罐子

At the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrivedonly half full.

每当挑水工回到雇主家时，罐子里的水就只剩一半了。

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full ofwater to his master's house.

这样过了整整两年，这个挑水工每天挑到雇主家的水仅有一罐半。

Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which itwas made.

当然，那个完好的罐子为自己的成就甚感自豪。

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it wasable to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

而那个可怜的有裂缝的罐子却因自身的瑕疵而羞愧不已，为自己只能装一半水而痛苦不堪。

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one dayby the stream.

痛苦了两年后，一天，那个有裂缝的罐子在小溪边对挑水工说：

"I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."

“我很惭愧，想向你道歉。”

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

“为什么?”挑水工问，“你羞愧什么呢?”

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack inmy side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house.

“为这两年来只能让你挑回一半的水。因为我身上的这个裂缝，每次你回雇主家的路上，水都在漏，到家时就只剩下半罐了。

Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from yourefforts," the pot said.

正是我的裂缝，你不得不多挑几次水，这样就浪费了你的部分劳动价值。”罐子说道。

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said,

挑水工对这个有裂痕的旧罐子感到很抱歉，他同情地说道：

"As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

“当我们返回雇主家时，我希望你能留心路旁那些美丽的花朵。”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming thebeautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some.

的确如此，当他们上山时，这个有裂缝的旧罐子注意到了路旁的野花，它们沐浴在阳光中非常漂亮。

But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again itapologized to the bearer for its failure.

它感到了一丝快乐，但到雇主家时，它又为自己漏了一半水而难过起来，于是，它再次为自己的失败向挑水工道歉。

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of yourpath, but not on the other pot's side?

挑水工对罐子说：“你注意到了吗?你这边沿路都有花，而另一边就没有?

That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it.

我早就注意到了你的裂缝，我就是利用这一点，在你这侧的路边种上花籽。

I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from thestream, you've watered them.

每天，我们从小溪回来时，你就给它们浇了水。

For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table.

这两年，我就采这些漂亮的花朵来装点雇主的桌子。

Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

倘若你不漏水，他就没有这么美丽的鲜花来装饰屋子了。”

在沙漠中的小花

This happened many many summers ago.

这个故事发生在很多很多个夏天以前。

There was a young flower in the desert where all was dry and sad looking...It was growing byitself...enjoying every day...

在一个周围充满着干燥与衰落景象的沙漠中，有一朵小花正绽放着……她孤单地生长着……快乐地过着每一天……

and saying to the sun "When shall I be grown up"? And the sun would say "Be patient"---Eachtime I touch you, you grow a little"...

太阳回答说：“不要着急——我的光芒每接触你一次，你就会长大一点儿……”她对太阳说：“我什么时候才能长大呀?”

And she was so pleased. Because she would have a chance to bring beauty to this corner ofsand...

小花听了非常高兴。因为她有机会为这片沙漠增添一处绚丽的景色了……

And this is all she wanted to do---bring a little bit of beauty to this world.

这就是她梦寐以求的——为这个世界带来一点儿美丽。

One day the hunter came by---and stepped on her.---

一天，一个猎人经过这里——并从她身上踏了过去。——

She was going to die---and she felt so sad. Not because she was dying ---but because shewould not have a chance to bring a little bit of beauty to this corner of the desert.

她即将死了——她感到十分悲伤。她悲伤的原因，并不是因为她将要死去，而是因为她再也没有机会为这片沙漠增添一处绚丽的景色了。

The great spirit saw her, and was listening.---Indeed, he said ...She should be living...And hereached down and touched her---and gave her life.

一个伟大的精灵看到了她，并听到了她的哭诉。——事实上，他说……她应该活下去……于是，他来到沙漠上抚摸着她，并赋予了她生命。

And she grew up to be a beautiful flower...and this corner of the desert became so beautifulbecause of her.

后来，她终于长大成了一朵美丽的花儿……这片沙漠也因她的存在而变得格外美丽。