精選英語哲理美文閱讀
A. 求一些英語美文，並蘊涵哲理與抒情。
Love Your Life
熱愛生活
Henry David Thoreau/享利.大衛.梭羅
However mean your life is,meet it and live it ;do not shun it and call it hard names.It is not so bad as you are.It looks poorest when you are richest.The fault-finder will find faults in paradise.Love your life,poor as it is.You may perhaps have some pleasant,thrilling,glorious hourss,even in a poor-house.The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode;the snow melts before its door as early in the spring.I do not see but a quiet mind may live as contentedly there,and have as cheering thoughts,as in a palace.The town's poor seem to me often to live the most independent lives of any.May be they are simply great enough to receive without misgiving.Most think that they are above being supported by the town;but it often happens that they are not above supporting themselves by dishonest means.which should be more disreputable.Cultivate poverty like a garden herb,like sage.Do not trouble yourself much to get new things,whether clothes or friends,Turn the old,return to them.Things do not change;we change.Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.
不論你的生活如何卑賤，你要面對它生活，不要躲避它，更別用惡言咒罵它。它不像你那樣壞。你最富有的時候，倒是看似最窮。愛找缺點的人就是到天堂里也能找到缺點。你要愛你的生活，盡管它貧窮。甚至在一個濟貧院里，你也還有愉快、高興、光榮的時候。夕陽反射在濟貧院的窗上，像身在富戶人家窗上一樣光亮；在那門前，積雪同在早春融化。我只看到，一個從容的人，在哪裡也像在皇宮中一樣，生活得心滿意足而富有愉快的思想。城鎮中的窮人，我看，倒往往是過著最獨立不羈的生活。也許因為他們很偉大，所以受之無愧。大多數人以為他們是超然的，不靠城鎮來支援他們；可是事實上他們是往往利用了不正當的手段來對付生活，他們是毫不超脫的，毋寧是不體面的。視貧窮如園中之花而像聖人一樣耕植它吧！不要找新的花樣，無論是新的朋友或新的衣服，來麻煩你自己。找舊的，回到那裡去。萬物不變，是我們在變。你的衣服可以賣掉，但要保留你的思想。
http://e.sina.com.cn/en/good.html
這里還有其他很多篇，供你自由選擇
B. 速求5篇經典英語美文閱讀
YOUTH
By Samuel Ullman 塞繆爾·厄爾曼
Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not amatter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of thewill, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is thefreshness of the deep springs of life.
Youth means a tempera-mental predominance of courage over timidity,of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease. This often existsin a man of 60 more than a boy of 20. Nobody grows old merely by anumber of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals.
Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles thesoul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the springback to st.
Whether 60 or 16, there is in every human being』s heart the lure ofwonder, the unfailing childlike appetite of what』s next and the joy ofthe game of living. In the center of your heart and my heart there is awireless
station: so long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer,courage and power from men and from the Infinite, so long are you young.
When the aerials are down, and your spirit is covered with snows ofcynicism and the ice of pessimism, then you are grown old, even at 20,but as long as your aerials are up, to catch waves of optimism, thereis hope you may die young at 80.
Transforming Obstacles into Benefits
By Richard Stewart,Los Angeles, U.S.A. (Originally in English)
美國洛杉磯 理查德．史都華德（原文為英文）
A group of frogs was traveling through the woods and two of themfell into a deep pit. Immediately, all the other frogs in the groupgathered around the pit and watched as the imprisoned frogs tried tojump out. The frogs on top could see that the pit was very deep and itlooked as if there was no way out, so they started yelling at the twofrogs in the pit to give up. "The pit is too deep. You're as good asdead," the chorus of frogs said. When the trapped frogs kept trying,the crowd yelled louder, "Give up. You're as good as dead." After awhile, one of the exhausted frogs took heed to what the others weresaying, and fell down and died.
But amazingly, the second frog kept jumping as hard as she coulddespite the negative remarks of those that kept yelling at her toaccept the inevitable and just die. Finally, with one valiant leap, shemade it out of the pit!
This amazing result occurred because the second frog was deaf annable to hear what the others had been saying. She thought they hadbeen cheering her on the entire time they were yelling! What she hadmistakenly perceived as encouragement inspired her to try harder andsucceed against all odds. And that made all the difference!
With a positive mindset, and being deaf to others' opinions, thesecond frog made use of such negativity to overcome obstacles and reachher goals by using it as encouragement, instead of being influenced byothers like the first frog, who failed to develop her potential tostrive for survival. Thus, when we surmount others' criticism, ridiculeor cynical comments, we can do anything we set our minds to, just asthe second frog did. But, if we are not deaf like this frog, who couldnot be influenced by others e to a physical condition, we need the Wisdom to guide us to the proper way, so as not to be blindly guided byworldly opinion.
Transforming Obstacles into Benefits
By Richard Stewart,Los Angeles, U.S.A. (Originally in English)
美國洛杉磯 理查德．史都華德（原文為英文）
A group of frogs was traveling through the woods and two of themfell into a deep pit. Immediately, all the other frogs in the groupgathered around the pit and watched as the imprisoned frogs tried tojump out. The frogs on top could see that the pit was very deep and itlooked as if there was no way out, so they started yelling at the twofrogs in the pit to give up. "The pit is too deep. You're as good asdead," the chorus of frogs said. When the trapped frogs kept trying,the crowd yelled louder, "Give up. You're as good as dead." After awhile, one of the exhausted frogs took heed to what the others weresaying, and fell down and died.
But amazingly, the second frog kept jumping as hard as she coulddespite the negative remarks of those that kept yelling at her toaccept the inevitable and just die. Finally, with one valiant leap, shemade it out of the pit!
This amazing result occurred because the second frog was deaf annable to hear what the others had been saying. She thought they hadbeen cheering her on the entire time they were yelling! What she hadmistakenly perceived as encouragement inspired her to try harder andsucceed against all odds. And that made all the difference!
With a positive mindset, and being deaf to others' opinions, thesecond frog made use of such negativity to overcome obstacles and reachher goals by using it as encouragement, instead of being influenced byothers like the first frog, who failed to develop her potential tostrive for survival. Thus, when we surmount others' criticism, ridiculeor cynical comments, we can do anything we set our minds to, just asthe second frog did. But, if we are not deaf like this frog, who couldnot be influenced by others e to a physical condition, we need the Wisdom to guide us to the proper way, so as not to be blindly guided byworldly opinion.
C. 英語哲理性小短文
【1】Things Aren』t Always What They Seem
Two traveling angles stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let the angles stay in the mansion』s guestroom. Instead the angles were given a small space in the cold basement. As they made their bed in the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angle asked why, the older angle replied, 「Things aren』t always what they seem.」
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing the little food they had the couple let the angles sleep in their bed where they could have a good night』s rest. When the sun came up the next morning the angles found the farmer and his in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger angle was infuriated and asked the older angle how he could have let this happen. 「The first man had everything, yet you helped him,」 he accused. 「The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you let the cow lie」.
「Things aren』t always what they seem,」 the older angle replied. 「when we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. 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.」
「Then last night as we slept in the farmer』s bed, the angle of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead. Things aren』t always what they seem.
有些事並不象它看上去那樣
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卧室過夜，而是在冰冷的地下室給他 們找了一個角落。當他們鋪床時，較老的天使發現牆上有一個洞， 就順手把它修補好了。年輕的天使問為什麼，老天使答到： 「有些事並不象它看上去那樣。」
第二晚，兩人又到了一個非常貧窮的農家借宿。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，然後又讓出自己的床鋪給兩個天使。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。年輕的天使非常憤怒，他質問老天使為什麼會這樣，第一個家庭什麼都有，老天使還幫助他們修補牆洞，第二個家庭盡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。
「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
牆裡面堆滿了金塊。因為主人被貪欲所迷惑，不願意分享他的財富，所以我把牆洞填上了。
「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。」
D. 有哲理的英語短文
1.The chicken that laid gold eggs （下金蛋的雞）
Far into the high mountains, there was this small village. A poor farther and his wife lived in a rather shabby hut [破舊的小屋]. The live was difficult and harsh at times. While enring the hardship, they often wished that one day, they could get rich somehow, frequently, they would pray to god to give them a fortune.
One day, god decided to give them a gift in order to change their life. The gift was a healthy but rather ordinarily looking hen. The couple was somewhat disappointed with this fowl [家禽], contemplating [計劃，打算] the best way to cook it. The next morning, the farmer went to the cage to fetch the bird. To his great surprise that he found that the hen had laid a gold egg. They were overwhelmed by the sudden and unexpected found given to them by god and extremely grateful and happy about it. For the then, they built a nice and comfortable chicken coop [籠] and fed the bird with best feed that they could gather.
After selling many gold eggs, the couple became richer and richer. However, after a period of time, they became dissatisfied with only one gold egg a day. It would be wonderful only if the hen could lay two or three or even one hundred gold eggs a day, the farmer and his wife thought. Thinking that there must be thousands of gold inside the hen, the farmer one day, decided to find it out. He killed the hen and opened her belly [肚，腹，胃], in search of gold eggs.
Alas, he found that there was only one gold egg inside the hen.
2.The rabbit and the turtle had a race（龜兔賽跑）
In this beautiful forest, there were many tall trees, bearing various sweet fruits, such as dates and figs. Along the forest, on a splendid meadow, countless flowers were blooming everywhere. Daily, all kind of animal will gather in the meadow and having fun. They would sing and dance in different groups. They also played many games, including hide-and-seek.
On this sunny warm afternoon, the pesky monkey posted a note on a big tree trunk, announcing that there would be a foot race between the rabbit and the turtle. Animals were surprised, but nevertheless, one could still feel the excitement in the air. The crowd pushed around the starting line, arguing about that who could be the winner. The majority of the animals favored the rabbit, no doubt.
As usual, the light footed rabbit carried his nonchalant [不關心的] smile on his face arrived first and checked in with the judge, the honorable goat. Then slowly but surely, arrived the humble looking turtle. The goat told them that the race would start only after his staring gun and the participants should strictly obey the rules of the race. The handsome deer made a wreath and placed it at the end point. Whoever got there first and put on the garland would be declared the winner.
Bang! There went the starting gun. The rabbit leaped up in the air and took of like an arrow. The turtle was slow to start, and moving ahead on a steady pace. Not soon enough, the rabbit arrived at the mid point of the race. He stopped and looked back, but the turtle was nowhere to be found. He was very confident and relaxed. Under the nice warm sunlight, with a big yawn, he decided to take a nap.
After a nice dream, the rabbit woke up and rubbed his eyes and feeling totally refreshed. He looked around and could not see the turtle anywhere. However, he decided that it was time to get on with the race again. As he was approaching the end of the race route, he heard some cheering ahead. He was thinking that the crowd must be getting ready celebrate his victory. He made the last turn around the corner and started to look ahead for the finishing line. He was stunned by the scene that the turtle was at the end point, picking up the wreath. The big crowd was cheering jubilantly for the winner of the race, the turtle.
3. A Smart Cock（聰明的公雞）
In a nice and tranquil village, there lived a handsome and smart cock. Next door, there lived a nice hound. They were good friends and often played together. On a nice spring day, the hound suggested that they two should take a trip to the forest to have some fun and could even meet some friends along the way. The cock was excited and agreed with the plan.
They wandered through the trees, immersed in the fresh air and enjoyed the beautiful scenery. Near sunset, they decided to rest for the night. They found a tall tree with many branches and it was very suitable for the cock to sleep. At the bottom of the trunk, there was a nice burrow which could fit the hound to rest in, very comfortably.
Next morning, the first ray of sun light woke up the cock high on the tree. He started to sing:」 cocka-do-da-do!」 from the branch. The hound was still soundly asleep, while the singing by the cock attracted the attention of a hungry red fox. The fox quietly approached the tree and saw the beautiful cock sitting high up there.
Immediately, the fox started to speak to cock with some sweet words, hoping to lure the cock down from the tall tree. After all, it should be a delicious breakfast for the fox.
However, the cock looked through the fox』s trick and definitely would not come down from the tree. He thought to himself that if there should be a way to wake up his friend, the hound.
The cock said to the fox that he definitely would need a ladder in order from him to get down from the tree safely. In fact, there was a rope ladder hidden in the burrow at the bottom of the tree. If the fox could get it out and set it up, he would appreciate it very much.
The fox was more than happy to do that, thinking that a wonderful meal was essentially in his hand. He then quickly stuck his front paw into the burrow and felt around. He touched a rope-like material in there. He then got a hold of it and started to pull it out. Alas, it was the tail of the hound. When the hound was dragged out of the burrow and saw the fox was pulling him out, he jumped up and started to chase the fox.
The fox ran as fast he could and barely got away. At the mean time, the cock was looking down from his perch with a broad smile on his face.
E. 急求！！一篇有哲理的英語文章（帶翻譯）！！在線等～～
可能有點長，還是推薦這個很老的哲理故事吧，雖然大家都聽過了，但是還是值得時時想起，提醒自己的。。。樹欲靜而風不止，子欲養而親不待
《男孩和他的樹》
從前，有一棵巨大的蘋果樹。
一個小男孩每天都喜歡在樹下玩耍。他爬樹，吃蘋果，在樹蔭下小睡……他愛和樹玩，樹也愛和他玩。
時間過的很快，小男孩長大了，他不再每天都來樹下玩耍了。
「來和我玩吧。」樹說。
「我不再是孩子了，我再也不會在樹下玩了。」男孩回答道，「我想要玩具，我需要錢去買玩具。」
「對不起，我沒有錢……但是，你可以把我的蘋果摘下來，拿去賣錢，這樣你就有錢了。」
男孩興奮的把所有的蘋果都摘下來，高興的離開了。男孩摘了蘋果後很久都沒有回來。樹很傷心。
一天，男孩回來了，樹很激動。
「來和我玩吧。」樹說。
「我沒時間玩，我得工作，養家糊口。我們需要一棟房子，你能幫助我嗎？」
「對不起，我沒有房子，但是你可以砍下我的樹枝，拿去蓋你的房子。」男孩把所有的樹枝都砍下來，高興的離開了。
看到男孩那麼高興，樹非常欣慰。但是，男孩從此很久都沒回來。樹再一次孤獨，傷心起來。
一個炎熱的夏日，男孩終於回來了，樹很欣慰。
「來和我玩吧！」樹說。
「我過的不快樂，我也一天天變老了，我想去航海放鬆一下。你能給我一條船嗎？」
「用我的樹干造你的船吧，你就能快樂地航行到遙遠的地方了。」男孩把樹干砍下來，做成了一條船。
他去航海了，很長時間都沒露面。
最後，過了很多年，男孩終於回來了。
「對不起，孩子，我再也沒有什麼東西可以給你了……」樹說。
「我已經沒有牙咬蘋果了。」男孩回答道。
「我也沒有樹干讓你爬了。」樹說。
「我已經老得爬不動了。」男孩說。
「我真的不能再給你任何東西了，除了我正在死去的樹根。」樹含著淚說。
「我現在不需要什麼了，只想找個地方休息。過了這么些年，我累了。」男孩回答道。
「太好了！老樹根正是休息是最好的倚靠，來吧，來坐在我身邊，休息一下吧。」
男孩坐下了，樹很高興，含著淚微笑著……
****************
這是每個人的故事，樹就是我們的父母。當我們年輕的時候，我們願意和爸爸媽媽玩。當我們長大成人，我們就離開了父母，只有我們需要一些東西或者遇到一些麻煩時，才會回來。不論怎樣，父母總是支持我們，竭力給我們每一樣能讓我們高興的東西。
你也許會想，男孩對樹太殘酷了，但是，那正是我們所有人對待父母的方式啊！
附英文版：
A Boy and His Tree
A long ago,there was a huge apple tree. A little boy love to come and play around it everyday.He climbed to the tree top,ate the apples,took a nap under the shadow…He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.
Time went by,the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday.
One day,the boy came back to the tree and he looked.
「Come and play with me ,」The tree asked the boy .
「I am no longer a kid, I don』t play around trees anymore.」The boy replied,
「I want toys.I need money to buy them.」
「Sorry,but I don』t have money…But you can pick all my apples and sell them.
So,you will have money.」The boy was so excited .He grabbed all the apples
on the tree and left happily.The boy never came back after he picked the
apples.The tree was sad.
One day,the boy returned and the tree was so excited.
「Come and play with me ,」The tree said.
「I don』t have time to play.I have to work for my family.We need a house for
shelter.Can you help me?」
「sorry,but I don』t have a house .But you can chop off my branches to build
your house.」So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily.
The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.
The tree was again lonely and sad.
One hot summer day,the boy returned and the tree was delighted.
「Come and play with me !」The tree said.
「I am sad and getting old.I want to go sailing to relax myself.Can you give
a boat?」
「Use my truck to build your boat.You can sail faraway and be happy.」
So the boy cut the tree truck to make a boat .He went sailing and never
showed up for a long time.
Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years.
「Sorry,my boy.but I don』t have anything for you anymore.No more apples for
for you…「The tree said.
「I don』t have teeth to bite.」The boy replied.
「No more truck foe you to climb on.」
「I am too old for that now.」The boy said.
「I really can give you anything…The only thing left is my dying roots.」The
tree said with tears.
「I don』t need much now,just a place to rest.I am tired after all these year」
The boy replied.
「Good!Old tree roots is the best place to lean on and rest. Come,come sit
down with me and rest.」The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled
with tears……
This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. when we were young, we loved to play with mom and dad……
When we grown up, we left them…Only came to them when we need something or when we are in trouble.
No matter what,parents will alway be there and give everything they could to make you happy.
You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that how all of us are treating our parent.Time is too slow for those who wait,too swift for those who fear,too long for those who grieve,too short for those who rejoice,but for those who love,time is eternity.
英文的最後一句原文沒有翻譯，我怕自己粗陋的翻譯會破壞了原有的韻味，大家自己品味吧！！
F. 富有深刻哲理的 易背的 3分鍾以內的英語小美文
n indivial human existence should be like a river—small at first, narrowly contained within its banks, and rushing passionately past boulders and over waterfalls. Graally the river grows wider, the banks recede, the waters flow more quietly, and in the end, without any visible break, they become merged in the sea, and painlessly lose their indivial being.
人的生命應當像河流，開始是涓涓細流，受兩岸的限制而十分狹窄，爾後奔騰咆哮，翻過危岩，飛越瀑布，河面漸漸開闊，河岸也隨之向兩邊隱去，最後水流平緩，森森無際，匯入大海之中，個人就這樣毫無痛苦地消失了。
Years may wrinkle the skin,but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Worry, fear, self-distrust bows the heart and turns the spirit back to st.
光陰可以在顏面上留下印記，而熱情之火的熄滅則在心靈上刻下皺紋。煩惱、恐懼、缺乏自信會扭曲人的靈魂，並將青春化為灰燼。
G. 求有哲理性的英語美文
胡蘿卜本是硬的，堅固而且強度大，但受到煮沸的水的影響，它變得柔軟而脆弱。雞蛋本來易碎，薄薄的外殼保護著內部的液體。但是在經歷過煮沸的水以後，它的內部卻變得堅硬。不過，最獨特的卻是磨碎的咖啡豆，當它們被放入煮沸的水之後，它們改變了水。
A certain daughter complained to her father about her life and how things have been so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and she wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed that just as one problem was solved another arose.
有一個女孩向她父親抱怨她的生活，她覺得凡事都很艱難，不知該怎樣挺過去，她想放棄。她厭倦了不斷的抗爭和奮斗，問題似乎都一個接著一個，不讓她有喘息的機會。
Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen, filled three pots with water and placed the fire on high. Soon the three pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the other he placed eggs, and the last he placed ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil, without saying a word.
她的父親是個廚師，他把她帶到了廚房。他在三個壺里分別裝滿了水，加大火燒。很快，壺里的水被煮開了。他往第一個壺里放了些胡蘿卜，往第二個壺里放了幾個雞蛋，在最後一個壺里放了些磨碎的咖啡豆，然後，一句話也沒說，他由著水把它們煮沸。
The daughter sucked her teeth and impatiently wondered what he was trying to do. She had problems, and he was making this strange concoction. In half an hour he walked over to the stove and turned down the fire. He pulled the carrots out and placed them in the bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in the bowl. Then he ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her he asked. "Darling what do you see?"
女兒咂巴著嘴，不耐煩地等著，對父親的行為感到很納悶。大約三十分鍾後，父親關掉了火爐，把胡蘿卜撈出來，放到一個碗里。又把雞蛋揀出來放進另一個碗里，接著把咖啡用勺子舀出來倒進一個杯子里，然後轉過頭來，對她說，「親愛的，你看到了什麼？」
"Carrots, eggs, and coffee." she replied.
「胡蘿卜、雞蛋和咖啡。」她答道。
He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. Her face frowned from the strength of the coffee.
父親讓她走近點，要她去摸摸胡蘿卜，她注意到，它們變軟了。然後，他又要她去拿一個雞蛋並把它敲破，在把殼剝掉之後，她觀察了這個煮熟的雞蛋。最後，父親要她飲一口咖啡。咖啡很苦，她皺了皺眉。
Humbly, she asked. "What does it mean Father?"
「您想跟我說什麼，父親？」她問道。
He explained. "Each of them faced the same adversity, 212 degrees of boiling water. However each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. But after going through boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg was fragile. A thin outer shell protected a liquid center. But after sitting through the boiling water, it's inside became hardened. The coffee beans are unique however. After they were in the boiling water, it became stronger and richer."
父親解釋說，這三樣東西面臨著同樣的逆境——煮沸的水。但它們的反應卻各不相同。胡蘿卜本是硬的，堅固而且強度大，但受到煮沸的水的影響後，它變得柔軟而脆弱。雞蛋本來易碎，薄薄的外殼保護著內部的液體。但是在經歷過煮沸的水以後，它的內部卻變得堅硬。不過，最獨特的卻是磨碎的咖啡豆，當它們被放入煮沸的水之後，它們改變了水。
"Which are you," he asked his daughter, "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg, or a coffee bean?"
「哪一個是你呢？」他問女兒，「當逆境找上你時，你該如何應對呢？你是胡蘿卜、雞蛋、還是咖啡豆？」
H. 求一篇有哲理的英文文章…
英文原稿及翻譯：
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.
從前，一位富有的商人娶了四個老婆。他最愛他的小老婆，給她華麗的衣裳和美味佳餚。他對她體貼入微，把最好的東西都給了她。
He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He』s very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
商人也很愛第三位老婆。他為她感到驕傲，並常把她作為在朋友面前炫耀的資本。但他同時也憂心忡忡，怕她與其他男人跑了。
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.
當然，商人也愛二老婆，她既善解人意又耐心。事實上，她是商人的紅顏知己。每每遇到困難，他就會找她，而她也總能幫助他走出困境，度過難關。
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.
至於大老婆，她是一位忠誠的伴侶，替他照料生意、打理家務，忙裡忙外，可謂勞苦功高。然而，盡管她愛得這么深，商人卻偏不鍾情於她，甚至沒把她放在心上。
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!」
一日，商人得了重病，他自知將不久於人世。當他回顧自己奢華的一生，不禁心中悵然：「現在我雖然有四個老婆相伴，但死後卻要孤零零一人。多寂寞啊！」
Thus, he asked the 4th wife, 「I loved you most, and owed 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.
於是，他問小老婆：「我最疼你，給你買最漂亮的衣服，還對你呵護備至。現在我就要離開這個世界了，你願意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？」「絕不可能！」她丟下一句話，徑自走開了。
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.
小老婆的回答如一把尖刀插在商人心上。傷心的商人繼而問第三個老婆：「我一直對你寵愛有加。如今，我將不久於人世，你願意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？」「不！」她拒絕道，「人間的生活多麼美好啊！你死後我會改嫁他人！」商人的心倏地下沉，漸漸變冷。
He then asked the 2nd wife, 「I 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.
他再轉向二老婆，問道：「我過去常常求助於你，你也總能為我排憂解難。現在我想再請你幫一次忙。我死後，你願意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？」「很抱歉，這一次我幫不了你，」她說，「我最多隻能讓你入土為安。」這句話猶如晴天霹靂，商人徹底絕望了。
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!」
這時，旁邊傳來一個聲音：「我願意隨你一同離去。無論你到哪裡，我都會跟著你。」商人抬起頭，看到了自己的大老婆。她是那麼消瘦，一副營養不良的樣子。商人悲痛萬分，他說：「我過去就應該好好地珍惜你啊！」
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives
其實，我們每個人的一生都有四位愛人相伴。
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.
小老婆代表我們的軀體。無論我們花費多少的時間和精力想去裝扮她，我們死後它終會棄我們而去。
Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.
第三位老婆代表財產、地位與金錢。一旦我們撒手西去，它終究會轉向他人。
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.
二老婆則代表了我們的家人與朋友。我們活著的時候，無論他們與我們多麼親近，他們最多也只能到墓前送我們最後一程。
The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.
至於大老婆，她則是我們的靈魂。當我們沉迷於追求物質、金錢或感官享受的時候，她常常會被遺忘在一旁。
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.
結果呢？她才是唯一與我們永遠相伴的。也許從現在開始，我們就應該悉心照顧好她，而不是等到臨終之際才悔恨不已