中國寓言故事雙語版 第62期:致富妙法

There lived a rich man named Guo in the State of Qi and a poor man named Xiang in the State of Song.

齊國有個姓“國”的富人，宋國有個姓“向”的窮人。

The poor man came to the State of Qi to visit the rich man, and asked him about the way to get rich.

窮人到齊國去拜訪那位富人，向他請教致富的方法。

The rich man in the State of Qi told him: "I was Also very poor before, but now I am quite well-off.

齊國富人告訴他: “我原來也很貧窮，可是現在日子過得很好。

The only reason is that I can steal and rob.

原因只是我會偷、會搶罷了。

But it is very painstaking.

不過太辛苦了。

By stealing and robbing, I could make a living in the first year, and in the second year I had more than enough to eat and wear.

我偷呀搶呀，第一年生活就夠維持了，第二年就已經吃不完穿不完了。

In the third year, my family's storehouse was truly filled with grain and millet."

第三年我家裏真是糧滿囤、谷滿倉。”

The man of Song only heard him talk profusely about stealing and robbing, but did not find out clearly how to steal and rob.

宋國人只聽見他滿口的偷呀搶呀，卻沒有問清楚究竟怎麼個偷法、怎麼個搶法。

The minute he returned home, he got dizzy with imagined success and started to steal and rob.

他一回到家就得意忘形地動手去偷、去搶。

As soon as it was dark, he climbed over the wall of the family on the east, and dug a hole in the wall of the family on the west.

天一黑，他就翻東家的牆，挖西家的洞。

He stole whatever he saw.

看到什麼偷什麼。

After some time, his family actually began getting rich.

時間一長，家裏居然也富起來了。

But just when he was immensely proud of himself, the bailiffs from the yamen (government office) came and arrested him.

可是，正當他洋洋自得的時候，衙門差人到他家裏，將他捉拿歸案。

He was declared guilty and put in prison.

判了罪，坐了牢。

All the things he had stolen and robbed, together with his own old and worn-out stuff, were confiscated.

他偷來搶來的一切，連同他原有的破舊東西，全部被沒收了。

As soon as the thief was released upon completion of his prison term, he went to Guo's home in the State of Qi to blame him.

這個小偷刑滿之後從監牢裏一出來就跑到齊國姓“國”的家裏責怪他。

The rich man asked him in haste: "How are you doing?"

富人連忙問他:“你幹得怎麼樣了?”

The thief told him what had happened and sighed: "I am now even poorer than before."

小偷將經過訴說了一遍，唉聲嘆氣地說: “我比以前更窮了。”

The rich man was astonished at first, then said regretfully: "How can you be in reduced circumstances?

富人先是大吃一驚，接着惋惜地說:“你怎麼會弄到這個地步呢?

Alas, you completely misunderstood what I meant by stealing and robbing."

哎呀!你把我說的偷、搶的意思完全誤會了。”

He continued: "By stealing and robbing, I meant seeking for the resources of the earth, and racing against the seasons of the heavens.

又說: “我說的偷、搶是向土地要資源，與老天搶時間。

Dense forests, broad land, sunshine, rain and dew, wind and cloud, all these are my targets for robbing.

茂密的山林、廣闊的土地、陽光、雨露、風雲等都是我搶奪的對象。

I approach them, make friends with them, and rely on them to plant crops and build houses.

我接近它們，同它們交朋友，依靠它們，種莊稼、建房屋。

Birds in the sky, beasts on land, fish and shrimp in the river…all these don't belong to me by nature.

空中的飛禽，陸上的走獸，河裏的魚蝦，這些東西原來都不屬於我。

But I, fearing neither hardship nor toil, use my brains and think up ways to steal them and rob them.

但是我動腦筋，想辦法，不怕苦，不怕累，把它們偷了過來，搶了過來。

This is stealing and robbing in an open and aboveboard way.

這是光明正大的偷、搶。

It is by no means committing a crime.

並不是犯罪呀!

As to the clothing, food and articles of individuals, they are obtained through people's own labour, and can only belong to these people.

至於那些屬於私人的衣物、食品都是人們用自己的勞動取得的，只能屬於他們自己。

I have never encouraged you to steal and rob other people's private property.

我從來沒有叫你去偷、去搶人家的東西呀!

But you have actually done so, which does break the law.

可是你竟然去偷、去搶別人家的東西，這是犯法的行爲。

Who is to blame for your being found guilty and put in prison?"

你被判罪坐牢，這到底應該怪誰呢?”