人生中的四个伴侣

virgo

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.
    有一个娶四个伴侣的富有的商人。他最喜欢的是他的第四个伴侣：他对她小心翼翼并给她买最华丽的衣服。他对她关怀备至，并把最好的东西送给她。
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.
     他也非常喜欢他的第三个伴侣。他对她感到非常骄傲并总想拿她向他的朋友炫耀。可是，商人一直非常担心她会和其他的男人私奔。
He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant's confidante [4]. 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.  

    他也喜欢他的第二个伴侣。她是一位非常体贴的人，总是很有耐心，事实上，她是商人的红颜知己。当商人遇到难题时，他总是找他的第二个伴侣，而她总能帮助他摆脱困境并支持他度过困难时期。
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.

   而商人的第一个伴侣是一个非常忠诚的伙伴，并对他的财产和生意以及照顾家人作出了巨大贡献。可是，商人并不爱他的第一个伴侣，尽管他的第一个伴侣非常的爱他，他几乎很少会注意到她。
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!"

  一天，商人病倒了。不久以后，他知道他很快就要死了。他想到他奢华的一生并对自己说，“现在我有四个伴侣。但是当我死后，我就会独自一人。我会多么孤独啊！”
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.

  于是，他问他的第四个伴侣，“我最爱你，我给了你最好的衣服并对你最为关爱。现在我就要死了，你会随我而去并伴我左右吗？”“没门！”第四个伴侣回答，然后她不再多说一句就走开了。
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.

   这个回答宛如一把尖刀刺进商人的心脏。这个悲哀的商人接着问他的第三个伴侣，“我整个的一生都如此爱你。现在我就要死了，你会随我而去并伴我左右吗？” “不会！”他的第三个伴侣回答，“这里的生活如此美好！当你死了我会再嫁人的！”商人的心非常沉重并感到不寒而栗。
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  .

   接下来他问他的第二个伴侣，“我一直向你求助而你也一直能帮我解决问题。现在我又需要你的帮助。当我死了，你会随我而去并伴我左右吗？”“对不起，这次我无能为力！”第二个伴侣回答，“最多我能把你送进坟墓。”这个回答象晴天霹雳让商人一下子崩溃了。
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 !"

   这时一个声音说到：“我会随你而去。无论你到哪里我都会与你形影不离。”商人抬起头发现了他的第一个伴侣。她骨瘦如柴，如同正在遭受营养不良的折磨。商人非常内疚的说，“我应当在以前对你更好一点。”
Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

   实际上，在我们的一生中我们都有四个伴侣。
a. The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish [8] in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.
     a.  第四个伴侣是我们的身体。无论我们花费多少时间和精力使它好看，在我们死亡时它会远离我们而去。
b. Our 3rd wife ? Our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

     b. 我们的第三个伴侣？我们的财产，身份和财富。当我们死去时，它们会走向他人。
c. 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.

   c. 第二个伴侣是我们的家人和朋友。无论他们在我们生前和我们的关系多么的亲密，他们最多能够送我们到坟墓而已。
d. The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

  d.第一个伴侣实际上是我们的灵魂，在我们追求物质、财富和声色口腹之乐时常常将它抛之脑后。
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 [9] to lament

   猜到什么了？它是唯一和我们形影不离的东西。也许从现在就开始塑造并强壮我们的灵魂要比等到我们临终之时而悔恨要好得多。

ajaxzhou2633

收藏。。。。很好的比喻~:kiss: