聰明人和儍子和奴才 The Wise Man, the Fool and the Slave

奴才總不過是尋人訴苦。The slave was forever seeking someone to pour out his grievances to.只要這樣，也只能這樣。That was all he did, and all he could do.有一日，他遇到一個聰明人。One day, he met a clever man.

奴才总不过是寻人诉苦。只要这样，也只能这样。有一日，他遇到一个聪明人。

『先生！』他悲哀地說，眼淚聯成一線，就從眼角上直流下來。『你知道的。'Sir!' he said sorrowfully, tears running down in an unbroken line straight from the corners of his eyes. 'You know how it is.我所過的簡直不是人的生活。I simply do not live the life of a human being.喫的是一天未必有一餐，這一餐又不過是高粱皮，連豬狗都不要喫的，尙且只有一小碗……。』What I eat may not even amount to one meal a day, and that meal is nothing but sorghum husks, which even pigs and dogs would refuse — and even that comes to no more than a small bowlful....'

『先生！』他悲哀地说，眼泪联成一线，就从眼角上直流下来。『你知道的。我所过的简直不是人的生活。吃的是一天未必有一餐，这一餐又不过是高粱皮，连猪狗都不要吃的，尙且只有一小碗……。』

『這實令人同情。』聰明人也慘然說。'This is truly pitiable,' said the clever man, his face clouding with sorrow too.

『这实令人同情。』聪明人也惨然说。

『可不是麽！』他高興了。『可是做工是晝夜無休息的：淸早擔水晚燒飯，上午跑街夜磨麫，晴洗衣裳雨張傘，冬燒汽鑪夏打扇。'Isn't it just!' He brightened. 'But the work never stops, day or night: at dawn I carry water, at dusk I cook the rice; in the morning I run errands in the streets, at night I grind flour; in fine weather I wash clothes, in the rain I hold the umbrella; in winter I tend the stove, in summer I fan my master.半夜要煨銀耳，侍候主人耍錢；At midnight I must simmer silver-ear fungus soup, and wait on my master while he gambles;頭錢從來沒分，有時還挨皮鞭……。』I never get a share of the winnings, and sometimes I even get the whip....'

『可不是么！』他高兴了。『可是做工是昼夜无休息的：淸早担水晚烧饭，上午跑街夜磨面，晴洗衣裳雨张伞，冬烧汽𬬻夏打扇。半夜要煨银耳，侍候主人耍钱；头钱从来没分，有时还挨皮鞭……。』

『唉唉……。』聰明人歎息着，眼圈有些發紅，似乎要下淚。'Ai, ai....' The clever man sighed, his eyes reddening a little, as though he were about to weep.

『唉唉……。』聪明人叹息着，眼圈有些发红，似乎要下泪。

『先生！'Sir!我這樣是敷衍不下去的。I cannot go on like this, just scraping by.我總得另外想法子。I really must think of some other way.可是什麽法子呢？…… 』But what way is there?...'

『先生！我这样是敷衍不下去的。我总得另外想法子。可是什么法子呢？…… 』

『我想，你總會好起來……。』'I think things are bound to get better for you....'

『我想，你总会好起来……。』

『是麽？'Are they?但願如此。I do hope so.可是我對先生訴了寃苦，又得你的同情和慰安，已經舒坦得不少了。But having poured out my grievances to you, sir, and received your sympathy and comfort, I already feel a good deal easier.可見天理沒有滅絕……。』So it seems justice under Heaven has not died out after all....'

『是么？但愿如此。可是我对先生诉了寃苦，又得你的同情和慰安，已经舒坦得不少了。可见天理没有灭绝……。』

但是，不幾日，他又不平起來了，仍然尋人去訴苦。But before many days had passed, he grew resentful again, and once more went seeking someone to pour out his grievances to.

但是，不几日，他又不平起来了，仍然寻人去诉苦。

『先生！ 』他流着眼淚說，『你知道的。'Sir!' he said, tears streaming down. 'You know how it is.我住的簡直比豬窼還不如。Where I live is truly worse than a pigsty.主人並不將我當人；My master does not treat me as a human being at all;他對他的叭兒狗還要好到幾萬倍……。』he treats his lapdog tens of thousands of times better....'

『先生！ 』他流着眼泪说，『你知道的。我住的简直比猪窼还不如。主人并不将我当人；他对他的叭儿狗还要好到几万倍……。』

『混帳！ 』那人大叫起來，使他喫驚了。'Damn it all!' the man suddenly shouted, startling him.那人是一個儍子。That man was a fool.

『混帐！ 』那人大叫起来，使他吃惊了。那人是一个儍子。

『先生，我住的只是一間破小屋，又溼，又陰，滿是臭蟲，睡下去就咬得眞可以。'Sir, the place I live in is just a broken-down little hut, damp and dark, and full of bedbugs — the moment I lie down they bite something fierce.穢氣衝着鼻子，四面又沒有一個窗……。』The stench assails my nose, and there isn't a single window on any side....'

『先生，我住的只是一间破小屋，又湿，又阴，满是臭虫，睡下去就咬得真可以。秽气冲着鼻子，四面又没有一个窗……。』

『你不會要你的主人開一個窗的麽？ 』'Can't you ask your master to open up a window?'

『你不会要你的主人开一个窗的么？ 』

『這怎麽行？…… 』'How could that be done?...'

『这怎么行？…… 』

『那麽，你帶我去看去！ 』'Well then, take me there to see it!'

『那么，你带我去看去！ 』

儍子跟奴才到他屋外，動手就砸那泥牆。The fool followed the slave to the outside of his hut, and at once set to work smashing at the mud wall.

儍子跟奴才到他屋外，动手就砸那泥墙。

『先生！'Sir!你幹什麽？ 』他大驚地說。What are you doing?' he said, greatly alarmed.

『先生！你干什么？ 』他大惊地说。

『我給你打開一個窗洞來。 』'I'm opening up a window for you.'

『我给你打开一个窗洞来。 』

『這不行！'This won't do!主人要罵的！ 』The master will scold me!'

『这不行！主人要骂的！ 』

『管他呢！ 』他仍然砸。'Never mind him!' He went on smashing.

『人來呀！'Come, everyone!強盜在毀咱們的屋子了！A robber is wrecking our house!快來呀！Come quickly!遲一點可要打出窟窿來了！…… 』他哭嚷着，在地上團團地打滾。A little longer and he'll have smashed a hole right through!...' He shouted and wailed, rolling round and round on the ground.

『人来呀！强盗在毁咱们的屋子了！快来呀！迟一点可要打出窟窿来了！…… 』他哭嚷着，在地上团团地打滚。

一羣奴才都出來了，將儍子趕走。A crowd of slaves all came running out and drove the fool away.

一群奴才都出来了，将儍子赶走。

聽到了喊聲，慢慢地最後出來的是主人。Hearing the shouting, the master came out last of all, in his own slow time.

听到了喊声，慢慢地最后出来的是主人。

『有強盜要來毀咱們的屋子，我首先叫喊起來，大家一同把他趕走了。 』他恭敬而得勝地說。'A robber was going to wreck our house, but I was the first to raise the alarm, and together we drove him off,' he said respectfully, in triumph.

『有强盗要来毁咱们的屋子，我首先叫喊起来，大家一同把他赶走了。 』他恭敬而得胜地说。

『你不錯。』主人這樣誇獎他。'You've done well,' said the master, praising him thus.

『你不错。』主人这样夸奖他。

這一天就來了許多慰問的人，聰明人也在內。That day many people came to offer their sympathy and congratulations, and among them was the clever man.

这一天就来了许多慰问的人，聪明人也在内。

『先生。'Sir.這回因爲我有功，主人誇獎了我了。This time, because of my merit, the master praised me.你先前說我總會好起來，實在是有先見之明……。』他大有希望似的高興地說。You said before that things were bound to get better for me — truly you had foresight....' he said happily, as though full of hope.

『先生。这回因为我有功，主人夸奖了我了。你先前说我总会好起来，实在是有先见之明……。』他大有希望似的高兴地说。

『可不是嗎……。』聰明人也代爲高興似的回答他。'Isn't that just so....' the clever man answered, as if he too were glad on his behalf.

『可不是吗……。』聪明人也代为高兴似的回答他。

（一九二五年十二月二十六日。）(December 26, 1925.)