正文
A cobbler（修鞋匠） passed his time in singing from morning till night; it was wonderful to see, wonderful to hear him; he was more contented in shoes, than was any of the Seven Sages（古希臘七賢人）.
一個修鞋匠沒事兒的時候喜歡唱歌，從早到晚唱個不停。人們看見他就高興，聽到他唱歌就開心。他喜歡跟鞋子打交道，比希臘七賢還要心滿意足。
cobbler（修鞋匠）
His neighbor, on the contrary, who was rolling in wealth, sang but little and slept less. He was a banker; when by chance he fell into a doze（瞌睡） at day-break, the cobbler awoke him with his song.
他的鄰居恰恰相反，整天在錢堆裡打滾，幾乎不唱歌，連覺也睡得很少。他是個銀行家，偶爾在天快亮的時候打個盹兒，還得被修鞋匠的歌聲吵醒。
The banker complained sadly that Providence（上帝） had not made sleep a saleable commodity（商品）, like edibles or drinkables. Having at length （後來）sent for（派人去請） the songster（歌唱家）, he said to him, “How much a year do you earn, Master Gregory?”
銀行家很傷腦筋，抱怨著上帝怎麼就沒有把睡眠變成一種可以買賣的物品，就像吃的和喝的東西一樣。 終於，銀行家派人去把“歌唱家”請來，對他說：“你一年掙多少錢啊，格雷戈裡師傅？”
“How much a year, sir?” said the merry cobbler laughing, “I never reckon（計算） in that way, living as I do from one day to another; somehow I manage to reach the end of the year; each day brings its meal.”
“先生，你是問我一年賺多少錢嗎？”快樂的修鞋匠笑了起來，“我沒算過，我就這樣過了一天又一天；不知怎麼地，我就能捱到年根兒，天無絕人之路嘛。”
“Well then! How much a day do you earn, my friend?”
“朋友，那我問你，你一天能掙多少錢？”
“Sometimes more, sometimes less; but the worst of it is, — and, without that our earnings would be very tolerable（可以的）, a number of days occur in the year on which we are forbidden to work; and the curate（助理牧師）, moreover, is constantly adding some new saint（聖徒） to the list.”
“有時候多點兒，有時候少點兒，最糟糕的也不過是每年總有幾天不讓擺攤……就算那樣，我們的收入也夠花。再說了，咱們的牧師時刻都在擴充聖徒的隊伍呢，咱們隨時可以加入。”
The banker, laughing at his simplicity（天真）, said, “In the future I shall place you above want. Take these hundred crowns（克朗）, preserve them carefully, and make use of them in time of need.”
銀行家並不認同，覺得他的想法太過簡單，就說：“我能讓你將來脫離苦日子。給你這幾百克朗，好好保管，需要的時候再用。”
The cobbler fancied he held all the wealth which the earth had produced in the past century for the use of mankind. Returning home, he buried his money and his happiness at the same time, No more singing; he lost his voice, the moment he acquired that which is the source of so much grief.
修鞋匠猜想自己擁有了足夠上個世紀供全世界人花銷的財富，回到家他把錢埋了起來，同時也埋葬了幸福。他再也不唱歌了，嗓子壞了，拿到錢的那一刻就註定了要承受這麼多的痛苦。
Sleep quitted his dwelling; and cares, suspicions, and false alarms took its place. All day, his eye wandered in the direction of his treasure; and at night, if some stray（離群的） cat made a noise, the cat was robbing him.
從此他再也沒睡過覺，變得憂心忡忡、疑神疑鬼、一驚一乍。白天，他就用眼睛盯著藏錢的地方，到了晚上，流浪貓鬧點兒動靜，他都覺得貓是來搶錢的。
At length the poor man ran to the house of his rich neighbor. “Give my sleep and my voice back.” said he, “and take your hundred crowns.”
最後，窮人跑去有錢的鄰居家裡說：“把你的幾百克朗拿回去，你還我的睡眠和歌喉！”
生詞
cobbler [ˈkɒblə(r)] n.修鞋匠
Providence [ˈprɒvɪdəns] n.上帝
curate [ˈkjuərət] n.教區牧師
希臘七賢(Seven Sages of Greece或稱Seven Wise Men)是指古希臘人所說的七個最有智慧的人，相傳這七人各有一句名言傳世。雅典的梭倫(Solon)說要“避免極端”(Nothing in excess.)；斯巴達的奇倫(Chilon)的格言是“認識你自己”(Know thyself.)；米利都的泰勒斯(Thales)認為“過分執著穩健只會帶來災難”(To bring surety brings ruin.)；普林納(小亞細亞)的畢阿斯(Bias)覺得“人多手腳亂”(Too many workers spoil the work.)；林都斯(羅得島)的克萊俄布盧(Cleobulus)告誡世人“凡事取中庸之道”(Moderation is the chief good.)；密提利那(列斯保島)的庇塔庫斯(Pittacus)提醒人們要“抓緊時機”(Know thine opportunity.)；科林斯的佩裡安德(Periander)的格言是“行事前要三思”(Forethought in all things.)。
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