Two men, both seriously ill, lived in the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time on his back.
两个男人都患着重病，住在同一家医院的同一间病房里。其中一个病人允许每天下午在床上坐一个小时，帮助排除肺部的积水。他的床紧靠病房唯一的一扇窗户。另外一个病人必须整天躺着。
The men talked for hours. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
两个病人每天都谈好几个小时的话。他们说到自己的妻子和家庭，他们的家园和工作，他们的军人生涯，他们在哪里度假。
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed was very happy to have the one hour and he hoped to see the outside world.
每天下午，当靠窗户的病人能够坐起来的时候，他总是给他病房的同伴描述窗外的一切情形，打发时间。另一张病床上的病人很喜欢能有这一个小时的快乐时光，希望能够看到外面的世界。
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm among flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
窗外是一个公园，里面有一个漂亮的湖。鸭子和天鹅在水中嬉戏，孩子们在湖上划船。年轻的情侣们手挽手在五彩缤纷的鲜花间行走，远处可以看见城市高楼优美的剪影。当靠窗户的病人详细描述这些情景的时候，房间那边的病人总是合上眼睛，想象如画的景致。
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man couldn’t hear the band, he could see it in his mind.
有一天下午，坐在窗前的病人描述一个游行队伍走过去的情形。虽然另外一个病人听不到乐队的演奏，但他能在脑海中想象。
Weeks passed. One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the man by the window had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
几个星期之后的一天早上，值白班的护士来到病房给他们打水洗浴，结果发现靠窗户的病人在睡梦中安详地去世了。她很伤心，叫来医院的服务人员把遗体送走。
After that, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
此后，另外一个病人问可不可以让他搬到靠窗户的床位。护士很乐意调换一下。把病人安顿好后她离开了，留下他一个人。
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the world outside. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse, “Why did he describe the invented world for me?”
缓慢地，他用一个肘子痛苦地支撑起自己，第一次看到外面的世界。 窗户对着一堵空白的墙。病人问护士：“他为什么给我讲述虚构的世界 呢？”
The nurse told him that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
护士告诉他，那个病人是个盲人，连墙也看不见。她说“也许他只是想鼓励你。”
Please remember that there’s tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled.
请记住，在让别人快乐的时候，我们自己也收获了极大的快乐，不论我们的境况如何。共患难，痛苦减半；同欢乐，欢乐倍增。
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