【大紀元5月21日訊】
從前有個富人尹氏，每天都營營役役，努力賺錢。他的僕人也是由早忙到晚，不得休息。
其中有個老僕，因為工作緩慢，更是被他催促不已。那累透了的老僕，只好一邊呻吟一邊工作，直到筋疲力盡。
一到晚上，老僕倒頭便睡。在夢中，他成為人君，統治萬民，生活奢華，真是其樂無窮。不過，一醒來後，又要勞勞碌碌地工作。朋友都替他感到難過，向他撫慰。但老僕對自己的命運，毫無怨言，並說：「人生晝夜各半。白天做僕人時，要辛苦工作，但晚上做人君時，卻快樂無比。我沒有甚麼好抱怨的了。」
另一方面，尹氏也是心力皆疲。晚上熟睡時，他夢見自己成為人僕，受人諸多差使，做些不願意做的厭事，但多時還要挨打挨罵，人生真是苦不勝言。他在夢中吟直至天亮，終於忍受不住，便去請教朋友。
朋友說：「你雖然位尊多金，但晚上做夢時却做了人僕。人生確是有苦有樂。要現實和做夢都稱心滿意，相信很難辦得到。」
尹氏聽完朋友的話，就反覆思量他煩惱的根源。想了良久，他减輕了僕人的工作量，同時也放鬆了自己的操勞。
不多久，大家的痛苦都减輕了。
The Sweet And Sour Of Life
There was once a rich man by the name of Yin who spent his whole energy making money. His servants had to work from morning till night without a moment’s rest.
Yin had an old servant who was slow in his work, but Yin pushed him all the more. The dog-tired servant laboured himself to exhaustion, moaning and groaning.
When night fell, the old man collapsed on his bed and instantly sank into a deep sleep. In his dreams he became a king, living in great luxury. He was as happy as he could be.
Yet the moment he woke up, he had to toil again. His friends felt sorry for him.
The old man accepted his lot without grudge. “Our lifetime is made up of equal parts of days and nights,” he told them. “As a servant in the day, I have to toil hard. However, in my dreams at night, I become a king. My happiness is second to none. I have nothing to complain.”
Now Yin was also physically and mentally worn out. At night, when he was fast asleep, he dreamed that he was a servant, always at his master’s bidding. He had to do the most unpleasant chores and was often beaten and scolded. life was a pain beyond description.
He moaned and groaned in his sleep until dawn. Finally, Yin could not bear it any longer and sought the wisdom of a friend.
“Although you’re a rich man of high social rank,” observed his friend,”in your dreams at night, you become somebody else’s servant. Life indeed has its sweet and sour. I’m afraid it is quite impossible to have the best of both worlds.”
The friend’s remark shed a new light on the matter, and Yin began to reflect on the root of his trouble.
After some hard thinking, he reduced the work load of his servants and relaxed his own concerns as well. Before long their pains wer all eased.
轉自：《翀仔寓言網》@
(http://www.dajiyuan.com)
