瓮
The Urn/
by Xie Wuzhang
很多年以前,有一个很穷的读书人,家产只有一个瓮。因为什么都没有了,所有,他每天晚上都守着瓮睡觉。有一天晚上,他想:「如果能得到富贵,我要买很多的田产,盖华丽的住宅,还要买很多仆人和歌女。然后,再备好高大的马车,马车上有大而华丽的车蓬,凡是想得到的,需要的,全部齐备了。」他反覆的想着想着,不知不觉高兴得跳了起来,一个不小心,就把唯一的瓮踢破了。
A long time ago, there was a poor, educated man, who only owned a single urn. Since he possessed nothing else, he would carefully guard his urn each night as he slept. “If ever I get rich, I’ll purchase a lot of land, construct a magnificent house, and buy many servants and songstresses. Then, I’ll arrange for a lofty horse-drawn chariot with a big, gorgeous canopy. Anything I need or desire shall be at my disposal,” he began thinking one night. Imagining this over and over again, the man all of a sudden jumped for joy, made one careless move, and smashed his only urn.
*Xie Wuzhang is the author of Wisdom Fables, a collection of allegories illustrated by Hong Yinan.
Translated & edited by ZhongwenTranslation
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