Three Questions

It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.

有一位国王忽然想到：要是他总能知道每件事该在什么时候开始做；要是他知道该听谁的话，该避开谁；最要紧的是，要是他总能知道什么是最重要的事，那么无论做什么，他都不会失败。

And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to any one who would teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.

想到这里，他就让人在全国宣告：谁能教他知道每件事的正确时机，知道哪些人最为必需，又怎样才能知道什么是最重要的事，他就给谁一份重赏。

And learned men came to the King, but they all answered his questions differently.

于是有学问的人纷纷来见国王，可他们对他的问题，回答各不相同。

In reply to the first question, some said that to know the right time for every action, one must draw up in advance, a table of days, months and years, and must live strictly according to it. Only thus, said they, could everything be done at its proper time. Others declared that it was impossible to decide beforehand the right time for every action; but that, not letting oneself be absorbed in idle pastimes, one should always attend to all that was going on, and then do what was most needful. Others, again, said that however attentive the King might be to what was going on, it was impossible for one man to decide correctly the right time for every action, but that he should have a Council of wise men, who would help him to fix the proper time for everything.

对第一个问题，有人说，要知道每件事的正确时机，就必须事先订出一张日、月、年的时间表，严格照着它生活。他们说，只有这样，每件事才能在恰当的时候做成。另一些人宣称，事先决定每件事的正确时机是不可能的；但一个人不应沉溺于无谓的消遣，而应时刻留心周围发生的一切，然后去做最需要做的事。还有一些人说，无论国王多么留心周围发生的事，一个人也不可能正确地决定每件事的时机，他应该设立一个由贤人组成的议会，帮他确定每件事的恰当时间。

But then again others said there were some things which could not wait to be laid before a Council, but about which one had at once to decide whether to undertake them or not. But in order to decide that, one must know beforehand what was going to happen. It is only magicians who know that; and, therefore, in order to know the right time for every action, one must consult magicians.

可是又有人说，有些事等不及提交议会，必须当即决定做还是不做。而要决定这一点，就必须事先知道将会发生什么。只有术士才知道这个；所以，要知道每件事的正确时机，就必须去请教术士。

Equally various were the answers to the second question. Some said, the people the King most needed were his councillors; others, the priests; others, the doctors; while some said the warriors were the most necessary.

对第二个问题的回答，也同样五花八门。有人说，国王最需要的人是他的谋臣；有人说是祭司；有人说是医生；还有人说，武士才是最必需的。

To the third question, as to what was the most important occupation: some replied that the most important thing in the world was science. Others said it was skill in warfare; and others, again, that it was religious worship.

对第三个问题，即什么是最重要的事业：有人回答说，世上最重要的是学问。另一些人说是用兵的本领；还有人说，是对神的礼拜。

All the answers being different, the King agreed with none of them, and gave the reward to none. But still wishing to find the right answers to his questions, he decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom.

所有的回答都各不相同，国王一个也不赞同，也没有给任何人赏赐。可是他仍想找到问题的正确答案，便决定去请教一位以智慧远近闻名的隐士。

The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted, and he received none but common folk. So the King put on simple clothes, and before reaching the hermit’s cell dismounted from his horse, and, leaving his body-guard behind, went on alone.

隐士住在一片树林里，从不离开，只接见平民百姓。于是国王换上了朴素的衣服，在到达隐士的小屋之前就下了马，把卫兵留在后面，独自往前走。

When the King approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut. Seeing the King, he greeted him and went on digging. The hermit was frail and weak, and each time he stuck his spade into the ground and turned a little earth, he breathed heavily.

国王走近时，隐士正在他的小屋前挖地。他看见国王，向他问了好，又接着挖。隐士身体衰弱，每次把铁锹插进土里、翻起一点土，都喘得很厉害。

The King went up to him and said: ‘I have come to you, wise hermit, to ask you to answer three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest? And, what affairs are the most important, and need my first attention?’

国王走到他跟前，说：“智慧的隐士，我来找你，是要请你回答三个问题：我怎样才能学会在正确的时间做正确的事？哪些人是我最需要的，因而我该比对别人更加关心他们？还有，哪些事是最重要的，需要我首先去做？”

The hermit listened to the King, but answered nothing. He just spat on his hand and recommenced digging.

隐士听着国王的话，却什么也没有回答。他只是往手上啐了一口，又挖起地来。

‘You are tired,’ said the King, ‘let me take the spade and work awhile for you.’

“你累了，”国王说，“让我拿铁锹替你干一会儿吧。”

‘Thanks!’ said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the King, he sat down on the ground.

“谢谢！”隐士说，把铁锹交给国王，自己在地上坐了下来。

When he had dug two beds, the King stopped and repeated his questions. The hermit again gave no answer, but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade, and said:

国王挖好了两畦地，停下来，又把他的问题说了一遍。隐士还是不回答，而是站起身来，伸手要铁锹，说：

‘Now rest awhile—and let me work a bit.’

“现在你歇一会儿吧——让我来干一阵。”

But the King did not give him the spade, and continued to dig. One hour passed, and another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the King at last stuck the spade into the ground, and said:

可是国王没有把铁锹给他，继续挖。一个钟头过去了，又一个钟头过去了。太阳开始沉到树林后面去，国王终于把铁锹插在地上，说：

‘I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, tell me so, and I will return home.’

“智慧的人，我来找你，是为了得到我那些问题的答案。如果你一个也答不出，就告诉我，我好回家去。”

‘Here comes some one running,’ said the hermit, ‘let us see who it is.’

“有人跑过来了，”隐士说，“我们看看是谁。”

The King turned round, and saw a bearded man come running out of the wood. The man held his hands pressed against his stomach, and blood was flowing from under them. When he reached the King, he fell fainting on the ground moaning feebly. The King and the hermit unfastened the man’s clothing. There was a large wound in his stomach. The King washed it as best he could, and bandaged it with his handkerchief and with a towel the hermit had. But the blood would not stop flowing, and the King again and again removed the bandage soaked with warm blood, and washed and rebandaged the wound. When at last the blood ceased flowing, the man revived and asked for something to drink. The King brought fresh water and gave it to him. Meanwhile the sun had set, and it had become cool. So the King, with the hermit’s help, carried the wounded man into the hut and laid him on the bed. Lying on the bed the man closed his eyes and was quiet; but the King was so tired with his walk and with the work he had done, that he crouched down on the threshold, and also fell asleep—so soundly that he slept all through the short summer night. When he awoke in the morning, it was long before he could remember where he was, or who was the strange bearded man lying on the bed and gazing intently at him with shining eyes.

国王转过身，看见一个留着胡子的人从树林里跑出来。那人双手紧紧按着肚子，血从他的手底下流出来。他跑到国王跟前，昏倒在地上，微弱地呻吟着。国王和隐士解开那人的衣服。他的肚子上有一道很大的伤口。国王尽力把伤口洗干净，用自己的手帕和隐士的一条毛巾把它包扎起来。可是血止不住，国王一次又一次地解下被热血浸透的绷带，洗净伤口，重新包扎。血终于止住了，那人苏醒过来，要水喝。国王打来清水给他喝。这时太阳已经落山，天凉了下来。于是国王在隐士的帮助下，把受伤的人抬进小屋，放在床上。那人躺在床上，闭上眼睛，安静了下来；而国王因为走了路，又干了活，累得在门槛上蜷缩着，也睡着了——睡得那样沉，整个短暂的夏夜都没有醒。早晨他醒来时，过了好久才想起自己在什么地方，也才想起躺在床上、一双发亮的眼睛定定地望着他的这个陌生的大胡子是谁。

‘Forgive me!’ said the bearded man in a weak voice, when he saw that the King was awake and was looking at him.

“饶恕我吧！”大胡子看见国王醒了，正望着他，便用微弱的声音说。

‘I do not know you, and have nothing to forgive you for,’ said the King.

“我不认识你，也没有什么要饶恕你的，”国王说。

‘You do not know me, but I know you. I am that enemy of yours who swore to revenge himself on you, because you executed his brother and seized his property. I knew you had gone alone to see the hermit, and I resolved to kill you on your way back. But the day passed and you did not return. So I came out from my ambush to find you, and I came upon your bodyguard, and they recognized me, and wounded me. I escaped from them, but should have bled to death had you not dressed my wound. I wished to kill you, and you have saved my life. Now, if I live, and if you wish it, I will serve you as your most faithful slave, and will bid my sons do the same. Forgive me!’

“您不认识我，可我认识您。我就是那个发誓要向您报仇的仇人，因为您处死了我的哥哥，夺走了他的财产。我知道您独自一人来看隐士，就决定在您回去的路上杀死您。可是一整天过去了，您没有回来。于是我从埋伏的地方出来找您，却撞上了您的卫兵，他们认出了我，把我打伤了。我从他们那里逃了出来，可要不是您给我包扎伤口，我早就流血死了。我想杀死您，您却救了我的命。现在，如果我能活下来，如果您愿意，我会像您最忠实的奴仆那样侍奉您，还要让我的儿子们也这样做。饶恕我吧！”

The King was very glad to have made peace with his enemy so easily, and to have gained him for a friend, and he not only forgave him, but said he would send his servants and his own physician to attend him, and promised to restore his property.

国王很高兴这样轻易地与仇人和解，还得到了一个朋友，他不但饶恕了他，还说要派自己的仆人和御医来照料他，并答应归还他的财产。

Having taken leave of the wounded man, the King went out into the porch and looked around for the hermit. Before going away he wished once more to beg an answer to the questions he had put. The hermit was outside, on his knees, sowing seeds in the beds that had been dug the day before.

国王辞别了受伤的人，走到门廊上，四下寻找隐士。临走之前，他想再一次请求隐士回答他提出的问题。隐士在外面，跪在地上，往前一天挖好的菜畦里播种。

The King approached him, and said:

国王走到他跟前，说：

‘For the last time, I pray you to answer my questions, wise man.’

“智慧的人，我最后一次请求你回答我的问题。”

‘You have already been answered!’ said the hermit still crouching on his thin legs, and looking up at the King, who stood before him.

“你已经得到回答了！”隐士说，他仍蹲在他那两条细腿上，抬头望着站在面前的国王。

‘How answered? What do you mean?’ asked the King.

“怎么得到回答了？你是什么意思？”国王问。

‘Do you not see,’ replied the hermit. ‘If you had not pitied my weakness yesterday, and had not dug those beds for me, but had gone your way, that man would have attacked you, and you would have repented of not having stayed with me. So the most important time was when you were digging the beds; and I was the most important man; and to do me good was your most important business. Afterwards when that man ran to us, the most important time was when you were attending to him, for if you had not bound up his wounds he would have died without having made peace with you. So he was the most important man, and what you did for him was your most important business. Remember then: there is only one time that is important—Now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power. The most necessary man is he with whom you are, for no man knows whether he will ever have dealings with any one else: and the most important affair is, to do him good, because for that purpose alone was man sent into this life!’

“难道你没看出来吗？”隐士回答。“如果昨天你没有怜悯我的衰弱，没有替我挖这些菜畦，而是自己走了，那个人就会袭击你，你就会后悔没有留在我这里。所以，最重要的时间，就是你挖菜畦的时候；我就是最重要的人；为我做好事，就是你最重要的事。后来，当那个人跑到我们这里，最重要的时间就是你照料他的时候，因为如果你没有给他包扎伤口，他就会没来得及与你和解就死去。所以他就是最重要的人，你为他做的，就是你最重要的事。那么记住吧：只有一个时间是重要的——现在！它之所以最重要，是因为只有在这个时候，我们才有能力做些什么。最必需的人，就是此刻与你在一起的人，因为谁也不知道自己将来是否还会与别的什么人打交道；而最重要的事，就是对他行善，因为人被送到这世上来，就只是为了这个！”

1903.

1903年。