生命中的四个爱人(The lives of four wives)(2)

　　he then asked the 2nd wife, “i always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out. now i need your help again. when i die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “i’m sorry, i can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “at the very most, i can only send you to your grave.” the answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

　　他再转向二老婆，问道：“我过去常常求助于你，你也总能为我排忧解难。现在我想再请你帮一次忙。我死后，你愿意随我而去，与我相伴吗?”“很抱歉，这一次我帮不了你，”她说，“我最多只能让你入土为安。”这句话犹如晴天霹雳，商人彻底绝望了。

　　then a voice called out: “i’ll leave with you. i’ll follow you no matter where you go.” the merchant looked up and there was his first wife. she was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition. greatly grieved, the merchant said, “i should have taken much better care of you while i could have!”

　　这时，旁边传来一个声音：“我愿意随你一同离去。无论你到哪里，我都会跟着你。”商人抬起头，看到了自己的大老婆。她是那么消瘦，一副营养不良的样子。商人悲痛万分，他说：“我过去就应该好好地珍惜你啊!”

　　actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

　　其实，我们每个人的一生都有四位爱人相伴。

　　the 4th wife is our body. no matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it’ll leave us when we die.

　　小老婆代表我们的躯体。无论我们花费多少的时间和精力想去装扮她，我们死后它终会弃我们而去。

　　our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. when we die, they all go to others.

　　第三位老婆代表财产、地位与金钱。一旦我们撒手西去，它终究会转向他人。

　　the 2nd wife is our family and friends. no matter how close they had been there for us when we’re alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

　　二老婆则代表了我们的家人与朋友。我们活着的时候，无论他们与我们多么亲近，他们最多也只能到墓前送我们最后一程。

　　the 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

　　至于大老婆，她则是我们的灵魂。当我们沉迷于追求物质、金钱或感官享受的时候，她常常会被遗忘在一旁。

　　guess what? it is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re on our deathbed to lament.

　　结果呢?她才是唯一与我们永远相伴的。也许从现在开始，我们就应该悉心照顾好她，而不是等到临终之际才悔恨不已。