12. 成汤的故事

CHENG TANG AND THE NET

3500多年前，中国有一位仁厚而贤明的皇帝，名叫成汤。每年他都要巡视他的疆土，走访所有的国民，看朝廷是否还有未尽之事。　　

　　More than 3,500 years ago, there was a very kind and wise emperor called Cheng Tang. Every year he traveled around his empire to visit all of his people and see if there was anything the government could do for them.

在一个风和日丽的日子，鸟儿欢歌，野兽也喜滋滋地沐浴着阳光。汤帝听到鸟儿欢快的歌声，脸上露出笑容。接着，他看到一张大网散布在野兽足迹所至之处，听到猎人大声地祈祷着：　　

　　One beautiful day, the birds were singing and the beasts were enjoying the nice weather. The Emperor smiled as he heard their pleasant calls. Then he saw huge nets spread where all those animals would get caught. He heard a trapper praying in a loud voice. This is what the trapper prayed：

愿天上所有的鸟儿，　　

　　May all the birds in the sky,

愿地上所有的走兽，　　

　　May all the beasts on the ground,

不管来自东南西北，　　

　　May all the animals from north, east, west and south,

全部进入我的网中，　　

　　Come into my net,

一个也逃不掉！　　

　　Let not one of them escape!

汤帝看到这个贪心而残忍的猎人，觉得心烦意乱，但他毕竟是一个英明的帝王。他没有命令猎人停止打猎，而是亲自拆除了网的三面，只留下一边。　　

　　Emperor Cheng Tang was upset to find such a greedy, heartless trapper, but he was also a very wise monarch. He did not command the trapper to stop hunting. Instead, with his own imperial hands， he took down three sides of the nets, leaving only one side.

猎人不知出了什么事，但又不敢扑上前去打皇帝。随后，他听到成汤大声地祈祷着：　　

　　The trapper wondered what was going on, but he couldn't just go up and punch the Emperor. Then he heard Cheng Tang praying out loud. This is what the Emperor prayed：

所有想从左边走的，请走左边

　　May all who wish to dodge to the left, dodge to the left；

所有想从右边走的，请走右边，　　

　　May all who wish to dodge to right, dodge to the right;

所有想从上方走的，请走上方　　

　　May all who wish to go over the nets, go over the nets;

所有想从下面走的，请走下面。　　

　　May all who wish to duck under the nets, duck under the nets;

只有那些不想继续活下去的，请到网中来。　　

　　Only those who do not wish to live any more may enter my nets.

猎人意识到了自己的自私和贪婪。他把汤帝的仁厚告诉每一个人，人民因而很信任成汤。成汤建立的商朝统治了中国600多年。　　

　　The trapper realized that he had been greedy and mean. He told every one how kind their Emperor was, so all the people trusted Cheng Tang. The dynasty Cheng Tang founded, the Shang, ruled China for over 600 years.