双语阅读｜“Advice from Old People”笃信 家有一老 如有一宝
Advice from Old People
老人的建议
Once in the old times, the young king of the country thought that old people are unnecessary and burden to the country as they are weak and unable to do any productive work. All his courtiers consisted of young people and they agreed with him.
从前古代的时候，有个国家的年轻国王认为老人是多余的，也是国家的负担，因为他们软弱无力，无法从事任何富有成效的工作。他所有朝臣都是年轻人，他们都赞同国王。
Soon King passed an order that all people above sixty must be killed as they have already lived their lifetime. So all the old people in the country were killed.
不久国王通过了一条命令，所有60岁以上的人都必须被杀掉，因为他们已度过一生。所以这个国家的所有老人都被杀了。
In the country lived a young man who had great respect and love for his father and he didn’t want him to get killed. So before the soldier came he hid his father into a cellar.
有一个年轻人在这个国家，他非常尊重和爱他的父亲，他不希望父亲被杀。所以在士兵来之前，他把父亲藏进了地窖里。
After some years a terrible drought overtook a country and people had to suffer from troubles and sickness. Famine was so severe that even stores of food grains were fully exhausted and not a single grain of seed was left to sow in the land.
几年后，一场可怕的旱灾降临这个国家，人们不得不忍受困苦和疾病。饥荒非常严重，甚至粮食储存都已完全耗尽，而且没有一粒种子留下来播种。
Everyone in the country looked worried but no one could think of anything to better country situation.
这个国家的每个人看起来都很焦虑，但没有人能想出改善现状的办法。
Young man who hid his father. used to go his father for advice whenever anything troubled him. So even this time he went to his father and told him about the situation. Old man thought for a while and said, “Don’t worry. Take your plow and plow up the path in front of our house and then rake it over.”
帮父亲藏起来的那个年轻人，每当有什么事情困扰他时，他都会去听取父亲的建议。同样这次他去找父亲并告之了情况。老人想了一会儿说：“别担心。拿起你的犁耙，在我们家前面的路上犁，然后再翻过来。“
Young man did the same. After the rain came sprouts of wheat started to come out of that plowed area. Young man was surprised to see that even without sowing any seed sprouts came out.
于是年轻人这样做了。雨后，小麦芽开始从那个犁过的地方冒了出来。年轻人惊讶地发现，即使不播种任何种子，芽也发了出来。
Everyone around him noticed sprouted ground. King came to know about it and called young man to his court to know about his secret.
周围的每个人都注意到了发芽的地面。国王开始打听情况，并把年轻人叫到庭前，当面了解他的秘密。
Young man hesitated and then told the king that his father advised him to do so. King was shocked to know that as according to rule all old man were to be killed in the country. King called the old man to his court as he wanted to ask a secret for this.
年轻人犹豫了一下，然后告诉国王说，是他的父亲建议他这样做。国王知道后很震惊，依律令本国所有的老人都要被杀。国王把老人叫到了他的朝庭，因为他想揭开真相。
Old man came and told him, “Your Majesty, wheat sprouted there because I knew from my experience that people used to carry crop on that way and some seed must have dropped on the ground on their way.
老人过来了并对他说，“陛下，小麦会在那里萌芽，因为根据我的经验，以前人们常常在那条路上搬运农作物，必然会有一些种子中途掉落在地上。
I was quite sure that some seed may be lying underneath and if plow we can get some sprouts and same happened.”
我很确定一些种子会埋在下面，如果犁地，就会让一些种子发芽。“
Listening to this king realized his mistake and understood that how much an old person’s experience matter and their wise advice can help young to overcome the difficult situation.
听到这，国王顿觉自己的错误，并明白了，老人的经历对年轻人而言是多么重要，他们明智的建议可以帮助年轻人克服困难。
After this incident, the people of that country did not kill their old people. They loved and respected them. The treated them as a valuable treasure for the nation.
在这次事件之后，该国人民没有再杀他们的老人。他们爱戴并尊重他们。珍视他们为国家的宝贵财富。
Moral:
Old people are Store-house of knowledge and their wisdom and experience help us to come over crises and difficulties. We must Respect and Love them.
道德：
老人是知识的宝藏，他们的智慧和经验帮助我们克服危机和困难。我们必须尊重和爱戴他们。
Give them the feeling that We look forward to them for their advice and guidance in life. Make them feel wanted, respect, and cared for. We should keep your elders well and earn their blessing in life.
应该让他们感到，我们是如此期待他们生活上的建议和指教。让他们感到被需要，被尊重，被爱和关心。我们应该照顾长辈周全，并可以得到他们的祝福。
文末彩蛋：
生命意在智慧与爱中生长
家有一老如有一宝，老人常言自己走过桥比孩子们走过的路还多，吃过的盐比年轻人吃过的饭还多。实事的确如此，没有半点偏差，有些事是必须经历过才能得到真正成长、成熟，特别是经历过人生的逆境中积累的宝贵经验；有些知识只有实践后才能得到切实的解答，年轻人走的路老人们都走过，这就是为什么他们叫过来人，也是为什么我们应该多听听长辈意见的道理。