孩子不是我们的。他们属于他们的下一代 -- 犹太寓言有感
三国-1222 10/30 15206
犹太人的智慧,太博大太精深,几千年流亡的日子,也没有抹去这个民族。今天朋友分享了一个犹太寓言。勾起了早就想写的一些东西。
先把这个寓言翻译成中文:
从前,有一只鸟,要带着他的三只雏鸟,飞越一片刮着强风的海。那片海是那么的宽,风是那么的大,鸟父亲不得不一只一只地来,用他强健的爪子,抓住雏鸟。在他到海中央的时候,风越来越强,变成了暴风。
他问爪子里的雏鸟:“我的孩子啊,看看我是如何地挣扎,为了你,我在把自己的性命搭上。你长大以后,我老了,你会为我这个老头子尽一样的力吗?”
雏鸟说:“你必须先把我安全的带过去。等你老了,我就会做所有你要我做的事。”
鸟父亲听到这句话,就松开了爪子,让雏鸟掉进海里淹死了。说道:“对你这个骗子,我必须这样。”
鸟父亲又去带第二只。又问了同样的问题,又得到了同样的回答。于是父亲做了同样的事,让第二个也淹死。眼里噙着泪:“你也是个骗子!”
到了第三只,问到同样的问题的时候,雏鸟说:“我亲爱的父亲,我知道你在为了我而苦苦挣扎,随时会牺牲你自己的生命。在你老的时候,我如果不愿意回报你,一定是错的。可是我却不能立下这个约定。但是我可以向你保证,在我长大有了自己的孩子以后,我会像你对我这样,尽力对待自己的孩子。”
鸟父亲说:“孩子啊,说得好,这才是智慧。我会成全你,把你带到安全的地方。”
-----寓言完------
父亲已经去世很多年了,对他的记忆,许多都开始慢慢模糊了。可是却越来越清楚地记得一幕幕场景,他牵着我的手,告诉我做人的道理。现在,我也正在牵着我两个孩子的手,告诉他们一样的道理。虽然我也没有多少机会“孝顺”我的父亲,我想他的在天之灵,一定是宽慰的。他的后代,虽然没有在他的身边长大,却把他做人的道理,一代一代地传了下去。
孩子不是我们的。他们属于他们的下一代。有他们自己的路要走。
犹太寓言的原文:
A bird once set out to cross a windy sea with its three fledglings. The sea was so wide and the wind so strong, the father bird was forced to carry his young, one by one, in his strong claws. When he was half-way across with the first fledgling, the wind turned to a gale, and he said, "My child, look how I am struggling and risking my life in your behalf. When you are grown up, will you do as much for me and provide for my old age?"
The fledgling replied, "Only bring me to safety, and when you are old I shall do everything you ask of me." Whereat the father bird dropped his child into the sea and it drowned, and he said, "So shall it be done to such a liar as you." Then the father bird returned to shore, set forth with his second fledgling, asked the same question, and receiving the same answer, drowned the second child with the cry, "You, too, are a liar!" Finally he set out with the third fledgling, and when he asked the same question, the third and last fledgling replied, "My dear father it is true you are struggling mightily and risking your life in my behalf, and I shall be wrong not to repay you when you are old, but I cannot bind myself. This though I can promise: when I am grown up and have children of my own, I shall do as much for them as you have done for me." Whereupon the father bird said, "Well spoken, my child, and wisely; your life I will spare and I will carry you to shore in safety."