智慧背囊 浮华背后-14-乞丐和吝啬鬼
爱惜财富，是对自己劳动的尊重；如果把财产看得终于一切，高于一切，那就是让财产占有了自己。当一个人，被财产占有时，他就没有了世人的情感和爱心，没有了由爱而来的幸福。人们只会说：看，这个有钱人真可怜。
One day, an old beggar went to the village. He knocked at the door of a rich man to beg for food. This was a big house and at the side was built a granary with a big padlock. The owner of the house was a miser and he was known for never helping anyone.
The beggar was aware of his reputation but still pleaded, "Will you give me a bit of butter or milk?"
The miser said impatiently, "No! Go away at once!"
"Perhaps you can sweep out for me a bit of grain or beans," the hungry beggar continued.
"There isn't anything in my house!"
"How about a little bit of bread?" the beggar insisted. "Only a mouthful of food and I will be very grateful."
"Go away! I don't have bread!"
"How about some water? I am thirsty."
"I don't have water."
The beggar then said sadly to him, "My friend, why are you here? You should go to some kind-hearted folk to beg for food because you are poorer than anybody else."
The miser in this story is really wealthy in a material sense, but he is extremely poor in a moral sense. Rich people without compassion and conscience are not welcome in the society. They are likely to maintain temporary wealth but not everlasting wealth. So at the same time we feed our stomach, don't forget to feed our soul.
一天，一个老乞丐来到一个熟悉的村子里。他敲上了一个富人家的门，想跟他讨点儿东西吃。
这是一座又高又大的房子，旁边有一个很大的谷仓，门上挂着一把大铁锁。这户人家的主人是个吝啬鬼，他从来不肯帮助别人。他的吝啬在方圆几百里内是出了名的。
乞丐也知道他这种吝啬的狼藉名声，但还是乞求他：“您能不能给我一点黄油或牛奶？”
吝啬鬼不耐烦地说：“不行！快给我滚开！”
“或许，您还能扫出一把麦子或黄豆呢？” 饥饿的乞丐又说道 。
“我家里什么也没有！”
“那就请您给我一小块面包吧，”乞丐坚持道，“哪怕是给我一口饭吃，我都会对您感激不尽的。”
“滚开！我没有面包！”
“那给我一口水喝，行吗，我太渴了！”
“我没有水！”
然后，乞丐悲哀地对这个吝啬鬼说：“我的朋友，那你还呆在这里干什么？你应该去找一些善良的人们讨些饭吃吧，因为你比谁都要穷！”
故事中的吝啬鬼在物质方面确实是富有的，但在精神方面却是穷得可怜。没有同情心和良知的富人在社会中是不会受到欢迎的。或许他们会赢得一时的财富，但这种财富最终昙花一现，不会长久。所以，在填饱肚子的同时，一定别忘了丰实我们的心灵。
注释：
1. granary n. 谷仓；粮仓
2. padlock n. 挂锁
3. miser n. 吝啬鬼
4. reputation n. 声誉，名誉
5. plead vt. 恳求
6. impatiently adv. 不耐烦地
7. sweep out 扫除
8. bean n. 豆子
9. insist v.坚持要求
10. mouthful n. 一口的量
11. grateful adj. 感激的；表示谢意的
12. folk n. 人们
13. compassion n. 同情
14. conscience n. 良心
15. temporary adj. 暂时的
16. everlasting adj. 永远的，永久的
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