36. 珍貴的生命 Life Is Precious
- LIFE IS PRECIOUS
Long ago, a man called Wang Dalin lived in Suzhou. All life was precious to him. He bought animals and released them from their cages.
Whenever kids in his village had caught fish or birds or even bugs, he paid them to let these animals go. He told them, “It’s not good to kill. Don’t you see how happy the birds are in the forest? When you catch them, just think how worried their parents are! Look how happy the fish are in the water. They swim back and forth. They are beautiful to watch. Why do you have to catch them and put them to death? You really shouldn’t kill!”
These kids would go home and tell their parents what Wang had told them.Their parents would see the point, too.
Then Wang got sick. He had an incurable disease. The doctors told his family to dig his grave. Just as he was dying, he seemed to hear a god talking to him.He didn’t dare to believe his ears!
The god told him, “Wang Dalin, it is time for you to die. But you have saved many lives, so you have saved your own life, too. You will not die now.”
Wang opened his eyes. “I’m not dead yet!” he told his family. He got out of bed. His disease was gone!
Wang did not die then. He lived to be 97 years old. His children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great- grandchildren all lived together with him in one big, happy family.
Wang was so lucky because he had a kind heart and believed that all life is precious.
- 珍貴的生命
很久以前，蘇州有個叫王大林的人。所有的生命對他來說都非常珍貴。他買下許多動物，把它們從籠子里放出來。
如果他的村子里有小孩抓了魚或者鳥，甚至是一只臭蟲，他都會把這些買下來放走。他告訴孩子們，「殺生是不好的。你看林中鳥兒，是多麼快樂。想想看，你 抓了它們，它們的父母該多麼著急啊！看那水中的魚，是多麼歡快！它們在水里自由地游動，看起來多麼美麗。你們為什麼要把它們抓來殺掉了。你們千萬不能殺生 啊！」
這些孩子回家後，把王大林的話告訴父母。他們的父母也同意他的話。
後來王大林病了，他得了不治之症。醫生叫他的家人準備後事。他臨死時，好像聽到一個神在對他說話。他簡直不敢相信自己的耳朵。
神對他說，「王大林，本來你的死期已至，但是你救了那麼多生命，所以你同時也救了自己的命。你現在還不會死。」
王睜開眼睛。「我居然還沒死！」他對他的家人說。他起了床，他的病也已經不治而愈。
王沒有死，還活到了97歲。他和他的兒子、孫子、曾孫、玄孫在一個大家庭里過著幸福的生活。
王確實很幸運，因為他有一顆善良的心，而且相信所以的生命都一樣珍貴。