《护身符》，1836 年
the talisman, 1836
一对王子和公主仍在庆祝他们的蜜月。
A prince and a princess were still celebrating their honeymoon.
他们极其幸福；只有一个念头困扰着他们，那就是如何保持他们目前的幸福。
they were extremely happy; only one thought disturbed them, and that was how to retain their present happiness.
为此，他们希望拥有一个护身符，来保护自己免受婚姻中的任何不幸。
For that reason they wished to own a talisman with which to protect themselves against any unhappiness in their marriage.
他们经常听说森林里住着一位智者，他广受大家赞誉，每当人们遇到困难或需要建议时，都会去找他。
Now, they had often been told about a man who lived out in the forest, acclaimed by everybody for his wisdom and known for his good advice in every need and difficulty.
于是王子和公主拜访了他，并告诉他他们心中的愿望。
So the prince and princess called upon him and told him about their heart’s desire.
听完他们的诉说后，智者说道：“你们环游世界，每遇到一对完全幸福的夫妻，就向他们要一块贴身穿的衣服碎片。拿到碎片后，你们必须一直随身带着它。这是万无一失的解决办法！”
After the wise man had listened to them he said, “travel through every country in the world, and wherever you meet a pletely happily married couple, ask them for a small piece of the linen they wear close to the body, and when you receive this, you must always carry it on you. that is a sure remedy!”
王子和公主启程出发了，一路上他们很快就听说了一位骑士和他的妻子，据说他们过着最幸福的婚姻生活。
the prince and the princess rode forth, and on their way they soon heard of a knight and his wife who were said to be living the most happily married life.
他们去了骑士的城堡，问他和他的妻子他们的婚姻是否真的像传闻中那样幸福。
they went to the knight’s castle and asked him and his wife if their marriage was truly as happy as was rumored.
“是的，当然幸福，”他们回答说，“唯一的遗憾是我们没有孩子！”
“Yes, of course,” was the answer, “with the one exception that we have no children!”
结果他们并没有找到护身符，于是王子和公主继续他们的旅程，去寻找完全幸福的夫妻。
here then the talisman was not to be found, and the prince and princess continued their journey in search of the pletely happily married couple.
他们继续前行，来到了一个国家，听说那里住着一位诚实的市民，他和妻子过着完全和睦幸福的生活。
As they traveled on, they came to a country where they heard of an honest citizen who lived in perfect unity and happiness with his wife.
于是他们去找他，问他的婚姻是否真的像人们说的那样幸福。
So to him they went, and asked if he really was as happily married as people said.
“是的，我是。” 那个人回答道。
“Yes, I am,” answered the man.
“我和我的妻子相处得非常融洽，唯一的遗憾是我们有太多的孩子，他们给我们带来了许多烦恼和悲伤！”
“my wife and I live in perfect harmony; if only we didn’t have so many children, for they give us a lot of worries and sorrows!”
所以他这里也没有护身符，王子和公主继续在这个国家旅行，总是询问幸福的夫妻，但一直没有找到。
So neither with him was the talisman to be found, and the prince and the princess continued their journey through the country, always inquiring about happily married couples; but none presented themselves.
有一天，当他们骑马穿过田野和草地时，注意到路边有一个牧羊人正在愉快地吹着长笛。
one day, as they rode along fields and meadows, they noticed a shepherd close by the road, cheerfully playing his flute.
就在这时，一个女人怀里抱着一个孩子，手里牵着一个小男孩向他走来。
Just then a woman carrying a child in her arm, and holding a little boy by the hand, walked towards him.
牧羊人一看到她，就向她打招呼，接过小孩，亲吻并抚摸着他。
As soon as the shepherd saw her, he greeted her and took the little child, whom he kissed and caressed.
牧羊人的狗跑向男孩，舔着他的小手，欢快地叫着跳着。
与此同时，女人摆好了带来的饭菜，然后说：“爸爸，过来吃饭吧！”男人坐下来开始吃饭，但他第一口先喂给了抱着的孩子，第二口则分给了小男孩和狗。
In the meantime the woman arranged a meal she had brought along, and then said, “Father, e and eat now!” the man sat down and took of the food, but the first bite he gave to the little boy, and the second he divided between the boy and the dog.
这一切都被王子和公主看到了，他们走近他们，对他们说：“你们一定是一对非常幸福的夫妻。”
All this was observed by the prince and the princess, who walked closer, and spoke to them, saying, “You must be a truly happily married couple.”
“是的，我们是。” 男人说。“感谢上帝；没有哪个王子或公主能比我们更幸福！”
“Yes, that we are,” said the man. “God be praised; no prince or princess could be happier than we are!”
“现在听我说，”王子说道，“帮我们一个忙，你们绝不会后悔的。给我们一块你们贴身穿的衣服碎片吧！”
“Now listen then,” said the prince. “do us a favor, and you shall never regret it. Give us a small piece of the linen garment you wear close to your body!”
他说这话时，牧羊人和他的妻子奇怪地相互看了一眼，最后他说：“上帝知道，如果我们有的话，我们很乐意给你们，不仅是一块小碎片，而是整件衬衫或内衣，但我们连一块破布都没有！”
As he spoke, the shepherd and his wife looked strangely at each other, and finally he said, “God knows we would be only too happy to give you not only a small piece, but the whole shirt, or undergarment, if we only had them, but we own not as much as a rag!”
于是王子和公主继续前行，他们的任务没有完成。
So the prince and the princess journeyed on, their mission unacplished.
最后，他们徒劳的游历让他们感到沮丧，他们决定回家。
Finally, their unsuccessful roaming discouraged them, and they decided to return home.
当他们经过智者的小屋时，他们停下来，讲述了他们所有的旅行经历，并责备他给了他们如此糟糕的建议。
As they passed the wise man’s hut, they stopped by, related all their travel experiences, and reproached him for giving them such poor advice.
听到这里，智者微笑着说：“你们的旅行真的白费了吗？你们不是带着更丰富的知识回来了吗？”
At that the wise man smiled and said, “has your trip really been all in vain? Are you not returning richer in knowledge?”
“是的，”王子回答道，“我学到了这一点：知足在这个世界上是一种难得的礼物。”
“Yes,” answered the prince, “I have gained this knowledge, that contentment is a rare gift on this earth.”
“而我学到了，”公主说，“要知足，一个人只需要——简单地知足就够了！”
“And I have learned,” said the princess, “that to be contented, one needs nothing more than simply - to be contented!”
这时，王子牵起了公主的手，他们深情地相互对视着，眼中充满了深深的爱意。
whereupon the prince took the princess’ hand; they looked at each other with an expression of deepest love.
智者祝福他们并说：“在你们自己的心中，你们已经找到了真正的护身符！好好守护它，永不满足的邪恶之灵将永远不会再对你们产生任何影响！”
And the wise man blessed them and said, “In your own hearts you have found the true talisman! Guard it carefully, and the evil spirit of discontentment shall never in all eternity have any power over you!”
[上帝永远不会死]
《上帝永远不会死》，1836 年
God can Never die, 1836
那是一个星期天的早晨。
It was a Sunday morning.
阳光明亮而温暖地照进房间，温和清新的空气从敞开的窗户流进来。
the sun shone brightly and warmly into the room, as the air, mild and refreshing, flowed through the open window.
在上帝的蓝天下，田野和草地覆盖着绿色和花朵，所有的小鸟都在欢唱。
And out under God’s blue heaven, where fields and meadows were covered with greens and flowers, all the little birds rejoiced.
然而，当外面处处充满欢乐和满足时，房子里却充满了悲伤和痛苦。
while joy and contentment were everywhere outside, in the house lived sorrow and misery.
即使是平时总是心情愉快的妻子，那个早晨也坐在早餐桌旁，神情沮丧；最后她站起来，一口食物都没吃，擦干眼睛，向门口走去。
Even the wife, who otherwise always was in good spirits, sat that morning at the breakfast table with a downcast expression; finally she arose, without having touched a bite of her food, dried her eyes, and walked toward the door.
这个房子似乎真的被诅咒了。
It really seemed as if there were a curse hanging over this house.
生活成本很高，食物供应很少；税收变得越来越重；年复一年，家庭财产越来越贬值，现在最后除了贫穷和痛苦，没有什么可期待的了。
the cost of living was high, the food supply low; taxes had bee heavier and heavier; year after year the household belongings had depreciated more and more, and now at last there was nothing to look forward to but poverty and misery.
长期以来，这一切都让丈夫感到沮丧，他一直是一个勤劳守法的公民；现在对未来的想法让他充满绝望；是的，很多次他甚至威胁要结束他悲惨而绝望的存在。
For a long time all this had depressed the husband, who always had been a hard-working and law-abiding citizen; now the thought of the future filled him with despair; yes, many times he even threatened to end his miserable and hopeless existence.
无论是他性格开朗的妻子的安慰话，还是朋友的世俗或精神建议，都没有帮助他；这些只是让他更加沉默和悲伤。
Neither the forting words of his good-humored wife nor the worldly or spiritual counsel of his friends had helped him; these had only made him more silent and sorrowful.
很容易理解，他可怜的妻子最终也失去了勇气。
It is easy to understand that his poor wife finally should lose her courage, too.
然而，她悲伤还有另一个原因，我们很快就会听到。
however, there was quite another reason for her sadness, which we soon shall hear.
当丈夫看到妻子也很悲伤并想离开房间时，他拦住她说：“你不告诉我你怎么了，我就不让你走！”
when the husband saw that his wife also grieved and wanted to leave the room, he stopped her and said, “I won’t let you go until you have told me what is wrong with you!”
沉默片刻后，她叹了口气说：“哦，我亲爱的丈夫，我昨晚梦见上帝死了，所有的天使都跟着他去了他的坟墓！”
After a moment of silence, she sighed and said, “oh, my dear husband, I dreamed last night that God was dead, and that all the angels followed him to his grave!”
“你怎么能相信或想这样愚蠢的事情！” 丈夫回答道。
“how can you believe or think such foolish stuff!” answered the husband.
“你当然知道，上帝永远不会死！”
“You know, of course, that God can never die!”
善良的妻子脸上闪耀着幸福的光芒，她深情地握住丈夫的双手，喊道：“那么我们亲爱的上帝还活着！”
the good wife’s face sparkled with happiness, and as she affectionately squeezed both her husband’s hands, she exclaimed, “then our dear God is still alive!”
“为什么，当然。” 丈夫说。
“why, of course,” said the husband.
“你怎么会怀疑呢！”
“how could you ever doubt it!”
然后她拥抱了他，用充满爱意的眼神看着他，表达着信心、平静和幸福，她说：“但是，我亲爱的丈夫，如果上帝还活着，我们为什么不相信他、信任他呢！他数过我们头上的每一根头发；没有一根头发在他不知道的情况下丢失。他给田野里的百合花穿上衣服；他喂养麻雀和乌鸦。”
then she embraced him, and looked at him with loving eyes, expressing confidence, peace, and happiness, as she said, “but, my dear husband, if God is still alive, why do we not believe and trust in him! he has counted every hair on our heads; not a single one is lost without his knowledge. he clothes the lilies in the field; he feeds the sparrows and the ravens.”
当她说这些话时，仿佛一层面纱从他眼前揭开，仿佛一个沉重的负担从他心中落下。
It was as if a veil lifted from his eyes and as if a heavy load fell from his heart when she spoke these words.
他好久以来第一次笑了，感谢他亲爱的、虔诚的妻子对他耍的小把戏，通过这个小把戏，她恢复了他对上帝的信仰，重新建立了他的信任。
he smiled for the first time in a long while, and thanked his dear, pious wife for the trick she had played on him, through which she had revived his belief in God and restored his trust.
房间里，阳光更加亲切地照在幸福的人们脸上；微风轻拂着他们微笑的脸颊，鸟儿们更加欢快地歌唱，向上帝表达衷心的感谢。
And in the room the sun shone even more friendly on the happy people’s faces; a gentle breeze caressed their smiling cheeks, and the birds sang even louder their heartfelt thanks to God.