英语绘本 ▏每日一读之《塞翁失马 焉知非福 A Blessing In Disguise》

在战国时期有一位老人，大家都叫他塞翁。

During the Warring States Period, there was an old man, and everyone called him Sai Weng.

他非常喜欢马，家里也养了许多马。有一天，他发现少了一匹马。好几天过去了，怎么也找不着。

He loved horses very much, and he also raised many horses. One day, he found that one of his horses was missing. Several days passed, and he couldn't find it.

邻居们听到这事，都来安慰他。塞翁感谢大家的安慰，于是笑了笑对大家说说：“没准呀，这是一件好事呢。”

When the neighbors heard about this, they all came to comfort him. Sai Weng thanked everyone for their comfort, so he smiled and said to everyone: "Maybe, this is a good thing."

邻居听了塞翁的话，却觉得好笑。马丢了，明明是件坏事，可是塞翁他却认为也许是好事，显然是自我安慰而已。

The neighbors listened to Sai Weng's words, but they found it funny. The horse was lost, which was obviously a bad thing, but Sai Weng thought it might be a good thing, which was obviously just self-consolation.

过了没几天，塞翁的那匹马儿，不仅自己跑回家，还带回另一匹骏马呢。

After a few days, Sai Weng's horse not only ran back home by itself, but also brought back another horse.

邻居听说马自己回来了，都感觉非常的惊讶，于是就向塞翁道贺说：“还是您老有远见，马不仅没有丢，还带回一匹好马，真是好福气呀。”

When the neighbors heard that the horse had returned by itself, they were very surprised, so they congratulated Sai Weng and said, "You are still far-sighted. Not only did you not lose the horse, but you also brought back a good horse. It's really a blessing."

塞翁听了邻居的祝贺，反到一点高兴的样子都没有，忧虑地说：“哎，白白得了一匹好马，不一定是什么福气，也许惹出什么麻烦来呢。” 

After hearing the congratulations from his neighbors, Sai Weng did not look happy at all. He said worriedly, "Alas, getting a good horse for nothing is not necessarily a blessing. Maybe it will cause some trouble."

邻居们这时候又觉得心里不舒服了，塞翁心里明明高兴，却有意不说出来，还说什么会有麻烦。

The neighbors felt uncomfortable again at this time. Sai Weng was obviously happy in his heart, but he deliberately did not say it out, and said that there would be trouble.

塞翁有个独生子，非常喜欢骑马。

Sai Weng had an only son who loved riding horses very much.

一天，他跟往常一样去骑马出门，可是不知道怎么回事，在马儿飞奔的时候从马背上跌下来，摔断了腿。

One day, he went out riding as usual, but for some reason, he fell off the horse's back when the horse was galloping and broke his leg.

这次好心的邻居们听说，便纷纷都来安慰塞翁。

This time, the kind-hearted neighbors heard about it and came to comfort Sai Weng.

塞翁说：“谢谢大家的好意了，但是这也没什么，腿摔断了却保住性命，或许是福气呢。”

Sai Weng said, "Thank you for your kindness, but it's nothing. I broke my leg but saved my life. Maybe it's a blessing."

这一次，邻居们觉得他又在胡言乱语。因为大家实在想不出，摔断腿会带来什么福气。

This time, the neighbors thought he was talking nonsense again. Because no one could think of what blessing a broken leg would bring.

不久之后，敌人攻打过来了，村里的青年人都被应征入伍，可是唯独塞翁的儿子因为摔断了腿，不能去当兵。

Soon after, the enemy attacked and all the young people in the village were conscripted into the army, but only Sai Weng's son could not serve in the army because he broke his leg.

在残酷的战争中，好多人为了国家在战场与敌人厮杀，不是受了伤就是丢了性命，

In the cruel war, many people fought with the enemy on the battlefield for the country, either injured or lost their lives, 

而塞翁的儿子却因为摔断了腿而保全了性命。

But Sai Weng's son saved his life because of a broken leg.

这个故事后来演变成了一句成语叫做:塞翁失马，焉知非福！

This story later evolved into an idiom called: A blessing in disguise! 

它告诉我们，好事与坏事，有利与不利，不是绝对不变的，一时虽然受到损失，也许反而因此能得到好处呢。

It tells us that good and bad things, advantages and disadvantages, are not absolutely unchanging. Although you suffer losses for a while, you may get benefits from it.