新编大学英语第一册unitTextBEliasAParable

1、Elias:AParableAtonetimetheelderlycouplehadbeenthewealthiestintheregion,nowtheyweremerelyservantswhohadnothingbuteachother.1IntheProvinceofOufatherelivedamannamedElias.Hisfatherdiedayearafterhemarried,andlefthimapoorman.AtthattimeEliasspropertyconsistedonlyofsevenmares,twocows,andtwentysheep,butnowth

2、athehadbecomemasterhebegantobetterhimself.Heandhiswifeworkedhardfrommorningtillnightforthirtyyears,growingrichereachyear.2Eliashadtwosonsandadaughter,allofwhomhedulymarriedoff.Inthedaysofhispovertyhissonshadworkedwithhim。butwhentheybecamerich,theybegantoindulgeinfoolishpleasures.Oneofthem,inparticul

3、ar,begantodrinktoexcess.Eventuallytheelderofthetwowaskilledinafight,andtheotherone,becausehedisobeyedhisfather,wasturnedout.3Eliasturnedhimout,butatthesametimehegavehimahouseandcattle.Hisownwealthwasthusdiminishedinproportion.4Soonafterwardshissheepbecameinfectedwithdisease,andmanyofthemdied.Next,th

4、erewasayearofdrought,whennohaygrew,sothatmanycattlestarvedtodeathduringthefollowingwinter.Thenthe1/5Khirgizescameandstolethebestofhishorses,andhispropertywasdiminishedevenmore.Bythetimehehadreachedhisseventiethyear,allthepropertylefttohimconsistedoftheclothesonhisbodyandhiswife,ShamShemagi,whowasaso

5、ldashimself.Thesonwhomhehadturnedouthadgonetoadistantland,andhisdaughterwasdead。sothattherewasnoonelefttohelptheoldpeople.5Howeveraformerneighboroftheirs,namedMuhamedshah,feltsorryforthem.Hewasneitherrichnorpoor,butlivedplainlyandwasarespectableman.RememberingthedayswhenhehadbeenaguestinthehouseofEl

6、ias,heaskedthecoupletocomeandlivewithhimanddosomeworkforhimiftheyliked.Eliasthankedhisgoodneighbor,andwentwithhisoldwifetoliveintheserviceofMuhamedshah.Atfirstitgrievedthemtodoso。butintimetheygotusedtoit,andsettleddowntolivethereandtoworkasmuchastheirstrengthpermitted.6Itsuitedtheirmastertohavethemi

7、nhisservice,sincetheoldpeoplehadbeeninauthoritythemselves,andsoknewhowtodothings.Moreover,theywereneverlazy,butworkedthebesttheyknew.YetMuhamedshahusedtofeelsorrytoseepeopleformerlysohighintheworldnowreducedtosuchadifficultsituation.7OnedaysomeofMuhamedshahsfriendscametovisithim.Whentheguestslearned

8、thatElias,oncethewealthiestmanintheregion,wasmerelyaservantofthe2/5host,theyweresosurprisedthattheyaskedthecoupleabouttheirformerlife.8Oldman,saidoneoftheguests,tellmewhetheritgrievesyounowasyoulookuponustorememberyourformerfortunesandyourpresentlifeofmisery?9Eliassmiledandanswered:IfIweretospeaktoy

9、ouofourhappinessormiseryyoumightnotbelieveme.Youshouldratheraskmywife.Shehasbothawomansheartandawomanstongue,andwilltellyouthewholetruthaboutthatmatter.10Thentheguestcalledtotheoldwomanwhowasseatedbehindthecurtain:Tellme,oldwoman,whatyouthinkconcerningyourformerhappinessandyourpresentmisery.11AndSha

10、mShemagiansweredfrombehindthecurtain:ThisiswhatIthinkconcerningthem.Ilivedwithmyhusbandforfiftyyearsseekinghappiness,andneverfindingit。butnow,althoughweliveasservants,andthisisonlythesecondyearsincewewereleftpoor,wehavefoundtruehappiness,anddesirenoother.12Boththeguestsandtheirhostweresurprisedatthi

11、sthelatter,indeed,somuchsothatherosetohisfeettodrawasidethecurtainandlookattheoldwoman.Thereshestoodherhandsfoldedinfrontofher,andasmileuponherface,asshegazedatheroldhusbandandhesmiledbackatherinreturn.Thenshewenton:Iamtellingyouthetruth,Iamnotjoking.Forhalfacenturywesought3/5happinessandneverfoundi

12、tsolongaswewererich。yetnowthatwehavenothingnowthatwehavecometoliveamonghumblefolkwehavefoundsuchhappinessascouldneverbeexceeded.13Where,then,doesyourhappinesslie?askedtheguest.14WhenwewererichmyhusbandandIhadsomanycaresthatwehadnotimetotalktooneanother,orthinkofoursouls,orpraytoGod.Ifguestswerewithu

13、swewerefullyoccupiedinthinkinghowtoentertainthem.Moreover,whenguestshadarrivedwehadtheirservantstolookafter.Inaddition,weconstantlyworriedlestawolfkilloneofourfowlsorcalves,orthievesdriveoffthehorses.Welayawakeatnightworrying,lesttheewesshouldlieontheirlambs,andwegotupagainandagaintoseethatallwaswel

14、l.Whenweretiredtorest,wewouldfindourselvesfilledwithfreshanxietiesastohowtogetfodderforthewinter,andsoon.Moreover,myhusbandandIcouldneveragree.Hewouldsaythatathingmustbedoneinthisway,andIthatitmustbedoneinthatandsowewouldbegintoquarrel.Thelifeledusonlyfromworrytoworry,butnevertohappiness.15Buthowisi

15、tnow?askedtheguest.16Now,repliedtheoldwoman,whenmyhusbandandIriseinthemorning,wealwaysgreeteachotherinloveandharmony.Welive4/5peacefully,havingnothingtoworryabout.Ouronlycareishowbesttoservethemaster.Weworkaccordingtoourstrength,andwithagoodwill,sothatthemasterprofitsfromourwork.Then,whenwecomein,wefinddinnerandsupperreadyforus.Wheneveritiscoldwehavefueltowarmusandsheepskincoatstowear.Moreover,wehavetimetotalktooneanother,tothinkaboutoursouls,andtopraytoGod.Forfi