三棵树

 

 

 

费迎晓，魏施福乐  译

 

 

 

我听过一个故事：

从前，在森林里有三棵树，各自谈着自己的愿望。

第一棵树说：“我愿以后被人砍下，做成最宏伟的宫殿，给国王住。”

第二棵树说：“我愿被人砍下后，做成一只大船，周游世界各地，增长无穷的见闻。”

轮到第三棵树，他想了一想，说：“不！我不愿意被人砍下，我要一直长一直长，”他抬头看着辽远的天空，“长得好高好高，长成世界上最高最高的大树。”

 

时间，一天一天地过去了。

有一天，森林里来了三个伐木人。

他们把第一棵树砍下，做了一个马槽。

第一棵树失望极了。

他们把第二棵树也砍下，做成一只小船。

第二棵树也很伤心。

现在，轮到第三棵树了。

伐木人的手，并没有留情，他们把第三棵树也砍下来了。

他们把它锯成两半之后，不知该做什么，于是就把它丢在仓库里，任它腐烂、发霉。

第三棵树只得独自叹息。

 

有一天，一个婴孩出生了，他们把他放入了那个马槽。

婴孩长大了，有一天跟一个叫彼得的渔夫说：“我们上船吧。”他们上了那条小船。

最后，当人们要把这个长大了的婴孩钉死时，他们终于想起了仓库里的两根木条。

要做宫殿给国王住的树，没有如愿以偿。不过，它的躯体，小小的马槽，承载了万王之王。

要做大船的树也没能周游世界，但是，它装载了真理的声音，四处传扬。

要做最高最高的大树的树，更没有如愿以偿。然而，每当人们仰望十架，就能同时看到它荣美的躯干，直指天庭……

有时候，一个东西的价值，绝不仅仅是它外在的身份。

往往，因为上帝的美意，事物所承载的价值远远超过事物本身！

 

作者来自北京，现于新加坡工作。

 

 

A TALE OF THREE TREES

 

Once there were three trees standing in the forest, and they began sharing their hopes and dreams with each other. The first tree declared,”I would be willing to be cut down, if I could be built into a magnificent palace for the king.” The second tree said, “I would be prepared to be felled, if only I might be built into a great ship, to sail the four seas and bring about the expansion of limitless horizons.” When it came to the third tree, it pondered for a while and then announced,”Never! I do not wish to be chopped down by any human being. Rather I want to grow and grow.” Then it lifted its branches high and gazed far into the distant skyline. “I dream of growing and stretching my branches so high, that I would become the loftiest and tallest of all trees on the earth!”

Time passed on, and the months flowed into years. Then one day there appeared in the forest three woodcutters. They took their equipment and brought the first tree to the ground. Then it was built into a manger, which was a great disappointment. Next, the second tree was also cut down, and afterwards was made into a small boat. It too felt great distress and sadness to realize how far this was from what it had dreamed. Now they came to the third tree. The woodcutters did not spare that either, but cut it down to the ground. From it they cut two large timbers, and not having immediate use for them, they cast them to one side where they withered and even began to mold. The third tree pined away, alone and forgotten.

Then one day, a tiny infant was born into the world, and they laid him in the manger. That little baby grew into a man, and one day called out to a man named Peter, “Let’s go out together in your boat.” And together they climbed into it and launched out into the waters. Finally the time came when the people were preparing to crucify this baby who had grown up, and they remembered the timbers they had cast away.

So it came about that the tree that had wished to become a palace for the king did not have its wish fulfilled, but instead was formed into a manger in which slept the King of Kings. The tree that had dreamed of becoming a great ship never sailed to the ends of the earth, but it had a part in spreading the truth of the gospel everywhere. Neither did the tree that desired to become greatest of all trees in the forest ever see its wish fulfilled. But through the years, whenever people behold the cross, they see its glory, pointing to heaven..

Let us remember then, that the worth of a thing is not found in its own identity, but in God’s plan its significance can far exceed anything that could have been envisioned!