智者第欧根尼

在希腊的科林斯，住着一位非常有智慧的人，名字叫第欧根尼。人们从全国各地赶来，想要见见他，听他说话。

At Corinth, in Greece, there lived a very wise man whose name was Diogenes. Men came from all parts of the land to see him and hear him talk.

不过，虽然他很有智慧，却有一些非常古怪的习惯。他认为人不应该拥有超过自己真正需要的东西；他还说，其实人需要的并不多。

But wise as he was, he had some very queer ways. He did not believe that any man ought to have more things than he really needed; and he said that no man needed much.

因此，他不住在房子里，而是睡在一个木桶里，还常常把桶从一个地方滚到另一个地方。他白天就坐在阳光下，给身边的人讲一些很有智慧的话。

And so he did not live in a house, but slept in a tub or barrel, which he rolled about from place to place. He spent his days sitting in the sun, and saying wise things to those who were around him.

有一天中午，有人看见第欧根尼打着一盏点亮的灯笼走在街上，一边走一边四处张望，好像在找什么东西。

At noon one day, Diogenes was seen walking through the streets with a lighted lantern, and looking all around as if in search of something.

“太阳这么大，你为什么还拿着灯笼呢？”有人问他。

“Why do you carry a lantern when the sun is shining?” some one said.

“我在找诚实的人。”第欧根尼回答说。

“I am looking for an honest man,” answered Diogenes.

当亚历山大大帝来到科林斯时，城里所有最重要的人物都跑出来迎接他、赞扬他。但是第欧根尼没有去；然而在所有人当中，亚历山大真正在意的，只有第欧根尼的想法。

When Alexander the Great went to Corinth, all the foremost men in the city came out to see him and to praise him. But Diogenes did not come; and he was the only man for whose opinions Alexander cared.

所以，既然这位智者不肯来见国王，国王就亲自去见这位智者。他在一个偏僻的地方找到了第欧根尼，第欧根尼正躺在他木桶旁边的地上，享受着温暖的阳光。

And so, since the wise man would not come to see the king, the king went to see the wise man. He found Diogenes in an out-of-the-way place, lying on the ground by his tub. He was enjoying the heat and the light of the sun.

看到国王带着很多人走过来，第欧根尼坐了起来，看着亚历山大。亚历山大向他打招呼，说道：

When he saw the king and a great many people coming, he sat up and looked at Alexander. Alexander greeted him and said,—

“第欧根尼，我听说过很多关于你的智慧的事。有什么我可以为你效劳的吗？”

“Diogenes, I have heard a great deal about your wisdom. Is there anything that I can do for you?”

“有的，”第欧根尼说，“你可以往旁边站一点，别挡住我的阳光。”

“Yes,” said Diogenes. “You can stand a little on one side, so as not to keep the sunshine from me.”

这个回答完全出乎国王的意料，让他非常惊讶。但他并没有生气，反而更加佩服这个奇怪的人了。当他转身骑马回去时，他对他的官员们说：

This answer was so different from what he expected, that the king was much surprised. But it did not make him angry; it only made him admire the strange man all the more. When he turned to ride back, he said to his officers,—

“不管你们怎么想；如果我不是亚历山大，我愿意成为第欧根尼。”

“Say what you will; if I were not Alexander, I would like to be Diogenes.”