There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives.He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies.He t ook great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.
He also loved the 3rd wife very much.He's very proud of her and al ways wanted to show off her to his friends.However,the merchant was al ways in great fear that she might run away with some other men.
He too,loved his 2nd wife.She was a very considerate person,alway s patient and in fact was the merchant's confidante.Whenever the merch ant faced some problems,he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.
Now,the merchant's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as ta king care of the household.However,the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply,he hardly took notice of her.
One day,the merchant fell ill.Before long,he knew that he was goi ng to die soon.He thought of his luxurious life and told himself,"Now I have 4 wives with me.But when I die,I'll be alone.How lonely I'll be!"
Thus,he asked the 4th wife,"I loved you most,endowed you with th e finest clothing and showered great care over you.Now that I'm dying,will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wi fe and she walked away without another word.
The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant's heart.The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife,"I have loved you so much for all my life.Now that I'm dying,will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!" replied the 3rd wife,"Life is so good over here!I'm goin g to remarry when you die!" The merchant's heart sank and turned cold.
He then asked the 2nd wife,"I always turned to you for help and yo u've always helped me out.Now I need your help again.When I die,will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry,I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife."At the very most,I can only send y ou to your grave." The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merch ant was devastated.
Then a voice called out,"I'll leave with you.I'll follow you no matter where you go." The merchant looked up and there was his first wi fe.She was so skinny,almost like she suffered from malnutrition.Great ly grieved,the merchant said,"I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!"
Actually,we all have 4 wives in our lives.
The 4th wife is our body.No matter how much time and effort we lavi sh in making it look good,it'll leave us when we die.
The 3rd wife is our possessions,status and wealth.When we die,the y all go to others.
The 2nd wife is our family and friends.No matter how close they had been there for us when we're alive,the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.
The 1st wife is in fact our soul,often neglected in our pursuit of material,wealth and sensual pleasure.
Guess what?It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever w e go.Perhaps it's a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rathe r than to wait until we're on our deathbed to lament.
從前，有一個富商擁有四個老婆。他最愛小老婆，他用漂亮的衣物裝扮她，用美味佳肴滋養她。對她關懷備至，體貼入微，把最好的東西都贈予她。
他也很愛第三個老婆，因她而驕傲，並總喜歡向朋友炫耀。然而，他也很擔心，怕她會和別的男人跑了。
當然他也愛二老婆。她不僅善解人意而且溫柔耐心。事實上，她是商人的知己。遇到困難時，他就會去找她，而她也總能幫他渡過難關，走出困境。
至於大老婆，她可是一位忠貞的伴侶，忙裏忙外，既幫他打理生意，又幫他照顧家。盡管她愛他至深，可他並不在意她。
一天，商人病倒了，他知道自己將不久於人世。回望自己奢華的一生，他慨歎：“雖然現在有四個老婆陪我，可是我死後卻還是孤苦伶仃一個人，多孤單啊！”
於是，他對小老婆說：“我最疼愛你，給你買最漂亮的衣服，對你嗬護有加。如今我就要離開人世了，你願意陪我一起走嗎？”“決不！”她隻留下這一句話便走開了。
小老婆的回答像一把利刃插到商人心上。他傷心極了，接著問第三個老婆：“我一直都非常寵愛你。不久我就要離世了，你願陪我一起去嗎？”“不！”她答道，“生活多美好啊！你死後我會改嫁！”商人傷透了心。
他又問二老婆：“過去我常向你求助，你也總能為我排憂解難。現在我想請你再幫我一次。我要死了，你會陪我一起走嗎？”“對不起，這次我無能為力，”她說，“我隻能讓你入土為安。”這話猶如晴天霹靂，商人徹底絕望了。
這時，一個聲音從旁邊傳來：“我願隨你同去。不管你到哪裏，我都會陪伴你。”商人抬頭看到了自己的大老婆。她是那麽削瘦，像是營養不良。商人悲痛萬分地說：“以前我真該好好珍惜你啊！”
其實，我們每個人的一生都有四位愛人。
小老婆是我們的軀體。無論我們投入多少時間和精力去精心裝扮她，死後它終會棄我們而去。
第三位老婆是財產、地位和金錢。一旦我們死去，它們也終會轉投他人。
二老婆則是我們的家人和朋友。在我們有生之年，不論他們與我們多麽親近，最多也隻能到墓前送我們最後一程。
至於大老婆，她則是我們的靈魂。當我們醉心於物質、金錢和其他感官享受時，她常常會被忽略一旁。
結果如何呢？她才是唯一能永遠伴隨我們的。或許，從現在開始，我們就該悉心照顧好她，而不要待到彌留之際才懊悔不已。
1.He also loved the 3rd____very much.He's very proud of her and always wanted to____off her to his friends.However,the merch ant was always____great fear that she might run away with some____men.
2.Thus,he____the 4th wife,"I loved you most,endowed you wi th the finest clothing and showered great____over you.Now that I'm dying,will you____me and keep me company?""No way!"replied t he 4th wife and she____way without another word.
1.遇到困難時，他就會去找她，而她也總能幫他渡過難關，走出困境。
2.一天，商人病倒了，他知道自己將不久於人世。
3.我們有生之年，不論他們與我們多麽親近，最多也隻能到墓前送我們最後一程。
1.He's very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends.
show off：賣弄；炫耀
2.No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look go od,it'll leave us when we die.
no matter how：不管怎樣；無論如何