There was a man who had four sons.
有一個男人，他有四個兒子
He wanted his sons to learn
他想要教自己的兒子一件事
to not judge things too quickly.
即，對事物不要太快下結論
So he sent them each on a quest,
於是，他給每個兒子都分配了一項任務
in turn,
讓他們輪流
to go and look at a pear tree
去照看一棵梨樹
that was a great distance away.
這棵樹長在很遠的地方
The first son went in winter,
第一個兒子是冬天去的
the second in spring,
第二個兒子春天
the third in summer,
三兒子夏天
and the youngest son in fall.
最小的兒子是秋天去的
When they had all gone and come back,
當他們四人都去過並完成任務後
he called them together
他將他們叫到一起
to describe what they had seen.
請他們描述一下自己見到的東西
The first son said
第一個兒子說
that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.
那棵樹十分醜陋，佝僂，扭曲
The second son said
第二個兒子說
no – it was covered with green buds
不，那棵樹長滿了綠芽
and full of promise.
生機盎然
The third son disagreed,
第三個兒子也不同意
he said
他說
it was laden with blossoms
樹上開滿了花朵
that smelled so sweet
那些花聞起來十分香甜
and looked so beautiful,
看上去也非常美麗
it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
這是他見過的最美好的事物
The last son disagreed with all of them;
第四個兒子說的與前三人都不同
he said it was ripe
他說這棵樹豐收了
and drooping with fruit,
果實纍纍
full of life and fulfillment.
充滿了生命力，十分充盈
The man then explained to his sons
男人這時對兒子們解釋道
that they were all right,
他們說得都對
because
因為
they had each seen but one season in the tree's life.
他們每人都只看到了樹的一生中一個季節的模樣
He told them
他告訴他們
that you cannot judge a tree,
你們不要對一棵樹
or a person,
一個人
by only one season,
一個季節裡的模樣評價他
and that the essence of who they are
他們內在的本質
– and the pleasure, joy, and love
他們內心的歡樂，欣喜和愛
that come from that life
都是源自於完整的生活
can only be measured at the end,
只能到最後才能丈量出來
when all the seasons are up.
當你歷經四季的時候
If you give up when it's winter,
如果你在冬天就放棄了
you will miss the promise of your spring,
你就會錯過春天見給予你的希望
the beauty of your summer,
夏天將見證的美麗
fulfillment of your fall.
秋天的收穫
Don't judge a life by one difficult season.
不要僅憑一個困難時節裡的處境去評價一個人
Don't let the pain of one season
不要讓一個季節裡的苦痛
destroy the joy of all the rest.
毀了所有其他季節裡的歡樂。