The Candle That Can't Be Lighted
點不亮的蠟燭
A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her—she was his life.
一個男人有一個可愛的女兒，那是他唯一的孩子，他深深地愛著她，女兒就是他的全部。
So when she became ill, he became like a man possessed, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.
因此，當女兒生病時，他像瘋了一般竭盡全力想讓她恢復健康。
His best efforts, however, proved unavailing and the child died.
然而，他所有的努力都無濟於事，女兒還是死了。
The father became a bitter recluse, shutting himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might restore his poise and bring him back to his normal self. But one night he had a dream.
這位父親從此變得痛苦遁世，避開很多朋友，拒絕參加一切能使他恢復平靜、回到自我的活動。但在一天夜裡，他做了一個夢。
He was in heaven, witnessing a grand pageant of all the little child angels. They were marching in a line passing by the Great White Throne.
夢裡他到了天堂，目睹了小天使們的盛會。小天使們排成一隊經過一個白色的大寶座。所有的小天使都身穿白色天使衣，手裡拿著一支蠟燭。
Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle. He noticed that one child's candle was not lighted. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl.
他注意到有一個小天使的蠟燭沒有點亮。隨後，他認出那個拿著沒有點亮的蠟燭的小天使竟然是自己的女兒。
Rushing to her, he seized her in his arms, caressed her tenderly, and then asked,「How is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted？」「Daddy, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out.」
他狂奔過去，一把將女兒抱在懷裡，親切地愛撫著她，然後問道：「寶貝兒，為什麼只有你的蠟燭沒有點亮呢？」「爸爸，他們經常重新幫我點亮蠟燭，可總是讓你的眼淚給熄滅。」
Just then he awoke from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate.
就在這時，他猛地驚醒了過來。這個夢給他上了一課，這一課像水晶般透明，而且有立竿見影的效果。
From that hour on he was not a recluse, but mingled freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No longer would his darling's candle be extinguished by his useless tears.
從那時起，他不再消極遁世，而是自由自在、興高採烈地回到以前的朋友和同事中間。而寶貝女兒的蠟燭再也沒有被他那無用的眼淚熄滅過。