我們已經讀過兩篇英文小故事了，一個是有關燈塔的，一個是有關聰明的，今天再來讀一個有關人生終極意義的故事，也許對我們有點啟發。
One day a fisherman was lying on a beautiful beach, with his fishing pole propped up in the sand and his solitary line cast out into the sparkling blue surf.
有一天，一個漁夫躺在景色怡人的沙灘上。他把漁竿插在沙子裡，漁線拋入波光粼粼的海面，
He was enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun and the prospect of catching a fish.
自己一面享受午後溫暖的陽光，一面等著魚上鉤。
About that time, a businessman came walking down the beach, trying to relieve some of the stress of his workday.
正在這時，一個生意人沿著沙灘散步走過來，他想要釋放一下工作中的壓力。
He noticed the fisherman sitting on the beach and decided to find out why this fisherman was fishing instead of working harder to make a living for himself and his family.
他注意到沙灘上坐著一個漁夫，好奇這漁夫怎麼就不為了自己和家人著想而努力工作，反而在這兒釣魚。
「You are not going to catch many fish that way,」 said the businessman to the fisherman. 「You should be working rather than lying on the beach!」
「你那樣可釣不著多少魚。」生意人對漁夫說，「你應該幹活兒，而不是躺在這兒！」
The fisherman looked up at the businessman, smiled and replied, 「And what will my reward be?」
漁夫抬眼看了看生意人，笑著回答：「幹活兒？我圖什麼呀？」
「Well, you can get bigger nets and catch more fish!」 was the businessman's answer.
「買更大的網，釣更多的魚唄。」生意人回答。
「And then what will my reward be?」 asked the fisherman, still smiling.
「那然後呢，我能得到什麼好處？」漁夫依舊笑著問。
The businessman replied, 「You will make money and you"ll be able to buy a boat, which will then result in larger catches of fish!」
生意人說：「賺了錢就能買艘船，那樣就能釣更多的魚！」
「And then what will my reward be?」 asked the fisherman again.
「那之後呢？我又能得到什麼？」
The businessman was beginning to get a little irritated with the fisherman's questions. 「You can buy a bigger boat, and hire some people to work for you!」 he said.
生意人聽漁夫這麼問，有點兒不高興了。「你就能買更大的船，僱人給你工作唄！」他說。
「And then what will my reward be?」 repeated the fisherman.
「那然後呢？」漁夫還這麼問。
The businessman was getting angry.「Don"t you understand? You can build up a fleet of fishing boats, sail all over the world, and let all your employees catch fish for you!」
生意人真生氣了。「你怎麼就不明白呢？到時候就能組建一支捕魚船隊，乘船週遊世界，讓所有的員工給你釣魚了！」
Once again the fisher man asked, 「And then what will my reward be?」
漁夫再一次問：「那之後又能怎樣？」
The businessman was red with rage and shouted at the fisherman, 「Don't you understand that you can become so rich that you will never have to work for your living again! You can spend all the rest of your days sitting on this beach, looking at the sunset. You won't have a care in the world!」
生意人氣得滿臉通紅，衝漁夫喊起來：「你不知道嗎？有了錢你就不用為了生活打拼了！接下來的日子裡你就能每天坐在沙灘上看夕陽。簡直就是普天之下無煩無憂啊！」
The fisherman, still smiling, looked up and said, 「And what do you think I'm doing right now?」
漁夫還是笑著，抬頭說：「這不就是我現在的生活嗎？」