美国语文第三册 第46期:兄弟同心

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　　They left their studies and work, to quarrel among themselves. 他们不顾学习和工作，互相吵个不停。

　　Some bad men were looking forward to the death of their father, to cheat them out of their property by making them quarrel about it. 有些坏人等着他们父亲的死期到来，挑拨他们为家产而争吵，到时好趁机骗取他们的财产。

　　The good old man, one day, called his sons around him. 有一天，善良的老人把儿子们都召集到身边。

　　He laid before them seven sticks, which were bound together. 把绑在一起的七根棍子放在他们面前。

　　He said, "I will pay a hundred dollars to the one who can break this bundle." 说：“谁能把这一捆棍子折断，我就给他一百美元。”

　　Each one strained every nerve to break the bundle. 每个人都使出了九牛二虎之力，花了很长时间还是徒劳无功。

　　After a long but vain trial, they all said that it could not be done. 他们都说，要折断这些棍子根本办不到。

　　"And yet, my boys," said the father, "nothing is easier to do." “其实不然，我的孩子们，”父亲说道，“没有比这更容易做到的事情了。”

　　He then untied¹ the bundle, and broke the sticks, one by one, with perfect ease. 说完他解开了绳子，毫不费劲地就把那七根棍子一根一根地折断了。

　　"Ah!" said his sons, "it is easy enough to do it so; anybody could do it in that way." “啊！”儿子们说，“这么做太容易了。用这种方式，任何人都做得到。”

　　Their father replied, "As it is with these sticks, so is it with you, my sons." 他们的父亲回答道：“你们七兄弟就像这些棍子一样，我的孩子们。

　　So long as you hold fast together and aid each other, you will prosper², and none can injure you. 只要你们紧密地团结在一起，互相帮助，你们就会取得成功，谁也不能伤害你们。

　　But if the bond of union be broken, it will happen to you just as it has to these sticks, which lie here broken on the ground. 但是，一旦打破了这种团结，你们就会像这些棍子一样，一根一根地被折断在地上。

　　Home, city, country, all are prosperous found, When by the powerful link of union bound. 家庭、城市、国家，无不是由各个部分强有力地连结而成的联合体，只有团结一致，才能兴盛发展。

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