天堂里的农夫


The peasant in heaven


从前,一个生活贫穷、心地虔诚的农夫死了,来到了天堂的门前。 同时来的还有一位生前富甲一方的大财主,他也想进天堂。 圣彼得拎着钥匙来了,他打开了大门让进了财主,似乎没有看见农夫,就把门随手关上了。 这时外面的农夫听到了财主如何受到各种各样的礼遇和接待,那儿既有奏乐,又有歌唱,最后一切又归于平静了。 圣彼得又来了,打开了门,让农夫进去了。 农夫原想他进去后也会有奏乐和歌唱,可里面竟是静悄悄的一片。 不过他还是受到了很热情的接待,天使们走来欢迎他,只是没有谁来唱歌。 于是农夫问圣彼得为什么财主来给他唱歌,而他来却不一样,好像天堂和人间一样,也存在着偏心。 圣彼得回答说:"根本不是这回事,你和任何别的人一样对我们来说都很可爱,也一定会和那富人一样享受天堂里每一乐趣,但是像你这样的穷人每天都有人来到天堂,而像这样的富人一百年内进天堂的却只有一个呢!"
Once on a time a poor pious peasant died, and arrived before the gate of heaven. At the same time a very rich, rich lord came there who also wanted to get into heaven. Then Saint Peter came with the key, and opened the door, and let the great man in, but apparently did not see the peasant, and shut the door again. And now the peasant outside, heard how the great man was received in heaven with all kinds of rejoicing, and how they were making music, and singing within. At length all became quiet again, and Saint Peter came and opened the gate of heaven, and let the peasant in. The peasant, however, expected that they would make music and sing when he went in also, but all remained quite quiet; he was received with great affection, it is true, and the angels came to meet him, but no one sang. Then the peasant asked Saint Peter how it was that they did not sing for him as they had done when the rich man went in, and said that it seemed to him that there in heaven things were done with just as much partiality as on earth.
Then said Saint Peter, "By no means, thou art just as dear to us as any one else, and wilt enjoy every heavenly delight that the rich man enjoys, but poor fellows like thee come to heaven every day, but a rich man like this does not come more than once in a hundred years!"