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A little girl nine years of age was brought into court, and offered as a witness against a prisoner who was on trial for a crime committed in her father's house.
九歲的小女孩走上法庭，作為一個證人，她將要指證一個受審的罪犯，案件發生在她家里。
"Now, Emily," said the counsel for the prisoner, "I wish to know if you understand the nature of an oath?"
“現在，艾米莉，”罪犯的辯護律師說，“你了解誓言的本質嗎？”
"I don't know what you mean," was the simple answer.
“我不懂你說的是什么意思，”小女孩簡單地回答。
"Your Honor," said the counsel, addressing the judge, it is evident that this witness should be rejected. She does not understand the nature of an oath.
“法官大人，”律師對法官說，顯然應該駁回這個證人，她不了解誓言的本質。
"Let us see," said the judge. "Come here, my daughter."
“讓我們看一看，”法官說，“到這兒來，我的女兒。”
Assured by the kind tone and manner of the judge,
法官善良的語氣和態度鼓勵了小女孩，
the child stepped toward him, and looked confidingly in his face, with a calm, clear eye, and in a manner so artless and frank that it went straight to the heart.
她走向他，自信地看著他，眼神平靜、清澈，態度天真、誠懇，打動人心。
"Did you ever take an oath?" inquired the judge.
“你起過誓嗎？”法官詢問。
The little girl stepped back with a look of horror; and the red blood rose and spread in a blush all over her face and neck,
小女孩后退了一步，顯得很震驚；血液涌上來，臉和脖子都漲紅了，
as she answered, "No, sir." She thought he intended to ask if she had ever used profane language.
回答道：“沒有，先生。”她以為法官在問她是否說過褻瀆神的話。
"I do not mean that," said the judge, who saw her mistake; "I mean were you ever a witness?"
“我不是那個意思，”看到她誤會了，法官說，“我的意思是你是否做過證人？”
"No, sir; I never was in court before," was the answer.
“沒有，先生；我以前從沒來過法庭。”小女孩回答說。
He handed her the Bible open. "Do you know that book, my daughter?"
法官遞給她一本打開的《圣經》。“你知道這本書嗎，我的女兒？”
She looked at it and answered, "Yes, sir; it is the Bible."
她看了看，回答道：“是的，先生；這是《圣經》。”
"Do you ever read in it?" he asked.
“你讀過嗎？”他問。
Yes, sir; every evening.
是的，先生；每天早晨。
