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In a village adjoining lived Flor Silin, a poor, laboring peasant,
菲洛·斯林，一個整日操勞的俄羅斯貧苦農民，住在我家附近的一個村莊。
a man remarkable for his assiduity and the skill and judgment with which he cultivated his lands.
他依靠自己的勤勉辛苦，豐富準確的農作經驗，精心地操持土地。
He was blessed with abundant crops; and his means being larger than his wants, his granaries, even at this time, were full of corn.
幸運的是，即使那年災年，他的地里莊稼亦收獲不少，因居家耗費有限，他家的谷倉堆滿了糧食。
The dry year coming on had beggared all the village except himself. Here was an opportunity to grow rich.
旱災饑饉迫使全村老少不得不外出乞討，維持生計，唯獨他家例外，此時不失為暴富的最佳時機。
Mark how Flor Silin acted. Having called the poorest of his neighbors about him, he addressed them in the following manner:
那么，菲洛·斯林如何面對？他召集最為窘困的左鄰右坊，向他們開誠布公地說出自己想法。
My friends, you want corn for your subsistence. God has blessed me with abundance.
鄉親們，你們眼下需要糧食才能活下去，上帝保佑我今年收成不錯，
Assist in thrashing out a quantity, and each of you take what he wants for his family.
我家谷倉里堆滿了糧食。你們每人都可領取全家生活必需的口糧。
The peasants were amazed at this unexampled generosity; for sordid propensities exist in the village as well as in the populous city.
在場農民無不大為驚愕，大家從未遇到如此慷慨的急公好義之人，因為，當時利欲熏心的罪惡不僅在鄉村風靡盛行，人口眾多的城鎮亦到處充滿狡詐欺騙。
The fame of Flor Silin's benevolence having reached other villages, the famished inhabitants presented themselves before him, and begged for corn.
菲洛·斯林仁慈好施的賑災一事傳到其他村莊，饑民們紛紛來到他家，乞求周濟糧食。
This good creature received them as brothers; and, while his store remained, afforded all relief.
好心的菲洛把災民看成自己的兄弟姐妹，將余存糧食毫不吝惜地分給饑民。
At length, his wife, seeing no end to the generosity of his noble spirit,
后來他的妻子眼見丈夫慷慨無休無止，
reminded him how necessary it would be to think of their own wants, and hold his lavish hand before it was too late.
只得提醒他還要考慮自家口糧。妻子的提醒總算不是太遲，
"It is written in the Scripture," said he, "Give, and it shall be given unto you."
他卻坦然說道：“這句話寫在《圣經》上?！奔础澳銈円o人，就必有給你們的?！?/p>
