Three Questions /by Leo Tolstoy /Eng trans Louise and Aylmer Maude
https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Twenty-three_Tales/Three_Questions
Saⁿ-ê Būn-tê | 三个問題
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1. Koat-tēng boeh khì chhéng-kàu san-jîn
Ū chi̍t-ê kok-ông án-ne siūⁿ: i nā chóng-sī chai-iáⁿ khai-sí chò ta̍k-hāng tāi-chì ê chèng-khak sî-kan; i nā chai-iáⁿ siáng ê ōe i tio̍h thiaⁿ, siáng ê tio̍h mài thiaⁿ; siōng iàu-kín ê, i nā chóng-sī chai-iáⁿ siáⁿ sī siōng tiōng-iàu tio̍h ài chò ê tāi-chì, án-ne i tō éng-oán bián-kiaⁿ chò tāi-chì ē sit-pāi.
Siūⁿ tio̍h che, i tō tùi choân-kok soan-pò͘, nā ū lâng ē-tàng kà i chai-iáⁿ: ta̍k-ê hêng-tōng ê chèng-khak sî-kan, siōng su-iàu ê lâng sī siáng, hām án-nóa chai-iáⁿ siáⁿ sī siōng tiōng-iàu ê tāi-chì, i boeh tōa-tōa siúⁿ-sù hit-ê lâng.
Chē-chē ū ha̍k-būn ê lâng lâi kìⁿ Kok-ông, m̄-koh in tùi būn-tê ê tap-àn chha-pia̍t chin tōa.
Iú-koan tē-it ê būn-tê ê hôe-tap, ū lâng kóng, boeh chai-iáⁿ múi-hāng hêng-tōng ê chèng-khak sî-kan, tio̍h sū-sian kè-ōe, tēng chi̍t-ê ū nî-goe̍h-ji̍t ê sî-kan-pió, koh giâm-keh chiàu he lâi seng-oa̍h. In kóng, kan-ta án-ne, chiah ū hoat-tō͘ ta̍k-hāng tāi-chì tī sek-tòng ê sî-kan chò. Pa̍t-lâng hoah kóng, bô khó-lêng koat-tēng ta̍k-hāng tāi-chì ê sek-tòng sî-kan; m̄-koh tio̍h án-ne: m̄-thang hō͘ ka-tī kan-ta êng-êng siau-mô͘ sî-kan, tio̍h it-ti̍t chù-ì tng-teh chìn-hêng ê tāi-chì, koh chò siōng su-iàu ê khang-khòe. Iū-koh ū kî-thaⁿ lâng kóng, m̄-koán Kok-ông gōa chù-ì chìn-hêng tiong ê tāi-chì, chi̍t-ê lâng chóng-sī bô khó-lêng koat-tēng ta̍k-hāng tāi-chì ê chèng-khak sî-kan, i su-iàu ū chi̍t-ê tì-chiá Úi-oân-hōe, thang-hó hia̍p-chō͘ i tēng ta̍k-hāng tāi-chì ê chèng-khak sî-kan.
M̄-koh, koh ū lâng án-ne kóng, ū ê mi̍h-kiāⁿ bē-tàng tán-kàu Úi-oân-hōe, tio̍h má-siōng koat-tēng sī m̄-sī boeh chò. M̄-koh, ūi tio̍h chò chit-ê koat-tēng, tio̍h ài seng chai-iáⁿ ū siáⁿ tāi-chì boeh hoat-seng. He kan-ta hoat-su chiah chai-iáⁿ, só͘-tì, ūi-tio̍h boeh chai ta̍k-hāng hêng-tōng ê chèng-khak sî-kan, tio̍h chhéng-kàu hoat-su.
Kāng-khoán, tùi tē-jī ê būn-tê ê tap-àn mā kok-sek kok-iūⁿ. Ū lâng kóng, Kok-ông siōng su-iàu ê lâng tō sī i ê gī-oân; pa̍t-lâng kóng sī chè-si; koh pa̍t-lâng kóng sī i-seng; mā ū lâng kóng bú-sū chiah sī i siōng su-iàu ê.
Tùi tē-saⁿ ê būn-tê, siáⁿ sī siōng tiōng-iàu ê gia̍p-bū: ū lâng ìn kóng, sè-kài chòe tiōng-iàu ê sī kho-ha̍k. Pa̍t-lâng kóng he sī sio-chiàn ê ki-su̍t; koh ū lâng kóng, he sī chong-kàu ê gî-sek.
Só͘ ū ê tap-àn lóng bô kāng-khoán, Kok-ông mā bô tông-ì in ê kóng-hoat, mā bô hō͘ in siúⁿ-sù. M̄-koh, i iáu-sī siūⁿ boeh chhōe tio̍h būn-tê ê tap-àn, i tō koat-tēng boeh khì chhéng-kàu chi̍t-ê chē-chē lâng thui-chông ê ū tì-hūi ê san-jîn.
Chit-ê san-jîn tòa tī chhiū-nâ, m̄-bat lī-khui, i kan-ta chiap-la̍p phó͘-thong lâng. Só͘-tì, Kok-ông ōaⁿ chhēng kán-tan ê i-ho̍k, tī bōe kàu san-jîn ê liâu-á chìn-chêng tō lo̍h-bé, kā ūi-peng lâu tī hia, ka-tī chi̍t-ê kiâⁿ khì.
Kok-ông kiâⁿ óa ê sî, hit-ê san-jîn tng teh liâu-á chêng óe-thô͘. Khòaⁿ tio̍h Kok-ông, i kā phah chi̍t-ē chio-ho͘, tō kè-sio̍k óe. San-jîn nńg-chiáⁿ koh hi-jio̍k, ta̍k-pái i kō͘ thuh-á tu̍h thô͘-kha, óe-tāng chi̍t sut-á thô͘, i tō chhoán kah chin lī-hāi.
Kok-ông kiâⁿ kàu i bīn-chêng, kóng: "Ū tì-hūi ê san-jîn ah, góa lâi lí chia boeh chhéng-kàu lí saⁿ-ê būn-tê ê tap-àn: Án-nóa chiah o̍h ē-hiáu tī chèng-khak ê sî-kan chò chèng-khak ê tāi-chì? Siáng sī góa siōng su-iàu ê lâng, iā tō sī góa tio̍h pí tùi pa̍t-lâng koh-khah chù-tiōng ê lâng sī siáng? Koh-lâi, siáⁿ-mih tāi-chì sī siōng tiōng-iàu, góa tio̍h tāi-seng chù-ì?"
San-jîn thiaⁿ Kok-ông kóng, m̄-koh bô ìn siáⁿ. I kan-ta phùi-nōa tī chhiú, koh kè-sio̍k óe-thô͘.
"Lí thiám ah lah," Kok-ông kóng, "thuh-á kau hō͘ góa, góa lâi thè lí chò chi̍t-khùn."
"To-siā lah!" san-jîn kóng, tō kā thuh-á kau hō͘ Kok-ông, ka-tī chē lo̍h tī thô͘-kha.
"Óe hó nn̄g ê chhài-kó͘ liáu-āu, Kok-ông thêng lo̍h-lâi, koh mn̄g i ê būn-tê. San-jîn iáu sī bô kóng tap-àn, tō khiā khí-lâi, chhun-chhiú boeh gia̍h thuh-á, kóng:
"Taⁿ lí hioh-khùn chi̍t-ē -- ōaⁿ góa lâi chò chi̍t-ē."
M̄-koh Kok-ông bô kau hō͘ i thuh-á, kè-sio̍k koh óe. Kòe chi̍t tiám-cheng, koh chi̍t tiám-cheng. Ji̍t-thâu khai-sí lo̍h kàu chhiū-á āu-bīn, lo̍h-bóe Kok-ông kā thuh-á chhah tī thô͘, kóng:
"Ū tì-hūi ê lâng ah, góa lâi lí chia, sī ūi góa ê būn-tê chhōe tap-àn. Lí nā bô thang hō͘ góa, chhiáⁿ kā góa kóng, góa tio̍h boeh tńg khì."
Ū lâng kō͘ cháu ê lâi," san-jîn kóng, "lán lâi khòaⁿ he sī siáng?"
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1. 決定欲去請教山人
有一个國王 án-ne 想: 伊若總是知影開始做逐項代誌 ê 正確時間; 伊若知影 siáng ê 話伊著聽, siáng ê 著莫聽; 上要緊 ê, 伊若總是知影啥是上重要著愛做 ê 代誌, án-ne 伊 tō 永遠免驚做代誌會失敗.
想著這, 伊 tō 對全國宣布, 若有人會當教伊知影: 逐个行動 ê 正確時間, 上需要 ê 人是 siáng, 和按怎知影啥是上重要 ê 代誌, 伊欲大大賞賜彼个人.
濟濟有學問 ê 人來見國王, 毋過 in 對問題 ê 答案差別真大.
有關第一个問題 ê 回答, 有人講, 欲知影每項行動 ê 正確時間, 著事先計畫, 訂一个有年月日 ê 時間表, koh 嚴格照彼來生活. In 講, 干焦 án-ne, 才有法度逐項代誌 tī 適當 ê 時間做. 別人喝講, 無可能決定逐項代誌 ê 適當時間; 毋過著 án-ne: 毋通予家己干焦閒閒消磨時間, 著一直注意 tng-teh 進行 ê 代誌, koh 做上需要 ê 工課. 又閣有其他人講, 毋管國王偌注意進行中 ê 代誌, 一个人總是無可能決定逐項代誌 ê 正確時間, 伊需要有一个智者委員會, 通好協助伊訂逐項代誌 ê 正確時間.
毋過, koh 有人 án-ne 講, 有 ê 物件袂當等到委員會, 著馬上決定是毋是欲做. 毋過, 為著做這个決定, 著愛先知影有啥代誌欲發生. 彼干焦法師才知影, 所致, 為著欲知逐項行動 ê 正確時間, 著請教法師.
仝款, 對第二个問題 ê 答案 mā 各式各樣. 有人講, 國王上需要 ê 人 tō 是伊 ê 議員; 別人講是祭司; koh 別人講是醫生; mā 有人講武士才是伊上需要 ê.
對第三个問題, 啥是上重要 ê 業務: 有人應講, 世界最重要 ê 是科學. 別人講彼是相戰 ê 技術; koh 有人講, 彼是宗教 ê 儀式.
所有 ê 答案攏無仝款, 國王 mā 無同意 in ê 講法, mā 無予 in 賞賜. 毋過, 伊猶是想欲揣著問題 ê 答案, 伊 tō 決定欲去請教一个濟濟人推崇 ê 有智慧 ê 山人.
這个山人蹛 tī 樹林, 毋捌離開, 伊干焦接納普通人. 所致, 國王換穿簡單 ê 衣服, tī 未到山人 ê 寮仔進前 tō 落馬, kā 衛兵留 tī 遐, 家己一个行去.
國王行倚 ê 時, 彼个山人 tng teh 寮仔前挖塗. 看著國王, 伊 kā 拍一下招呼, tō 繼續挖. 山人軟汫 koh 虛弱, 逐擺伊 kō͘ 黜仔揬塗跤, 挖動一屑仔塗, 伊 tō 喘甲真厲害.
國王行到伊面前, 講: "有智慧 ê 山人 ah, 我來你遮欲請教你三个問題 ê 答案: 按怎才學會曉 tī 正確 ê 時間做正確 ê 代誌? Siáng 是我上需要 ê 人, 也就是我著比對別人閣較注重 ê 人是 siáng? 閣來, 啥物代誌是上重要, 我著代先注意?"
山人聽國王講, 毋過無應啥. 伊干焦呸瀾 tī 手, koh 繼續挖塗.
"你忝 ah lah," 國王講, "黜仔交予我, 我來替你做一睏."
"多謝 lah!" 山人講, tō kā 黜仔交予國王, 家己坐落 tī 塗跤.
"挖好兩个菜股了後, 國王停落來, koh 問伊 ê 問題. 山人猶是無講答案, tō 徛起來, 伸手欲攑黜仔, 講:
"今你歇睏一下 -- 換我來做一下."
毋過國王無交予伊黜仔, 繼續 koh 挖. 過一點鐘, koh 一點鐘. 日頭開始落到樹仔後面, 落尾國王 kā 黜仔插 tī 塗, 講:
"有智慧 ê 人 ah, 我來你遮, 是為我 ê 問題揣答案. 你若無通予我, 請 kā 我講, 我著欲轉去."
有人 kō͘ 走 ê 來," 山人講, "咱來看彼是 siáng?"
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1.
It once occurred to a certain king, that if he always knew the right time to begin everything; if he knew who were the right people to listen to, and whom to avoid; and, above all, if he always knew what was the most important thing to do, he would never fail in anything he might undertake.
And this thought having occurred to him, he had it proclaimed throughout his kingdom that he would give a great reward to any one who would teach him what was the right time for every action, and who were the most necessary people, and how he might know what was the most important thing to do.
And learned men came to the King, but they all answered his questions differently.
In reply to the first question, some said that to know the right time for every action, one must draw up in advance, a table of days, months and years, and must live strictly according to it. Only thus, said they, could everything be done at its proper time. Others declared that it was impossible to decide beforehand the right time for every action; but that, not letting oneself be absorbed in idle pastimes, one should always attend to all that was going on, and then do what was most needful. Others, again, said that however attentive the King might be to what was going on, it was impossible for one man to decide correctly the right time for every action, but that he should have a Council of wise men, who would help him to fix the proper time for everything.
But then again others said there were some things which could not wait to be laid before a Council, but about which one had at once to decide whether to undertake them or not. But in order to decide that, one must know beforehand what was going to happen. It is only magicians who know that; and, therefore, in order to know the right time for every action, one must consult magicians.
Equally various were the answers to the second question. Some said, the people the King most needed were his councillors; others, the priests; others, the doctors; while some said the warriors were the most necessary.
To the third question, as to what was the most important occupation: some replied that the most important thing in the world was science. Others said it was skill in warfare; and others, again, that it was religious worship.
All the answers being different, the King agreed with none of them, and gave the reward to none. But still wishing to find the right answers to his questions, he decided to consult a hermit, widely renowned for his wisdom.
The hermit lived in a wood which he never quitted, and he received none but common folk. So the King put on simple clothes, and before reaching the hermit's cell dismounted from his horse, and, leaving his body-guard behind, went on alone.
When the King approached, the hermit was digging the ground in front of his hut. Seeing the King, he greeted him and went on digging. The hermit was frail and weak, and each time he stuck his spade into the ground and turned a little earth, he breathed heavily.
The King went up to him and said: 'I have come to you, wise hermit, to ask you to answer three questions: How can I learn to do the right thing at the right time? Who are the people I most need, and to whom should I, therefore, pay more attention than to the rest? And, what affairs are the most important, and need my first attention?'
The hermit listened to the King, but answered nothing. He just spat on his hand and recommenced digging.
'You are tired,' said the King, 'let me take the spade and work awhile for you.'
'Thanks!' said the hermit, and, giving the spade to the King, he sat down on the ground.
When he had dug two beds, the King stopped and repeated his questions. The hermit again gave no answer, but rose, stretched out his hand for the spade, and said:
'Now rest awhile—and let me work a bit.'
But the King did not give him the spade, and continued to dig. One hour passed, and another. The sun began to sink behind the trees, and the King at last stuck the spade into the ground, and said:
'I came to you, wise man, for an answer to my questions. If you can give me none, tell me so, and I will return home.'
'Here comes some one running,' said the hermit, 'let us see who it is.'
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