The Scroll Marked Eight 羊皮卷之八

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重視自己的價值。

A mulberry leaf touched with the genius of man becomes silk.

桑葉在天才的手中變成了絲綢。

A field of clay touched with the genius of man becomes a castle.

粘土在天才的手中變成了堡壘。

A Cyprus tree touched with the genius of man becomes a shrine.

柏樹在天才的手中變成了殿堂。

A cut of sheep’s hair touched with the genius of man becomes raiment for a king.

羊毛在天才的手中變成了袈裟。

If it is possible for leaves and clay and wood and hair to have their value multiplied a hundred, yea a thousandfold by man, cannot I do the same with the clay which bears my name?

如果桑葉、粘土、柏樹、羊毛經過人的創造，可以成百上千地提高自身的價值，那么我們為什么不能使自己身價百倍呢?

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重視自己的價值。

I am liken to a grain of wheat which faces one of three futures. The wheat can be placed in a sack and dumped in a stall until it is fed to swine. Or it can be ground to flour and made into bread. Or it can be placed in the earth and allowed to grow until its golden head divides and produces a thousand grains from the one.

我的命運如同一顆麥粒，有著三種不同的道路。一顆麥粒可能被裝進麻袋，堆在貨架上，等著喂豬;也可能被磨成面粉，做成面包;還可能撒在土壤里，讓它生長，直到金黃的麥穗上結出成百上千顆麥粒。

I am liken to a grain of wheat with one difference. The wheat cannot choose whether it be fed to swine, ground for bread, or planted to multiply. I have a choice and I will not let my life be fed to swine nor will I let it be ground under the rocks of failure and despair to be broken open and devoured by the will of others.

我和一顆麥粒唯一不同在于：麥粒無法選擇是變得腐爛還是做成面包，或是種植生長。而我有選擇的自由，我不會讓生命腐爛，也不會讓它在失敗，絕望的巖石下磨碎，任人擺布。