为你读书：A Dialogue between God and a Child 《上帝与孩子的对话》

有个婴儿即将出生，降生前他和上帝发生了一场对话——对于未知的世界，他充满了恐惧和担忧。他害怕被坏人欺负，担心听不懂陌生的语言，也为自己除了唱歌和微笑外什么都不懂而感到小小焦虑。面对孩子的担忧，上帝告诉他，他的天使会用生命和爱去守护他。这位天使究竟是谁呢？

Once upon a time there was a child ready to be born.

从前，有一个婴儿即将出生了。

 

One day the child asked God, "They tell me you are going to send me to earth tomorrow but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless? "

一天，这个小孩问上帝，“他们告诉我明天你将要把我送到地球，不过我这么弱小无助，在那儿该如何生活呢？”

 

God replied,"Among the many angels, I have chosen one for you. She will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

上帝答道：“在众多天使之中，我已经给你选中了一位。她将会等待并照顾你。”

 

"But," said the child, "tell me here in Heaven I don't do anything else but sing and smile. That's what I need to be happy!"

“不过”，小孩说请告诉我——在天堂我除了歌唱和微笑之外什么都不做。这些是我快乐所需要的！”

 

God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you every day. And you will feel your angel's love and be happy."

上帝说，“你的天使每天将会为你歌唱，也会为你微笑。你将会感受到你的天使的爱，你会感到快乐。”

 

"And," said the child, "how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me, if I don't know the language that men talk?"

“还有”，小孩又说道，“如果我不懂他们说的语言，当人对我说话的时候我怎样才会理解呢？”

 

That's easy, said God, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

“这很简单，”上帝说，“你的天使将教会你语言中最美丽和最甜蜜的词语，带着最大的耐心和关怀，你的天使将教会你怎样说话。”

 

The child looked up at God saying, "And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?" God smiled at the child saying, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

小孩抬头看着上帝说，“我想和你说话的时候该怎么做呢？”上帝微笑着对小孩说你的天使会把你的双手放在一起然后教会你怎样祈祷。”

 

The child said, "I've heard on earth there are bad men. Who will protect me?"

小孩说：“我听说地球上有坏人，谁将会保护我呢？”

 

God put his arm around the child, saying, "Your angel will defend you-even if it means risking life!"

上帝将手臂环绕小孩，说，“你的天使将会保护你：——即使那意味着冒着生命的危险！”

 

The child looked sad saying, "But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

小孩看起来有些悲伤地说，“我将会一直感到悲伤因为我再也看不到你了。”

 

God hugged the child, "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."

上帝拥抱着小孩说，“你的天使会一直跟你说有关我的事情，还会教你回到我身边的方法，虽说我一直与你同在。”

 

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from earth could already be heard.

在这一刻天堂变得无比安详，不过已经可以听到从地球上传来的声音。

 

The child, in a hurry, asked softly, "Oh, God, if I am about to leave now please tell me my angel's name! "

小孩有点着急，柔声请求，“上帝啊，如果我现在将要离开，请告诉我我的天使的名字！”

 

God replied, "Your angle's name is of no importance…you will simply call her MOMMY! "

上帝回答说，“你的天使的名字并不那么重要…你可以简单地叫她‘妈妈’。”

 

词汇点津：

pray [preɪ] vt. 祈祷；恳求

例句：He spent his time in prison praying and studying.

他把在狱中的时间花在了祈祷和学习上。

defend [dɪ'fend] vt. 保护

例句：His courage in defending religious and civil rights inspired many outside the church.

他捍卫宗教权和公民权的勇气鼓舞了许多非教会人士。

be of no importance 并不重要

“be of +名词”=be+名词同源的形容词形式，例如be of importance = be important, be of help = be helpful等。