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In a village adjoining lived Flor Silin, a poor, laboring peasant,
菲洛·斯林，一个整日操劳的俄罗斯贫苦农民，住在我家附近的一个村庄。
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，丰富准确的农作经验，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.
幸运的是，即使那年灾年，他的地里庄稼亦收获不少，因居家耗费有限，他家的谷仓堆满了粮食。
The dry year coming on had beggared all the village except himself. Here was an opportunity to grow rich.
旱灾饥馑迫使全村老少不得不外出乞讨，维持生计，唯独他家例外，此时不失为暴富的最佳时机。
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·斯林如何面对？他召集最为窘困的左邻右坊，向他们开诚布公地说出自己想法。
My friends, you want corn for your subsistence. God has blessed me with abundance.
乡亲们，你们眼下需要粮食才能活下去，上帝保佑我今年收成不错，
Assist in thrashing out a quantity, and each of you take what he wants for his family.
我家谷仓里堆满了粮食。你们每人都可领取全家生活必需的口粮。
The peasants were amazed at this unexampled generosity; for sordid propensities exist in the village as well as in the populous city.
在场农民无不大为惊愕，大家从未遇到如此慷慨的急公好义之人，因为，当时利欲熏心的罪恶不仅在乡村风靡盛行，人口众多的城镇亦到处充满狡诈欺骗。
The fame of Flor Silin's benevolence having reached other villages, the famished inhabitants presented themselves before him, and begged for corn.
菲洛·斯林仁慈好施的赈灾一事传到其他村庄，饥民们纷纷来到他家，乞求周济粮食。
This good creature received them as brothers; and, while his store remained, afforded all relief.
好心的菲洛把灾民看成自己的兄弟姐妹，将余存粮食毫不吝惜地分给饥民。
At length, his wife, seeing no end to the generosity of his noble spirit,
后来他的妻子眼见丈夫慷慨无休无止，
reminded him how necessary it would be to think of their own wants, and hold his lavish hand before it was too late.
只得提醒他还要考虑自家口粮。妻子的提醒总算不是太迟，
"It is written in the Scripture," said he, "Give, and it shall be given unto you."
他却坦然说道：“这句话写在《圣经》上。”即“你们要给人，就必有给你们的。”
