On the very first day, God created the cow. He said to the cow, “Today I have created you! As a cow, you must go to the field with the farmer all day long. You will work all day under the sun! I will give you a life span of 50 years.”
The cow objected, “What? This kind of a tough life you want to live for 50 years? Let me have 20 years, and the 30 years I’ll give you back.” So God agreed.
创世第一天，上帝创造了牛。他对牛说：“今天我创造了你！作为一头牛，你必须跟农夫下地，终日在日头下劳作！我给你50年的寿命。” 牛不同意：“什么？这种苦日子你要我活50年？让我活20年吧，30年还给你。”上帝同意了。
On the second day, God created the dog. God said to the dog, “You are supposed to sit all day by the door of your house. Any people that come in, you will have to bark at them! I’ll give you a life span of 20 years.”
The dog objected, “What? All day long to sit by the door? No way! I give you back the other 10 years of my life!” So God agreed.
第二天，上帝创造了狗。上帝对狗说：“你应该终日坐在自家门前，有人进来就叫！我给你20年寿命。” 狗反对：“什么？整天坐在门口？绝对不行！我退给你10年寿命！”于是上帝同意了。
On the third day, God created the monkey. He said to the monkey, “Monkeys have to entertain people. You’ve got to make them laugh and do monkey tricks. I’ll give you 20 years life span.”
The monkey objected. “What? Make them laugh? Do monkey faces and tricks? Ten years will do, and the other 10 years I’ll give you back.” So God agreed.
第三天，上帝创造了猴子。他对猴子说：“猴子必须带给人娱乐。你必须让他们开怀大笑，耍把戏。我给你20年寿命。” 猴子不干：“什么？让他们开怀大笑？做鬼脸耍把戏？10年就够了，另外10年还给你。”上帝同意了。
On the fourth day, God created man and said to him, “Your job is to sleep, eat, and play. You will enjoy very much in your life. All you need to do is to enjoy and do nothing. This kind of life, I’ll give you a 20 -- year life span.”
The man objected. “What? Such a good life! Eat, play, sleep, and do nothing? Enjoy the best and you expect me to live only 20 years. No way, man! …Why don’t we make a deal? Since the cow gave you back 30 years, and the dog gave you back 10 years and the monkey gave you back 10 years, I will take them all from you! That makes my life span 70 years, right?” So God agreed.
第四天，上帝创造了人，并对他说：“你的工作就是吃喝玩乐睡大觉，尽情享受人生。只管享受，什么都不干。这种生活，我给你20年寿命。” 人反对：“什么？这样的好日子！除了吃喝玩乐，什么都不干？尽情享受，而你让我只活20年？不行，老兄！…我们何不做个交易？既然牛退给你30年，狗还你10年，猴子退回10年，你把这些统统给我！这样我的寿命就有70年了，行吗？”上帝同意了。
AND THAT’S WHY…In our first 20 years, we eat, sleep, play, enjoy the best and do nothing more. For the next 30 years, we work all day long, suffer and get to support the family. For the next 10 years, we entertain our grandchildren by making monkey faces and monkey tricks. And the last 10 years, we stay at home, sit by the front door and bark at people!
这就是为什么……头20年，我们吃喝玩乐，尽情享受，无所事事。接下来30年，我们终日辛劳，受苦受难，养家糊口。之后10年，我们扮鬼脸耍把戏让孙辈开心。最后10年，我们呆在家里，坐在门口，对人大叫！
