One day a lady, who was riding in a coach, saw a lad on the road bare-foot and seemingly very foot-sore. 有一天，一位坐着马车的女士看见路上一个光着脚的少年，他的脚似乎很痛。

　　She asked the coachman to take him up, and said she would pay for him. 于是，她让马车夫带上他并说会为他付钱。

　　When the coach reached the end of its journey, the kind lady found that the poor lad was bound for the nearest sea-port, to offer himself as a sailor. 当马车到达旅途的尽头时，这个善良的女士发现这个可怜的小伙儿是要前往最近的海港，想做一名水手。

　　Twenty years afterwards, on the same road, a sea-captain who was on a coach saw an old lady walking wearily along, 20年后，在同样的路上，一位坐在马车上的船长看到一位虚弱地行走着的老妇人，

　　and he made the coachman pull up his horses. 他让马车夫拉住了他的马。

　　He put the old lady inside, saying, "I'll pay for her." 他拉那位老妇人进了车，说“我会为她付钱的”。

　　When they next changed horses the old lady thanked the captain; "for," said she, "I am too poor to pay for a ride now." 当他们换下一批马的时候，老妇人向船长道谢：“因为我太穷了以至于暂时付不起车费。”

　　The captain told her that he always felt for those who had to walk as she had been doing; 船长告诉她说他一直都能理解那些像老妇人刚刚那样虚弱地行走在街上的人，

　　and said, "I remember, twenty years ago, near this very place, I was a poor lad walking along the road, and a kind lady paid for me to ride." 因为他说“我记得20年前，在这附近，我也是一个穷小子走在这条路上，一个善良的女士为我付了车费。”

　　"Ah," said she, "I am that lady! but things have changed with me since then." “哈！”她说，“我就是那位女士啊！但是从那以后我的事情就发生了改变。”

　　"Well," said the captain, "I have made a fortune, and have come home to enjoy it. “好吧！”船长说“我挣了一笔钱，我已经回家开始享受了。

　　I will allow yout wenty-five pounds a year as long as you live." 我将会每年给你25英镑只要你活着。”

　　The old lady burst into tears, and gratefully accepted the sailor's offer. 老妇人哭了，并感激地接受了水手的帮助。

　　"Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days." “把你的面包洒在水面上：在很多年之后你会发现它。”

　　Let me explain these words. In the land of Egypt the river Nile overflows its banks once a year. 让我来解释一下这句话。在埃及，尼罗河每年会有一次溢出河堤。

　　When the fields on the river sides are covered with the water, the people cast their seed on it, and the seed sinks down into the soft mud. 当河边的田地被水覆盖，人们就会把种子放在上面，然后种子下沉至软泥中。

　　When the water disappears, the seed takes root. "After many days" comes the harvest, and rich crops of grain are reaped. 当河水退去，种子便扎根了。“很多天以后，收获季到来了，人们可以收割丰裕的粮食谷物。”

　　The lady had cast her bread upon the waters. 这个女士把面包洒在水面上。

　　She had done a kind act to a poor boy; and, "after many days," he in return was able to do her a great kindness. 她对可怜男孩的善举在“很多天后”，男孩反过来有能力对她回报了善行。