This too shall pass

〈這也是會過去的〉

曾經有一位國王告訴他的智者們：

「我有一枚戒指，以世上最好的鑽石製成，我想在裡面藏入一句短語，能在極度絕望、走投無路時派上用場。」

智者們懂得如何寫長長的條約，但卻無法只以一句話表達自己。他們想了又想，卻怎麼樣都想不出，國王要的一句話。

國王向他忠誠的老僕人抱怨他此次嚐試的失敗，這位僕人從國王尚是嬰孩起便協助扶養他，是家族重要的一員。

「我不是智者，我也沒受過教育，但是我知道有這麼一句話，可以在您極度絕望時受用。我在皇宮度過許多日子，遇過許多人。有一次，我服伺一位受您父親邀請來訪的神秘賓客，他當時告訴了我這句話。我要請您現在先別看這句話，請您把它隱藏在戒指下，直到您真的走投無路時再把它打開來看。」國王照著僕人的話做了。

過了不久，敵人襲擊這個國家，而國王輸了這場戰爭。他騎著快馬逃離，而敵人緊追在後。國王孤身一人，敵人則為數眾多。他騎到了路的盡頭，在他面前是一個陡峭的山壁，和深不見底的山谷，真的是到了盡頭。他無法往回走，因為敵人正在接近，他已經聽見敵方的馬啼聲。他無路可逃，身陷徹底的絕望。

此時，他想起了戒指。他打開戒指，找到那句話：

這也是會過去的。( This too shall pass.）

讀了這句話之後，國王感到內心寧靜。突然，週遭也變得安靜，顯然是追兵追丟了，他們往其他方向前進。已經聽不見馬啼聲。

國王內心充滿了對老僕人以及那位神秘賓客的感激。這句話好有力量。他接著關上戒指，然後出發上路。他重新聚集他的軍隊，最後，收復了國土。

在他回到皇宮的那天，深愛國王的人民舉辦了一場盛宴。國王非常高興且感到榮耀。

老僕人出現在國王面前，對他說：「即便是現在，也請您打開戒指裡的話來看。」

國王説：「現在我是贏家，人民都歡慶我的歸來，我並不是處在絕境呀！」

「聽老僕人的話吧，」僕人回答。「這句話不只在一切都很糟的時候有用，在勝利的時候也有用。」

國王打開戒指並讀了這句話：

這也是會過去的。( This too shall pass.）

再一次，國王感受到寧靜，即使他身處在吵鬧的跳舞人群中。國王的驕傲消失無蹤。他明白了這句話。老僕人真是有智慧。

後來，老僕人對國王說，「你記得一切發生在你身上的事嗎？沒有任何感受和事情是永遠的。如同夜晚會變白天，歡樂與絕望也總是交替來到。接受它們，如同事物的本然，是生命的一部分。」

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“This Too Shall Pass.”

There was a king and he once said to the court sages - I have a ring with one of the finest diamonds in the world and I want to hide a message under the stone that can be useful in a situation of extreme despair. I will give this ring to my heirs and I want it to serve faithfully. 

Think of what kind of message will be there. It must be very short to fit in the ring.

The sages knew how to write treatises, but did not express themselves in one short sentence. They Thought and thought, but did not come up with anything.

The king complained about the failure of his venture to a faithful old servant who raised him from infancy and was part of the family. 

And the old man said to him:“I’m not a sage, I’m not educated, but I know such a message. For many years spent in the palace, I met a lot of people. And once I served a visiting mystic whom your father invited. And he gave me this message. I ask that you don’t read it now. Save it under the stone and open it only when there’s no way out at all. The king listened to the old servant.

After some time, the enemies attacked the country and the king lost the war. He fled on his horse and his enemies pursued him. He was alone, his enemies were many. He rode to the end of the road. There was a huge deep cliff before him, if he fell there, it is the end. He could not go back, as the enemies were approaching. He already heard the clatter of their horses' hooves. He had no way out. He was in complete despair.

And then he remembered the ring. He opened it and found an inscription: “This too shall pass.”

After reading the message, he felt that everything was quiet. Apparently the pursuers got lost and proceeded in the wrong direction. Horses were no longer heard.

The king was filled with gratitude to the servant and the unknown mystic. The words were powerful. He closed the ring. And set out on the road. He gathered his army and returned his state.

On the day when he returned to the palace, they arranged a magnificent meeting, a feast for the whole world - the people loved their king. The king was happy and proud.

The old servant came up to him and said softly: “Even in this moment, look at the message again.”

The King said, “Now I am a winner, people are celebrating my return, I'm not in despair, not in a hopeless situation."

“Listen to this old servant,” the servant answered. “The message works not only in moments when everything is bad, but also in moments of victory.”

The king opened the ring and read: "This too shall pass."

And again he felt a silence fall over him, although he was in the midst of a noisy dancing crowd. His pride dissolved. He understood the message. He was a wise man.

And then the old man said to the king: “Do you remember everything that happened to you? Nothing and no feeling is permanent. As night changes day, so moments of joy and despair replace each other. Accept them as the nature of things, as part of life.”