说话之道 How to Speak
【作者:取材自Catechetical Helps 顾美芬译】剪下一方暖和--喻道小故事 2011.08.14
1.
A young man during the Middle Ages went to a monk, saying, "I have sinned by telling slanderous statements about someone. What should I do now?”
The monk replied, "Put a feather on every doorstep in town. " The young man did it. He then returned to the monk, wondering if there was anything else that he should do.
The monk said, "Go back and pick up all the feathers. " The young man replied, "That's impossible! By now the wind will have blown them all over town." The monk replied, "So has your slanderous word become impossible to retrieve."
2.
A young man supposedly went to the Greek philosopher Socrates to learn public speaking.
On being introduced, he talked so incessantly and disrespectfully of others that Socrates immediately demanded twice his ordinary fee. "Why charge me double?" the young man rudely asked.
Socrates replied, "I must teach you twice: first how to control your tongue, and second how to speak. "
字汇
monk 修士
slanderous 中伤的，毁谤的
retrieve 收回
philosopher 哲学家
Socrates 苏格拉底
Incessantly 不断地，不停地
一
在中古世纪，有个年轻人来到修士跟前说，「我说话中伤别人，犯了罪，现在该怎么办呢？」
修士回答说，「你到城里每个门阶上放枝羽毛。」年轻人照做了，他回到修士那儿，好奇地想知道还有什么该做的。
修士说，「回到城里把每枝羽毛捡起来。」年轻人答道，「不可能的，现在风早把羽毛吹得到处都是了。」修士说，「你说出的毁谤也一样不可能收回了。」
二
有个年轻人，可能是要到希腊哲人苏格拉底那儿学演讲。
蒙引见的时候，他滔滔不绝又轻蔑地谈论着别人，苏格拉底马上把收费提高了一倍。年轻人粗鲁问道，「干嘛收我双倍价钱？」
苏格拉底回答说，「我得加倍教你啊：先要教你管制舌头，然后才教你如何说话。」
思考与应用
1.有人说，我们用两年来学怎么开口讲话，用余生来学怎么闭口、控制自己，你觉得呢？
2.说人坏话前，三思羽毛难拾的比喻。
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