塞翁失馬 ， 焉知非福 What is the best thing that can happen to a person who has lost a horse? 塞翁失马， 焉知非福

從前 ， 有 位 老人家 住 喺 好 遠 嘅 地方 ， 人人 都 叫 佢 做 塞翁 。 Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived in a faraway place, and everyone called him Sai Weng. 塞翁 性格 樂觀 ， 為人 處世 嘅 方法 與眾不同 。 Seyon was optimistic in character and had a different way of dealing with the world.

有 一 日 ， 塞翁 屋企 隻 老馬 唔 知 點解 ， 放牧 嗰陣 蕩失路 ， 唔見 咗 。 One day, an old horse in Sevco's house went astray while grazing and was lost. 過 咗 好多 日 ， 佢哋 都 係 揾 唔 返 隻 馬 。 After a few days, they can't get a horse. 鄰居 知道 咗 呢個 消息 之後 ， 都 覺得 好 可惜 ， 一齊 去 到 塞翁 屋企 安慰 佢 。 When the neighbors found out the news, they all felt very sorry and went to the house to console him. 不過 塞翁 覺得 無乜 所謂 ， 唔見咗 隻 馬 啫 ， 無 乜 大不了 。 However, Mr. Sebastian thinks that it does not matter, and it does not matter if he does not see the horse. 佢 反而 安慰 大家 ： 「 我 唔見咗 隻 馬 ， 當然 係 一 件 壞事 ， 但 話唔定 會 帶嚟 好 結果 呢 ？ 」 On the contrary, he consoled us, "I didn't see the horse, so of course it's a bad thing, but maybe it will lead to a good result. I don't think so."

鄰居 聽到 塞翁 嘅 說話 ， 都 覺得 好笑 。 隻 馬 唔見 咗 ， 明明 係 一 件 壞事 ， 但係 塞翁 就 覺得 係 一 件 好事 ， 好 明顯 係 安慰 自己 ， 所以 大家 都 無 將 塞翁 嘅 說話 當真 。 The horse was not seen, it was obviously a bad thing, but Seyon thought it was a good thing, and it was obviously comforting to himself, so people did not take Seyon's words seriously.

過 咗 幾 個 月 ， 嗰 隻 蕩失路 嘅 老馬 竟然 跑 返嚟 ， 仲 帶 埋 另 一 隻 馬 ！ After a few months, the wandering old horse came back and brought another horse with it! 於是 ， 鄰居 又 一齊 嚟 向 塞翁 道賀 ， 仲 讚 佢 唔見 馬 嗰陣 好 有 遠見 。 不過 今次 塞翁 反而 好 憂心 ： 「 唉 ， 我 無啦啦 多 咗 隻 馬 ， 當然 係 一 件 好事 ， 但係 話唔定 佢 會 帶嚟 壞 結果 呢 ？ 」 But this time, Mr. Saio was worried: "It's good to have an extra horse, but what if it brings bad results? I'm sure it's a good thing that I don't have an extra horse.

鄰居 聽到 塞翁 嘅 說話 ， 都 覺得 奇怪 ， 多 咗 隻 馬 ， 可以 係 咩 壞事 呢 ？ Neighbors were surprised to hear what Seyon had to say. What harm could it do to have an extra horse?

塞翁 屋企 無啦啦 多 咗 隻 馬 ， 佢 個 仔 非常 開心 ， 於是 成日 騎 住 隻 馬 周圍 走 。 Sai Weng has a horse in his house, and he is so happy that he rides his horse around all the time. 終於 有 一 日 ， 個 仔 得意忘形 ， 竟然 喺 馬背 上面 跌 咗 落嚟 ， 仲 跌 傷 咗 一 隻 腳 ， 自此 行 唔 到 路 。 One day, he got so carried away that he fell off his horse and hurt his foot, and he has not been able to walk since. 善良 嘅 鄰居 知道 之後 ， 即刻 過嚟 塞翁 屋企 慰問 。 不過 ， 塞翁 都 係 講 同 一 句 說話 ： 「 我 個 仔 跌 斷 隻 腳 ， 當然 係 一 件 壞事 ， 但 之後 話唔定 會 帶嚟 好 結果 呢 ？ 」 However, Mr. Sai Wan always says the same thing: "It is of course a bad thing that my son has broken his leg, but will it not lead to a good result afterwards? But will it lead to a good outcome?"

鄰居 聽到 塞翁 嘅 說話 ， 都 覺得 佢 亂 咁 講嘢 。 Neighbors who heard what Seyon said thought he was talking nonsense. 大家 都 唔 明白 ， 佢 個 仔 跌 斷 咗 隻 腳 ， 點 會 係 好事 呢 ？

又 過 咗 一 年 ， 敵軍 入侵 塞翁 嘅 國家 ， 國家 要 所有 身強力壯 嘅 青年 去 打仗 ， 結果 十 個 士兵 有 九 個 陣亡 。 A year later, the enemy invaded Seyon's country, and the state asked all the strong young men to go to war, with the result that nine out of ten soldiers were killed in battle. 而 塞翁 個 仔 因為 行 唔 到 路 ， 唔使 去 打仗 ， 兩 父子 至 逃過 呢 場 生離死別 嘅 災難 。 And because Mr. Sai Weng's son could not find his way to the war, his father and son were able to escape from the catastrophe that separated them from each other.

呢個 故事 已經 流傳 咗 千 幾 二千 年 ， 為 嘅 係 要 話 畀 我哋 知 ， 人世間 嘅 好事 同 壞事 唔係 絕對 嘅 —— 有啲 時候 ， 壞事 會 帶嚟 好 嘅 結果 ， 而 好事 都 會 帶嚟 壞 嘅 結果 。 This story has been passed down for thousands of years to show us that good things and bad things in the world are not absolute - sometimes bad things lead to good results and good things lead to bad results. 凡事 要 睇 兩面 ， 唔好 只 著眼 於 一時 嘅 得失 。 It is important to look at both sides of the coin, rather than just focusing on the gains and losses at one time.