There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.

 

　　从前，有一个男孩脾气很坏，常常因为一些稀松平常的小事而对人大发雷霆。一天，他的父亲给了他一袋钉子，并且告诉他，每当他发一次脾气，就钉一根钉子在后院的围篱上。第一天，这个男孩在围篱上钉下了37根钉子。随后的几天里，每天钉下钉子的数量都在逐渐减少。几个星期后，他发现控制自己的脾气要比钉下那些钉子来得更容易。当钉子遍布每一寸围篱的那天，这个男孩再也不像以前那样轻易失去耐xing并乱发脾气了。
 

 

　　He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence.

 

　　他高兴地跑到父亲那里，告诉他这件事。父亲点了点头，又告诉他，从现在开始，每当他想发脾气又成功地控制自己的脾气时，就拔出一根钉子。时间一天天地过去了，最后男孩告诉他的父亲，他终于把所有的钉子都拔出来了。父亲拉着他的手来到后院。

 

　　He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one."

 

　　他说：“你做得很好，我的孩子。但是看看那些围篱上的洞吧。这些围篱将永远不能恢复到从前那样了。如果你捅了别人一刀，不管你说多少次对不起，即便那个伤口能够愈合，但那个疤痕却将永远存在。话语的伤痛就像真实的伤痛一样。”

 

　　Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their hearts to us.

 

　　实际上，朋友是无比珍贵的珠宝。他们令你喜笑颜开，也会鼓励你到达成功的彼岸；他们会倾听，不吝啬赞扬的话语，而且总是会对我们敞开心扉！