玫瑰花叢和蘋果樹 希伯來法典（Talmud）著 江銘輝 五夢網
圖：玫瑰花與蘋果樹爭論誰比較高貴？
在蘋果樹的旁邊長著一叢的玫瑰花。這叢玫瑰花看到它那麼受人讚賞，便說:「誰能和我相比? 有誰像我這樣可貴? 我的花看上去那麼美麗，聞起來是那麼芬芳。不錯，蘋果確實比我高大，可是他能給人類帶來什麼樂趣呢？」
當蘋果樹聽了這番話後，它說：『就美麗的花朵和芬芳的氣味上，雖然你比我高貴，但是就心地善良和待人友好來說，你可不如我哩。』
玫瑰花叢說道：「告訴我，你為什麼心地善良，請拿出證據出來？」
蘋果樹答道：「你首先用刺把人刺傷，否則不會把花朵給人。我卻把果實分給所有的人，即使那些向我扔石頭的人也不例外。」
譯者評論：愛是無代價，是犧牲奉獻，像玫瑰花先把人刺傷，再給獎品，人們不會感激，只有付出代價，不要要求報酬，甚至於以德報怨的人（像寓言中的蘋果樹，即使那些向它扔石頭的人，仍把果實分給他。）才是偉大。
The Rose Bush and the Apple Tree
Near an apple tree grew a rose bush. The rose bush saw how much she was admired and said, "Who can compare with me, and who is as worthy as I am? My flowers are beautiful to the sight and sweet to the nostrils. True, the apple tree is bigger than I, but what pleasure does he give to mankind?"
When the apple tree heard this he said, "Even though you are worthier than I in the beauty of your blossoms and the sweetness of your smell, you are less worthy in goodness of heart and friendliness."
"Tell me," the rose bush said, "what is the evidence of your goodness?"
And the apple tree answered: "You do not give your flowers to man unless you first wound him with your thorns. But I give my fruit to all, even to those who throw stones at me."