玫瑰花丛和苹果树 希伯来法典（Talmud）着 江铭辉 五梦网
图：玫瑰花与苹果树争论谁比较高贵？
在苹果树的旁边长着一丛的玫瑰花。这丛玫瑰花看到它那么受人赞赏，便说:「谁能和我相比? 有谁像我这样可贵? 我的花看上去那么美丽，闻起来是那么芬芳。不错，苹果确实比我高大，可是他能给人类带来什么乐趣呢？」
当苹果树听了这番话后，它说：『就美丽的花朵和芬芳的气味上，虽然你比我高贵，但是就心地善良和待人友好来说，你可不如我哩。』
玫瑰花丛说道：「告诉我，你为什么心地善良，请拿出证据出来？」
苹果树答道：「你首先用刺把人刺伤，否则不会把花朵给人。我却把果实分给所有的人，即使那些向我扔石头的人也不例外。」
译者评论：爱是无代价，是牺牲奉献，像玫瑰花先把人刺伤，再给奖品，人们不会感激，只有付出代价，不要要求报酬，甚至于以德报怨的人（像寓言中的苹果树，即使那些向它扔石头的人，仍把果实分给他。）才是伟大。
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."