谈施与
 
  把你的钱财送给别人，只是施与的开始，
  把你自己奉献给别人，才是真正的施与 。
  今天送给别人的钱财，明天你为了自己的生活可能还会需要它们
  在人生的道路上，一直帮助你的伙伴，常常无声地把自己先留在了路旁的沙土里
  需求会让人产生欲望
  欲望会让人吝啬施与
  有钱人施舍一点钱财，是为了求得施与的美名，他们的所得是欲望的商品
  施与的人会把自己的所有都给那些更需要的人
  财富来自于生活，慷慨会带来更多的“财富”
  有人高兴地施与，高兴就是他们的回报
  有人痛苦地施与，痛苦对他们进行洗礼
  还有一些人，他们施与了，既没有痛苦，也不寻求高兴，更不是展示自己的美德
  仿佛山谷里的桂花，香气自然飘送到空气中那样平常与自然
  在他们的眼中，上帝在对着大地的万物微笑
看到有人求助而施舍，当然是好的；看见别人有困难而需要就默默去施舍，就更好了
  对于真正好施的人，找寻那些需要他帮助的人与施舍本身一样都感到快乐<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

  ……
  有人说：“我施与，但只给那些真正需要的人。”
  树木与羊群为人类带来氧气与奶酪
  他们生存就是为了施与，奉献就是他们“生活”的价值
  能在天地间看日访月的小动物，都有资格分享你的食物
  能在海洋中畅游呼吸的小鱼虾，都能饮用你带来的山泉
  因为接受你施与的人，需要付出比你更大的勇气
  能放下自己的自尊，袒露自己的尴尬，需要怎样的勇气呢？
  先考察自己是否配做一个施与者，其次是否配做一个施与的器皿
  施与是上帝赋予我们的 --- 你以为自己是施主，其实只是施与的一个证人
  …

 

[ 原文 ]
Giving
You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?
And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pigrims to the holy city?
And what is fear of need but need itself?
Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst that is unquenchable?
There are those who give little of the much which they have---and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
And there are those who have little and give it all.
These are the believes in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.
And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue
They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space
Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;
And to the open-hanged the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.
……
You often say, “I would give, but only to the deserving.”
The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.
They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.
Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you.
And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.
And what desert greater shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?
And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.
For in truth it is life that gives unto life --- while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
…