English Original
How fortunate is the master when he has a wise servant who listens to his orders but prefers to follow his own wisdom.
A clever servant named John was once sent to find a lost cow. He stayed away so long that his master grew worried and went to search for him. After a long search, the master found John running back and forth in a large field.
"Dear John," said the master, "have you found the cow I sent you to seek?"
"No, master," John replied. "I have not found the cow, for I have not looked for it."
"Then what have you been looking for?" asked the master.
"Something better," said John. "And luckily, I have found it."
"What is it?"
"Three blackbirds," answered the boy.
"And where are they?"
"I see one, I hear the second, and I am running after the third," replied the wise boy.
Take this as an example. Do not trouble yourselves too much with masters or their orders. Instead, do what comes to your mind and pleases you, and you will act as wisely as prudent John.
中文翻译
当主人有一位聪明的仆人，他聆听命令却更愿遵循自己的智慧时，这位主人是多么幸运啊。
一次，一个名叫约翰的聪明仆人被派去寻找一头走失的牛。他离开了很久，主人担心他遭遇不幸，便亲自去寻找。找了很长时间后，主人发现约翰正在一大片田野里跑来跑去。
“亲爱的约翰，”主人走上前问道，“你找到我派你去找的那头牛了吗？”
“没有，主人，”约翰回答。“我没找到牛，因为我根本没去找它。”
“那你一直在找什么？”主人问。
“更好的东西，”约翰说。“而且幸运的是，我找到了。”
“是什么？”
“三只黑鹂鸟，”男孩答道。
“它们在哪儿？”
“我看见一只，听见第二只，正在追第三只，”聪明的男孩回答。
以此为例。不必过于困扰于主人或他们的命令。相反，做你心中所想、令你愉悦之事，这样你就能像谨慎的约翰一样明智行事。