English Original
A ship was wrecked in a storm, and only two men survived, swimming to a small, desert-like island. With no other recourse, they agreed to pray to God. To test whose prayers were more powerful, they divided the island and stayed on opposite sides.
The first man prayed for food. The next morning, a fruit-bearing tree appeared on his side of the island. The other man's land remained barren.
After a week, the first man, feeling lonely, prayed for a wife. The next day, another ship wrecked, and the sole survivor—a woman—swam to his side of the island. The other side received nothing.
Soon, the first man prayed for a house, clothes, and more food. Miraculously, he received them all the following day. The second man still had nothing.
Finally, the first man prayed for a ship to leave the island. In the morning, a ship was docked at his shore. He boarded with his wife, deciding to leave the second man behind, deeming him unworthy of God's blessings since none of his prayers were answered.
As the ship prepared to depart, a voice from Heaven boomed, "Why are you leaving your companion on the island?"
"My blessings are mine alone," the first man replied. "I prayed for them. His prayers went unanswered, so he deserves nothing."
"You are mistaken!" the voice rebuked him. "He had only one prayer, which I answered. If not for that, you would have received none of my blessings."
"Tell me," the first man asked, "what did he pray for that I owe him anything?"
The voice replied, "He prayed that all your prayers would be answered."
中文翻译
一艘船在风暴中失事，只有两名男子幸存，游到了一个荒芜的小岛上。别无他法，他们决定向上帝祈祷。为了验证谁的祈祷更有效力，他们分居岛屿两端。
第一个人祈祷食物。第二天早上，他那边的岛上出现了一棵果树。另一个人的土地依然贫瘠。
一周后，第一个人感到孤独，便祈祷一位妻子。次日，另一艘船失事，唯一的幸存者——一位女子——游到了他这边。另一边什么也没有得到。
不久，第一个人祈祷得到房子、衣服和更多食物。奇迹般地，他在第二天就得到了这一切。第二个人仍然一无所有。
最后，第一个人祈祷一艘船以便离开岛屿。早晨，一艘船停靠在了他的岸边。他带着妻子上了船，决定将第二个人留在岛上，认为那人的祈祷从未应验，不配得到上帝的祝福。
当船即将启航时，一个来自天堂的声音轰鸣道：“你为何将你的同伴留在岛上？”
“我的祝福只属于我，”第一个人回答。“是我祈祷得来的。他的祈祷都没有得到回应，所以他不配得到任何东西。”
“你错了！”声音斥责道。“他只有一个祈祷，而我应允了。若非如此，你根本不会得到我的任何祝福。”
“告诉我，”第一个人问道，“他究竟祈祷了什么，让我欠他这份情？”
声音回答：“他祈祷你所有的愿望都能实现。”