A man had a little daughter—an only and much-loved child. He lived for her—she was his life. So when she became ill, he became like a man possessed¹, moving heaven and earth to bring about her restoration to health.

一个男人有一个小女儿，那是唯一的孩子，他深深地爱着她，为她而活，她就是他的生命。所以，当女儿生病时，他像疯了一般竭尽全力想让她恢复健康。

His best efforts, however, proved unavailing and the child died. The father became a bitter recluse², shutting himself away from his many friends and refusing every activity that might restore his poise³ and bring him back to his normal self. But one night he had a dream.

然而，他所有的努力都无济于事，女儿还是死了。父亲变得痛苦遁世，避开了许多朋友，拒绝参加一切能使他恢复平静，回到自我的活动。但有一天夜里，他做了一个梦。

He was in heaven, witnessing a grand pageant⁴ of all the little child angels. They were marching in a line passing by the Great White Throne. Every white-robed angelic child carried a candle. He noticed that one child’s candle was not lighted. Then he saw that the child with the dark candle was his own little girl. Rushing to her, he seized her in his arms, caressed⁵ her tenderly, and then asked, “How is it, darling, that your candle alone is unlighted?” “Daddy, they often relight it, but your tears always put it out.”

他到了天堂，看到所有的小天使都身穿白色天使衣，手里拿着一根蜡烛。他注意到有一个小天使的蜡烛没有点亮。随后，他看到那个拿着没有点亮的蜡烛的小天使是自己的女儿。他奔过去，一把将女儿抱在怀里，亲切地爱抚着她，然后问道：“宝贝儿，为什么只有你的蜡烛没有点亮呢？”“爸爸，他们经常重新点亮蜡烛，可是你的眼泪总是把它熄灭。”

Just then he awoke from his dream. The lesson was crystal clear, and its effects were immediate⁶. From that hour on he was not a recluse, but mingled⁷ freely and cheerfully with his former friends and associates. No longer would his darling’s candle be extinguished by his useless tears.

就在这时，他从梦中醒来。梦给他上的一课像水晶般透明，而且立竿见影。从那个时刻起，他不再消极遁世，而是自由自在，兴高采烈的回到从前的朋友和同事们中间。宝贝女儿的蜡烛再也没有被他无用的眼泪熄灭过。