Once upon a time the colors of the world started to quarrel. All claimed that they were the best. The most important.The most useful.The favorite.

从前，世界上的各种颜色进行过一次争吵。每一种颜色都说自己是最好的,最重要的，最有用的,和最讨人喜欢的。

Green said: "Clearly I am the most important. I am the sign of life and of hope. I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves. Without me, all animals would die. Look over the countryside and you will see that I am in the majority."

绿色说：“显然，我是最重要的。我是生命和希望的标志。我被选作青草，树木以及叶子的颜色。没有了我，所有的动物都会死去。展望田野吧，你会看到，到处都有我。”

Blue interrupted: "You only think about the earth, but consider the sky and the sea. It is the water that is the basis of life and drawn¹ up by the clouds from the deep sea. Without my peace, you would all be nothing."

蓝色打断了它的话：“你只考虑了地上，想想天空和海洋吧。水才是生命的基础呀，云彩把水分从深邃的大海带到了天空。没有我的和平，你们将不复存在。”

Yellow chuckled²: "You are all so serious. I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world. The sun is yellow, the moon is yellow, and the stars are yellow. Every time you look at a sunflower, the whole world starts to smile. Without me there would be no fun."

黄色咯咯地笑出了声：“你们都太严肃了。我给这个世界带来了笑声、欢乐和温暖。太阳是黄色的，月亮是黄色的，星星是黄色的，每一次你看向日葵的时候，整个世界都开始欢笑。没有我就没有快乐。”

Orange started next to blow her trumpet³: "I am the color of health and strength. I may be scarce, but I am precious for I serve the needs of human life. I carry the most important vitamins. Think of carrots, pumpkins⁴, oranges, mangoes, and papayas. I don't hang around all the time, but when I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset, my beauty is so striking that no one gives another thought to any of you."

橙色马上开始自吹自擂：“我可是健康和力量的颜色。我可能比较稀少，但是我非常宝贵，因为我满足了人们生活的需要。我携带了大多数重要的维他命。想想胡罗卜、南瓜、柑橘、芒果和番木瓜。我并不经常出没在天空，但日出或日落我在天际登场时，我的美丽足以惊世，没有人还会想起你们。”

Red couldn't stand it no longer he shouted out: "I am the ruler of all of you. I am blood - life's blood! I am the color of danger and of bravery. I am willing to fight for a cause. I bring fire into the blood. Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon. I am the color of passion and of love, the red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy.

红色再也忍不下去了，他喊道：“我，是你们所有人的主宰。我是血液——生命的血液！我是危险和勇敢的颜色。我愿意为了一个目标而斗争。我把烈火带入血液。没有了我，地球会象月亮一样变得空虚。我是激情和爱的颜色，是红玫瑰、猩猩木和罂粟。

Purple rose up to his full height: He was very tall and spoke⁵ with great pomp: "I am the color of royalty⁶ and power. Kings, chiefs, and bishops⁷ have always chosen me for I am the sign of authority and wisdom. People do not question me! They listen and obey."

紫色站起身来：他非常高，说起话来风度十足：“我是王权和力量的象征。国王、酋长、主教都选择了我，因为我象征着权威和智慧。人们不会对我提出疑问，他们只能聆听和服从。”

Finally Indigo⁸ spoke, much more quietly than all the others, but with just as much determination: "Think of me. I am the color of silence. You hardly notice me, but without me you all become superficial. I represent thought and reflection, twilight⁹ and deep water. You need me for balance and contrast, for prayer and inner peace."

最后，靛青说话了，他的声音比其他人都轻，但却比其他人都斩钉截铁：“想想我吧。我是沉默的颜色。你们几乎注意不到我，但是如果没有我，你们全都会变得肤浅。我代表着思想和反省，代表者黎明的微光和深邃的海水。你们需要我来平衡和比较，来祈祷和获求内心的安宁。”

And so the colors went on boasting, each convinced of his or her own superiority. Their quarreling became louder and louder. Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightening thunder rolled and boomed. Rain started to pour down relentlessly¹⁰. The colors crouched¹¹ down in fear, drawing close to one another for comfort.

这样一来，颜色们就不停地自夸，每个人都深信自己无比优越。他们的争吵声越来越大。突然，电闪雷鸣。雨无情地倾盆而下。颜色们惊恐地蜷缩起来，彼此挤在一起捱过着恐怖的时刻。

In the midst of the clamor, rain began to speak: "You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves, each trying to dominate the rest. Don't you know that you were each made for a special purpose, unique and different? Join hands with one another and come to me."

在一片喧嚣声中，雨开始说话了：“你们这些愚蠢的颜色，彼此相互争斗，每个人都想支配别人。你们难道就不知道每个人都是天造地设，都是独一无二，彼此不同的吗？携起手来吧。”

Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands. The rain continued: "From now on, when it rains, each of you will stretch across the sky in a great bow of color as a reminder¹² that you can all live in peace. The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow." And so, whenever a good rain washes the world, and a Rainbow appears in the sky, let us remember to appreciate one another.

颜色们按照着雨的话，团结在一起，携起手来。雨接着说：“从现在开始，每次下雨的时候你们都要变成一个巨大的彩色弓形横跨天空，以证明你们能够和平相处。彩虹就是未来希望的标志。”所以，每当大雨冲刷这个世界时，彩虹都会出现在天空，让我们记住彼此要珍惜。