A voyaging ship was wrecked during a storm at sea and only two of the men on it were able to swim to a small， desert like island。

一艘航船在海上風暴中失事，船上只有兩個人能游到一個像沙漠一樣的小島上。

The two survivors， not knowing what else to do， agreed that they had no other recourse but to pray to God。 However， to find out whose prayer was more powerful， they agreed to divide the territory between them and stay on opposite sides of the island。

兩名倖存者不知道還能做什麼，一致認為他們除了向上帝祈禱之外別無選擇。然而，為了找出誰的祈禱更有力，他們同意將領土分割開來，各自留在島的另一邊。

The first thing they prayed for was food。 The next morning， the first man saw a fruit-bearing tree on his side of the land， and he was able to eat its fruit。 The other man’s parcel of land remained barren。

他們祈禱的第一件事就是食物。第二天早上，第一個人看到了一棵結果實的樹在他這邊的土地上，他可以吃到它的果實。而另一個人的那塊土地仍然荒蕪。

After a week， the first man was lonely and he decided to pray for a wife。 The next day， another ship was wrecked， and the only survivor was a woman who swam to his side of the land。 On the other side of the island， there was nothing。

一週後，第一個男人感到孤獨，他決定為得到一個妻子祈禱。第二天，另一艘船失事，唯一的倖存者是一位婦女，她游到他的這邊。在島的另一邊，什麼也沒有。

Soon the first man prayed for a house， clothes， more food。 The next day， like magic， all of these were given to him。 However， the second man still had nothing。

很快，第一個人就為房子、衣服和食物祈禱。第二天，就像魔法一樣，所有這些都給了他。然而，第二個人仍然一無所有。

Finally， the first man prayed for a ship， so that he and his wife could leave the island。 In the morning， he found a ship docked at his side of the island。 The first man boarded the ship with his wife and decided to leave the second man on the island。

最後，第一個人祈禱有一艘船，這樣他和他的妻子就可以離開這個島了。第二天早上，他發現一艘船停靠在他這邊的島上。第一個男人和他的妻子上了船，決定把第二個男人留在島上。

He considered the other man unworthy to receive God’s blessings， since none of his prayers had been answered。

他認為另一個人不配接受上帝的祝福，因為他的祈禱沒有一個得到迴應。

As the ship was about to leave， the first man heard a voice from heaven booming， “Why are you leaving your companion on the island？”

當船要離開的時候，第一個人聽到一個聲音從天堂傳來，“你為什麼要把你的同伴留在島上？”

“My blessings are mine alone， since I was the one who prayed for them，” the first man answered。 “His prayers were all unanswered and so he does not deserve anything。”

“我的祝福只有我一個人，因為我是為他們祈禱的人，”第一個人回答說：“他的祈禱都沒有得到迴應，因此他不應該得到任何東西。”

“You are mistaken！” the voice rebuked him。 “He had only one prayer， which I answered。 If not for that， you would not have received any of my blessings。”

“你錯了！”那聲音責備他。”他只有一個禱告，我回答了。如果不是那樣，你就不會得到我的任何祝福。”

“Tell me，” the first man asked the voice， “What did he pray for that I should owe him anything？”

“告訴我，”第一個人問那個聲音，“他祈禱我應該欠他錢？”

“He prayed that all your prayers be answered。”

“他祈禱你所有的祈禱都能得到迴應。”

For all we know， our blessings are not the fruits of our prayers alone， but those of another praying for us。

據我們所知，我們的祝福不僅僅是我們祈禱的結果，而是別人為我們祈禱的結果。