两个监护天使

一天黄昏，两个天使在城门口相遇，互相致敬，谈起话来了。

一个天使说："这些日子你在忙些什么，交给了你什么工作。"

另一个大使答道："指派我去监护一个堕落的人，他就住在下面山谷里，是个作恶多端的罪人，卑劣之至。我敢向你断言，这是个重大任务，我工作得好辛苦。"

第一个天使说道："那是个轻而易举的差使。我时常碰到罪人，好几次作过他们的监护者。

然而现在指派我去监护一个善良的圣徒，他就住在那边的村舍里。我敢向你断言，这是件十分艰巨的工作，而且微妙极了。"

第二个天使说道："这不过是臆测罢了。一个圣徒倒比一个罪人难于监护，这怎么可能呢？"第一个天使答道："竟说我妄加臆测，真是无礼极了！我说的只是真情实况。依我看来，你才是妄加臆测哩！"于是两个天使又吵又斗，起初是用语言吵嘴，接着就用拳头和翅膀武斗了。

他们正在打架的时候，有个天使长走过。他阻止他们打架，说道："你们为什么打架？究竟是为了什么缘故？你们可知道，监护天使在城门口打架是最不像话的？告诉我，你们不和睦的原因何在？"于是两个天使立刻说起话来，谁都声称指派给他做的工作是更辛苦的，因此他应该得到更大的赏识。

天使长摇摇头，自己细细思考。

然后他说道："我的朋友们，我现在没法儿说你们哪一位有更大的权利要求光荣和奖励。

但是，既然授与我权力，既然你们每一位都坚持对方的任务比自己的任务轻而易举，那么，为了和平的缘故，为了良好的监护职责，我派你们两位都担当起对方的职务。现在你们走吧，祝你们工作胜任愉快。"

两个天使奉命而去。但每个天使都怀着更大的愤怒回头看望天使长。每个天使的心里都在想："这个天使长啊！他们使我们天使的生活一天比一天难过！"但天使长站定在那儿，自己再一次的思考。他在心里说道："我们确实非警惕不可，非监督我们的监护天使不可了。"

The Two Guardian Angels

On an evening two angels met at the city gate, and they greeted one another, and they conversed.

The one angel said, "What are you doing these days, and what work is given you?"

And the other answered, "It was been assigned me to be the guardian of a fallen man who lives down in the valley, a great sinner, most degraded. Let me assure you it is an important task, and I work hard."

The first fallen angel said, "That is an easy commission. I have often known sinners, and have been their guardian many a time. But it has now been assigned me to be the guardian of the good saint who lives in a bower out yonder. And I assure you that is an exceedingly difficult work, and most subtle."

Said the first angel, "This is but assumption. How can guarding a saint be harder than guarding a sinner?"

And the other answered, "What impertinence, to call me assumptious! I have stated but the truth. Methinks it is you who are assumptious!"

Then the angels wrangled and fought, first with words and then with fists and wings.

While they were fighting an archangel came by. And he stopped them, and said, "Why do you fight? And what is it all about? Know you not that it is most unbecoming for guardian angels to fight at the city gate? Tell me, what is your disagreement?"

Then both angels spoke at once, each claiming that the work given him was the harder, and that he deserved the greater recognition.

The archangel shook his head and bethought him.

Then he said, "My friends, I cannot say now which one of you has the greater claim upon honour and reward. But since the power is bestowed in me, therefore for peace sake and for good guardianship, I give each of you the others occupation, since each of you insists that the others task is the easier one. Now go hence and be happy at your work."

The angels thus ordered went their ways. But each one looked backward with greater anger at the archangel. And in his heart each was saying, "Oh, these archangels! Every day they make life harder and still harder for us angels!"

But the archangel stood there, and once more he bethought him. And he said in his heart, "We have indeed, to be watchful and to keep guard over our guardian angels."