There was a rich merchant who had 4 wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to delicacies. He took great care of her and gave her nothing but the best.

 

He also loved the 3rd wife very much. He’s very proud of her and always wanted to show off her to his friends. However, the merchant is always in great fear that she might run away with some other men.

 

He too, loved his 2nd wife. She is a very considerate person, always patient and in fact is the merchant’s confidante（知己）. Whenever the merchant faced some problems, he always turned to his 2nd wife and she would always help him out and tide him through difficult times.

 

Now, the merchant’s 1st wife is a very loyal partner and has made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and business as well as taking care of the household. However, the merchant did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

 

One day, the merchant fell ill. Before long, he knew that he was going to die soon. He thought of his luxurious life and told himself, “Now I have 4 wives with me. But when I die, I’ll be alone. How lonely I’ll be!”

 

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, “I loved you most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No way!” replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

 

The answer cut like a sharp knife right into the merchant’s heart. The sad merchant then asked the 3rd wife, “I have loved you so much for all my life. Now that I’m dying, will you follow me and keep me company?” “No!” replied the 3rd wife. “Life is so good over here! I’m going to remarry when you die!” The merchant’s heart sank and turned cold.

 

He then asked the 2nd wife, “I always turned to you for help and you’ve always helped me out. Now I need your help again. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?” “I’m sorry, I can’t help you out this time!” replied the 2nd wife. “At the very most, I can only send you to your grave.” The answer came like a bolt of thunder and the merchant was devastated.

 

Then a voice called out: “I’ll leave with you. I’ll follow you no matter where you go.” The merchant looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, almost like she suffered from malnutrition （營養不良）. Greatly grieved, the merchant said, “I should have taken much better care of you while I could have!”

 

Actually, we all have 4 wives in our lives

 

The 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it’ll leave us when we die.

 

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, they all go to others.

 

The 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how close they had been there for us when we’re alive, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

 

The 1st wife is in fact our soul, often neglected in our pursuit of material, wealth and sensual pleasure.

 

Guess what? It is actually the only thing that follows us wherever we go. Perhaps it’s a good idea to cultivate and strengthen it now rather than to wait until we’re on our deathbed to lament（哀悼，慟哭）

 

譯文：
    從前，一位富有的商人娶了四個老婆。他最愛他的小老婆，給她華麗的衣裳和美味佳肴。他對她體貼入微，把最好的東西都給了她。

 

商人也很愛第三位老婆。他為她感到驕傲，并常把她作為在朋友面前炫耀的資本。但他同時也憂心忡忡，怕她與其他男人跑了。
 
當然，商人也愛二老婆，她既善解人意又耐心。事實上，她是商人的紅顏知己。每每遇到困難，他就會找她，而她也總能幫助他走出困境，度過難關。

 

至于大老婆，她是一位忠誠的伴侶，替他照料生意、打理家務，忙里忙外，可謂勞苦功高。然而，盡管她愛得這么深，商人卻偏不鐘情于她，甚至沒把她放在心上。

 

一日，商人得了重病，他自知將不久于人世。當他回顧自己奢華的一生，不禁心中悵然：“現在我雖然有四個老婆相伴，但死后卻要孤零零一人。多寂寞啊！”

 

于是，他問小老婆：“我最疼你，給你買最漂亮的衣服，還對你呵護備至。現在我就要離開這個世界了，你愿意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？”“絕不可能！”她丟下一句話，徑自走開了。

 

小老婆的回答如一把尖刀插在商人心上。傷心的商人繼而問第三個老婆：“我一直對你寵愛有加。如今，我將不久于人世，你愿意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？”“不！”她拒絕道，“人間的生活多么美好啊！你死后我會改嫁他人！”商人的心倏地下沉，漸漸變冷。

 

他再轉向二老婆，問道：“我過去常常求助于你，你也總能為我排憂解難。現在我想再請你幫一次忙。我死后，你愿意隨我而去，與我相伴嗎？”“很抱歉，這一次我幫不了你，”她說，“我最多只能讓你入土為安。”這句話猶如晴天霹靂，商人徹底絕望了。

 

這時，旁邊傳來一個聲音：“我愿意隨你一同離去。無論你到哪里，我都會跟著你。”商人抬起頭，看到了自己的大老婆。她是那么消瘦，一副營養不良的樣子。商人悲痛萬分，他說：“我過去就應該好好地珍惜你啊！”

 

其實，我們每個人的一生都有四位愛人相伴。

 

小老婆代表我們的軀體。無論我們花費多少的時間和精力想去裝扮她，我們死后它終會棄我們而去。

 

第三位老婆代表財產、地位與金錢。一旦我們撒手西去，它終究會轉向他人。

 

二老婆則代表了我們的家人與朋友。我們活著的時候，無論他們與我們多么親近，他們最多也只能到墓前送我們最后一程。

 

至于大老婆，她則是我們的靈魂。當我們沉迷于追求物質、金錢或感官享受的時候，她常常會被遺忘在一旁。

 

結果呢？她才是唯一與我們永遠相伴的。也許從現在開始，我們就應該悉心照顧好她，而不是等到臨終之際才悔恨不已。