THE CARROT, THE EGG AND THE COFFEE BEAN

C C RT, QU TRNG V HT C PH

Put three pots of water over the fire.

Bn t ba ni nc ln bp la

In the first pot, put some carrots.

Trong ci ni th nht, bn b vo vi c c rt.

In the second pot, put some eggs.

Trong ci ni th hai, bn b vo vi qu trng.

In the third pot, put some coffee beans that have been grounded into coffee powder.

Trong ci ni th ba, bn b vo vi ht c ph c xay thnh bt c ph.

Boil all three pots for 15 minutes. Take out what you put in.

Bn nu c ba ni trong vng 15 pht. Bn ly ra nhng g bn b vo.

The carrots went in hard. They are now soft.

My c c rt lc u th cng. By gi chng thnh mm.

The eggs went in soft inside. Now they are hard inside.

My qu trng lc u th mm bn trong. By gi chng li cng bn trong.

The coffee powder has disappeared.

Bt c ph bin mt.

But the water has the colour and the wonderful smell of coffee.

Nhng nc c mu v mi c ph tuyt vi.

Now think about life. Life is not always easy. Life is not always comfortable. Sometimes life is very hard.

By gi hy ngh v cuc sng. Cuc sng khng phi bao gi cng d dng. Cuc sng khng phi bao gi cng thoi mi. i khi cuc sng cng rt cam go.

Things dont happen like we wish. People dont treat us like we hope.

Cc s vic khng xy ra nh chng ta mun. Ngi ta khng c x vi chng ta nh chng ta mong.

We work very hard but get few results. What happens when we face difficulties? difficulties

Chng ta lm vic rt chm m ch t t kt qu. Chuyn g xy ra khi chng ta i din vi cc kh khn? khn

Now think about the pots.

By gi hy ngh ti my ci ni.

The boiling water is like the problems of life.

Nc si ging nh cc vn ca cuc i.

We can be like the carrots.

Chng ta c th ging nh cc c c rt.

We go in tough and strong.

We come out soft and weak.

Chng ta i vo va dai va mnh.

Chng ta i ra va mm va yu.

We get very tired. We lose hope. We give up.

Chng ta cm thy rt mt. Chng ta mt hy vng. Chng ta bung xui.

There is no more fighting spirit.

Khng cn tinh thn chin u na.

Dont be like the carrots!

ng ging nh cc c c rt!

We can be like the eggs.

Chng ta c th ging nh my qu trng.

We start with a soft and sensitive heart.

We end up very hard and unfeeling inside.

Chng ta bt u vi mt tri tim mm mi v nhy cm.

Chng ta kt thc rt cng ci v v cm trong lng.

We hate others. We dont like ourselves.

Chng ta ght ngi khc. Chng ta khng thch chnh mnh. We become hard-hearted. Chng ta tr nn chai con tim.
There is no warm feeling, only bitterness.

Khng c nhng tm tnh m p, ch c chua cht.

Dont be like the eggs!

ng ging nh cc qu trng!

We can be like the coffee beans.

Chng ta c th ging nh cc ht c ph.

The water does not change the coffee powder.

Nc khng lm cho bt c ph thay i.

The coffee powder changes the water!

Bt c ph lm thay i nc!

The water has become different because of the coffee powder. See it. Smell it. Drink it. The hotter the water, the better the taste.

Nc thnh khc, v bt c ph. Hy nhn xem. Hy thng thc. Hy ung. Nc cng nng, hng v cng thm ngon.

We can be like the coffee beans.

Chng ta c th ging nh cc ht c ph.

We make something good from the difficulties we face.

T nhng kh khn phi i mt, chng ta lm ra iu tt lnh.

We learn new things.

Chng ta hc c nhng iu mi.

We have new knowledge, new skills, new abilities.

Chng ta c kin thc mi, nhng k nng mi, nhng ti nng mi.

We grow in experience.

Chng ta ln ln v kinh nghim.

We make the world around us better.

Chng ta lm cho th gii chung quanh chng ta nn tt p hn.

To succeed, we must try and try again. We must believe in what we are doing. We must not give up. We must be patient. We must keep pushing.

Mun thnh cng, chng ta phi th v th na. Chng ta phi tin vo nhng g chng ta ang lm. Chng ta khng c u hng. Chng ta phi kin nhn. Chng ta c phi y ti.

iculties diff

probl

ems

handle with care

Problems and difficulties give us the chance to become stronger and better and tougher. stronger better tougher

Cc vn v cc kh khn cho chng ta c may tr nn mnh m hn cng hn nh tt p hn v dai bn hn. hn hn

What are we like when things do not go well?

Chng ta ging nh th g khi cc cng vic khng xui chy?

Are we like the carrot

Phi chng chng ta ging nh c rt

or the egg

Hoc qu trng
or the coffee bean?

Hay ht c ph?

Be like the coffee bean!

Hy nn ging ht c ph!
Dch t bn Anh ng: HPL, 24-3-2009