The Scribe's Warning

文士的警告

A great and powerful empire needed the wood from its western areas to build palaces and homes for the emperor and his friends. However, the empire had depleted many of the forests. The trees were important to the western areas' economy. With no trees to sell, the commerce in that area was reduced. Citizens could no longer purchase the goods that they needed to survive. Their life became difficult.

一个强大的帝国需要西部地区的木材为皇帝和他的朋友们建造宫殿和住宅。然而，帝国耗尽了许多木材。这些树对西部地区的经济很重要。由于没有树可卖，那个地区的商业活动减少了。公民无法再购买他们赖以生存的商品。他们的生活变得困难。

A poor scribe from the area wanted to help. He hitchhiked to the capital to ask the emperor for charity. He was invited to the palace. It was large and cozy. Tables were loaded with food, and fires burned warmly in every fireplace.

一名穷困潦倒的文士想要为民请命。他去到京城请求皇帝网开一面。皇帝将其邀请到皇宫中商谈。宫殿宏伟舒适，桌上摆满了食物，每座壁炉里的火都烧得很旺。

The emperor sat up upon his throne, and the scribe stood in front of him.

皇帝坐在王位上，文士站在他面前。

I've come to ask for help, the scribe said. "We're all very poor and hungry. You've used up all of the forests, and now we have nothing to sell. " Then he added a warning. "If we don't receive help, I'm afraid that the entire empire will suffer. We must establish some unity. "

“我是来求救的，”文士说道。“我们穷困潦倒，饥寒交迫。您将所有的森林砍伐殆尽，所以我们没有收入来源。”随后他警告说：“如果您不帮助我们，那整个帝国都会跟着遭罪。我们肯定会团结在一起。”

Upon hearing the scribe's request, the emperor's bad temper surfaced. He mocked the scribe. "You think I should help," he said and laughed. "You should just be happy to belong to this great empire. You will get nothing from me. "

听完他的请求后，国王的暴脾气显露无疑。他嘲笑说：“你们觉得我该施以援手，你们该庆幸自己生活在这个伟大的帝国中，我什么也不会帮你们的。”

The emperor felt no pity for the citizens of the western area. They were condemned to starve. The scribe returned home with nothing.

皇帝并不同情西部地区的居民。他们被迫挨饿。文士一无所获地返回家中。

Not long after, an enemy invaded the empire from the west. They were marching to the capital. Because the citizens felt persecuted by the emperor, they remained neutral. They didn't fight the invaders but allowed them to march freely to the capital.

不久之后，有敌国从西部地区入侵。他们势如破竹，兵临城下。生活在水深火热之中的民众选择袖手旁观。他们没有与侵略者作战，而是允许他们自由地向首都进军。

The emperor was defeated. If he had heeded the words of the scribe, then the citizens might have been the victors. But because he had treated them badly, they treated him badly in return.

皇帝战败了。如果他听从了文士的告诫，也许结果就回相反。但由于他的刻薄，民众也罔顾他的死活。

单词表

charity n. 慈善

commerce n. 商业

condemn v. 谴责

cozy adj. 舒服的

deplete v. 耗尽

economy n. 经济

empire n. 帝国

goods n. 商品

heed v. 注意

hitchhike v. 搭便车

mock v. 嘲笑

neutral adj. 中立的

persecute v. 迫害

pity n. 遗憾

reduce v. 减少

scribe n. 抄写员

temper n. 脾气

throne n. 王座

unity n. 团结

victor n. 胜利者

以上是“实用英语阅读：文士的警告（附核心词汇）”的内容，更多关于实用英语资料可点击下载查看：进入资料下载。