《百喻经·送美水喻》英译

昔有一聚落。去王城五由旬。村中有好美水。王敕村人，常使日日送其美水。村人疲苦，悉欲移避，远此村去。时彼村主语诸人言：“汝等莫去。我当为汝白王，改五由旬作三由旬。使汝得近，往来不疲。”即往白王。王为改之，作三由旬。众人闻已，便大欢喜。有人语言：“此故是本五由旬，更无有异。”虽闻此言，信王语故，终不肯舍。

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Sending Sweet Water to the King

In a village about one hundred kilometers from the King’s capital, there was a spring which provided sweet drinking water. At the King’s order, the villagers had to carry some of this water to him every day. This was hard work and the villagers began thinking that they had better move away to escape the tiresome burden.

But the village head said to the villagers, “Don’t (you) go away. I’ll report to the King and suggest that the distance be shortened from one hundred to sixty kilometers. Then when you carry the water to the King, the distance would be shorter and you would not fell so tire.”

So he went and reported to the King who agreed to shorten the distance as he had suggested. When the villager heard the “good news”, they were elated. Someone pointed out, “Nothing has been changed, the distance remains one hundred kilometers.” Although the villagers heard this comment, they persisted in carrying water to the King, thinking what the King said must be true.