沙灘上的腳印

很喜歡這則寓言，於是試著自己動手翻譯了這個版本。

　某天晚上，有一個人做了個夢，在夢裡他與上帝沿著海灘一同走著。橫過天際閃映出他生命中一幕幕的光景，他注意到對應每一個景況，沙灘上也有兩雙腳印：一雙是他的，另一雙是上帝的。當生命的最後一幕印入眼前，他回頭看著沙灘上的腳印，他注意到這條人生路走來，有許多時候沙上只留下一雙腳印，而那恰好是他最低潮與悲傷的日子。

　這樣的情形著實困擾著他，於是他問上帝：「神啊！你曾說過，一旦我決志跟隨你，你必看顧我一生，但我注意到在我生命中最棘手的時刻，卻只有我一個人的腳印。我不明白為什麼在我最需要你的時候，你竟離開了我！」

　上帝回答他：「我珍愛、寶貴的孩子，我愛你並且永遠不會棄你於不顧。當你處在試煉和患難之中，當你看到沙上只留下一雙腳印的當兒，那正是我抱著你的時刻。」

（英文原文）
Footprints in the Sand

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord. When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. "Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."

The Lord replied, "My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints in the sand it was then that I carried you."