正文
A sheep was once forced to submit（服從） to much harm from the other animals. He therefore appeared before Jupiter, and begged him to lessen his misery.
從前，有一隻綿羊總是受到其他動物的傷害。於是它來到朱庇特面前，請求他減輕自己的痛苦。
Jupiter appeared willing, and said to the sheep, “I see plainly, my pious（虔誠的） creature, that I have created you too defenseless. Now choose how I had best remedy this fault. Shall I arm your jaws with terrible fangs and your feet with claws?”
朱庇特很樂意幫助它，於是他說：“我虔誠的羊兒，我知道我把你們創造得太軟弱了。現在，你來選一個讓我彌補這個錯誤的好辦法吧。要我讓你的嘴裏長出獠牙，讓你的腳上長出尖爪嗎？”
“Oh, no！” exclaimed the sheep. “I will have nothing in common with the beasts of prey.” “Or,” said Jupiter, “shall I make your bite poisonous（毒牙）?” “Alas！” replied the sheep. “The poisonous snakes are so sadly detested（厭惡的）.”
“哦，不！”綿羊叫道，“我可不想和那些猛獸一樣。” “或者，”朱庇特說，“我也可以讓你長出毒牙。” “天哪！”綿羊回答說，“我可不想變成毒蛇那樣令人厭惡的動物。”
“Well, what shall I do? Shall I plant horns on your forehead, and give strength to your neck?” “Nor that, gracious（仁慈的） father; I should then butt（碰撞） like the goat.”
“那我該怎麼辦呢？要不我讓你的額頭長出犄角，再讓你的脖頸變得粗壯？”那也不行，仁慈的天父；那樣的話，我就會像山羊一樣用頭亂撞。”
“At the same time you would be able to injure others, if I gave you the means of defending yourself.”
“假如我讓你能夠自衛，你自然就會傷到別人。”朱庇特說。 “真的有必要那樣嗎？”
“Should I, indeed?” sighed the sheep. “Oh！Then leave me, merciful father, as I am. For the power of injuring would, I am fearful, awake the desire of doing so; and it is better to suffer harm, than to inflict it.”
綿羊嘆息道，“哦！仁慈的天父，那我還是保持現在這樣吧！因爲我擔心，如果我擁有了傷害他人的能力，就會產生這樣做的慾望；我寧可受到傷害，也不要去傷害別人。”
Jupiter blessed the pious（虔誠的） sheep, who ceased（停止） from that moment his complaints.
最後，朱庇特祝福了這隻虔誠的綿羊。從此以後，綿羊就再也不抱怨了。
真正的善良是寧可被人傷害，也不願傷害他人。
朱庇特（拉丁語：Iuppiter、英語：Jupiter），是羅馬神話中統領神域和凡間的衆神之王，古老的天空神及光明、法律之神，也是羅馬十二主神之首。他的寺廟位於卡皮托爾山，極其宏偉、莊嚴，古時候便被尊奉爲拉丁聯盟的佑護神，對應希臘神話中的宙斯。