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子路背米
从前，大概在距今两千五百多年前的春秋时期，有一个人叫子路，他是孔子最年长的学生。流传至今的“百里背米”讲的就是他孝敬父母的故事。
子路的父母都是农民。由于连年的战争，家里生活非常困难。一天，子路从外面回来，听到父母在屋里说话: “活了大半辈子了，别说鱼肉，只要能饱饱地吃上一顿米饭，也就满足啦! ”子路听了，心里觉得十分惭愧。他暗下决心: “一定要让父母吃上米饭，不能再委屈他们了！”
子路打听到百里之外有个有钱人，家里缺干活儿的人，决定去试一试。那家主人见他身体结实，就留下了他。子路干起活来十分勤奋，主人很喜欢这个小伙子。半年后，当子路要回家时，发现主人给的银子比他应该得到的多了许多，子路老老实实地告诉了主人。主人笑着说: “孩子，工钱没算错，你做事勤快，这是我给你加的奖金。”谢过主人，子路高兴地上路了。
路过镇上，他买了一袋米、一块肉、两条鱼，背在后背上。天气非常寒冷，雪地很滑，子路不小心滑了一下，背上的米袋差点儿被甩出去。他顶着大雪往前走，扶着米袋的双手冻得不行，就停下来暖暖，再继续赶路。终于到家了，见到父母，子路把给他们买的东西及剩下的工钱都交给了他们。一家人高高兴兴地生火做饭，饱饱地吃了顿团圆饭。
后来子路的父母去世了，他也南下到了楚国。楚国国君觉得他很有本领，是个人才，就留他做了官，并给他很优厚的待遇。但他并没有因为物质条件好而感到欢喜，反而常常诚恳地说: “多么希望父母能和我一起过好日子！ 我现在有了一点儿成就，可他们已经不在了，即使再想背米百里去孝敬双亲，也不可能了。”
中国古代有句话叫“百善孝为先”，意思是说，孝顺父母是各种美德中占第一位的。子路为了让父母吃到较好的食物，不怕辛苦，这种做法确实值得我们学习。
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词汇: cíhuì: vocabulary / list of words
子路: Zǐ Lù: Name of a person
背: bēi: to be burdened / to carry on the back or shoulder
米: mǐ: rice
从前: cóngqián: once upon a time
距今: jùjīn: (a long period) ago
春秋: Chūnqiū: Spring and Autumn Period
时期: shíqī: period
孔子: Kǒngzǐ: Confucius (551-479 BC), Chinese thinker and social philosopher
最年长: zuìniánzhǎng: Oldest
流传: liúchuán: to circulate / to hand down - passed on to a later generation or age
至今: zhìjīn: so far / to this day
孝敬: xiàojìng: to show filial respect / Filial piety - (in Confucianism) the important virtue and primary duty of respect, obedience, and care for one's parents and elderly family members.
农民: nóngmín: farmer
连年: liánnián: over many years
战争: zhànzhēng: war / conflict
半辈子: bànbèizi: half of a lifetime
顿: dùn: classifier for meals
满足: mǎnzú: to satisfy / to meet (the needs of) / satisfied
啦: la: sentence-final particle
惭愧: cánkuì: ashamed
暗下决心: Ànxià jué xīn: make up one's mind secretly
委屈: wěiqu: to cause sb to feel wronged
百里之外: bǎi lǐ zhī wài: Hundreds of miles away
干活儿: gànhuór: to work
主人: zhǔrén: host / owner
留下: liúxià: to keep
干起活来: Gàn qǐ huó lái: get to work
勤奋: qínfèn: hardworking / diligent
银子: yínzi: silver
得到: dédào: to obtain / to receive
老实: lǎoshi: honest / sincerely
实地: shídì: on-site
工钱: gōngqián: salary / wages
算: suàn: to calculate / to compute
奖金: jiǎngjīn: bonus
上路: shànglù: to start on a journey
路过: lùguò: to pass by or through
镇: zhèn: small town
袋: dài: pouch / bag
背: bēi: to be burdened
后背: hòubèi: the back
寒冷: hánlěng: very cold
滑: huá: slippery
差点儿: chàdiǎner: Almost
甩: shuǎi: to throw / to throw off
顶: dǐng: to be subjected to (an aerial bombing, hailstorm etc)
往前: wǎngqián: to move forwards
扶: fú: to support with the hand
双手: shuāngshǒu: both hands
冻: dòng: to freeze / to feel very cold
停下来: tíngxiàlái: to stop
不行: bùxíng: not be capable
停下来: tíngxiàlái: to stop
暖暖: Nuǎnnuǎn: Warm
赶路: gǎnlù: to hasten on with one's journey / to hurry on
及: jí: and
剩下: shèngxià: to remain / left over
交给: jiāogěi: to hand over
高高兴兴: gāogāoxìngxìng: cheerful and optimistic
生火: shēnghuǒ: to make a fire / to light a fire
顿: dùn: classifier for meals
团圆: tuányuán: to have a reunion
去世: qùshì: to pass away / to die
南下: nánxià: to go down south
楚国: Chǔguó: the state of Chu, located around present-day Hubei
国君: guójūn: monarch
本领: běnlǐng: skill / ability / capability
官: guān: government official
并: bìng: and
优厚: yōuhòu: generous, liberal (pay, compensation)
待遇: dàiyù: treatment
物质: wùzhì: matter / material / materialistic
欢喜: huānxǐ: happy / joyous
反而: fǎn'ér: instead
诚恳: chéngkěn: sincere / honest
好日子: hǎorìzi: happy life
成就: chéngjiù: accomplishment / achievement
不在了: bùzàile: to be dead
双亲: shuāngqīn: parents
古代: gǔdài: ancient times / olden times
句: jù: sentence / clause / phrase
百善孝为先: bǎishànxiàowéixiān: of all virtues filial piety is most important (idiom)
孝顺: xiàoshùn: devoted to one's parents (and grandparents etc)
美德: měidé: virtue - behaviour showing high moral standards.
占: zhàn: to take possession of
位: wèi: position
较好: jiàohǎo: better
食物: shíwù: food
做法: zuòfǎ: way of handling sth
