Tempayan yang retak - The Two Pots

A water bearer in India had two large pots, hung on each end of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.

Pada zaman dahulu, di India ada seorang pemikul air yang mempunyai dua buah tempayan. Dia memikul kedua tempayan itu dengan menggunakan seba-tang bambu yang melintang di bahu- nya. Salah satu tempayannya retak. Sedangkan tempayan yang satunya utuh dan selalu penuh dengan air, mulai dari sungai hingga ke rumah tuan- nya, tetapi tempayan yang retak, airnya hanya tinggal separuh. Tentu saja, tempayan yang utuh sangat bangga dengan hasil kerjanya, airnya selalu tetap penuh hingga ke tujuan.

But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house.

Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Tetapi tempayan yang retak merasa malu dengan hasil kerjanya dan kecewa karena dia hanya bisa menuntaskan separuh dari tugasnya.

Merasa dirinya telah gagal, pada suatu hari tempayan yang retak itu berbicara kepada si pemikul air sambil berdiri di tepi sungai. “Aku merasa malu akan diriku dan aku ingin minta maaf.”

“Mengapa?” tanya si pemikul air. “Mengapa kamu merasa malu?”

“Selama dua tahun aku hanya bisa mengantarkan separuh dari bebanku karena tubuhku retak sehingga air menetesnetes dalam perjalanan kembali ke rumah sang tuan.

Karena kekuranganku, engkau harus bekerja keras dan tidak menerima upah penuh dari hasil kerjamu,” kata tempayan itu.

Si pemikul air merasa kasihan pada tempayan yang retak, dan dengan kasih sayang dia berkata, “Nanti dalam perjalanan pulang, perhatikanlah bunga-bunga yang bermekaran di sepanjang jalan.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

Benar, sewaktu mereka mendaki bukit, tempayan yang retak itu melihat bungabunga indah berwarnawarni bermekaran di situ, dan itu menggembirakan hatinya. Tetapi ketika mereka tiba di tempat tujuan, hatinya kembali gundah karena air yang dibawanya tidak lagi utuh dan sekali lagi dia meminta maaf kepada si pemikul air.

Tetapi si pemikul air berkata, “Sadarkah kau bahwa bunga berwarna-warni hanya ber- tumbuh di pematang jalanmu? Sebab aku tahu kekuranganmu dan aku memanfaatkannya. Aku menebar benih bunga di pematangmu dan setiap kali kita pulang dari sungai, kau menyirami benih itu.

Selama dua tahun aku dapat memetik bunga-bunga indah berwarna-warni untuk menghiasi meja sang tuan. Seandainya kau tidak retak, keindahan di rumah sang tuan tidaklah sama.”

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it for anyone else.

—Charles Dickens

Water bearer – pemikul air Pots – tempayan Crack – retak Perfect – utuh Master – tuan Stream – sungai

Di dunia ini tidak ada orang yang tidak berguna selama ia meringankan beban orang lain.

—Charles Dickens

Half – setengah Ashamed – malu akan Flaw – kekuranganku Flowers – bunga-bunga Seeds – benih bunga Watered – menyirami

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Story and art © TFI