A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.
有位年轻人即将大学毕业。数月来，他一直对一位经销商展出的一款漂亮跑车垂涎不已。他知道，父亲肯定买得起那辆车。于是，他便告诉父亲他只想要那辆跑车。

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He then handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.
在毕业典礼即将来临的日子里，年轻人等待着父亲买下跑车的消息。终于，毕业典礼那天早上，父亲将他叫到自己的书房，告诉他有这么一个出色的儿子自己是多么的自豪，告诉他自己是多么爱他。接着，他递给儿子一个包装精美的礼品盒。

Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, “With all your money you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.
年轻人既好奇又有点失望的打开礼盒，发现里面是一本漂亮的、皮面的《圣经》。他怒从中来，抬高嗓门朝父亲喊道：“你有那么多钱，却只送我一本《圣经》？”说完，便丢下《圣经》，夺门而出。

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day.
多年以后，年轻人已事业有成。他拥有一所漂亮的房子和一个温馨的家庭。他意识到父亲年事已高，心想或许应该去看看他。自从毕业那天起，他就再也没见过父亲。

Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and had willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.
还没来得及准备行程，他便收到一封电报，说父亲已去世，并立下遗嘱将其所有财产都传给儿子。他得马上回家处理后事。

When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped onto the inside back cover of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words…PAID IN FULL.
当他走进父亲的房子，心中突然感到一阵悲痛与懊悔。他开始搜寻父亲的重要文件，并发现了那本《圣经》——还跟多年前他丢下时一样新。他噙着泪水打开《圣经》，开始一页一页地翻着。读着读着，一把车钥匙从粘在《圣经》封底内侧的信封里掉了出来。钥匙上挂着一个标牌，上面写着汽车经销商的名字——正是他当年渴望拥有的那辆跑车的经销商。标牌上还有他的毕业日期及“货款付清”的字样。