In point of meritorious character, the two things seemed about equal.

就功德而言，两者似乎不相上。

And where is the merit of your boasted virtue?

你所夸耀美德功德在哪里？

'Pardon me; I have not even that merit.

'对不起; 我连那个功德都没有。

Why did you place real merit under my eyes?

凭什么把真功德放在我眼皮底？

People make merit at temples and pray for the winning numbers.

人们到寺庙做功德， 祈求中奖号码。

Such joys are reserved for conscious merit.

这种快有意识功德而保留。

Hereafter, by my art and industry, it will turn red, and acquire the virtue of transmuting silver into gold.

以后以我功劳， 它会变红色， 得到点银功德。

In addition, some merits, like kindness and humidity will take a long time to be observed.

此外，有些功德，如仁慈、湿度等， 需要很长时间才能观察到。

God may grant us gifts, but the merit of being able to take and hold them must be our own.

上帝可能会赐予我们礼物， 但能够接受并持有它们功德必须我们自己。

" Now, " said the Badger, " if only we could wake the spirits of these trees and this well, we should have done a good day's work."

“现在，”特鲁佛汉特说，“咱们要能唤醒这些树和这口井灵魂就好了，那样我们这一天可就真功德圆满啦。”

I had heard from my elders that it was excellent for the health, and my friends have always seemed to believe that it contained I know not what merit and valor.

我从长辈那里听说它对健康非常有益， 而我朋友们似乎一直认它包含着我不知道功德和勇气。

The Monk reflected that to vanquish temptation was an infinitely greater merit than to avoid it: He thought that He ought rather to rejoice in the opportunity given him of proving the firmness of his virtue.

比丘认战胜诱惑功德远比避免诱惑大得多：他认他应该有机会证明自己美德坚定而感到高兴。

But there was still a tradition of affection for him, and it came to be regarded as meritorious and luck-bringing to climb to Shangri-La and leave a simple gift, or perform some manual task that was needed there.

但对他仍有亲情传统，爬上香格里拉，留一份简单礼物，或做一些那里需要体力活，就被视功德和幸运。