Seeing how a bee was busying itself about a flower, an eagle said to it, with disdain1: "How I pity thee, poor thing, with all thy toil2（辛苦） and skill! All through the summer, thousands of thy fellows are moulding honeycomb in the hive. But who will afterwards separate and distinguish the results of thy labour? I must confess, I do not understand what pleasure thou can take in it. To labour all one's life, and to have what in view? Why, to die without having achieved distinction, exactly like all the rest. What a difference there is between us! When I spread my sounding pinions3, and am borne along near the clouds, I am everywhere a cause of alarm. The birds do not dare to rise from the ground, the shepherds fear to repose4 beside their wellfed flocks, and the swift does, having seen me, will not venture out into the plain."

　　But the bee replies: "To thee be glory and honour! May Jupiter continue to pour on thee his bounteous5（豐富的） gifts! I, however, born to work for the common good, do not seek to make my labour distinguished6. But, when I look at our honeycombs, I am consoled by the thought that there are in them a few drops of my own honey."

　　Fortunate is he, the field of whose labour is conspicuous7! He gains added strength from the knowledge that the whole world witnesses his exploits. But how deserving of respect is he who, in humble8 obscurity, hopes for neither fame nor honour in return for all his labour, for all his loss of rest -- who is animated9 by this thought only, that he works for the common good!