The Nail

A merchant had been trading in a far city and had made much money, which he was now bringing home with him. He rode in haste, for he knew he would not feel easy until he had locked away the gold in his strong room at home.

Seorang pedagang telah berdagang di sebuah kota jauh dan mendapatkan banyak uang, yang kini ia bawa pulang bersamanya. Ia menunggang kuda dengan tergesa-gesa, sebab ia tahu ia tak akan merasa tenang sampai ia mengunci emas itu di dalam kamar penyimpanan yang kuat di rumahnya.

Toward the middle of the morning he stopped at an inn to give his horse water. “Sir,” said the ostler who waited on him, “a nail is loose in your horse’s shoe.”

Menjelang tengah hari ia berhenti di sebuah penginapan untuk memberi minum kudanya. "Tuan," kata pelayan kandang yang melayaninya, "ada paku yang longgar di sepatu kuda Anda."

“No matter,” answered the merchant. “I am in haste, and the shoe must go as it is till I get home.”

"Tidak masalah," jawab pedagang itu. "Aku sedang tergesa-gesa, dan sepatu itu harus bertahan seperti itu sampai aku sampai di rumah."

A little later he stopped at another inn. “Sir,” said the ostler, “your horse’s shoe is loose; shall I not take him to the blacksmith near by and have the shoe fastened on?”

Tak lama kemudian ia berhenti di penginapan lain. "Tuan," kata pelayan kandang itu, "sepatu kuda Anda longgar; haruskah aku membawanya ke pandai besi di dekat sini untuk mengencangkan sepatunya?"

“No,” answered the merchant, “I have not time to wait. I must be home before nightfall.”

"Tidak," jawab pedagang itu, "aku tak punya waktu untuk menunggu. Aku harus sampai di rumah sebelum malam tiba."

The merchant rode still farther, but presently his horse began to limp. It limped more and more, until at last, in the very midst of a deep forest, it stumbled and fell, and could not get up again.

Pedagang itu melanjutkan perjalanan lebih jauh, tetapi tak lama kemudian kudanya mulai pincang. Kuda itu semakin lama semakin pincang, sampai akhirnya, di tengah-tengah hutan yang lebat, ia tersandung dan jatuh, dan tak bisa bangkit lagi.

The merchant was in despair. Dusk was coming on, and there seemed nothing for it but to spend the night in the forest. However, he discovered a house near by, and the old woman who was in charge of it promised him food and a lodging for the night.

Pedagang itu putus asa. Senja mulai turun, dan tampaknya tak ada pilihan lain selain bermalam di hutan. Namun, ia menemukan sebuah rumah di dekat sana, dan seorang wanita tua yang menjaga rumah itu menjanjikan makanan dan tempat menginap untuk semalam.

When the merchant went up to bed he put his bag of gold under his pillow. He meant to watch all night, but he was very tired, and presently, in spite of himself his eyes closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

Ketika pedagang itu naik ke tempat tidur, ia meletakkan kantong emasnya di bawah bantal. Ia bermaksud berjaga sepanjang malam, tetapi ia sangat lelah, dan tak lama kemudian, tanpa disadarinya, matanya terpejam dan ia tertidur lelap.

Now this house belonged to a band of robbers, and the old woman was their housekeeper. Soon after the merchant was asleep the robbers came home. The housekeeper told them of the rich man who had come to the house while they were away, and of how she had given him a bed for the night.

Ternyata rumah ini adalah milik sekelompok perampok, dan wanita tua itu adalah pengurus rumah mereka. Tak lama setelah pedagang itu tertidur, para perampok pulang. Pengurus rumah itu memberi tahu mereka tentang orang kaya yang datang ke rumah itu saat mereka sedang pergi, dan bagaimana ia telah memberinya tempat tidur untuk semalam.

The robbers went up to the merchant’s room and finding him asleep they stole the bag of money from under his pillow, and made off with it.

Para perampok itu naik ke kamar pedagang itu dan, mendapatinya tertidur, mereka mencuri kantong uang dari bawah bantalnya, dan kabur membawanya.

In the morning, when the merchant awoke, he felt under his pillow for the bag, but it was gone. He called aloud, but no one answered. He searched the house from top to bottom, but could find nobody.

Pagi harinya, ketika pedagang itu terbangun, ia meraba bawah bantalnya untuk mencari kantong itu, tetapi sudah tak ada. Ia berseru keras, tetapi tak seorang pun menjawab. Ia menggeledah seluruh rumah dari atas sampai bawah, tetapi tak menemukan siapa pun.

So the merchant lost both his gold and his horse. “And all,” said he, “because I was in such haste that I would not stop for a nail to be put in my horse’s shoe. It is a true saying—‘the more haste the less speed.’”

Maka pedagang itu kehilangan baik emasnya maupun kudanya. "Dan semua ini," katanya, "karena aku begitu tergesa-gesa sehingga aku tak mau berhenti sebentar agar sebuah paku dipasang pada sepatu kudaku. Benarlah kata pepatah—'terlalu tergesa-gesa hanya memperlambat.'"