以前，两个哲学家在黎巴嫩的一个山坡上相遇，这～个问那一个道："你上哪儿去？"那一个答道："我正在寻找青春的源泉，我知道这泉水是从这些山岭间喷涌出来的。我曾经读到的文章上说，这泉水向着太阳盛开着花朵哩。你呢，你在寻找着什么？"这一个回答说："我正在寻找死亡的秘密。"
两个哲学家都认为对方对他那伟大的科学知之甚少，他们争论起来了，都指责对方精神上的盲目性。
正当这两个哲学家争论得响遏行云时，有一个陌生人经过。在他自己的村子里，大家都认为他是个傻瓜。他听见哲学家在热烈辩论，便站停了一会儿，听他们论争。
然后他走近哲学家们，说道："先生们，看来你们两位是属于同一个哲学学派的，你们讲的是同一个事物，不过你们用不同的语言讲述罢了。你们两人中有一位寻找青春的源泉，另一位寻找死亡的秘密。事实上，这两者不过是一个事物；而且作为一个事物存在于你们两位的身上。"
于是这陌生人一边儿转过身去，一边儿说道："再见了，哲人们。"他离开时发出了耐心的笑声。
这两位哲学家默默地相视片刻，接着也哈哈大笑了。其中一位说道："好吧，现在咱们是否一起走一起探索？"
The Quest
A thousand years ago two philosophers met on a slope of Lebanon, and one said to the other, "Where goest thou?"
And the other answered, "I am seeking after the fountain of youth which I know wells out among these hills. I have found writings which tell of that fountain flowering toward the sun. And you, what are you seeking?"
The first man answered, "I am seeking after the mystery of death."
Then each of the two philosophers conceived that the other was lacking in his great science, and they began to wrangle, and to accuse each other of spiritual blindness.
Now while the two philosophers were loud upon the wind, a stranger, a man who was deemed a simpleton in his own village, passed by, and when he heard the two in hot dispute, he stood awhile and listened to their argument.
Then he came near to them and said, "My good men, it seems that you both really belong to the same school of philosophy, and that you are speaking of the same thing, only you speak in different words. One of you is seeks the fountain of youth, and the other seeks the mystery of death. Yet indeed they are but one, and as they dwell in you both."
Then the stranger turned away saying, "Farewell sages." And as he departed he laughed a patient laughter.
The two philosophers looked at each other in silence for a moment, and then they laughed also. And one of them said, "Well now, shall we not walk and seek together."