SOME THIEVES broke into a house and found nothing but a Cock, whom they stole, and got off as fast as they could. —
一些小偷闯入一所房子，却发现只有一只公鸡，他们将其偷走，然后迅速逃离。 —

Upon arriving at home they prepared to kill the Cock, who thus pleaded for his life: —
回到家后，他们准备杀死这只公鸡，而公鸡请求饶命： —

“Pray spare me; I am very serviceable to men. —
“请放过我，我对人类非常有用。 —

I wake them up in the night to their work. —
我会在夜间叫醒他们去工作。 —

” “That is the very reason why we must the more kill you,” they replied; —
”他们回答道：“正因为如此，我们更要杀死你， —

“for when you wake your neighbors, you entirely put an end to our business.”
因为当你叫醒你的邻居时，完全破坏了我们的生意。

The safeguards of virtue are hateful to those with evil intentions.
那些负责保护美德的人对那些有恶意的人来说是可憎的。