Needing to adapt to the new times, Satan decided to get rid of a whole lot of his stock of temptations. He placed an ad in the newspaper and attended his customers all day in his workshop.
It was a fantastic stock: stones for the virtuous to stumble over, mirrors for increasing one’s self-importance, and spectacles that reduced the importance of others. Some objects hanging on the wall drew a lot of attention: a dagger with a curved blade to be used on someone’s back, and tape-recorders that registered only gossip and lies.
- Don’t worry about the price! – shouted old Satan to the potential customers. – Take it home today and pay for it whenever you can!
One of the visitors noticed three tools lying in a corner that seemed to be quite worn and attracted little attention. But they were very expensive. Curious, he wanted to know the reason for that apparent discrepancy.
- They are worn because they are the ones that I use most of all – answered Satan with a laugh. – If they drew a lot of attention, people would know how to protect themselves.
- However, they are both worth the price I am asking for them: one is Doubt, the other is the Inferiority Complex, the third is Bitterness. All the other temptations can sometimes fail, but these three always work.
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DEAR SIR,
JUST WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW!!!!!! CANNOT EXPRESS MY THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Truth is truth. Thank you for making it plain.
chinese version:
撒旦卖旧货
为了适应新时代，撒旦决定清理掉一堆他累积的诱惑。他在报上登了则广告并天天在他的工作室内迎接顾客。
他的存货可不赖：有能让圣人摔倒的绊脚石，能让人更觉自傲的镜子，削弱他人重要性的障碍物。墙上挂着的一些物品更是吸引了许多人的眼球：一把专门用来刺人后背的弯刃匕首，一台记录流言和谎话专用的录音机。
“各位不用担心价格！”撒旦朝着潜在的买家嚷嚷，“喜欢什么就拿回家，愿意什么时候付帐都行！”
有一位来访者注意到房间的角落里躺着三样不起眼的工具，但是标价却非常昂贵。出于好奇，他想知道这不合情理的安排其中的缘由。
“他们旧，是因为被我用得最多。”撒旦笑答，“如果他们太引人注目，人们就会知道如何自保了。”
“不过，他们绝对是物有所值的：一个叫怀疑，一个叫自卑，另一个名叫怨恨。其他所有的诱惑都有失败的时候，就这三样几乎总有成效。”
I am back! So glad that I can visit and write comment here again.
What a lovely story. It makes one laugh but worths at the same time deep thinking.
love
Yan
You are a blessed and have a lovely soul Paulo
GOD BLESS U PAULO COELHO and I HOPE U’LL NEVER MEET SATAN IN YOUR LIFE !
I love your work!!
Hello Paulo:
I suppose that is why Satan is often referred to as a tricky old devil. Evil or what is considered evil in this world usedsones own weakness against the person. Evil in itself has no power. It is the weakness within a person that invites the Devil in. The Devil or Satan only makes and offer and it is up to the person to sign the contract.
Wise words were in this post.
Thanks,
Mike
A veces tengo problemas para comunicarme con gente con complejos, es como que sintieran que todo lo que uno dice lo dice desde un plano superior, en vez de escuchar lo que realmente estoy diciendo para entonces retenerlo o descartarlo.
Paulo,
quería saber si tenias pensado visitar USA?
Paulo sigo diciendole lo mismo, parece que usted, pareciera que todo lo este escribiendo sobre mi tengo tantos complejos , que ya muy poco queda de mi, todo lo entiendo,perfectamente y me quiero salir , llego a la varda me tiemblan las piernas y usted sigue escribiendo sobre mi, no pierdo la fe y la esperanza de un dia volar y llegar hasta tu tierra de nacimiento, BRASIL.
for heaven’s sake … all feelings are sacred and satan has nothing to do with them. he can only sell thoughts and views, because they can be untrue!
Brilliant! And now that we truly see our enemy, we are better armed for the battle xx
C’est bizarre parce que ce sont les mêmes tentations qui a utilisé dans l’histoire du début de notre naissance , ce qui fait que tu étais le premier à les tester…. en ajoutant aussi l’égoïsme
Essa história foi muito boa !! Até mais
always??? that’s such an arrogant attitude mr Satan… :)
I decided to doubt the doubt and give inferiority complex to the inferiority complex… as for bitterness, well, i already changed i to e ,so I feel better now …
love and Gratitude
Annie
Não resta duvida que o complexo de inferioridade, a duvida e á amargura são o grande vilão da humanidade.. Que Deus ti abençoe nessa sua caminhada de luz…
Entendendo como eles agem, aprendendo a se defender……
Trust & believe that views of compassion, equality with dimensions beyond our own can be sweet!
Genial, aunque parezca irreverente siempre he creído que satanás es el reverso de dios,o más bien la otra cara de dios
Sus tres herramientas más usadas y las más costosas por su efectividad:
la confianza y seguridad en sí mismos. La certeza y por último La felicidad!!
The devil hides his weapons, and in its back room, behind the wall or hang doubt, inferiority complex and bitterness, it is a secret door, where there is a box. If you open it you will jump to the face, two parasites, which will creep into your soul and not let you go: he has named them, Regret and Remorse.
Thank u Paulo for the great message. This one i liked a lot ‘mirrors for increasing one’s self-importance, and spectacles that reduced the importance of others’, because i happened to write about this today. This is so true and an almost undetectable vice! Thanks for sharing the expensive/ unfailing tools of Satan-Doubt, Inferiority complex and Bitterness.
Touched ! …
In Swedish:
Satan säljer begagnade föremål
För att anpassa sig till den nya tiden, bestämde sig Satan för att göra sig av med en hel del av hans lager av frestelser. Han satte in en annons i tidningen och servade sina kunder hela dagen i sin verkstad.
Det var ett fantastiskt lager: stenar för de positiv att snubbla över, speglar för att öka sin egen betydelse, och glasögon som minskade betydelsen av andra. Vissa föremål som hängde på väggen drog en hel del uppmärksamhet till sig: en dolk med ett krökt blad som kan användas på någons rygg och bandspelare som endast spelade in skvaller och lögner.
- Oroa dig inte för priset! – ropade gamla Satan till potentiella kunder. – Ta hem idag och betala för det när du kan!
En av besökarna upptäckte tre verktyg som låg i ett hörn och de verkade vara ganska slitna och väckte liten uppmärksamhet. Men de var mycket dyra. Nyfiken, ville han veta anledningen till den uppenbara avvikelsen.
- De är slitna, eftersom de är de som jag använder mest av allt – svarade Satan med ett skratt. – Om de drog till sig mycket uppmärksamhet, skulle folk veta hur man skyddar sig.
- Men de är värda det pris jag begär för dem: en är Tvivel, den andra är Mindervärdeskomplex, den tredje är Bitterhet. Alla andra frestelser kan ibland misslyckas, men dessa tre fungerar alltid.
Paulo Coelho på svenska: http://www.facebook.com/PauloCoelhoSverige
(Översättning: oLaVie, kommentera gärna. http://olavie.wordpress.com/ http://twitter.com/O_La_Vie)
Hi Paulo,
I am your biggest fan from India. Your teaching comes from your heart.May
Lord keep sending you wisdom and power to inspire all of us. Thank you for this blog.When we know Satan and his plan,We can choose better path to get away from it and come back to GOD ,Where our heavenly father is waiting for us.
Thank you
too good
“- However, they are both worth the price I am asking for them: one is Doubt, the other is the Inferiority Complex, the third is Bitterness. All the other temptations can sometimes fail, but these three always work.”
Dear Paulo Coelho. I would like you to know that you are, no doubt, my favourite writer! After the terrorist attack in Oslo last summer, the Devil and miss Prym helped me regain my faith in people. Your books allways direct me in the right direction whenever I need it. Till this day I havn’t found any other books I like as much as yours.
That is why I would like to ask you: What kind of books do YOU read? Who’s your favourite righter? Who inspires you?
Love
Vivement que satan laisse sa place @ un autre parti…
Yes. This is a Monday story. I always wonder how you get on those funny stories. I’ve been thinking for quite some time, who is hiding behind Mr. Coehlo really? Such a man can not exist. Handsome, rich, intelligent, friendly, and supposedly he can write. But this is only a reflection, no debate. Discussion is out of fashion. I learn something new every day. But i have to work out all that. I hope i fail. What can I say about the story? It’s cheaper by the dozen? The devil makes sure discount. Could be a good tip for the large customers. I do not know.
I wish you all a wonderful day
¿Las herramientas que tiene satanás en el suelo son la pena-el complejo de inferioridad y la amargura? Voy a saltarme el prólogo ¿vale?.
Conozco a una persona que está muy enferma y le quedan aproximadamente 3 o 4 años de vida, esa persona está emocionalmente muy mal, lo está pasando mal y en su pena, su complejo y su amargura salpica a los demás con sus emociones. Pero yo sé que esa persona necesita mucho calor y mucho cariño y también necesita enfocarse en la alegría y disfrutar del tiempo que se le ha dado, intentar ser feliz de esos 3 o 4 años de vida que le quedan.
Satanás se puede meter sus herramientas por …(no digamos palabrotas, es mejor ser educados jejeje). Comprendo el dolor de esa persona y le voy a ayudar, ya no estoy enfadada, he comprendido todo lo que tenía que comprender y ahí van las herramientas de una persona de carne y hueso para mi buen amigo: calor, cuidado y amor. Florece la flor donde hay cariño, cuidado y amor. Un fuerte abrazo y que Dios llene tu vida de todo lo mejor del mundo mundial. Besos. Toñi.
Love the smile and the ear ring. :) xx
Thank you.
You rock
With love
Marie-Christine
dear paulo,
i just want you to know that you are my spirit’s guide. my queries are answered through your writings or your sentiments. i’m an avid reader and collector of your books. however, i don’t read your blog as often as most of the people here do. i only open and read your blog when my gut tells me to and it has greatly guided my steps and soothed my soul through the years. i don’t think i have ever left anything here for you to read before. i never intended or wanted to do such a thing until today. something in me knew it was time to extend my gratitude towards your being.
thank you, dear friend, for continuing to do what you do best and for fighting the good fight. you have touched so many lives and many more in years to come.
blessings of immense light and love to you and your wife always!
z
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