埃及作家Najib Mahfouz（1911～）榮獲1988年諾貝爾獎，這份榮耀讓世人更加重視阿拉伯文學。

《快樂的人》故事主角經常因為宿醉頭痛以及焦慮煩惱早上起不來。但是奇怪得很，這天他醒來出奇地快樂，全身充滿了精力，催促著他去實現偉大的理想，內心洋溢著對萬物的愛和樂觀的情緒，他好像終於擊敗了恐懼、焦慮、病痛和死亡。His heart was brimming with love for people, animals and things, with an overwhelming feeling of optimism, as if he had finally defeated fear, anxiety, sickness and death.

他到報社上班，看到工作上的競爭對手不僅笑臉相向，當對方批評他太暴戾從不讓步妥協時，他也甘之如飴地接受。任何痛苦、悲傷都無法侵入他這座快樂的堡壘。這麼強烈的快樂讓他無法報導電車沉沒到尼羅河的消息，他離開座位在辦公室踱步，一邊笑還一邊彈著手指。How could he write about the trolley bus which sank in the Nile, when he was intoxicated with all this terrifying happiness...... He left his papers blank on the desk and started pacing his room, laughing and snapping his fingers.

他刻意地回想自己的不幸遭遇：妻子過逝、兒子執意要在加拿大定居，以及發生在世界各地的災難，希望這些傷心事能讓他平靜下來。但是他不僅不覺得悲傷反而咯咯地笑，如雷的笑聲都傳到街上了。亢奮的心情讓他不想參加報社的編輯會議，回到家也不想午睡。他需要平靜以便讓知覺遲鈍麻木下來。怎麼辦呢？他起床在公寓裡走來走去，哼著歌。這種快樂的激情再持續下去，他根本無法睡覺、工作或憂傷，甚至也不想到俱樂部和朋友聊天。He must have some rest and tranquility, some inertia, some numbness in his senses. But how Finally he left his bed and started humming a tune while pacing his apartment back and forth. And he said to himself that if this state of mind and feeling lasted longer, he would become totally incapable of sleep or work or grief.

為什麼遭到這樣荒誕的快樂侵襲？自己是否將一輩子無法再過正常的生活？還要再忍受多久？是一直沉溺下去？還是認真尋找協助？他決定去檢查身體，內科和神經科的醫生都說他很健康。他突然覺得很孤獨無助，好像世界上沒有人能救他了。最後他去找心理醫師，他很驚訝，因為醫師說生這種病的人很多。醫師還說他們身心都很健全，但是要接受治療，不能憂慮也不能煩惱。聽完之後他先是微笑繼而大笑不已，最後內心的抗拒完全瓦解了，眼淚不由得地流下來。Worry, grief He smiled and the smile widened on his face until he burst out laughing. Then his resistance collapsed completely and he could not control his tears.

無憂無慮是快樂的極致，但是不能憂慮也不能煩惱，讓人們失去了對工作的熱忱、對人間世事的關心，以及對痛苦悲慘的感受。生活中只有快樂反而是痛苦，真可說是最大的反諷了。