《世说新语》选读

管guǎn宁níng、华huá歆xīn共gòng园yuán中zhōng锄chú菜cài，见jiàn地dì有yǒu片piàn金jīn，管guǎn挥huī锄chú与yǔ瓦wǎ石shí不bù异yì，华huá捉zhuō而ér掷zhì去qù之zhī。

Guan Ning and Hua Xin were hoeing the garden when they saw a piece of gold. Guan hoed on as if it were a stone; Hua picked it up, then threw it away.

释shì读dú：看见kàn jiàn金子jīn zi，管guǎn宁níng像xiàng没méi看见kàn jiàn一样yī yàng继续jì xù锄chú地dì，华huá歆xīn捡jiǎn起来qǐ lai看kān了liǎo看kān才cái扔rēng掉diào。一yī念niàn之间zhī jiān，高gāo下xià已yǐ分fēn。

Gloss: at the sight of gold, Guan Ning kept hoeing while Hua Xin paused. In one moment, their depths showed.

又yòu尝cháng同tóng席xí读书dú shū，有yǒu乘chéng轩xuān冕miǎn过guo门mén者zhě，宁níng读dú如rú故gù，歆xīn废fèi书shū出chū看kān。宁níng割gē席xí分fēn坐zuò曰yuē：子zi非fēi吾wú友yǒu也yě。

Once, studying on the same mat, a grand carriage passed outside. Ning read on; Xin dropped his book to look. Ning cut the mat in half: you are no friend of mine.

释shì读dú：这zhè就是jìu shì管guǎn宁níng割gē席xí。专心zhuān xīn读书dú shū的de人rén，看kān不bù上shàng追zhuī名míng逐zhú利lì的de伙伴huǒ bàn，连lián坐zuò的de席xí子zi都dōu要yào切qiē开kāi。

Gloss: this is cutting the mat. A devoted scholar rejected a status-chasing companion, he literally cut the shared mat.

孔kǒng文wén举jǔ年nián十shí岁suì，随suí父fù到dào洛luò。时shí李lǐ元yuán礼lǐ有yǒu盛shèng名míng，诣yì门mén者zhě皆jiē俊jùn才cái清qīng称chēng及jí中zhōng表biǎo亲戚qīn qi乃nǎi通tōng。文wén举jǔ至zhì门mén，谓wèi吏lì曰yuē：我wǒ是shì李lǐ府fǔ君jūn亲qīn。

Kong Rong at ten went to the capital with his father. Li Ying was so famous that only the talented or related got through his door. Kong told the gatekeeper: I am a relative of your master.

既jì通tōng，前qián坐zuò。元yuán礼lǐ问wèn曰yuē：君jūn与yǔ仆pū有yǒu何hé亲qīn？对duì曰yuē：昔xī先xiān君jūn仲zhòng尼ní与yǔ君jūn先xiān人rén伯bó阳yáng有yǒu师资shī zī之zhī尊zūn，是shì仆pū与yǔ君jūn奕yì世shì为wéi通tōng好hào也yě。元yuán礼lǐ及jí宾bīn客kè莫mò不bù奇qí之zhī。

Admitted and seated, Li asked: what kin are we? Kong answered: my ancestor Confucius once studied under yours, Laozi, so our houses are old friends. Li and his guests marveled.

释shì读dú：十shí岁suì的de孔kǒng融róng搬bān出chū孔kǒng子zi拜bài老子lǎo zi为wéi师shī的de典diǎn故gù，把bǎ两liǎng千qiān年前nián qián的de师生shī shēng关系guān xi变成biàn chéng了liǎo亲戚qīn qi关系guān xi，满mǎn座zuò都dōu被bèi他tā镇zhèn住zhù了liǎo。

Gloss: ten-year-old Kong Rong turned Confucius' ancient visit to Laozi into a family connection. The whole room was floored.

王wáng戎róng七qī岁suì，尝cháng与yǔ诸zhū小xiǎo儿ér游yóu。看kān道dào边biān李lǐ树shù多duō子zi折zhé枝zhī，诸zhū儿ér竞jìng走zǒu取qǔ之zhī，唯wéi戎róng不bù动dòng。

Wang Rong at seven was playing with other children when they saw a roadside plum tree bent with fruit. All the children ran for it; only Wang Rong stayed still.

人rén问wèn之zhī，答dá曰yuē：树shù在zài道dào边biān而ér多duō子zi，此cǐ必bì苦kǔ李lǐ。取qǔ之zhī，信xìn然rán。

Asked why, he said: a tree by the road still heavy with fruit, those plums must be bitter. Picked and tasted, they were.

释shì读dú：路边lù biān的de李lǐ子zi如果rú guǒ甜tián，早zǎo被bèi摘zhāi光guāng了liǎo，怎么zěn me还huán会huì挂guà满mǎn枝zhī头tóu？七qī岁suì的de王wáng戎róng，已经yǐ jīng会huì算suàn这zhè笔bǐ账zhàng。

Gloss: if roadside plums were sweet they would be gone already. At seven, Wang Rong could do that math.

文wén帝dì尝cháng令lìng东dōng阿ā王wáng七qī步bù中zhōng作zuò诗shī，不成bù chéng者zhě行háng大dà法fǎ。应yìng声shēng便biàn为wéi诗shī曰yuē：煮zhǔ豆dòu持chí作zuò羹gēng，漉lù菽shū以为yǐ wéi汁zhī。萁qí在zài釜fǔ下xià燃rán，豆dòu在zài釜fǔ中zhōng泣qì。本běn是shì同tóng根gēn生shēng，相xiāng煎jiān何hé太tài急jí。

Emperor Wen ordered the Prince of Dong'e to compose a poem within seven steps, or face severe punishment. At once came the verse: boiling beans for soup, straining them for juice; the stalks burn beneath the pot while the beans weep inside it, born of one root, why such a hurry to roast me?

帝dì深shēn有yǒu惭cán色sè。

The emperor colored deep with shame.

释shì读dú：曹cáo丕pī逼bī弟dì弟dì曹cáo植zhí七qī步bù成chéng诗shī，曹cáo植zhí用yòng煮zhǔ豆dòu燃rán萁qí点diǎn破pò兄弟xiōng dì相xiāng残cán。一yī首shǒu诗shī救jìu了liǎo一yī条tiáo命mìng，也yě骂mà醒xǐng了liǎo哥gē哥gē。

Gloss: Cao Pi forced his brother Cao Zhi to compose within seven steps. Boiling beans over burning stalks exposed fratricide, a poem that saved a life and shamed the brother.

王子wáng zǐ猷yóu居jū山shān阴yīn，夜yè大dà雪xuě，眠mián觉jiào，开kāi室shì命mìng酌zhuó酒jǐu。四sì望wàng皎jiǎo然rán，因yīn起qǐ彷páng徨huáng，咏yǒng左zuǒ思sī《招zhāo隐yǐn诗shī》。

Wang Ziyou lived at Shanyin. One night heavy snow fell; waking, he opened his room and called for wine. Gazing at the white brightness, restless, he chanted Zuo Si's Summoning the Recluse.

忽hū忆yì戴dài安ān道dào。时shí戴dài在zài剡shàn，即便jí biàn夜yè乘chéng小xiǎo船chuán就jìu之zhī。经jīng宿sù方fāng至zhì，造zào门mén不bù前qián而ér返fǎn。人rén问wèn其qí故gù，王wáng曰yuē：吾wú本běn乘chéng兴xīng而ér行háng，兴xīng尽jǐn而ér返fǎn，何必hé bì见jiàn戴dài？

Suddenly he thought of his friend Dai Andao, then living at Shan. He set out at once by small boat, arriving only at dawn, and at the door turned back without entering. Asked why, Wang said: I went for the mood; when the mood was spent, I returned. Why must I see Dai?

释shì读dú：雪xuě夜yè访fǎng戴dài，乘chéng兴xīng而ér来lái，兴xīng尽jǐn而ér返fǎn。魏wèi晋jìn人rén的de潇洒xiāo sǎ，就是jìu shì把bǎ兴致xìng zhì看kān得děi比bǐ目的mù dì还huán重chóng。

Gloss: the snowy-night visit, going on impulse, returning when it faded. The Wei-Jin grace was prizing the mood over the destination.

魏wèi武wǔ行háng役yì失shī汲jí道dào，军jūn皆jiē渴kě，乃nǎi令lìng曰yuē：前qián有yǒu大dà梅méi林lín，饶ráo子zi，甘gān酸suān可以kě yǐ解渴jiě kě。士shì卒zú闻wén之zhī，口kǒu皆jiē出chū水shuǐ，乘chéng此cǐ得děi及jí前qián源yuán。

Cao Cao's army, marching, lost the water source and all were thirsty. He announced: ahead lies a great plum grove, heavy with fruit, sweet and sour enough to quench thirst. Hearing this, the soldiers' mouths watered, and so they reached the spring ahead.

释shì读dú：望wàng梅méi止zhǐ渴kě的de出chū处chù。曹cáo操cāo一句话yī jù huà，让ràng士兵shì bīng想xiǎng着zhuó酸suān梅méi流líu口水kǒu shuǐ，撑chēng到dào了liǎo水源shuǐ yuán。

Gloss: the origin of thinking of plums to quench thirst. One sentence made an army salivate its way to water.

周zhōu处chù年nián少shǎo时shí，凶xiōng强qiáng侠xiá气qì，为wéi乡xiāng里lǐ所suǒ患huàn。又yòu义yì兴xīng水shuǐ中zhōng有yǒu蛟jiāo，山shān中zhōng有yǒu邅zhān迹jì虎hǔ，并bìng皆jiē暴bào犯fàn百bǎi姓xìng。义yì兴xīng人rén谓wèi为wéi三sān横hèng，而ér处chù尤yóu剧jù。

Young Zhou Chu was fierce and domineering, a terror to his village. With the river's dragon and the mountain's tiger, the people of Yixing called them the Three Scourges, and Zhou the worst.

或huò说shuō处chù杀shā虎hǔ斩zhǎn蛟jiāo，实shí冀jì三sān横hèng唯wéi余yú其qí一yī。处chù即jí刺杀cì shā虎hǔ，又yòu入rù水shuǐ击jī蛟jiāo。蛟jiāo或huò浮fú或huò没méi，行háng数shǔ十shí里lǐ，处chù与yǔ之zhī俱jù。

Someone urged him to kill the tiger and the dragon, secretly hoping only one scourge would remain. Zhou slew the tiger, then dove in to fight the dragon, chasing it for miles as it rose and sank.

经jīng三sān日rì三sān夜yè，乡xiāng里lǐ皆jiē谓wèi已yǐ死sǐ，更gèng相xiāng庆qìng。竟jìng杀shā蛟jiāo而ér出chū，闻wén里lǐ人rén相xiāng庆qìng，始shǐ知zhī为人wéi rén情qíng所suǒ患huàn，有yǒu自zì改gǎi意yì。

After three days and nights the villagers thought him dead and celebrated. He surfaced having killed the dragon, and hearing the celebration, realized he himself had been a scourge, and resolved to change.

释shì读dú：周zhōu处chù除chú三sān害hài。村cūn里lǐ人rén把bǎ他tā跟gēn猛měng虎hǔ、蛟jiāo龙lóng并bìng成chéng三sān害hài。他tā杀shā了liǎo两liǎng害hài回来huí lai，听见tīng jiàn大家dà jiā在zài庆祝qìng zhù他tā死sǐ了liǎo，才cái明白míng bai第dì三sān害hài是shì自己zì jǐ。

Gloss: Zhou Chu removes the three scourges. The village counted him with tiger and dragon; returning victorious to cheers for his death, he learned the third scourge was himself.

谢xiè公gōng夫人fū ren教jiāo儿ér，问wèn太tài傅fù：那nà得děi初chū不见bù jiàn君jūn教jiāo儿ér？答dá曰yuē：我wǒ常cháng自zì教jiāo儿ér。

Xie An's wife taught their son and asked the Grand Tutor: how is it I never see you teach the boy? He answered: I am always teaching him.

释shì读dú：谢xiè安ān的de教育jiào yù观guàn。天天tiān tiān讲jiǎng道理dào li不如bù rú天天tiān tiān做zuò样子yàng zi：我wǒ平常píng cháng的de言行yán xíng，就是jìu shì在zài教jiāo孩子hái zi。

Gloss: Xie An's way of teaching, not lectures but example: my daily conduct is the lesson.

林lín道dào人rén诣yì谢xiè公gōng，东dōng阳yáng时shí始shǐ总zǒng角jiǎo，新xīn病bìng起qǐ，体tǐ未wèi堪kān劳láo，与yǔ林lín公gōng讲jiǎng论lùn，遂suì至zhì相xiāng苦kǔ。

The monk Zhi Dun visited Xie An's home. Xie Wan was still a boy, fresh from illness and too weak for strain, yet he debated with the monk until exhausted.

母mǔ王wáng夫人fū ren在zài壁bì后hòu听tīng之zhī，再zài遣qiǎn信xìn令lìng还huán，而ér太tài傅fù留líu之zhī。王wáng夫人fū ren因yīn自zì出chū，云yún：新xīn妇fù少shǎo遭zāo家jiā难nán，一生yī shēng所suǒ寄jì，唯wéi在zài此cǐ儿ér。因yīn流líu涕tì抱bào儿ér以yǐ归guī。

His mother Lady Wang listened behind the wall and twice sent word for him to return; the Tutor kept him. So she came out herself: widowed young, all my hopes rest on this boy, and weeping, carried him home.

释shì读dú：名míng士shì家里jiā lǐ的de温wēn情qíng一yī幕mù。母亲mǔ qīn心疼xīn téng刚gāng病bìng好hào的de儿子ér zi，当着dāng zhe客人kè rén的de面miàn把bǎ他tā抱bào走zǒu，谁shéi也yě拦lán不bù住zhù母mǔ爱ài。

Gloss: a tender scene in a famous house. The mother of a just-recovered son carried him off before the guests, nothing stops a mother's love.

顾gù悦yuè与yǔ简jiǎn文wén同年tóng nián，而ér发fā早zǎo白bái。简jiǎn文wén曰yuē：卿qīng何hé以yǐ先xiān白bái？对duì曰yuē：蒲pú柳liǔ之zhī姿zī，望wàng秋qiū而ér落là；松sōng柏bǎi之zhī质zhì，经jīng霜shuāng弥mí茂mào。

Gu Yue was the Emperor's age but his hair had whitened early. The Emperor asked: why did yours whiten first? He answered: the willow's nature drops its leaves at autumn's approach; the pine's quality grows greener through frost.

释shì读dú：皇帝huáng dì问wèn他tā怎么zěn me先xiān白bái了liǎo头tóu，他tā答dá得děi妙miào：我wǒ是shì蒲pú柳liǔ，一yī见jiàn秋qiū就jìu掉diào叶yè；您nín是shì松sōng柏bǎi，经jīng霜shuāng更gèng茂mào。自zì嘲cháo里lǐ带dài着zhuó恭维gōng wei，一句话yī jù huà两liǎng种zhòng意思yì si。

Gloss: asked why he grayed first, he answered perfectly: I am a willow that sheds at autumn; you are a pine that thrives in frost, self-deprecation wrapped in compliment.

《世shì说shuō新xīn语yǔ》里lǐ的de名míng士shì，有的yǒu de清qīng高gāo，有的yǒu de洒sǎ脱tuō，有的yǒu de刻薄kè bó，有的yǒu de天真tiān zhēn。他们tā men活huó在zài一yī千qiān六lìu百bǎi年前nián qián，可kě说shuō的话de huà、做zuò的de事shì，今天jīn tiān看kān还是hái shi活huó的de。

The spirits of the Shishuo Xinyu, proud, carefree, biting, naive, lived sixteen centuries ago, yet their words and deeds still live today.

谢xiè太tài傅fù寒hán雪xuě日rì内nèi集jí，与yǔ儿女ér nǚ讲jiǎng论文lùn wén义yì。俄é而ér雪xuě骤zhòu，公gōng欣xīn然rán曰yuē：白bái雪xuě纷纷fēn fēn何hé所suǒ似shì？兄xiōng子zi胡hú儿ér曰yuē：撒sā盐yán空中kōng zhōng差chà可kě拟nǐ。兄xiōng女nǚ曰yuē：未wèi若ruò柳liǔ絮xù因yīn风fēng起qǐ。

Grand Tutor Xie gathered the family on a cold snowy day to discuss letters. As the snow thickened he smiled: what does the falling white resemble? His nephew said: like salt scattered in the air. His niece said: more like willow catkins riding the wind.

公gōng大dà笑xiào乐lè。即jí公gōng大dà兄xiōng无wú奕yì女nǚ，左zuǒ将军jiāng jūn王wáng凝níng之zhī妻qī也yě。

The Tutor laughed with delight. She was his elder brother's daughter, later the wife of General Wang Ningzhi.

释shì读dú：咏yǒng絮xù之zhī才cái的de出chū处chù。谢xiè道dào韫yùn一yī句jù未wèi若ruò柳liǔ絮xù因yīn风fēng起qǐ，把bǎ撒sā盐yán的de比喻bǐ yù比bǐ了liǎo下去xià qù。一yī千qiān多年duō nián过去guò qù，说shuō女子nǚ zǐ有yǒu才cái，还是hái shi说shuō咏yǒng絮xù之zhī才cái。

Gloss: the origin of 'catkin talent'. Xie Daoyun's willow catkins beat her cousin's scattered salt, a thousand years on, a gifted woman is still called a catkin talent.

这些zhè xiē人rén、这些zhè xiē话huà，都dōu来自lái zì一yī千qiān六lìu百bǎi年前nián qián的de《世shì说shuō新xīn语yǔ》。写xiě名míng士shì的de书shū，自己zì jǐ也yě成chéng了liǎo名míng士shì风流fēng líu的de一部分yī bù fen。

These people and words all come from the sixteen-hundred-year-old Shishuo Xinyu. A book about famous spirits became part of that spirit itself.