先秦寓言原文选读

宋sòng人rén有yǒu耕gēng者zhě。田tián中zhōng有yǒu株zhū，兔tù走zǒu触chù株zhū，折zhé颈jǐng而ér死sǐ。因yīn释shì其qí耒lěi而ér守shǒu株zhū，冀jì复fù得děi兔tù。兔tù不bù可kě复fù得děi，而ér身为shēn wéi宋sòng国guó笑xiào。

In Song there was a farmer. In his field stood a stump; a rabbit ran into it, broke its neck and died. He put down his plow and guarded the stump, hoping for another rabbit. No rabbit came, and he became the laughingstock of Song.

释shì读dú：《韩hán非fēi子zi》里lǐ的de守株待兔shǒu zhū dài tù。守shǒu着zhuó一yī棵kē树shù等děng兔tù子zi，就是jìu shì把bǎ运气yùn qi当成dàng chéng了liǎo本事běn shi。

Gloss: Han Feizi's watching the stump. Guarding a tree for rabbits is mistaking luck for skill.

楚chǔ人rén有yǒu鬻yù盾dùn与yǔ矛máo者zhě，誉yù之zhī曰yuē：吾wú盾dùn之zhī坚jiān，物wù莫mò能néng陷xiàn也yě。又yòu誉yù其qí矛máo曰yuē：吾wú矛máo之zhī利lì，于yú物wù无不wú bù陷xiàn也yě。

A man of Chu sold shields and spears. He praised his shield: my shield is so hard nothing can pierce it. He praised his spear: my spear is so sharp it pierces everything.

或huò曰yuē：以yǐ子zi之zhī矛máo陷xiàn子zi之zhī盾dùn，何hé如rú？其qí人rén弗fú能néng应yìng也yě。

Someone asked: what if your spear strikes your shield? The man could not answer.

释shì读dú：这zhè就是jìu shì自相矛盾zì xiāng máo dùn的de出chū处chù。说shuō自己zì jǐ的de矛máo什么shén me都dōu能néng刺cì穿chuān，盾dùn什么shén me都dōu挡dǎng得děi住zhù，一句话yī jù huà就jìu把bǎ自己zì jǐ问wèn住zhù了liǎo。

Gloss: the origin of self-contradiction. A spear that pierces all and a shield that stops all cannot both exist.

楚chǔ有yǒu祠cí者zhě，赐cì其qí舍shě人rén卮zhī酒jǐu。舍shě人rén相xiāng谓wèi曰yuē：数shǔ人rén饮yǐn之zhī不足bù zú，一yī人rén饮yǐn之zhī有yǒu余yú。请qǐng画huà地dì为wéi蛇shé，先xiān成chéng者zhě饮yǐn酒jǐu。

A man of Chu, having sacrificed, gave his retainers a cup of wine. They said among themselves: too little for us all, too much for one. Let us draw snakes on the ground; the first to finish drinks.

一yī人rén蛇shé先xiān成chéng，引yǐn酒jǐu且qiě饮yǐn之zhī，乃nǎi左zuǒ手shǒu持chí卮zhī，右yòu手shǒu画huà蛇shé曰yuē：吾wú能néng为wéi之zhī足zú。未wèi成chéng，一yī人rén之zhī蛇shé成chéng，夺duó其qí卮zhī曰yuē：蛇shé固gù无wú足zú，子zi安ān能néng为wéi之zhī足zú？遂suì饮yǐn其qí酒jǐu。

One man's snake finished first; he took the wine and, holding the cup in his left hand, kept drawing with his right: I can give it feet. Before he finished, another's snake was done; he snatched the cup: snakes have no feet, how can you add them? And drank the wine.

释shì读dú：画蛇添足huà shé tiān zú的de原yuán文wén。做zuò得děi多余duō yú的de事shì，不但bù dàn没用méi yòng，还huán把bǎ到dào手shǒu的de东西dōng xi弄nòng丢dīu了liǎo。

Gloss: the original adding feet to a snake. A needless extra cost him the prize already in hand.

虎hǔ求qíu百bǎi兽shòu而ér食shí之zhī，得děi狐hú。狐hú曰yuē：子zi无wú敢gǎn食shí我wǒ也yě。天tiān帝dì使shǐ我wǒ长zhǎng百bǎi兽shòu，今jīn子zi食shí我wǒ，是shì逆nì天tiān帝dì命mìng也yě。

The tiger sought the beasts to eat them and caught a fox. The fox said: you dare not eat me. The Emperor of Heaven made me lord of the beasts; eating me defies Heaven's command.

子zi以yǐ我wǒ为wéi不bù信xìn，吾wú为wéi子zi先xiān行háng，子zi随suí我wǒ后hòu，观guàn百bǎi兽shòu之zhī见jiàn我wǒ而ér敢gǎn不bù走zǒu乎hū？虎hǔ以为yǐ wéi然rán，故gù遂suì与yǔ之zhī行háng。兽shòu见jiàn之zhī皆jiē走zǒu。虎hǔ不知bù zhī兽shòu畏wèi己jǐ而ér走zǒu也yě，以为yǐ wéi畏wèi狐hú也yě。

If you do not believe me, walk ahead I will, with you behind, and watch whether the beasts dare not flee at the sight of me. The tiger agreed and followed. The beasts all fled. The tiger did not know they feared him; he thought they feared the fox.

释shì读dú：狐hú假jiǎ虎hǔ威wēi的de原yuán文wén。老lǎo虎hǔ到dào死sǐ也yě不知bù zhī道dào，百bǎi兽shòu怕pà的de是shì它tā自己zì jǐ。

Gloss: the original fox borrowing the tiger's might. The tiger never knew the beasts feared itself.

宋sòng人rén有yǒu闵mǐn其qí苗miáo之zhī不bù长zhǎng而ér揠yà之zhī者zhě，芒máng芒máng然rán归guī，谓wèi其qí人rén曰yuē：今日jīn rì病bìng矣yǐ，予yǔ助zhù苗miáo长zhǎng矣yǐ。其qí子zi趋qū而ér往wǎng视shì之zhī，苗miáo则zé槁gǎo矣yǐ。

A man of Song, grieved that his sprouts were not growing, pulled them upward. Exhausted, he came home and told his family: I am worn out today; I helped the sprouts grow. His son hurried to look: the sprouts had all withered.

释shì读dú：《孟mèng子zi》里lǐ的de揠yà苗miáo助zhù长zhǎng。想xiǎng帮bāng庄稼zhuāng jia长zhǎng得děi快kuài一yī点diǎn，结果jiē guǒ全quán害hài死sǐ了liǎo。好心hǎo xīn办bàn坏事huài shì，就是jìu shì因为yīn wèi不bù尊重zūn zhòng规律guī lǜ。

Gloss: Mencius' pulling the sprouts. Trying to speed the crops killed them all. Good intentions gone wrong come from disrespecting nature's pace.

楚chǔ人rén有yǒu涉shè江jiāng者zhě，其qí剑jiàn自zì舟zhōu中zhōng坠zhuì于yú水shuǐ，遽jù契qì其qí舟zhōu曰yuē：是shì吾wú剑jiàn之zhī所suǒ从cóng坠zhuì。舟zhōu止zhǐ，从cóng其qí所suǒ契qì者zhě入rù水shuǐ求qíu之zhī。舟zhōu已yǐ行háng矣yǐ，而ér剑jiàn不行bù xíng，求qíu剑jiàn若ruò此cǐ，不bù亦yì惑huò乎hū？

A man of Chu crossing a river dropped his sword from the boat into the water. He quickly cut a mark on the boat: here is where my sword fell. When the boat stopped he dove in at the mark to seek it. The boat had moved on but the sword had not. To seek a sword this way, is that not foolish?

释shì读dú：《吕lǚ氏shì春chūn秋qiū》里lǐ的de刻舟求剑kè zhōu qíu jiàn。船chuán在zài走zǒu，剑jiàn不bù走zǒu，在zài船chuán上shàng刻kè记号jì hao有yǒu什么shén me用yòng？世界shì jiè一直yī zhí在zài变biàn，老lǎo办法bàn fǎ常常cháng cháng不bù顶dǐng用yòng。

Gloss: marking the boat to find the sword. The boat moves, the sword does not; what use is a mark on the boat? The world keeps changing and old methods often fail.

郑zhèng人rén有yǒu欲yù买mǎi履lǚ者zhě，先xiān自zì度dù其qí足zú，而ér置zhì之zhī其qí坐zuò。至zhì之zhī市shì，而ér忘wàng操cāo之zhī。已yǐ得děi履lǚ，乃nǎi曰yuē：吾wú忘wàng持chí度dù。反fǎn归guī取qǔ之zhī。及jí反fǎn，市shì罢bà，遂suì不得bù dé履lǚ。

A man of Zheng wished to buy shoes. He measured his foot and left the measure at his seat. At the market he forgot to bring it. Having found shoes he said: I forgot the measure. He went back for it, but when he returned the market had closed and he got no shoes.

人rén曰yuē：何hé不bù试shì之zhī以yǐ足zú？曰yuē：宁níng信xìn度dù，无wú自信zì xìn也yě。

Someone asked: why not try them with your foot? He said: I would rather trust the measurement than trust myself.

释shì读dú：郑zhèng人rén买mǎi履lǚ。只zhī信xìn尺子chǐ zi不bù信xìn自己zì jǐ的de脚jiǎo，这样zhè yàng的de人rén看起来kàn qǐ lai可笑kě xiào，可是kě shì死sǐ守shǒu着zhuó规矩guī ju不知bù zhī变通biàn tōng的de人rén，今天jīn tiān也yě到处dào chù都dōu是shì。

Gloss: the man of Zheng buying shoes. Trusting the ruler and not his foot seems laughable, yet people who cling to rules and refuse to adapt are everywhere today.

齐qí宣xuān王wáng使shǐ人rén吹chuī竽yú，必bì三sān百bǎi人rén。南nán郭guō处chù士shì请qǐng为wéi王wáng吹chuī竽yú，宣xuān王wáng说shuō之zhī，廪lǐn食shí以yǐ数shǔ百bǎi人rén。

King Xuan of Qi had the yu pipes played only by three hundred together. A scholar named Nanguo asked to play for the king, who gladly fed him with the hundreds.

宣xuān王wáng死sǐ，湣mǐn王wáng立lì，好hào一一yī yī听tīng之zhī，处chù士shì逃táo。

King Xuan died and King Min came to the throne; he liked hearing them one by one, so the scholar fled.

释shì读dú：滥làn竽yú充chōng数shǔ。南nán郭guō先生xiān sheng不bù会huì吹chuī竽yú，混hùn在zài三sān百bǎi人rén里lǐ谁shéi也yě听tīng不bù出来chū lái。换成huàn chéng一yī个gè一yī个gè吹chuī，他tā只能zhǐ néng逃走táo zǒu。混hùn日子rì zi的de人rén，最zuì怕pà的de就是jìu shì单独dān dú上场shàng chǎng。

Gloss: filling the yu ranks. Mr. Nanguo could not play at all, but hidden in three hundred, no one could tell. When the solo test came he fled. Those who coast fear solo most.

楚chǔ人rén有yǒu卖mài其qí珠zhū于yú郑zhèng者zhě，为wéi木mù兰lán之zhī柜guì，薰xūn以yǐ桂guì椒jiāo，缀zhuì以yǐ珠zhū玉yù，饰shì以yǐ玫瑰méi guī，辑jí以yǐ翡fěi翠cuì。郑zhèng人rén买mǎi其qí椟dú而ér还huán其qí珠zhū。

A man of Chu sold a pearl to a man of Zheng. He made a magnolia case for it, perfumed it with cassia, studded it with gems, decked it with roses, and lined it with jadeite. The man of Zheng bought the case and returned the pearl.

释shì读dú：买mǎi椟dú还huán珠zhū。郑zhèng国guó人rén花huā大dà价钱jià qian买mǎi走zǒu了liǎo漂亮piào liang的de盒子hé zi，把bǎ里面lǐ miàn真正zhēn zhèng的de宝贝bǎo bèi还huán了liǎo回去huí qu。分fēn不bù清qīng什么shén me是shì宝贝bǎo bèi，是shì世界shì jiè上shàng常cháng有的yǒu de事shì。

Gloss: buying the case, returning the pearl. The man paid dearly for the pretty box and handed back the real treasure. Not knowing what is precious is a common human failing.

乐lè广guǎng尝cháng有yǒu亲qīn客kè，久jǐu阔kuò不bù复fù来lái，广guǎng问wèn其qí故gù，答dá曰yuē：前qián在zài坐zuò，蒙méng赐cì酒jǐu，方fāng欲yù饮yǐn，见jiàn杯bēi中zhōng有yǒu蛇shé，意yì甚shèn恶è之zhī，既jì饮yǐn而ér疾jí。

Yue Guang once had a dear guest who stopped coming for a long time. Asked why, the guest said: last time I sat here you gave me wine; as I was about to drink I saw a snake in the cup. I was disgusted, drank it anyway, and fell ill.

于yú时shí河hé南nán听tīng事shì壁bì上shàng有yǒu角jiǎo，漆qī画huà作zuò蛇shé，广guǎng意yì杯bēi中zhōng蛇shé即jí角jiǎo影yǐng也yě。复fù置zhì酒jǐu于yú前qián处chù，谓wèi客kè曰yuē：酒jǐu中zhōng复fù有所yǒu suǒ见jiàn不bù？答dá曰yuē：所suǒ见jiàn如rú初chū。广guǎng乃nǎi告gào其qí所以suǒ yǐ，客kè豁huō然rán意yì解jiě，沉chén疴kē顿dùn愈yù。

At that time a painted bow on the office wall looked like a snake, and Guang realized the cup's snake was the bow's shadow. He set wine in the same place and asked: do you see it again? The guest saw the same. Guang explained; the guest's eyes opened and his illness vanished at once.

释shì读dú：杯bēi弓gōng蛇shé影yǐng。酒jǐu杯bēi里lǐ的de蛇shé其实qí shí是shì墙qiáng上shàng弓gōng的de影子yǐng zi，客人kè rén吓xià出chū了liǎo一yī场chǎng大dà病bìng。很hěn多duō恐惧kǒng jù，都dōu是shì眼睛yǎn jing骗piàn了liǎo自己zì jǐ。

Gloss: the bow's shadow as a snake in the cup. The snake was the shadow of a painted bow on the wall, and the guest sickened from fright. Many fears are the eyes deceiving the heart.

人rén有yǒu亡wáng斧fǔ者zhě，意yì其qí邻lín之zhī子zi。视shì其qí行háng步bù，窃qiè斧fǔ也yě；颜色yán sè，窃qiè斧fǔ也yě；言语yán yǔ，窃qiè斧fǔ也yě；动作dòng zuò态度tài du，无wú为wéi而ér不bù窃qiè斧fǔ也yě。

A man lost an axe and suspected his neighbor's son. Watching him walk, he stole the axe; his face, he stole the axe; his speech, he stole the axe; every move and manner, nothing but axe-stealing.

俄é而ér抇hú其qí谷gǔ而ér得děi其qí斧fǔ，他tā日rì复fù见jiàn其qí邻lín人rén之zhī子zi，动作dòng zuò态度tài du，无wú似shì窃qiè斧fǔ者zhě。

Soon after he dug in his own valley and found the axe. Another day he saw the neighbor's son again: not a single move or manner looked like an axe-thief.

释shì读dú：疑yí邻lín盗dào斧fǔ。怀疑huái yí邻居lín jū偷tōu了liǎo斧fǔ头tóu，看kān他tā做zuò什么shén me都dōu像xiàng小偷xiǎo tōu。后来hòu lái斧fǔ头tóu找到zhǎo dào了liǎo，再zài看kān那nà个人gè rén，什么shén me都dōu不bù像xiàng了liǎo。先xiān入rù为主wéi zhǔ的de想法xiǎng fǎ，最zuì能néng骗piàn过guo眼睛yǎn jing。

Gloss: suspecting the neighbor of the axe. Suspect him and everything looks like theft; find the axe and nothing looks like theft. First impressions deceive the eyes most of all.

叶yè公gōng子zi高gāo好hào龙lóng，钩gōu以yǐ写xiě龙lóng，凿záo以yǐ写xiě龙lóng，屋wū室shì雕diāo文wén以yǐ写xiě龙lóng。于是yú shì天tiān龙lóng闻wén而ér下xià之zhī，窥kuī头tóu于yú牖yǒu，施shī尾wěi于yú堂táng。

Lord Ye loved dragons: hooks carved as dragons, vessels carved as dragons, his whole house decorated with dragons. When the dragon of heaven heard, it came down, peering its head through his window and stretching its tail into his hall.

叶yè公gōng见jiàn之zhī，弃qì而ér还huán走zǒu，失shī其qí魂hún魄pò，五wǔ色sè无wú主zhǔ。是shì叶yè公gōng非fēi好hào龙lóng也yě，好hào夫fū似shì龙lóng而ér非fēi龙lóng者zhě也yě。

Lord Ye saw it, dropped everything and fled, scared out of his wits. So Lord Ye did not love dragons; he loved what looked like a dragon but was not a dragon.

释shì读dú：叶yè公gōng好hào龙lóng。叶yè公gōng家里jiā lǐ画huà满mǎn了liǎo龙lóng，真zhēn龙lóng一yī来lái，他tā吓xià得děi掉头diào tóu就jìu跑pǎo。嘴zuǐ上shàng说shuō喜欢xǐ huan的de人rén多duō，真zhēn敢gǎn面对miàn duì的de人rén少shǎo。

Gloss: Lord Ye loved dragons. His house was covered with them, but when a real dragon came he ran. Many say they love; few can face the real thing.

这些zhè xiē两liǎng千qiān多年duō nián前qián的de寓言yù yán，原yuán文wén都dōu只有zhǐ yǒu几jǐ十shí个gè字zì，却què把bǎ道理dào li讲jiǎng得děi明明míng míng白白bái bái。这zhè就是jìu shì汉语hàn yǔ的de力量lì liang：字zì少shǎo，意思yì si深shēn。

These fables of two thousand years ago are each only a few dozen characters, yet they make their truths plain. That is the power of Chinese: few words, deep meaning.