There was a man of the State of Song who liked to curry favour with others.
宋國(guó)有一個(gè)人,喜歡奉承別人。
One day, he got a piece of uncarved jade and went to present it to Zi Han, a minister of the State of Song, with the intention to ingratiate himself with the official.
有一天,他得到了一塊未經(jīng)雕琢的玉石,便去獻(xiàn)給宋國(guó)大臣子罕,想討好一番。
Zi Han adamantly refused to accept it.
子罕執(zhí)意不受。
Thereupon, this man said in honeyed words:
于是,那人便花言巧語地說:
"This is a piece of rare jade. I regard it as a treasure suitable for a gentleman's utensil. If it gets into the hands of an old gentleman like you, to be worn by you or put on your dining table, that would be most suitable and fitting. I am an unrefined man, not deserving such a valuable treasure."
“這是一塊珍奇的玉石啊!我把它當(dāng)做寶貝,適宜于做君子的器皿。要是落在老先生你的手中,掛在你的身上,放在你的餐桌上,是最相稱、最適合的。我是一個(gè)粗人,不配使用這種貴重的寶物。”
"You may regard this piece of jade as a treasure," said Zi Han, "but I do not accept other's fawning, nor do I regard this kind of conduct a treasure."
子罕回答說:
The man of Song felt he had asked for a snub and sneaked away.
“你把這塊玉石當(dāng)做寶貝,我卻不接受別人巴結(jié)奉承,并且不把這種行為當(dāng)做寶貝。”
那個(gè)宋國(guó)人自討沒趣,溜了。