杯弓蛇影
晋朝人乐广曾经请朋友到家里喝酒。当那个朋友喝了一口酒,正准备把杯子放到桌上的时候,突然看见杯子里漂着一条小蛇,心里就有点不安,不过还是勉强喝了那杯酒。
回家之后,那个朋友就生了病。乐广派人去问候他,才知道原因是他怀疑杯子里有小蛇。所以,乐广很仔细地观察他家一遍,追究事情的缘由。后来,他发现墙上挂了一把弓,弓的影子倒映在酒杯里看起来很像一条小蛇。
后来,他再把朋友请到家里,让他朋友看清楚墙上的弓,再请他看看杯子里的东西。最后,他朋友终于明白杯子里并没有小蛇的时候,病立刻就好了。
人穷志不短
春秋时候,吴国的公子季礼一人出外漫游。这天,他来到一个地方,正走着,忽然发现不知谁遗失的一串钱躺在路中央。季礼想把钱拾起来,但又觉得弯腰去捡钱有失身份,这种事不应该由我这样的贵公子去做。他一边想着一边朝四面张望,看有没有人走过来。
刚巧,当时正有一个打柴的人担着柴禾从前边过来了。季礼心想,叫这人把钱捡去,他一定会十分感激,他挑的那两捆柴还未见得值得这么多钱哩。
等那打柴人走到跟前,季礼看清了他身上竟然还穿着冬天的皮袄,而眼下正是初夏5月,虽还不十分炎热,但穿着皮祆也是够呛的,季礼认为这人一定很贫穷,让他把钱捡去正好。
于是季礼大声朝打柴人喊道:“喂,你快来把地上的钱拾起来。”
打柴人一看季礼那个样子,感到很生气,他把镰刀往地上一扔,摆着手,朝季礼瞪大眼睛说:“你是谁?凭什么居高临下看不起人?我既然能在炎热的夏天穿着皮袄去打柴,难道我会是个贪图钱财的人吗?”
季礼一听打柴人的话,心里不免有几分敬意,连忙向他道歉说:“实在对不起,是我错看了人,请不要见怪!请问先生高姓大名?”
打柴人鄙夷地朝季礼淡淡一笑道:“你这人见识短浅,只会从表面上看问题,还那么盛气凌人,我有什么必要对你说出我的姓名呢?”说着,打柴人头都没回,也不再理睬季礼,拿起镰刀,对地上的钱连看都没看一眼就走了。
季礼看着打柴人渐渐远去的背影,惭愧不已。
有些人常常凭自己的浅薄见识去衡量别人,实在未免有点“以小人之心度君子之腹”了。
塞翁失马 焉知非福
战国时期有一位老人,名叫塞翁。他养了许多马,一天马群中忽然有一匹走失了。邻居们听到这事,都来安慰他不必太着急,年龄大了,多注意身体。塞翁见有人劝慰,笑笑说:“丢了一匹马损失不大,没准还会带来福气。”
邻居听了塞翁的话,心里觉得好笑。马丢了,明明是件坏事,他却认为也许是好事,显然是自我安慰而已。可是过了没几天,丢马不仅自动回家,还带回一匹骏马。
邻居听说马自己回来了,非常佩服塞翁的预见,向塞翁道贺说:“还是您老有远见,马不仅没有丢,还带回一匹好马,真是福气呀。”
塞翁听了邻人的祝贺,反到一点高兴的样子都没有,忧虑地说:“白白得了一匹好马,不一定是什么福气,也许惹出什么麻烦来。”
邻居们以为他故作姿态纯属老年人的狡猾。心里明明高兴,有意不说出来。
塞翁有个独生子,非常喜欢骑马。他发现带回来的那匹马顾盼生姿,身长蹄大,嘶鸣嘹亮,膘悍神骏,一看就知道是匹好马。他每天都骑马出游,心中洋洋得意。
一天,他高兴得有些过火,打马飞奔,一个趔趄,从马背上跌下来,摔断了腿。邻居听说,纷纷来慰问。
塞翁说:“没什么,腿摔断了却保住性命,或许是福气呢。”邻居们觉得他又在胡言乱语。他们想不出,摔断腿会带来什么福气。
不久,匈奴兵大举入侵,青年人被应征入伍,塞翁的儿子因为摔断了腿,不能去当兵。入伍的青年都战死了,唯有塞翁的儿子保全了性命。
Blessing or Bane (Sai Weng Shi Ma, Yan Zhi Fei Fu)
Near China's northern borders lived a man well versed in the practices of Taoism. His horse, for no reason at all, got into the territory of the northern tribes. Everyone commiserated with him.
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.
After a few months, his animal came back, leading a fine horse from the north. Everyone congratulated him.
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a cause of misfortune," said his father.
Since he was well-off and kept good horses his son became fond of riding and eventually broke his thigh bone falling from a horse. Everyone commiserated with him.
"Perhaps this will soon turn out to be a blessing," said his father.
One year later, the northern tribes started a big invasion of the border regions. All able-bodied young men took up arms and fought against the invaders, and as a result, around the border nine out of ten men died. This man's son did not join in the fighting because he was crippled and so both the boy and his father survived.
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