..續本文上一頁to fetch an urn of fine wine and said, "I”ve heard that if one does not accompany fine horsemeat with fine wine, the stomach will not be able to take it. So all of you, please drink up!" Then he led his troops back to the city.
過了幾年秦晉交戰，秦國因爲輕敵而大敗，穆公逃到一處山坳間，情況十分危急；忽然一陣巨雷似的響聲，一隊人自山坡滾著大石直沖到敵軍前，奮勇嘶殺把晉兵打得落荒而逃。穆公慚愧地下馬致謝﹕「寡人不曾恩及全國百姓，是何褔德竟蒙冒死相救！」領頭的人也急忙率衆跪下說﹕「大王！我們就是那群吃馬肉的人啊！」
Several years later when the state of Qin went to war with the state of Jin, Qin underestimated the enemy and was badly defeated. Lord Mu and his men were driven into a gorge and caught in a precarious situation. Suddenly they heard what sounded like a roll of thunder, and a band of men came rolling huge boulders down the slope, right onto the enemy troops, which they then proceeded to attack and kill. The troops of Jin dispersed and fled for their lives. Lord Mu dismounted in shame and went to thank the men, "I have not treated my people very well. What blessing do I have that makes you risk your lives to rescue us
" The leader motioned for his group to kneel down, and then he said, "Great King! We are the people who ate the horsemeat!"
楚莊王有一回宴請將相大臣，不但把上好的陳年醇酒取出招待，更叫後宮美女輪流敬酒。在昏暗的燈光下，君臣喝得酒酣耳熱，談笑不斷；忽然，他最寵愛的一個妃子悄悄挨近說﹕「大王！方才賤妾敬酒時，有個人趁機對我不規矩，賤妾巳偷偷把他的帽帶子摘斷。您只要把燈點亮，察看有誰的帽帶子斷了，就知道不守規矩的人是誰了！」
Lord Zhuang of the state of Chu once invited all the generals, ministers, and officials to a banquet, where he brought out his best aged wine and had his royal concubines take turns serving it. In the evening lamplight, when the officials were inebriated and deep in conversation, his favorite concubine quietly approached him and said, "Your Highness, just now when I was serving wine, one of the men acted improperly towards me. I stealthily snapped his hat strap. If you light up the lamps and take a look, you will know which man it was."
楚莊王一聽，馬上說﹕「賜人飲酒弄到他酒醉失禮，這是寡人的過失。寡人怎能再用後宮女子的小節去玷汙了廟堂大臣的大行呢？」于是下令搬來更多美酒，並把燈火全部吹熄，說﹕「今天我們君臣痛飲，不醉不歸！誰若不喝到帽帶子都撚斷了就不算盡歡盡興！」天明時，一堂醉得東倒西歪的大臣已沒有一個還有帽帶子的了。
Lord Zhuang said, "If I give a man wine and make him so drunk that he loses his manners, that is my own fault. How can I defile this great gathering of court officials with the petty ways of a concubine
" Thereupon he ordered more fine wine to be brought out, snuffed out the lamps, and said, "Tonight we, the Lord and his men, must drink until we are thoroughly drunk! Anyone who fails to drink to the point of snapping his hat strap will not have celebrated to the utmost." By the next morning, the great officials were all dead drunk, and none of them had their hat strap.
後來在一次出使外國的談判中，有一位大臣拼命捍衛楚莊王，又以和對方君王同死做要挾，終使對方君王簽下了和約。任務順利完成，君臣一行也得以安全歸國。途中，楚莊王不解地問那個大臣﹕「寡人似乎不曾特殊地加榮寵于你，你爲何這麼樣地拼命保衛我呢？」
Later on, while serving as an ambassador in another state, one official did all he could to protect the Lord Zhuang of Chu and even threatened that he would die with the lord of the other state. Finally that lord signed a treaty. After completing his task, Lord Zhuang and his official returned to their own state. On the way, the Lord asked the official, "1 don”t remember having shown you any special favor. Why were you so determined to protect me
"
那個大臣回答說﹕「臣就是那個被美人摘斷帽帶子的人！」反過來說，若是喜好幸災樂禍、揭揚人短，不管是有意無心，又會招致怎樣的報應呢？
The official smiled and said, "1 was the one whose hat strap was snapped by your concubine." On the other hand, if you rejoice in other people”s misfortunes and make known their shortcomings, whether deliberately or not, what kind of retribution will you receive
春秋時代的齊國是大國。一回齊國有大慶典，許多國家都派使者來朝觐；因爲場面盛大齊頃公的母親也出來在城門上觀看。當她看到晉、魯、衛、曹四國使者一起出現時，忍不住指著他們大笑起來。爲什麼呢？因爲很湊巧晉國使者是個瞎子，魯國使者是個禿子，衛國使者是個跛子，曹國使者是個駝子。這四個使者被如此嘲笑都十分羞忿，回國後各自報告受辱經過。晉、魯、衛、曹四國便聯合起來圍攻齊國，把齊兵打得落花流水，災情慘重。這就是「揚人短」所惹出的災禍。
During the Spring and Autumn Period, the State of Qi was a large country. Once when it held a large ceremony, many other states sent ambassadors to attend. Because it was a splendid occasion, the mother of the Lord Qin of Qi came out to watch from the city gate. When she saw the ambassadors of Jin, Lu, Wei, Cao appear, she could not help but burst into laughter. Why
Because, by a strange coincidence, the ambassador of Jin was blind, the ambassador of Lu was bald, the ambassador of Wei was lame, and the ambassador of Cao was a hunchback. Embarrassed and furious at being mocked, these four ambassadors returned to their states and reported how they had been insulted. The four states of Jin, Lu, Wei, and Cao then joined together and attacked the state of Qi, defeating the Qi troops so badly that they were reduced to wretched misery . That was a disaster caused by making fun of others” shortcomings.
《弟子規淺釋 Standards for Students 第六章﹕泛愛衆 Chapter Six: ON CHERISHING ALL LIVING BEINGS - 5》全文閱讀結束。