雙語詩歌翻譯|《古代寓言·南轅北轍》

譯文：魏王準備攻打邯鄲，季梁聽到這件事，半路上就返回來，來不及舒展衣服皺折，顧不得洗頭上的塵土，就忙著去謁見魏王，說：“最近我回來的時候，在大路上遇見一個人，正在向北面趕他的車，他告訴我說：‘我想到楚國去。’我說：‘您既然要到楚國去，為什么往北走呢?’他說：‘我的馬好?！艺f：‘馬雖然不錯，但是這也不是去楚國的路啊!’他說：‘我的路費多。’我說：‘路費即使多，但這不是去楚國的方向啊。’他又說：‘我的車夫善于趕車。’我最后說：‘這幾樣越好，反而會使您離楚國越遠!’
這則寓言告訴我們，無論做什么事，都要首先看準方向，才能充分發(fā)揮自己的有利條件；如果方向錯了，那么有利條件只會起到相反的作用。以上史事，形成成語“北轅適楚”，后來在流傳過程中，人們習慣說作“南轅北轍”，并引申出另一個成語“背道而馳”，意義和“南轅北轍”相同。

《古代寓言·南轅北轍》

魏王欲攻邯鄲。季梁聞之，中道而反，衣焦不申，頭塵不去，往見王曰：
“今者臣來，見人于大行，方北面而持其駕。告臣曰：‘我欲之楚?！荚唬骸?，將奚為北面？’曰：‘吾馬良?！荚唬骸R雖良，此非楚之路也?！唬骸嵊枚??！荚唬骸秒m多，此非楚之路也?！唬骸嵊呱??！藬?shù)者愈善，而離楚愈遠耳！……”
——《戰(zhàn)國策》

The Wrong Direction
The Prince of Wei decided to invade Handan, the capital of the state of Zhao. Although Qiliang was on a journey when he heard this, he turned back at once and, without waiting to smooth his crumpled garments or brush the dust from his head, went to see the king.
"On my way back," he said, "I came across a man at Taihang Mountain, who was riding northwards. He told me he was going to the state of Chu."
"In that case, why are you heading north? " I asked him.
"That's all right," he replied. "I have good horses."
"Your horses may be good, but you're taking the wrong direction."
"Well, I have plenty of money."
"You may have plenty of money, bu this is the wrong direction."
"Well, I have an excellent charioteer."
"The better your horses," I told him, "the more money you have and the more skilled your charioteer, the further you will get from the state of Chu."
Warring States Anecdotes