譯文:宋國(guó)有一個(gè)富人,天上下雨了,他家的墻毀壞了。富人的兒子說(shuō):“要是不修筑,一定會(huì)有人偷盜?!编従蛹业睦先艘彩沁@樣說(shuō)的。晚上,富人家果然丟失了很多東西。結(jié)果,那個(gè)富人認(rèn)為自己的兒子聰明,卻懷疑鄰居家的老人偷了他家的東西。它告誡人們,如果不尊重事實(shí),只用親疏和感情作為判斷是非的標(biāo)準(zhǔn),就會(huì)主觀臆測(cè),得出錯(cuò)誤的結(jié)論, 說(shuō)不定害了自己。
《古代寓言·坯墻》
宋有富人,大雨壞墻。
其子曰:“不筑,必將有盜?!?br />其鄰人之父亦云。
暮而果大亡其財(cái)。
其家甚智其子,而疑鄰從之父。
The Crumbling Wall
There was once a rich man in the state of Song. After a downpour of rain his wall began to crumble.
"If you don't mend that wall," warned his son, "a thief will get in."
An old neighbor gave the same advice.
That night, indeed, a great deal of money was stolen.
That night, indeed, a great deal of money was stolen. Then the rich man commended his son's intelligence, but suspected his old neighbor of being the thief.