杯弓蛇影
晉朝人樂廣曾經(jīng)請朋友到家里喝酒.當(dāng)那個朋友喝了一口酒,正準(zhǔn)備把杯子放到桌上的時候,突然看見杯子里漂著一條小蛇,心里就有點不安,不過還是勉強喝了那杯酒.
回家之后,那個朋友就生了病.樂廣派人去問候他,才知道原因是他懷疑杯子里有小蛇.所以,樂廣很仔細(xì)地觀察他家一遍,追究事情的緣由.后來,他發(fā)現(xiàn)墻上掛了一把弓,弓的影子倒映在酒杯里看起來很像一條小蛇.
后來,他再把朋友請到家里,讓他朋友看清楚墻上的弓,再請他看看杯子里的東西.最后,他朋友終于明白杯子里并沒有小蛇的時候,病立刻就好了.
人窮志不短
春秋時候,吳國的公子季禮一人出外漫游.這天,他來到一個地方,正走著,忽然發(fā)現(xiàn)不知誰遺失的一串錢躺在路中央.季禮想把錢拾起來,但又覺得彎腰去撿錢有失身份,這種事不應(yīng)該由我這樣的貴公子去做.他一邊想著一邊朝四面張望,看有沒有人走過來.
剛巧,當(dāng)時正有一個打柴的人擔(dān)著柴禾從前邊過來了.季禮心想,叫這人把錢撿去,他一定會十分感激,他挑的那兩捆柴還未見得值得這么多錢哩.
等那打柴人走到跟前,季禮看清了他身上竟然還穿著冬天的皮襖,而眼下正是初夏5月,雖還不十分炎熱,但穿著皮祆也是夠嗆的,季禮認(rèn)為這人一定很貧窮,讓他把錢撿去正好.
于是季禮大聲朝打柴人喊道：“喂,你快來把地上的錢拾起來.”
打柴人一看季禮那個樣子,感到很生氣,他把鐮刀往地上一扔,擺著手,朝季禮瞪大眼睛說：“你是誰?憑什么居高臨下看不起人?我既然能在炎熱的夏天穿著皮襖去打柴,難道我會是個貪圖錢財?shù)娜藛?”
季禮一聽打柴人的話,心里不免有幾分敬意,連忙向他道歉說：“實在對不起,是我錯看了人,請不要見怪!請問先生高姓大名?”
打柴人鄙夷地朝季禮淡淡一笑道：“你這人見識短淺,只會從表面上看問題,還那么盛氣凌人,我有什么必要對你說出我的姓名呢?”說著,打柴人頭都沒回,也不再理睬季禮,拿起鐮刀,對地上的錢連看都沒看一眼就走了.
季禮看著打柴人漸漸遠(yuǎn)去的背影,慚愧不已.
有些人常常憑自己的淺薄見識去衡量別人,實在未免有點“以小人之心度君子之腹”了.
塞翁失馬 焉知非福
戰(zhàn)國時期有一位老人,名叫塞翁.他養(yǎng)了許多馬,一天馬群中忽然有一匹走失了.鄰居們聽到這事,都來安慰他不必太著急,年齡大了,多注意身體.塞翁見有人勸慰,笑笑說：“丟了一匹馬損失不大,沒準(zhǔn)還會帶來福氣.”
鄰居聽了塞翁的話,心里覺得好笑.馬丟了,明明是件壞事,他卻認(rèn)為也許是好事,顯然是自我安慰而已.可是過了沒幾天,丟馬不僅自動回家,還帶回一匹駿馬.
鄰居聽說馬自己回來了,非常佩服塞翁的預(yù)見,向塞翁道賀說：“還是您老有遠(yuǎn)見,馬不僅沒有丟,還帶回一匹好馬,真是福氣呀.”
塞翁聽了鄰人的祝賀,反到一點高興的樣子都沒有,憂慮地說：“白白得了一匹好馬,不一定是什么福氣,也許惹出什么麻煩來.”
鄰居們以為他故作姿態(tài)純屬老年人的狡猾.心里明明高興,有意不說出來.
塞翁有個獨生子,非常喜歡騎馬.他發(fā)現(xiàn)帶回來的那匹馬顧盼生姿,身長蹄大,嘶鳴嘹亮,膘悍神駿,一看就知道是匹好馬.他每天都騎馬出游,心中洋洋得意.
一天,他高興得有些過火,打馬飛奔,一個趔趄,從馬背上跌下來,摔斷了腿.鄰居聽說,紛紛來慰問.
塞翁說：“沒什么,腿摔斷了卻保住性命,或許是福氣呢.”鄰居們覺得他又在胡言亂語.摔斷腿會帶來什么福氣.
不久,匈奴兵大舉入侵,青年人被應(yīng)征入伍,塞翁的兒子因為摔斷了腿,不能去當(dāng)兵.入伍的青年都戰(zhàn)死了,唯有塞翁的兒子保全了性命.
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.