February 2023

译文：宋国有个农民，他的田地中有一截树桩。一天，一只跑得飞快的野兔撞在了树桩上，扭断了脖子死了。于是，农民便放下他的农具日日夜夜守在树桩子旁边，希望能再得到一只兔子。然而野兔是不可能再次得到了，而他自己也被宋国人耻笑。此故事用于批判那些不知变通，死守教条的思想方法。 《古代寓言·守株待兔》 宋人有耕田者。田中有株。兔走触株，折颈而死。因释其耒耒而守株，冀复得兔。兔不可复得，而身为宋国笑。 ——《韩非子》 Waiting for a Hare to Turn up There was a peasant in the state of Song. One day a hare dashed up, knocked against a tree in his field, broke its neck and fell dead. Then the peasant put down his hoe and waited by the tree for another hare to

译文：有一个要教燕王学习长生不死方法的客人，燕王派人学习它，派去学习的人还没有学成，这个客卿就死了。燕王大怒，杀了派去学习的人。燕王不知道是客卿欺骗自己，反而认为学习的人学成太晚而惩罚了他。相信不正确的东西，责罚没有罪过的臣子，都是缺乏仔细考察造成的祸患。况且人所迫切关心的莫过于他自己，那个客人不能让自己不死，又怎么能够让燕王长生呢？告诫人们：欲望使人盲目，使人愚蠢，置身事外才能客观，没有调查就没有发言权。 《古代寓言·长生不老的仙方》 客有教燕王为不死之道者，王使人学之，所使学者未及学，而客死，王大怒诛之。王不知客之欺已，而诛学者之晚也，夫信不然之物，而诛无罪之臣，不察之患也，且人所急无如其身，不能自使其无死，安能使王长生哉！ ——《韩非子》 A Recipe for Immortality A stranger informed the Prince of Yan that he could make him immortal, and the prince bade one of his subjects learn this art; but before the man could do so the stranger died. Then the prince, in great anger, executed his subject. He failed to see