Master Osifu Fable 寓言：The wife advising her husband

 Master Osifu Fable 寓言：The wife advising her husband

Yan Zi was a famous prime minister of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period.

晏子是春秋时期齐国有名的相国。

 

One day, Yan Zi went out in a carriage driven by his coachman.

一天，   晏子坐着马车外出。一位车夫为他赶车。

 

The coachman's wife had never seen Yan Zi before and wished to have a look at him.

车夫的妻子从来没见过晏子，很想看看。

 

She peeped from behind the door. "Ah,here comes Yan Zi!"

她就从门缝中偷偷地观看:“呵，晏子出来了!”

 

She got the impression that though he was the prime minister of the State of Qi, he talked and behaved with great modesty.

她得到的印象是:晏子身为齐国相国，但是言谈举止显得非常谦虚。

 

But her own husband?

可是，自己的丈夫呢?

 

Haughty and arrogant, he sat under the big canopy driving the carriage for Yan Zi, yet considering himself unexcelled in the world.

他坐在车上的大伞下为晏子驾驭马车，却趾高气扬，不可一世。

 

She was much ashamed of her husband.

妻子看了十分羞愧。

 

As soon as the coachman returned home, his wife asked for a divorce.

车夫一进家门，妻子就提出要和他离婚。

 

The coachman was baffled, unable to make head or tail of this, and asked angrily:

车夫一时莫名其妙，摸不着头脑，便生气地问:

 

"A divorce? What is your reason?"

“要离婚?你的理由是什么?”

 

The wife answered: "Yan Zi is less than 6 chi (Chinese unit of length, 1/3 metre) tall, but his heart is filled with aspirations and his mind with knowledge.

妻子回答:“晏子虽然身高没有六尺，但是他胸怀大志，满腹经纶。

 

Though he is the prime minister, he is courteous and treats people prudently when he goes out.

他身为相国，外出时，对人彬彬有礼，谦虚谨慎。

 

But what about you? You are fully 8 chi tall, but you forget that you are only a coachman.

你呢? 身高足有八尺，可是你忘了，你不过是个车夫。

 

By the side of the prime minister, you dare to look so cocky,consider yourself always in the right, and brandish the whip to urge the horse on in utter complacency.

却在相国身旁神气十足，自以为是，挥鞭催马，得意忘形。

 

You are so immodest that I can't live with you any longer."

你这样不知谦逊，我不能再和你生活下去了。”

 

Upon hearing his wife's words, the coachman felt much ashamed.

车夫听了妻子的话，觉得很惭愧。

 

Thereafter he became very careful and prudent in doing things and treated people modestly.

从此，他做事小心谨慎，待人谦逊。

 

Yan Zi noticed the big change in the coachman's behavior and couldn't understand why. So he asked the coachman.

晏子看到车夫变化很大，不知为什么，就询问车夫。

 

The coachman told Yan Zi his wife's criticism in detail.

车夫把妻子对自己的批评一五一十地告诉了晏子。

 

At this, Yan Zi was deeply moved. Later Yan Zi recommended him to be a da fu (a senior official).

晏子听了，感叹不已。后来，晏子推荐这位车夫出任大夫。

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