英語(yǔ)短文名人故事 哲學(xué)思想家 第20期:莊子
Zhuangzi 莊子
Zhuangzi was probably the poorest among the philosophers before the Qin Dynasty. 在先秦哲學(xué)家中，莊子可能算是最窮困的了。
During the difficult times, according to his disciples, 根據(jù)他弟子的說法，在生活窘迫的時(shí)候，
he had to earn his living by making straw sandals and even borrowed food from others when he did not know where his next meal would come from. 他就靠打草鞋過日子，甚至是吃了上頓沒下頓，不得不向別人借糧過日子。
Once he went to see the King of Wei in a patched dress of coarse cloth and a pair of straw sandals with broken strings, 有一次他去見魏王，穿的是補(bǔ)了又補(bǔ)的粗布衣服，草鞋上的帶子也是斷了再接的，
but he was not at all bothered about it. 但他卻覺得無所謂。
When the King of Wei asked him why he was so distressed, he immediately replied that he was not distressed, 所以當(dāng)魏王問他為什么如此潦倒時(shí)，莊子馬上說："我不是潦倒，
but just poor and born at the wrong time, just like a monkey finding itself among prickly thorns, trapped in an unfavorable situation, 只是窮，是生不逢時(shí)；就像一只落在荊棘叢里的猴子，在不利的環(huán)境中，
with its hands and feet tied, not being able to bring its abilities to full play. 被捆住了手腳，不能充分施展自己的才能。"
Here is another story in Records of the Grand Historian. 《史記》中記載了這樣一件事，
Hearing that Zhuangzi was very talented, King Wei of Chu sent two envoys with a big reward to invite him to be the prime minister. 楚威王聽說莊子很有才干，就派兩名使臣帶重金見他，邀請(qǐng)他來當(dāng)宰相。
Zhuangzi said to the envoys with a smile, 莊子笑著對(duì)使者說：
"A thousand pieces of gold is indeed a large sum and the prime minister is of course a high position, "千金固然是重利，宰相也當(dāng)然是高位，
but you might as well take a look at the ox serving as the sacrificial offering. 但你們不妨看看那祭祀的牛，
It can usually enjoy good food and beautiful clothes. 雖然平時(shí)吃的是美味，披的是錦衣，
But once it becomes the sacrificial offering, it's no longer possible to live as carefree as a piglet. 但一旦成為祭品，想做自由的小豬也不可能了。
Please leave and do not try to corrupt me. 你們快走開，不要玷污我，
I would rather be like a small fish having fun in the mud than being constrained by the lords." 我寧愿像一條小魚，在泥水中快樂地游來游去，也不愿受君主們的束縛。
In another story, Zhuangzi compared himself to the noble phoenix, 在另一個(gè)故事中，莊子把自己比喻為高雅的鳳凰，
dismissing the high position of the prime minister held by his friend Hui Shi as a rotten rat. 而他的朋友惠施所任的宰相這一高位就像腐爛的老鼠，令人不恥。
