双语阅读自知之明和物以类聚

1、中国寓言小故事：自知之明和物以类聚In ancient times a man named Zou Ji, 8 chi tall and impressive looking, had served as the primeminister of the State of Qi.古代齐国有个人名叫邹忌,身高八尺,相貌堂堂,曾经做过 齐国的相国.One morning, he tidied his clothes and hat, looked into t he mirror, and asked his wife: 一天早晨,他整整衣服帽子,照照镜子,问妻子 ："Look, who

2、 is more handsome, Xu Gong living in the nort h of the city or I?"“你看,我跟住在城北的徐公比,谁长得漂亮His wife replied:"You are far more handsome. Xu Gong is no match for y ou!"妻子答复说：“你漂亮多了.徐公哪里比得上你呢！Xu Gong of the north of the city was a well-known hands ome man in the State of Qi.城北的徐公,是齐国有名的美男子.Zo

3、u Ji really didn't believe he was more handsome thanXu Gong. So he asked his concubine:邹忌真的不相信自己比徐公长得漂亮.于是,又问他的妾说"Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?"“你看,我同徐公比,哪个漂亮些His concubine also said: "Xu Gong is no match for you!"妾也说：“徐公怎么比得上你漂亮呢The next day, a guest came to disc

4、uss some matter with him.第二天,有个客人来找他,跟他商谈一件事情.Zou Ji asked his guest the same question:"Who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?"邹忌又问客人说：“我与徐公谁长得美呢The guest answered positively:"Xu Gong is not as handsome as you."客人肯定地答复说：“徐公不如你美.Another day passed and Zou Ji met Xu Gong in person.又过了

5、一天,邹忌见到了徐公.He stared closely at the other for some time and carefull y compared him with himself.他紧紧地盯着他看了一阵,又把自己和他仔细地比较了一 番.He really couldn't see that he was more handsome than Xu Gong.实在看不由自己比徐公漂亮.Later, he again looked into the mirror.后来,再去照照镜子.The more he looked at himself, the more he felt

6、 he was not as handsome as Xu Gong.越看越觉得自己不及徐公.Zou Ji was rather restless in his mind.邹忌心里很不平静.At night, lying on the bed, he pondered: He was not as h andsome as Xu Gong, but why didthese three persons s ay he was more handsome?晚上,他躺在床上,想来想去,自己本来不及徐公,为什么 这三个人都说自己美呢In the end, he came to understand

7、the reason:"My wife says I am handsome because sheshows favouri tism to me.最后,他终于明白了 ： “妻子说我漂亮,是由于偏爱我.My concubine says I am handsome because she is afrai d of me.妾说我漂亮,是由于怕我.My guest says I am handsome because he wants to curr y my favour."客人说我漂亮,是由于有意讨好我.Once, Chun Yukun recommended seve

8、n able and virtuou s scholars to King Xuan of the State of Qi.一次,厚于凳给齐宣王推荐了七名贤士.King Xuan was surprised and said:"I heard that talented people are hard to find.齐宣王觉得奇怪,说：“我听说,人才是很难得的.If one able and virtuous scholar can be found within a cir cumference of 1,000 li, it cannot beregarded as few.

9、在一千里方圆以内,能选到一名贤士,就不算少了.If 100 years witnesses the advent of a saint, it cannot be regarded as few.一百年以内,能发现一个圣人,也不算少了.Now you recommend seven able and virtuous scholars al l at once, then there are too manyable and virtuous schol ars."你一次就推荐了七名贤士,贤士也太多了.Chun Yukun said:"Birds of the same f

10、eather always flock together. Wild be asts of the samekind always walk together.淳于凳说：“同类的鸟总是聚集在一起,同类的野兽也总是一 道行走.For example, if we wish to find medicinal herbs like the r oot of Chinese thorowax and the rootof balloonflower on the marsh , we will never find even one in our whole life. 比方说,我们要寻找柴胡和桔梗

11、这类药草,到沼泽地去找, 就是找一辈子也找不到一株.But if we go to the north side of the Zeshu Mountain and the Liangfu Mountain, we will needcarts to carry them b ack.但是如果到泽黍山、梁父山的北面去找,那就要用大车去拉 了.In the world, things of the same kind always gather toget her, and it is the same with people.天下的事物都是同类相聚的,人也是这样.If you want me to select able and virtuous scholars, it will be like getting water from the river, or getting fire from a flint.你要我淳于凳挑选贤士,就好比到河里去打水,用火