南辕北辙
One day, Ji Liang went to see the King of Wei and reported: "When I was coming here, I saw a man on the road driving a horse carage north in great haste. "I asked him: 'Where are you going in such haste?' "He replied: 'I am going to the State of Chu.' "I said: 'If you want to go to the State of Chu, you should go south. Why are you going north? You are going the wrong way!' "He said: 'My horse is big and strong. It can run as fast as flying. It doesn't matter to run a little more.' "I told him: 'Though your horse is good, you are going in the wrong direction.' "He said: 'It doesn't matter. I have lots of money.' "I told him again: 'Though you have lots of money, this is not the road to the State of Chu.' "He said: 'It doesn't matter. My driver is good and strong.' "Finally I told him: 'Though your driver is good and strong, this is not the road to the State of Chu." The King of Wei blurted out: "Alas, this man is too obstinate. He doesn't realize that if his direction is wrong, the better he is equipped, the farther he would be away from his destination." 一天,季梁去见魏王,报告说:“这次,我来的时候,在路上看到一个人,驾着马车往北走,走得很急。 “我问他:‘走得这么急,你要去哪儿?’ “他回答说:‘我要到楚国去。’ “我说:‘你去楚国,应该朝南走,怎么往北呢?你走错了!’ “他说:‘我的马很好,又高又大,跑起来跟飞一样快。多跑点儿没关系。’ “我告诉他:‘你的马虽然好,可是去楚国的方向不对呀!’ “他说:‘没关系,我有很多钱。’ “我又告诉他:‘你钱虽然多,但是这不是去楚国的路呀!’ “他说:‘没关系,我的车夫好,他身强力壮。’ “最后我告诉他:‘你的车夫虽然好,但是这不是去楚国的路呀!’ 魏王脱口说道:“唉!这个人真固执。他不知道方向错了,条件越好,离开目的地就越远。” |