Zhi Travels North (9)
知北遊(九)
1 The minister of war hired a forger especially to make sword for him. The forger was in his eighties; however, he had not lost a hair's-breadth of his ability in making sword.
大司馬僱用了一位專門為他打造寶劍的鐵匠。這位鐵匠今年已經八十高齡，可是他做寶劍的能力依然絲毫不減。
大馬之捶鉤者，年八十矣，而不失豪芒。
2 Someday, the Minister of war asked him, “Your swords are so good. How do you make them?”
有一天，大司馬問這位老鐵匠:「你寶劍做得這麼好，有什麼竅門或者其他的原因嗎？」
大馬曰：「子巧與！有道與？」
3 The old forger replied, “Nothing special. Just focus my mind on it.
老鐵匠回答說：「也沒什麼特別的竅門，只是靠專心一志罷了。
曰：「臣有守也。
4 When I was twenty, I started to learn the skill of forging sword. Since then I disregarding other things, but devote myself to study how to make perfect sword.
我廿幾歲開始學做寶劍，從那時候起，我就將全副心思，都集中在研究，如何打造出完美的寶劍上。對於其他的事物，我完全不放在心上，凡是與打造寶劍無關的事，我也不會花精神去研究。
臣之年二十而好捶鉤，於物無視也，非鉤無察也。
5 I do not like some other people who divide their time and energy into many sectors. They study Chemistry in the morning; study Politics in the afternoon; and take part in religious activities in the evening.
我不像其他人那樣，將自己寶貴的時間與精力分成許多部份；早上研究化學，下午討論政治，晚上又與一些人從事宗教活動。
6 Except dinner and sleep, I devote all my time in studying how to make of perfect sword. So, others work eight hours a day while I work sixteen hours. Even in the dream, I think over the method of improvement.
一天廿四小時，除了吃飯睡覺之外，我全心投入於研究製造寶劍上，所以別人一天工作八小時，我則一天工作十六小時，甚至連睡在床上時，我都在思考改進之方。
7 I have devoted all my time and energy to it, by which I certainly make them well. Therefore, my success is no more than devotion of mind, nothing else.”
像我這樣，將全部精力與時間盡數投入的做法，哪會有做不好的道理？所以，我本人的所謂成功，靠的也僅僅就這專心二字而已，根本別無其他的妙方。
是用之者，假不用者也，以長得其用，而況乎無不用者乎！物孰不資焉！」