Fable (7)
寓言(七)
1 Yangzijie planed to travel to Pei while Laotse was going to travel north to Qin. In the suburb of Liang, they meet each other by chance.
陽子居要到南部一個叫沛的地方去，而此同時，老子將往北到秦去旅遊。師徒倆在梁地的郊外碰巧遇上了。
陽子居南之沛，老聃西遊於秦，邀於郊，至於梁而遇老子。
2 Since then, they went together for a while.
於是倆人結伴而行了一段路。
3 During the period of walking together, Laotse was disappointed at Yangzijie’s manner in treating others. Looking up to the sky, he said to Yangzijie, “Zijie! I thought that you are eligible to be my disciple. Now I know that you are not.”
途中，老子體察到陽子居待人接物的態度，頗感失望，他抬起頭迎著天對陽子居說：「子居呀! 我以為你可以做我的徒弟，現在我知道你是不及格的。」
老子中道仰天而嘆曰：「始以汝為可教，今不可也。」
4 Without answer, in silence, he led Laotse to a teahouse. Having entered, Yangzijie presented towel and water to Laotse for cleaning feet and laid his shoe tidily outside the room. Then Yangzijie’s attitude is fairly reverent.
陽子居沒有答腔，他只是默默地帶著老子到一家茶館，進門後陽子居遞上毛巾、洗腳水，並將鞋子整齊地放在房間外面。這時的陽子居其態度是挺恭敬的。
5 All are ready. Kneeing to Laotse on the mat, he crawled up to him and whisper. “On the way, I can’t jump at a chance to ask you. Additionally, I dare not ask since you are angry. Now we settle down, and suppose you feel relaxed. I take a liberty to ask you what my error is and why I make you angry.
一切都料理好後，陽子居雙腳跪在蓆子上，用膝蓋爬到老子的跟前，低聲的說：「路上沒空，我一直沒有機會問您。另外看您生氣的樣子我也不敢問，現在安頓下來了，心情也應該輕鬆一點了，我斗膽地請問師父，我到底犯了什麼錯，令老師不高興。」
陽子居不答。至舍，進盥漱巾櫛，脫屨戶外，膝行而前，曰：「向者弟子欲請夫子，夫子行不閒，是以不敢。今閒矣，請問其故。」
6 Laotse detected Yangzijie’s sincerity to learn. Hence, he said. “Your countenance is fraught with arrogance. You wear a proud and scorning look. Who would like to stay with you?
老子看出陽子居是真心地想學些東西，因此說道：「你的面容充滿著高傲的表情，你那種自以為是，傲慢不屑的樣子，有誰願意跟你在一起呢？
7 A man should not be complacent. A bottle filled with water can’t hold a drop of water any more. Purely white thing looks flowed. A man of perfect practice is common, amiable, humble and courteous. When Confucius entered the royal temple, he asked everything as if he were ignorant. He actually was an expert on convenance.”
人不可以自滿，裝滿水的瓶子是容不下任何一滴水的。所以純白的東西看上去似乎總是有些瑕疵。修行完備的人給人的感覺是平凡、和藹可親、謙卑有禮。孔子入大廟，每事問，好像什麼都不懂似的，庶不知他是禮儀專家啊！」
老子曰：「而雎雎盱盱，而誰與居？大白若辱，盛德若不足。」
8 Yangzijie immediately changed his countenance and whispered. “Thank you my master for your instruction.”
陽子居立刻調整了自己容貌，低聲地說: 「謝謝老師的教誨。」
陽子居蹴然變容曰：「敬聞命矣！」
9 Since then, Yangzijie’s attitude changed totally. In the past, when Yangzijie was ready to go, his family members lined up at the gate to see him off, an old housekeeper paved mat on the ground to send him to the carriage, his wife tidied him up with comb and towel at last moment. All members went out to see him off without exception, including the chef in kitchen.
自此刻起，陽子居的態度完全改變了。他出門時，家人還得在門口列隊歡送，一個老管家在地上舖著蓆子送他上車，妻子則拿著梳子、毛巾為他做最後的整容工作。家裡所有的人都要跑出來送行，連廚房裡的廚子也不例外。
其往也，舍者迎將，其家公執席，妻執巾櫛，舍者避席，煬者避灶。
10 But after he learnt the amiableness from Laotse, not only his family member no longer line up to see him off, but also they scrambled with him for space on the mat to have a rest.
但是當陽子居自老子那學到平易近人的道理後，家裡的人非旦不用列隊接送，還在蓆子上跟他搶空位休息呢！
其反也，舍者與之爭席矣！