Declination to Throne (6)
讓王(六)
1 Lietse practiced all day, not building cause, not seeking glory, so that he was very destitute, with three meals insufficient. Owing to hunger, he was a bag of bones.
列子整天修行，不做事業，不求世榮，弄得家徒四壁，三餐不濟，每天有一頓沒一頓的骨瘦如柴。
子列子窮，容貌有飢色。
2 The Minister of Zheng-- Tseyoung was told that “Lietse was a publicly accepted man of perfect practice and he lived in your prefecture. However, Lietse couldn’t have all three meals everyday, which might make others think that you are a minister he does not treasure talents.”
有人對鄭相國子陽說：「列子是普天下公認的修行完備之人。他住在你的轄區內，窮得三餐不濟，這樣不好吧！別人會認為你是一個不愛護人才的相國。」
客有言之於鄭子陽者，曰：「列御寇，蓋有道之士也，居君之國而窮，君無乃為不好士乎？」
3 Having heard that, Tseyoung dispatched an underling to send food and commodity to Lietse’s house.
鄭相國聽後，就派人送糧食及日用品到列子家。
鄭子陽即令官遺之粟。
4 Lietse received the messenger politely; however, he declined the donation. His members of family, who stood beside them, shook their heads and signed their unfortunate fate. Lietse’s wife said, “I heard that if a woman married an able man of wise, she would lead a rich and noble life. However, I am so miserable. I am so hungry and in rags. Now the minister of Zheng would like to help us and give us food and clothes, but you are too proud to accept them. Alas! What can I say? I have to blame my unfortunate fate.”
列子禮貌地接見了使者，可是卻婉拒了鄭相國的捐贈。站在旁邊面有飢色的列子家眷，對這樣的丈夫只有搖頭，嘆息自己的命苦。列子的妻子說：「聽人說，嫁給有學問，聰明能幹的男人，就會終身享受榮華富貴，可是我這可憐人，卻餓得面有飢色，衣不蔽體。今天鄭相國願意幫助我們，派人送糧食、衣物來，你又驕傲的不肯接受。哎！我又有什麼話好說呢？只怪自己命不好了。」
子列子見使者，再拜而辭。使者去，子列子入，其妻望之而拊心曰：「妾聞為有道者之妻子，皆得佚樂，今有飢色。君過而遺先生食，先生不受，豈不命邪。」
5 Hearing wife’s complaint, Lietse laughed and consoled. “You don’t know the real reason. The Ministry of Zheng doesn’t really appreciate me and treasure talents. He did this just because someone suggested him to do so. Rumor is dreadful. If now we accept his benefit, in the future, people would say that we have close connection with the Ministry, then, the consequence might be worse. Therefore, I don’t accept it and let all people know that I have nothing to do with him.”
列子聽老婆這樣的埋怨，笑著說：「娘子有所不知，鄭相國不是真的欣賞我，不是真的愛惜人才。他是聽了別人的話才這麼做的。人言可畏，今天如果我們受了鄭相國的好處，將來別人說我們與鄭相國關係密切，怪罪下來，後果就不堪設想了。所以我不接受鄭相國的捐贈，讓天下知道我與他沒有任何瓜葛。」
子列子笑，謂之曰︰「君非自知我也。以人之言而遺我粟，至其罪我也，又且以人之言，此吾所以不受也。」
6 After some time, people of Zheng rebelled and killed the Ministry. Since Lietse refused the donation, he wasn’t regarded as a man of the regime and avoided being killed.
沒多久，老百姓造反，將鄭相國殺死。列子因為拒受鄭相國的禮物，沒有被貼上當權派的標籤，逃過了一劫。
其卒，民果作難而殺子陽。