鲁侯命侍从活捉海鸟。侍从将海鸟关在金笼内，并放在太庙里供养。鲁侯视海鸟如国宾。每天都有各式各样的珍馐百味供海鸟
品尝，甚至鲁侯的乐师，也要为海鸟演奏。
But the seabird was terrified by all this grandness.It became so frightened and sad that it dared not eat or drink．After three days,it died.Duke Lu thought that he had beena good host to his guest．Why not? He was treating the seabird the same way he treated himself.
可是，海鸟却被这些豪华排场所吓倒，心里既惊慌又悲痛，不敢饮食，过了三天，终于死去。鲁侯以为他款待海鸟已十分周到。可不是 吗？他是用对待自己的方法去对待海鸟的。 〖Grappling between a Snipe and a Clam〗
A clam was lying on the edge of the water with her shell open to enjoy the sun.The sweet flesh Of the clam attracted a snipe strolling along the river bank. 鹬蚌相争
一只河蚌躺在河滩上张开壳儿晒太阳。河蚌鲜美的肉吸引了一只沿着河岸散步的鹬鸟。 The snipe at once pounced on the clam and pecked her flesh．Swiftly the clam fold-ed her shell and clamped down on the snipe’s bill tightly．Then each one was handi-capped by the other，and neither could move an inch．The snipe sneered，“If it doesn’t rain for a couple of days，let’s wait to see what will become of you!”The clam retort,“Surely in the same time you will either starve to death or thirst to death．” 鹬鸟立刻扑过来啄河蚌的肉，蚌灵敏地合拢了自己坚硬的壳，把鹬鸟尖尖的长嘴紧紧夹住。现在，他们都被对方钳制住了，动弹不得。鹬 对蚌说：“今天不下雨，明天不下雨，你就会晒死。”蚌也对鹬说：“你的嘴今天拔不出，明天拔不出，你就要渴死饿死!”
So they argued and abused each other for quite a long time，neither ready to give in．Just then，a fisherman happened to pass by.He saw the snipe and the clam，and to his de-light，he caught them both with the greatest ease．
鹬和蚌就这样争吵咒骂了半天，谁也不肯让步。这时，一个渔翁碰巧打这儿经过，看到这一情景，十分高兴，跑过去毫不费力地把他们 都捉住了。
〖Ready Images of Bamboo in Bosom〗
Wen Tong who styled himself Yuke was an artist in the Song Dynasty.He enjoyed widespread renown for his bamboo painting．Every day many people always called at his home to ask for his paintings．What was his knack of painting bamboos?Actually，wen Tong had grown various bamboos everywhere around his house.No matter what season it was and no matter whether it was sunny or rainy，he often went to observe how they 胸有成竹
宋代画家文同，字与可。他画的竹子远近闻名，每天总有许多人登门求画。文同画竹的妙诀在哪里呢?原来，文同在自己家的房前屋后
种上了各种竹子。无论春夏秋冬，阴晴风雨，他都经常去观察竹子
were growing.He pondered over the length and breadth of the bamboo poles as well as the shapes and colors of the leaves．Whenever he had gained a new understanding,he went back to his study and drew what was in his mind on the paper．Over a long period of time，the images of bamboos in different seasons，under different weather conditions and at different moments were deeply imprinted in his mind．So whenever he stood be-fore the paper and picked up a painting brush
with concentrated attention，the various forms of the bamboos which he had observed at ordinary days at once rose before his eyes．Therefore every time he was painting bamboos he appeared confident and at ease, and all the bamboos he had painted were very vivid and true to life．
的生长变化情况，琢磨竹枝的长短粗细，叶子的形态、颜色。每当有新的感受就回到书房，把心中的印象画在纸上。日积月累，竹子在不 同季节、不同天气、不同时辰的形象都深深地印在他的心中，只要凝神提笔，在画纸前一站，平日观察到的各种形态的竹子立刻浮现在眼
前。所以每次画竹，他都很从容自信，画出的竹子，无不逼真传神。
The poet Chao Buzhi who had made a profound study of Wen Tong’s art of paintings wrote：“When Yuke was painting bamboos，he had their images ready in his bosom.”
The idiom indicates having ready plans or designs in one’s mind before doing a cer-tain job so that its success is guaranteed.
诗人晁补之对文同的画很有研究，曾写下诗句：“与可画竹，胸中有成竹。” “胸有成竹”比喻做事之前已作好充分准备，对成功十分有把握。 〖Old Horse Knows the Way〗
During the Spring and Autumn Period，King Huan of Qi invaded the State of Guzhu．
The army was stuck in Guzhu for a whole year．Spring passed and winter came． When Qi’s soldiers finally conquered Guzhu，they got lost and couldn’t find their way back to the State of Qi．
Qi’s minister Guan Zhong came up with an idea．He let the soldiers take out sever-al old horses to lead the way．The army followed the horses closely，and finally made their way out of Guzhu and back to their homeland． 老马识途
春秋时期，齐国国王齐桓公带兵攻打孤竹国。
齐国大军在孤竹国困了整整一年的时间。春去冬来，当齐军终于打败了孤竹国的时候，却发现他们迷失了方向，找不到回齐国的路了。
这时候，大臣管仲想出了个办法。他让士兵牵出几匹老马在前面带路。大军紧紧地跟在后面，就这样终于走出了孤竹国，回到了故乡。 〖Impossible to Carve in Rotten Wood〗
Confucius is a great educationist during the Spring and Autumn Period．One of his students appeared impressive in every word he said which was closely reasoned and well argued．Confucius thought that this student would make great achievements in the future． But before long the student exposed his laziness． 朽木难雕
孔子是春秋时期一位伟大的教育家。他有一个学生，说起话来头头是道，很有自己的理论和见解。孔子以为这个学生日后会有很大的成就。可不久后，这个学生就暴露出懒惰的毛病。
One day he was sleeping soundly in his room as Confucius was giving lessons．Con-fucius felt very sorry at it and said：“It is impossible to carve in rotten wood．The same goes for painting walls made of dung and dirt．What he says doesn’t aword with what he does．He has taught me a lesson that I should value a student through his practical con-duct instead of his words．”
有一天，孔子在给学生讲课，这个学生却在房间里睡大觉。孔子知道后很难过，他说：“朽烂的木头是不能雕刻的，粪土一样的墙壁是
粉刷不了的。那是一个说话与行为不一致的学生。他给了我一个教训：我应该以实际行为而
不是言谈来评价学生”。
Later,people use this phrase “Xiu Mu Nan Diao”(impossible to carve in rotten wood)to describe a hopeless person who is not likely to be improved by education.
后来，人们用这个成语“朽木难雕”比喻那难以教化、不能造就成才的人。 Jmmense Jmage without Shape 大象无形
〖Never Trust Appearance〗
In the State of Zhao，there was once a scholar by the name of Gongsun Long．“I don’t keep company with people who have no talents，”he told his disciples.One day a man dressed in rags came up to him saying，“Please take me as your disciple.”After looking the man up and down，Gongsun Long said，“Tell me about your talents.” 不可貌相
赵国有个学者名字叫公孙龙。他曾对弟子说：“我不会和没有本领的人交往。”一天，有个衣衫褴褛的人，走上前对他说：“请您收我做 徒弟吧! ”公孙龙打量了那人一番，问道：“你有何本领?” “Well,”said the man，“I have a loud voice which can travel very far．”Is there any-one among you who has a loud voice?”Gongsun Long asked his disciples．“No，sir!” they replied.Gongsun Long took the man as his disciple．His other disciples were laugh-ing．“What is the use of a loud voice?”they sneered． 那人回答说：“我有一个洪亮的嗓音，它能传得很远。”公孙龙问弟子道：“你们当中有没有声音洪亮的?”弟子回答说：“没 有。”于是公孙龙收那人做徒弟。其他弟子窃窃私语，还嘲笑道：“声音洪亮有什么用?” A few days later，Gongsun Long and his disciples had to make a trip to the State of Yan．They had to cross a wide river．However，there was only one boat lying on the dis-tant shore．Gongsun Long told his new disciple to prove his talent.The man gladly heed-ed the request and yelled loudly．Very soon the boat was rowed over to ferry them all.
过了几天，公孙龙和弟子们要到燕国去。他们来到一条大河前，可是岸边却没有渡船，只有一艘船停泊在远远的对岸。公孙龙就令新弟
了施展其技。新弟子欣然答允，便大喊一声。很快，那艘渡船就划了过求，载他们渡河去。 〖Two Concubines〗
Yangzi went to the State of Song and spent the night in an inn．The innkeeper had two concubines．One was very beautiful；the other was very ugly．The ugly one was fa-vored；the beautiful one，on the contrary，was not favored．Yangzi asked why this was．The innkeeper replied，“The beautiful concubine considers herself very beautiful，but I certainly do not think she is beautiful．The ugly concubine considers herself very ugly but I certainly do not think she is ugly．”Yangzi said，“Disciples，remember these words，if a person can do virtuous deeds while ridding himself of any feelings of conceit，then where could he go without being welcomed?” 逆旅二妾
阳子到宋国去，住在旅馆里。旅馆的主人有两个姨太太，一个很美丽，另一个很丑陋。丑的受宠，美的反倒不受宠。阳子问店主为什 么会是这样，店主回答说：“那个美的觉得她自己很美，可是我并不感到她美；那个丑的觉得她自己很丑，可是我并不感到她丑。”阳子说：
“徒弟们记住这句话，要是一个人做高尚的事，又没有觉得自己很高尚的心理，那么他到哪
儿都会受到欢迎的。”
〖The Frog in the Shallow Well〗
A frog who lived in a shallow well met a turtle who lived in the sea．The Frog said，“I am so happy!When I go out．I jump about on the railing beside the well．When I come home，I rest in the holes on the broken wall of the well．If I jump into the water，it comes up to my armpits and holds up my cheeks．If I walk in the mud，it cover up my feet．I look around at the wriggly worms，crabs and tadpoles，and none of them can compare with 井底之蛙
一只青蛙住在井里。有一天，青蛙在井边遇上了一只从海里来的大龟。青蛙就对大龟夸口说：“你看，我住在这里多么快乐啊!高兴的时
候，可以在井栏边跳跃玩耍；疲倦的时候，就回到井里睡在砖洞里。如果我跳入水中，水流穿过我的腋窝，支撑我的头部。如果我在泥地上走，泥浆便盖过我的脚面。我看看周围的蚯蚓啦、螃蟹啦、还有蝌蚪
me．Moreover，I am the lord of this trough of water and I stand tall in this shallow well． My happiness is full．My dear turtle，why don’t you come often and take a look around my place?” Before the turtle from the sea could get its left foot in the well，its right knee got stuck．It hesitated and retreated．The turtle told the frog： 等，他们哪里能跟我比呢? 我是这个井里的主人，自由自在的好不逍遥快乐! 亲爱的海龟，你常到我的井里来游玩吧!”
大龟试着把它的左脚伸进井里去，但是右腿已经被绊住了。它踟躇着退却下来，对青蛙说：
“Have you seen the sea before?Even a distance of a thousand li cannot give you an idea of the sea’s width；even a height of a thousand zhang cannot give you an idea of its depth．In the time of the Xia Dynasty，there were floods nine years out of ten，but the wa-ters in the sea did not increase much．In the time of the Shang Dynasty there were droughts seven Years out of eight，but the waters in the sea did not decrease much.The real happiness is to live in the sea．”
Hearing these words．the frog of the shallow well was shocked into realizing his own insignificance．
“你见过大海吗?海的广大，何止千里；海的深度，何止千丈。夏朝的时候，每十年中有九年发大水，但是海里的水并不涨；到后来商
朝，每八年中有七年大旱，海里的水，也没有少了多少。住在大海里，才是真正的快乐呢!” 青蛙听了海龟的话，吃惊不小，开始认识到自己的浅薄和无知。 〖Yu Gong Removed the Mountains〗
Taihang and Wangwu are two mountains，with an area of seven hundred square li and a great height of thousands of zhang.
North of the mountains lived an old man called Yugong who was nearly ninety vears old．Since his home faced the two mountains，he was troubled by the fact that they blocked the way of the inhabitants who had to take a roundabout route.He gathered his families together to discuss the matter．“Let us do everything in our power to flatten these forbidding mountains so that there is a direct route to the south of Yuzhou reaching the southem bank of the Han River．What do you say?”Everyone applauded his suggestion. 愚公移山
太行、王屋两座山，方圆七百里，高数万丈。
北山住着一个名叫愚公的老人，年纪将近九十岁了。他的家门正面对着这两座大山。愚
公苦于道路阻塞，出去进来都要绕远路，便召集全家人商量说：“我和你们尽力挖平两座大山，直通到豫州南部，到达汉水南岸，好吗?”大家纷纷表示赞同。
Therefore，Yugong took three sons and grandsons who could carry a load on their shoulders．They broke up rocks and dug up mounds of earth which were transported to the edge of the Bo Sea in baskets．
An old man called Zhisou who lived in Hequ，near a bank of a branch of the Yellow River，was amused and dissuaded Yugong，“How can you be so foolish?With your ad-vanced years and the little strength that you have left，you cannot even destroy a blade of grass on the mountain，not to speak of its earth and stone．”
愚公于是带领子孙中能挑担子的三个儿子和孙子们干了起来。凿石头，挖泥土，用畚箕运送到渤海的边上。
住在黄河支流边河曲的一个名字叫智叟的老人笑着阻止愚公说：“你怎么那么傻呀，凭你的有生之年和余力，尚不能毁掉山上的草木，更不用说泥土和石头啦!” Yugong heaved a long sigh．“Though I die，my son lives on.Sons follow sons and grandsons follow sons．My sons and grandsons go on and on without end，but the moun-tains will not grow in size．Then why worry about not being able to flatten them?” Zhisou of Hequ was bereft of speech．
God was movedby Yugong’s sincerity and commanded the two sons of Kua’eshi to carry away the two mountains on their backs：one was put east of Shuozhou and the other south of Yongzhou．From that time onwards no mountain stood between the south of Yuzhou and the southern bank of the Han River. 愚公长叹一声说：“即使我死了，还有儿子在呀；儿子又生孙子，孙子又生儿子；子子孙孙没有穷尽的，可是山不会增高加大，何愁挖不平它们呢?”河曲智叟没有话来回答。
天帝被愚公的诚心感动，命令夸娥氏的两个儿子背走两座山，一座放在朔州的东部，一座放在雍州的南部。从此以后，从豫州的南部，直 到汉水的南面，再也没有大山挡路了。
〖Showing off One’s Skill before Lu Ban〗
In ancient times，Lu Ban was supposed to be a consummate master in construction and sculpture．Carpenters respect him as their ancestor master．It is said that he once carved a colorful wooden phoenix that was so lifelike that it actually flew in the sky for three days．Thus it was considered the height of folly to show off one’s skill with an axe in front of Lu Ban．
This idiom excoriates those who show off their slight accomplishments in front of experts． 班门弄斧 从古代时起，鲁班被认为是一个建筑与雕塑方面的艺术大师，木匠们把鲁班奉为他们的始祖。据说，他曾经惟妙惟肖地雕刻出一个木凤
凰，木凤凰栩栩如生竟然真的在天上飞了三天。谁敢在鲁班面前卖弄使用斧子的技术，也就是说，想在大行家面前显示自己的本领，被 人们认为是十分荒唐可笑的行为。
这个成语用来讽刺那些在专家面前卖弄的人。 〖Mr．Dong Guo〗
Mr．Dongguo was a very kind scholar who enjoyed helping people.One day，Mr. Dongguo was walking on the road，carrying a full bag of books．Suddenly，he saw a wolf running towards him．The wolf said to Mr．Dongguo，“Help，please!Somebody wants to kill me．” 东郭先生