中國成語寓言故事09:Those Who Flee 50 Steps Laugh at Those Who Fle 100 Steps五十步笑百步(雙語)
One day, King Hui of Liang met Mencius and said:
一天，梁惠王見到孟子，說:
"What a mess the political state of our neighbouring countries is in! When they govern their states, they never think of the people. But when there is a flood in Henei, I move the victims of the calamity to Hedong. When there is a calamity in Hedong, I move the people there to Henei. I also allocate them food for calamity relief. I have really done my best to govern my country."
“你看看鄰國的政治多么糟糕!他們治國不為老百姓著想，而我每當河西鬧了災，就把災民遷到河東;河東遭了難，我又把災民遷到河西來，還調撥糧食救濟他們。對于治理國家，我是盡了自己最大的努力了。”
As Mencius heard this, he nodded in agreement.
孟子聽了惠王的話，點頭表示贊同。
King Hui of Liang went on to say:
梁惠王接著說:
"Yet my population has not increased and our neighbouring countries' population has not decreased. Tell me, what exactly is the reason?"
“可是，我的百姓人數卻沒有增加，而鄰國的百姓人數也不見得減少呀!你說，這究竟是什么原因?”
Mencius thought this over and replied:
孟子想了想回答說:
"Your Majesty likes wars. Please allow me to use war as an analogy. On the battlefield, the sound of fighting shakes the heavens. The two armies are locked in a stalemate, but there is surely to be either victory or defeat. The defeated soldiers, throwing away their helmets and armour, flee for their lives. Some of them flee 50 steps and then stop, while others flee 100 steps and stop. Then, those who flee 50 steps laugh at those who flee 100 steps for their cowardice. Your Majesty, do you think it is right to laugh?"
“大王喜歡打仗，請允許我用打仗來打個比方吧!戰場上，殺聲震天，兩軍對峙，相持不下，但是一定會有勝負。被打敗的士兵丟盔棄甲，抱頭逃命。其中，有的人逃了五十步就停下來，有的人逃了一百步也停了下來。這時候，逃了五十步的人，嘲笑逃了一百步的人膽小怕死。大王，您說這種嘲笑對不對?”
Upon hearing this, King Hui struck the table and said:
惠王聽了，拍著桌子，說:
"Of course not. No matter whether they flee 50 steps or 100 steps, they are deserters just the same."
“當然不對，不管逃五十步，還是逃一百步，一樣是逃兵啊!”
Mencius smiled and said:
孟子笑著說道:
"Your Majesty, since you understand this truth, you can notexpect your population to be larger than that of your neighbouring countries."
“大王，既然您明白這個道理，那么您也就不要希望您的百姓會比鄰國多了。”
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