During the Spring and Autumn Period, a Shi family in the State of Lu had two sons. One of them studied liberal arts and the other martial arts.

    春秋時期，魯國一戶姓施的人家，有兩個兒子，一個學文，一個學武。

    The son who studied liberal arts went to the State of Qi to advocate his doctrines, which were well received by the Lord of Qi. The Lord appointed him Tai Fu (one of the three highest officials to teach several princes of the State of Lu.

    學文的兒子用他自己的道理，打動了齊侯。齊侯任用他為太傅，負責教導幾位魯國公子。

      The son who studied martial arts went to the State of Chu to tell the King of Chu his own military strategies. The King of Chu gladly asked him to stay to help administer military and political affairs.

    學武的兒子到了楚國，向楚王講述了自己的韜略，楚王高興地請他留下來協助治理軍事與政治。

    The two sons of the Shi family achieved success and fame, brought honour to their ancestors, and the whole family enjoyed high position and enormous wealth.

    施家二子功成名就，光宗耀祖，全家富貴。

    The next-door family, the Meng family, also had two sons. They learned liberal arts and martial arts in the same way, but remained poor and frustrated.

    施家的鄰居孟家，也有兩個兒子，也一樣都練過文，習過武，但是一直窮愁潦倒。

    The Meng family was envious of the Shi family’s achievements, and visited them to ask about the ways of winning promotion and getting rich. The two sons of the Shi family told the Meng family their experiences as they were.

    孟家很羨慕施家的成就，就登門請教升官發財的方法。施家的兩個兒子把經歷如實地告訴了孟家。

    Thereupon, the son of the Meng family who studied liberal arts went to the State of Qin to advocate "benevolence and righteousness". At this, the King of Qin was very displeased. He said:

    于是，孟家學文的兒子跑到秦國，向秦王鼓吹“仁義”。秦王一聽就非常生氣，說:

    "Nowadays the feudal lords under the emperor are seeking hegemony and fighting one another. We should devote our efforts to farming and preparations for war. If we adopt your doctrines of benevolence and righteousness to govern our state, we will be on the way to destruction." Then he ordered to castrate the son of the Meng family and deport him from the State of Qin.

    “如今諸侯稱霸，武力相爭，我們應該致力于農業和備戰。如果采用你的那套仁義來治理我們的國家，就會走上滅亡的道路。”說罷，下令將他處以宮刑，趕出秦國。

    The other son of the Meng family who studied martial arts went to the State of Wei and talked at length with the Lord of Wei about the doctrine of strengthening the army. The Lord of Wei was very disgusted and said angrily:

    孟家學武的兒子投奔衛國，向衛侯大談強兵之道。衛侯非常反感，氣憤地說:

    "Our state is small and weak, and situated in between several large states. We treat the large states with reverence and courtesy, and the small states with respect and care. This is the only correct strategy to keep peace and guarantee safety. If we follow what you said and mobilize the army for war, our state will be destroyed very soon. Today, if I let you go intact to other states to confuse and poison people's minds to wantonly engage in military aggression, it will certainly put us in big danger." So he ordered to cut off both feet of the son of the Meng family and drive him back to the State of Lu.

    “我們是弱小的國家，又處在幾個大國之間。對大國，我們恭敬禮貌;對小國，我們尊重愛護，這才是保持和平求得安全的正確策略。如果照你所說的去興兵動武，那么我們衛國很快就會被滅亡。今天，如果讓你全軀而歸跑到其他國家，蠱惑人心，窮兵默武，一定會給我們造成很大的危險。”于是，下令砍掉他的腳，攆回魯國。

    When the two sons of the Meng family returned home, they and their father, all three of them, rushed to the Shi family to rebuke them.

    孟家二子回到家里，父子三人又趕到施家，拍著胸膛責罵。

    After the Shi family learned about the situation, they said with a sigh of emotion:

    施家問清楚情況后，感慨地說:

    "Only those who understand the times will get along smoothly in life. Otherwise they will end up in tragic failure. Though your sons have learned the same things as ours, the results are entirely different from ours."
 

    “凡是識時務的人，就能一帆風順;反之，就會慘遭失敗。您兒子雖然學習的東西跟我們一樣，但是結果卻和我們的完全相反。”（編者注：如果喜歡本文章可以點擊文章右上方的關注或者右下角的贊哦！感謝各位讀者。）
 

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