曲突徙薪
曲突徙薪
從前有一個人去做客，見主人家把做飯的煙囪砌成直的，正對著旁邊的柴薪，很容易失火。就勸主人把煙囪砌成彎的，將柴薪搬得遠些（曲突徙薪），可是主人沒有采納他的建議。
不久這家失火了。左鄰右舍都來救火，費了好大力氣才將火撲滅，不少人還受了傷。主人過意不去，殺牛買酒，請那些燒焦頭發、燒爛額頭（焦頭爛額）的人坐在上 席，其余的人論功排座次。有人提醒主人說：“當初你要聽從那位朋友的話，就不會失火了，今天也用不著殺牛買酒待客了。現在，向你建議曲突徙薪的人沒有被邀 請，反而是焦頭爛額的人坐在了上席。”主人明白過來，馬上請來那位朋友，讓他坐了首席。
曲突徙薪是說要注意聽取別人的意見，避免不必要損失的。焦頭爛額常形容人受傷很重或處境很狼狽。
To Bend The Chimney and Move The Firewood
There once lived a family whose chimney was straight up and down, and who kept a pile of firewood next to their stove. One day, a passerby noticed this, and immediately ran in and suggested to the family that they curve their chimney and move their woodpile. Otherwise, he said, the wood could easily catch fire. The owner of the house did not agree and therefore did not take the man's advice.
Not long afterwards, the family's woodpile really did catch fire. Fortunately, their neighbors all came to help, and before long they had put the fire out. In order to express his gratitude, the owner of the hose invited all of his neighbors over for a large feast. One of the guests asked him why he hadn't invited the man who had suggested curving the chimney and moving the firewood, reminding him that if he had taken this man's advice in the first place, there would've been no fire. The owner agreed, and immediately invited this man to join the feast.
Today, taking measures to prevent disaster can be referred to as "bending the chimney and moving the firewood."
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