中國古代經典故事：景公求雨（中英對照）

有一年，齊國很長時間沒有下雨，發生了特大旱災。

國王齊景公心裏非常焦急，他想去祭祀山神求雨。宰相晏子對他說：

“大王，不要去，求山神沒有用處。山上的石頭，就好像山的筋骨;山上的泥土，就好像山的肌肉;山上的草木，就好像山的毛髮。長久不下雨，山神的毛髮。長久不下雨，山神的毛髮也枯死了，肌肉也曬焦了。山神難道就不着急要雨嗎?如果山神能夠使天下雨，那麼雨早就已經下了。”

景公說：“不求山神也罷，那麼去求河伯吧!”

晏子又說：“大王，不行。水上河伯的國土，魚鱉是河伯的百姓，天不下雨，河裏的水乾了，就等於河伯的國土喪失了;河伯的百姓，像魚呀，鱉呀，也統統要乾死了。如果河伯能夠叫天下雨;那麼雨早就下了。去祈求河伯又有什麼用呢?”

景公聽了晏子的這番話，就不再去向神求雨了。

One year it did not rain for a long time in the State of Qi, and there was an extremely severe drought.

Jing Gong, the King of Qi, was very worried. He wanted to offer sacrifices to the mountaindeity to pray for rain. His prime minister Yan Zi said to him:

"Your Majesty, don't do that. It is no use to beg the mountain deity for mercy. The soil in the mountains is like his muscle; the grass and trees in the mountains are like his hair. When it doesn't rain for a long time, the hair of the mountain deity will wither and his muscles will be seared in the sun. won't the mountain deity be anxious for rain too? If he could make it rain, it would have rained long ago."

Jing Gong said: "All right, we won't beg the mountain deity. Then how about begging Hebo(the river deity)?"

"Your Majesty, it's no use either," replied Yan Zi. "Water is the territory of Hebo, Fish and soft-shelled turtles are his subjects. When it hasn't rained for a long time, the water in the river will dry up, which means that Hebo will lose his territory; his subjects like fish and soft-shelled turtles will all die of thirst. If Hebo could make it rain; it would have rained long ago. What is the use of praying to Hebo?"

Convinced by Yan Zi's words, Jing Gong no longer prayed to the deities for rain.