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三曰── |
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世之听者，多有所尤，多有所尤则听必悖矣。所以尤者多故，其要必因人所喜，与因人所恶。东面望者不见西墙，南乡视者不睹北方，意有所在也。 |
| | Those in the world who listen often have particular preferences; having particular preferences means their listening will inevitably be biased. Therefore, because there are many particular preferences, the key must lie in what people like or dislike. Those who look eastward cannot see the western wall; those who gaze southward do not behold the north, for their attention lies elsewhere.
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人有亡鈇者，意其邻之子。视其行步，窃鈇也；颜色，窃鈇也；言语，窃鈇也；动作态度，无为而不窃鈇也。相其谷而得其鈇，他日复见其邻之子，动作态度无似窃鈇者。其邻之子非变也，己则变矣。变也者无他，有所尤也。 |
| | A man lost an axe, and suspected his neighbor's son. Observing the way he walked, it seemed like someone who had stolen an axe; His facial expression appeared as one who had stolen an axe; His mannerisms and demeanor seemed to indicate that he had stolen an axe in every action. Later, when he found his axe among the grain, on another day when he saw his neighbor's son again, the boy's mannerisms and demeanor no longer seemed like those of a thief. His neighbor's son had not changed; it was himself who had changed. The change was nothing other than a shift in his own particular preference.
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邾之故法，为甲裳以帛。公息忌谓邾君曰：“不若以组。凡甲之所以为固者，以满窍也。今窍满矣，而任力者半耳。且组则不然，窍满则尽任力矣。”邾君以为然，曰：“将何所以得组也？”公息忌对曰：“上用之则民为之矣。”邾君曰：“善。”下令，令官为甲必以组。公息忌知说之行也，因令其家皆为组。人有伤之者曰：“公息忌之所以欲用组者，其家多为组也。”邾君不说，于是复下令，令官为甲无以组。此邾君之有所尤也。为甲以组而便，公息忌虽多为组何伤也？以组不便，公息忌虽无组，亦何益也？为组与不为组，不足以累公息忌之说。用组之心，不可不察也。 |
| | The old laws of Zhu stipulated that armor skirts should be made from silk. Gong Xi Ji said to the ruler of Zhu, "It would be better to use tassels." The reason armor is effective in providing protection is because it fills the gaps. Now, although the gaps are filled, only half of them are reinforced with strength. Moreover, using tassels is different; when the gaps are fully filled, all of them will be reinforced with strength." The ruler of Zhu thought this was reasonable and asked, "Then what shall we use to obtain the tassels?" Gong Xi Ji replied, "If the ruler uses them, the people will make them." The ruler of Zhu said, "Well said." He issued an order, instructing officials that armor must be made using tassels. Knowing that his advice had been accepted, Gong Xi Ji ordered his family to begin making tassels. Someone who wished to harm him said, "The reason Gong Xi Ji wanted to use tassels is because his family produces many of them." The ruler of Zhu became displeased and issued another order, instructing officials not to use tassels in making armor. This was due to the ruler of Zhu having particular preferences. Using tassels in armor is convenient; even if Gong Xi Ji produced many tassels, how could that possibly be harmful? If using tassels was inconvenient, then even if Gong Xi Ji had no tassels, what benefit would that bring? Producing or not producing tassels is insufficient to affect the validity of Gong Xi Ji's argument. The intention behind using tassels must be carefully examined.
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鲁有恶者，其父出而见商咄，反而告其邻曰：“商咄不若吾子矣。”且其子至恶也，商咄至美也。彼以至美不如至恶，尤乎爱也。故知美之恶，知恶之美，然后能知美恶矣。庄子曰：“以瓦殶者翔，以钩殶者战，以黄金殶者殆。其祥一也，而有所殆者，必外有所重者也。外有所重者，泄盖内掘。”鲁人可谓外有重矣。 |
| | In the state of Lu, there was a man with an ugly appearance. His father went out and saw Shang Duo, then returned to tell his neighbor, "Shang Duo is not as good-looking as my son." His own son was extremely ugly, while Shang Duo was exceptionally handsome. To claim that the most beautiful is not as good as the most ugly stems from a biased love. Therefore, one must know the ugliness in beauty and the beauty in ugliness before one can truly discern what is beautiful or ugly. Zhuangzi said, "Those who gamble with tiles fly (lightly), those who gamble with hooks fight, and those who gamble with gold are in peril. The nature of the game is the same; yet those who face danger do so because they place excessive value on external things. Those who place great importance on external matters inevitably lose their inner stability and become vulnerable from within." The man from Lu can truly be said to place great value on external appearances.
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解在乎齐人之欲得金也，及秦墨者之相妒也，皆有所乎尤也。老聃则得之矣。若植木而立乎独，必不合于俗，则何可扩矣。 |
| | The explanation lies in the case of the man from Qi who desired gold, and the rivaling Mohists from Qin; all were influenced by particular preferences. Lao Dan had understood this truth. If one stands alone like a tree planted in isolation, inevitably clashing with the customs of society, then how can such a person be understood or accepted by others?
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