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庄周游乎雕陵之樊，睹一异鹊自南方来者，翼广七尺，目大运寸，感周之颡而集于栗林。庄周曰：“此何鸟哉？翼殷不逝，目大不覩。”蹇裳躩步，执弹而留之。睹一蝉方得美荫而忘其身；螳蜋执翳而搏之，见得而忘其形；异鹊从而利之，见利而忘其真。庄周怵然曰：“噫！物固相累，二类相召也。”捐弹而反走，虞人逐而谇之。 |
| The Tree on the...: |
As Zhuang Zhou was rambling in the park of Diao-ling he saw a strange bird which came from the south. Its wings were seven cubits in width, and its eyes were large, an inch in circuit. It touched the forehead of Zhou as it passed him, and lighted in a grove of chestnut trees. 'What bird is this?' said he, 'with such great wings not to go on! and with such large eyes not to see me!' He lifted up his skirts, and hurried with his cross-bow, waiting for (an opportunity to shoot) it. (Meanwhile) he saw a cicada, which had just alighted in a beautiful shady spot, and forgot its (care for its) body. (Just then), a preying mantis raised its feelers, and pounced on the cicada, in its eagerness for its prey, (also) forgetting (its care for) its body; while the strange bird took advantage of its opportunity to secure them both, in view of that gain forgetting its true (instinct of preservation). Zhuang Zhou with an emotion of pity, said, 'Ah! so it is that things bring evil on one another, each of these creatures invited its own calamity.' (With this) he put away his cross-bow, and was hurrying away back, when the forester pursued him with terms of reproach. |
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庄周反入，三月不庭。蔺且从而问之：“夫子何为顷间甚不庭乎？”庄周曰：“吾守形而忘身，观于浊水而迷于清渊。且吾闻诸夫子曰：‘入其俗，从其俗。’今吾游于雕陵而忘吾身，异鹊感吾颡，游于栗林而忘真，栗林虞人以吾为戮，吾所以不庭也。” |
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When he returned and went into his house, he did not appear in his courtyard for three months. (When he came out), Lin Qie (his disciple) asked him, saying, 'Master, why have you for this some time avoided the courtyard so much?' Zhuangzi replied, 'I was guarding my person, and forgot myself; I was looking at turbid water, till I mistook the clear pool. And moreover I have heard the Master say, "Going where certain customs prevail, you should follow those customs." I was walking about in the park of Diao-ling, and forgot myself. A strange bird brushed past my forehead, and went flying about in the grove of chestnuts, where it forgot the true (art of preserving itself). The forester of the chestnut grove thought that I was a fitting object for his reproach. These are the reasons why I have avoided the courtyard.' |
