中國寓言故事雙語版 第43期:諱疾忌醫
One day, the miracle-working doctor Bian Que saw Huan Gong, King of the State of Cai, and said:
一天，神醫扁鵲見到蔡桓公，就說:
"Your Majesty, I think you are ill.
“大王，我看您身體有病。
But your illness is only under the skin and can be easily cured.
不過，您的病還只是在皮膚裏，不難治好。
If you do not treat it now,I'm afraid your condition will become serious."
如果現在不治，恐怕病情就會加重。”
Huan Gong did not believe him. He said: "I am not ill."
桓公不相信，說:“我沒有病。”
After Bian Que left, Huan Gong said to his subjects around him:
扁鵲走後，桓公對左右的大臣說:
"These doctors always like to treat people who are not ill in order to brag about their superb medical skill."
“這些醫生，就是喜歡給沒有病的人治病，好誇耀自己醫術高明。”
Ten days later, Bian Que saw Huan Gong again.
過了十天，扁鵲又見到蔡桓公。
He said: "Your Majesty, your illness has invaded your muscles.
說:“大王，您的病已侵人到肌體裏了。
If you do not treat it now, your condition will become more serious."
如果現在不治，病情還會加重。”
Huan Gong was displeased with what he heard and did not listen to Bian Que.
桓公聽了很不高興，也不理睬扁鵲。
Another ten days later, Bian Que saw Huan Gong and said anxiously:
又過了十天，扁鵲看見蔡桓公，着急地說:
"Your Majesty, your illness has invaded your stomach and intestines.
“大王，您的病已經侵人腸胃。
If your do not treat it, your condition will worsen."
再不治的話，病情會惡化的啊!”
Huan Gong still would not listen to Bian Que.
桓公還是沒有理睬扁鵲。
Another ten days later, when Bian Que saw Huan Gong, he turned round at once and left.
再過了十天，扁鵲一見桓公，轉身就走。
Huan Gong was surprised and sent someone to catch up Bian Que to ask him for the reason.
桓公很奇怪，就命人追去詢問扁鵲。
Bian Que said:"When a person gets ill and his illness is only under the skin, it can be easily cured with medical plaster or decoction.
扁鵲說:“一個人生了病，當病在皮膚表面時，只要用膏藥和湯藥洗，就能夠治好;
When it is between the skin and the flesh, it can still be cured by acupuncture;
如果發展到皮肉之間，用鍼灸還可以治好;
even if it develops into the stomach and intestines, medical decoctions will still be effective.
即使發展到腸胃裏，服用湯藥還有療效;
But when it reaches them arrow, then one can only resign to one's fate, for the doctor can no longer do anything about it.
而發展到了骨髓，那麼只好聽天由命，醫生就無能爲力了。
Now His Majesty's illness has penetrated into the marrow. I can do nothing to cure him."
現在，大王的病已經深人到了骨髓，我再也沒有辦法治好他了。”
Five days afterwards, Huan Gong felt pain all over his body.
五天以後，蔡桓公全身疼痛。
He sent for Bian Que.
派人去請扁鵲來給他治病。
Since Bian Que had anticipated that Huan Gong would ask him for treatment and that he would get into trouble if he couldn't cure the illness, he had escaped to the State of Qin a few days before.
扁鵲因爲早料到桓公會來請他去治病，而且治不好會惹禍的，所以幾天前就逃到秦國去了。
Soon afterwards, Huan Gong of Cai died of his illness.
不久，蔡桓公就病死了。
