中國寓言故事雙語版 第27期:網開三面
One day, King Tang, the founder of the Shang Dynasty, saw a man arranging a net on all sides and praying to the deity:
一天，商朝開國君主湯看見一個人四面佈下了天羅地網，正在向神禱告:
"Let those that fly down from the sky, those that come out of the ground, and those that come running from all directions all run into my net!"
“從天上飛下來的，從地下鑽出來的，從四面八方跑過來的，都撞到我的網裏來吧!”
Tang said: "Well, isn't this catching the whole lot in one net?"
湯說: “咦!這不是一網打盡了嗎?”
Tang went forward and took away the net on three sides, leaving only one side there.
湯上前收掉了三面的網，只留下一面的網。
Then he said to the man: "Now please pray again!
然後，他對那人說:“請你重新禱告吧!
You can say thus: In the past, the spiders have spun nets.
你可以這樣說:過去，蜘蛛織出了網。
Now people have learned to make nets too.
現在人們也學會了織網。
You birds and animals, those that want to turn left can go to the left;
你們這些鳥獸，想往左邊的就往左走開;
those that want to turn right can go to the right; those that want to fly can soar;
想往右邊的就往右走開;想高飛的就高飛;
those that want to get into holes can get into holes.
想鑽洞的就鑽洞。
I only catch those that are doomed to die."
我僅僅捕捉那些命裏註定要死的。”
The much-told tale of King Tang's leaving the net open on three sides spread far and wide at once.
商湯網開三面的佳話，一下子傳開了。
When the people of the states south of the Han River heard of it, they all said:
漢水以南各國知道後，都說:
"King Tang of Shang bestows favour even upon birds and animals.
“商湯對禽獸也這樣恩賜。
He is so lenient that he is truly a benevolent man."
這樣寬恕，真是個仁慈的人。”
Thereupon, all the 40 small states of the time had a heartfelt admiration for Tang and pledged their allegiance to the Shang Dynasty.
於是，當時的四十個小國家都心悅誠服地歸順了商湯。
