中国典籍英译

孝当竭力，

非徒养身。

鸦有反哺之孝，

羊知跪乳之恩。

岂无远道思亲泪，

不及高堂念子心。

爱日以承欢，

莫待丁兰刻木祀；

椎牛而祭墓，

不如鸡豚逮亲存。

Mere support of your parents is not enough, You should do your utmost to be dutiful.

A crow feeds its parents when they are old,

A lamb kneels down

When sucking milk from its mother,

Because it has gratitude to show.

Do people travelling far away

Not miss their parents?

Yet parents at home

Worry more about their absent children. Cherish your parents' remaining years

And make them happy,

Ding Lan's carving of wood portraits

For his parents after their death

Is not a good example.

Killing a bull to offer at your parents' graves

Is not as good as serving them chicken and pork Before they are decrepit and old.

兄弟相害，

不如友生；

外御其侮，

莫如弟兄。

有酒有肉多兄弟，

急难何曾见一人。

一回相见一回老，

能得几时为弟兄。

父子和而家不败，

兄弟和而家不分，

乡党和而争讼息，

夫妇和而家道兴。

只缘花底莺声巧，

遂使天边雁影分。

Brothers struggling with each other

Are not as useful as friends;

To resist insults from outside,

Brothers are better than best friends.

Meat and wine bring you a lot of brothers,

But is there anyone seen near you

When you are in misfortune?

Each time brothers meet,

Each gets older than the last time;

How many times are left

When they can call each other brother again?

A father and his sons in harmony

Can keep a family from decline,

Brothers in harmony

Can keep a family from division;

Neighbors in harmony

Can avoid disputes and lawsuits,

A husband and his wife in harmony

Can make their family flourish.

Brothers are often estranged from each other

Because of their wives' blandishments.

楚有祠者，赐其舍人卮酒，舍人相谓曰：“数人饮之不足，一人饮之有余。请画地为蛇，先成者饮酒。”

一人蛇先成，引酒且饮之，乃左手持卮，右手画蛇，曰：“吾能为之足。”未成，一人之蛇成夺其卮,曰：“蛇固无足，子安能为之足？”遂饮其酒。为蛇足者终亡其酒。

Adding Feet to a Snake While Drawing It

A native of Chu after worshiping his ancestors gave his retainers a pot of wine. One of the retainers said: “It’s in sufficient for all of us, but too much for one of us. I suggest, therefore, that we draw snakes on the ground, and the one who first finishes drawing the snake will win the pot of wine.”

When one retainer had completed his drawing, he took the pot to drink. As he held it in his left hand, he continued to draw the snake with his right hand, saying: “I can add feet to it.” While he was adding feet to his snake, another man who had then drawn his snake snatched the pot from his hand, protesting: “No snake has feet. How can you add feet to it?” Then he drank the wine.

The man who added feet to the snake lost his prize at last.