《古代寓言·干车沟里的鲫鱼》（中英对照）

庄周家贫，故往贷粟于监河侯。

监河侯曰：“喏！我将得邑金，将贷子三百金，可乎?”

庄周忿然作色曰：“周昨来，有中道而呼者。周顾视车辙中，有鲋鱼焉。周问之曰：‘鲋鱼来！子何为者耶?’对曰：‘我，东海之波臣也。君岂有斗升之水而活我哉?’周曰：‘诺!我且南游吴越之王，激西江之水而迎子，可乎?’鲋鱼忿然作色曰：‘吾失我常与，我无所处。吾得斗升之水然活耳，君乃言此，曾不如早索我于枯鱼之肆!’”

——《庄子》

The Carp in the Dry Rut

When Zhuang Zi had no money, he went to the Lord Keeper of the River to borrow some grain.

“That’s all right,” said the lord. “I shall soon have collected the taxes from my fief; then I’ll lend you three hundred gold pieces. How about that?”

Very indignant, Zhuang Zi told him this story:

As I was coming here yesterday I heard a voice calling me, and looking round I saw a carp lying in a dry rut on the road.

“How did you get there, carp?” I asked.

“I am a native of the Eastern Ocean,” he replied. “Do you have a barrel of water to save my life?”

“That’s all right,” I told him. “I shall soon be visiting the princes of Wu and Yue in the south, and I shall let through some water for you from the West River. How about that?”

The carp was most indignant.

“I am out of my usual element,” he said, “and don’t know what to do. One barrel of water would save me, but you give me nothing but empty promises. You’ll have to look for me later in the fish market.”

Zhuang Zi