柳宗元·《蝜蝂传》英译

蝜蝂者，善负小虫也。行遇物，辄持取，昂其首负之。背愈重，虽困剧不止也。其背甚涩，物积因不散，卒踬仆不能起。人或怜之，为去其负。苟能行，又持取如故。又好上高，极其力不已。至坠地死。

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今世之嗜取者，遇货不避，以厚其室。不知为己累也，唯恐其不积。及其怠而踬也，黜弃之，迁徙之，亦以病矣。苟能起，又不艾，日思高其位，大其禄，而贪取滋甚，以近于危坠，观前之死亡不知戒。虽其形魁然大者也，其名人也，而智则小虫也。亦足哀夫！

Dung-Beetles

Liu Zongyuan

Dung-beetles like to carry loads. They pick up whatever lies in their path, raising their heads to carry it; and refuse to give up however heavy their load and however exhausted they are. Moreover, since their backs are abrasive, things piled on them will not slip off. So at last they stumble, fall, and cannot get up. Sometimes people take pity on them and remove their burden; but they pick it up again as soon as they can crawl on. They like climbing too, and press forward with all their might till they fall dead.

There are people today in the world who are fond of gain, and will let slip no chance to enrich themselves, never thinking that this wealth may prove a burden. Their only fear they may not amass enough. When they grow careless and stumble, they may be demoted, banished or involved in trouble; yet as soon as they struggle to their feet they start again, scheming each day to better their position and procure a large salary, till their greed for more gain brings them to the brink of ruin. They never reflect upon their previous setbacks. Though there seem stout fellows and are known as “men,” they have no more intelligence than little beetles. How pathetic this is!