刘基·《救虎》英译

苍筤之山溪水合流入于江。有道士筑于其上以事佛，甚谨。

一夕，山水大出，漂室庐，塞溪而下。人骑木乘屋，号呼求救者声相连也。道士具大舟，躬蓑笠，立水浒，督善水者绳以俟，人至即投木索引之，所存活甚众。

平旦，有兽身没波涛中，而浮其首，左右盻，若求救者。道士曰：“是亦有生，必速救之。”舟者应言，往以木接上之，乃虎也。始则矇矇然，坐而舐其毛；比及岸，则瞠目视道士，跃而攫之，仆地，舟人奔救，道士得不死，而重伤焉。

郁离子曰：“哀哉，是亦道士之过也。知其非人而救之，非道士之过乎？虽然，孔子曰：‘观过，斯知仁矣。’道士有焉。”

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Saving a Tiger

Li Ji

Around the verdant mountain several streams merged into a river. A priest built a temple on the mountain and worshiped Buddha there. One night the water rose and debris from many dilapidated huts and houses floated in the flood. Victims on trunks and logs cried for help. The priest put on his straw rain cape and rowed a large boat on the water with some strong swimmers and ropes to save the people. When they saw a man in the river, they would throw him the rope. At daybreak, after having saved many lives, the priest saw an animal floating with its head above water. It glanced right and left as if begging for help. The priest told the boatmen, “It’s also a living creature, we ought to hurry and save it.” The boatmen threw logs into the water and helped it on board. The beast was a tiger. Gradually it recovered from its exhaustion and licked its fur. When they reached dry land the tiger glared hungrily at the priest and sprang on him. The boatmen hurried to his rescue, and fortunately the priest escaped with his life, though he was badly mauled. Yu Li Zi commented, “Alas, it was the priest’s own fault. He knew it was a beast, yet he still tried to save it. How can he deny his mistake? However, Confucius once said, ‘From one’s mistakes, we can see one’s virtues.’ The priest should be praised.”