刘向·《说苑·炳烛之光》英译

晋平公问于师旷曰：“吾年七十，欲学恐已暮矣。”师旷曰：“何不炳烛乎？”平公曰：“安有为人臣而戏其君乎？”师旷曰：“盲臣安敢戏君乎？臣闻之；少而好学，如日出之阳；壮而好学，如日中之光；老而好学，如炳烛之明。孰与昧行乎？”平公曰：“善哉！”

                                       The Light of a Candle

One day Marquis Ping of the State of Jin said to his minister Shikuang: ”I’m seventy years old now. Though I desire to read and learn more, I am afraid it may be too late. You see I’m in the evening of my life.”

”In the evening? Then why don’t you light a candle?”

”I have spoken to my minister I earnest and he in turn jests with his lord.”

Shikuang said:”How dare I, a blind man? I have heard that a youth who is eager in his studies has a bright future radiating light like the rising sun. A person of middle age, if he is keen on his learning, just shines as the sun at high noon. A person of old age, if he is still given to his study and reading, will give out light as much as a lighted candle does. In spite of its dim light, it is far far better than pitch-dark!”

”What you said is quite right,” approved Marquis Ping admiringly.