余继登·《典故纪闻·马皇后论宝》英译

马后闻得元府库输其货宝至京师，问太祖曰：“得元府库何物？”太祖曰：“宝货耳。”后曰：“元有是宝，何以不能守而失之？盖货财非宝，抑帝王自有宝也。”太祖曰：“皇后之意，朕知之矣，但谓以得贤为宝耳。”后曰：“妾每见人家产业厚则骄生，时命顺则逸生，家国不同，其理无二……但得贤才，朝夕启沃，共保天下，即大宝也。”<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Queen Ma Commenting on the Treasures

One day when Queen Ma heard that all of the Yuan Dynasty’s treasures had been transferred [from the treasury in Beijing] to the new capital [of Nanjing], she asked Emperor Ming Taizu [Zhu Yuanzhang, the founder of the Ming Dynasty]:

“What did you get from the treasury of the Yuan Dynasty?”

“Precious treasures” was the reply.

“The Yuan Dynasty had a lot of treasures,” said Queen Ma, ”I wonder why they were unable to protect them and in the end lost them. Perhaps such treasures are not the real treasures of an emperor.”

“Oh, I understand you,” replied the Emperor, ”You mean that gaining worthy persons is just like obtaining precious treasures.”

Queen Ma said:

“Many times I have watched people become arrogant and imperious when their family became well-off and who then seek ease and comfort at the opportune moment. Although a family is different from a country, the reasoning is the same… It seems certain that the most precious treasure that an emperor can obtain is able and virtuous people as courtiers, who are open-minded and always completely sincere in their advice and who work together to protect their country.”