永之氓，咸善游。一日水暴甚，有五六氓乘小船，绝湘水中济，船破皆游。其一氓尽力而不能寻常。 其侣曰：“汝善游最也，今何后焉？” 曰：“吾腰千钱得，是以后。”曰：“何不去之？” 不应，摇其首。有倾，益怠。 已济者立岸上，呼且号曰：“汝愚之甚，蔽之甚，身且死，何以货为？” 又摇其首，遂溺死。
《柳河东集》
The
Man Who Liked Money Better Than Life
In
Yongzhou there were many good swimmers. One day, the river swelled suddenly.
Braving the danger, about half a dozen people started across in a small boat.
While they were still in midstream, the boat capsized. Whereupon, they started
to swim. One, though using his arms vigorously, seemed to make small progress. “You’re
a better swimmer than any of us, why are you lagging behind?” asked his
companions. “I
have a thousand coins tied around my loin,” said the man. “Why
don’t you throw them away?” urged the others. He
made no answer, shaking his head, although he was clearly in difficulties. The
others reached the shore and shouted out to him: “Off with the coins, you fool!
What’s the use of the money to you when you are drowning?” Still
the man shook his head. In a few moments he was drowned.
Collected Works of Liu Zongyuan |
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