Section VI
爱(ài)见(jiàn)人(rén)长(zhǎng)，共(gòng)服(fú)宣(xuān)尼(ní)休(xiū)假(jià)盖(gài)； 恐(kǒng)彰(zhāng)己(jǐ)吝(lìn)，谁(shuí)知(zhī)阮(ruǎn)裕(yù)竟(jìng)焚(fén)车(chē)。
Be delighted to see the strong points of others, people deeply admired that Confucius did not borrow a canopy. (Literal translation of the line: Be delighted to see the strong points of others, people deeply admired that Confucius did not borrow a canopy; fearing to be regarded as stingy, Ruǎn Yù, to everyone’s surprise, burnt his cart.) The last character pronounces as “jū”. Confucius had to go out on a rainy day; someone suggested that he could borrow a canopy over the cart from one of his student Bǔ Shāng. Knowing that if Bǔ did not lend the canopy to him, his weak point of being stingy would be exposed, so he didn’t do so. Everyone deeply admired Confucius who loved to see strong points of others and tried not to expose weakness of others. Ruǎn Yù had a beautiful cart, and he lent it to whoever came to borrow. One man wanted to borrow the cart for the funeral service for his deceased mother, yet on his second thought he worried that Ruǎn might not lend it to him for such an inauspicious event, so he didn’t come to borrow. When Ruǎn heard about it, he asked himself, ”what is the use of keeping this cart when others dare not come to borrow?” He then burnt the cart.
麟(lín)对(duì)凤(fèng)，鳖(biē)对(duì)鱼(yú)，内(nèi)史(shǐ)对(duì)中(zhōng)书(shū)。 (Literal translation of the line: A kylin vs. a phoenix; a tortoise vs. fish; an official in charge of title of nobilities vs. an official in charge of drafting documents.) The sixth character pronounces as “yú” and the last character pronounces as “shū”. There are apparently three pairs in the line.
犁(lí)锄(chú)对(duì)耒(lěi)耜(sì)，畎(quǎn)浍(huì)对(duì)郊(jiāo)墟(xū)。 (Literal translation of the line: Plough and hoe vs. spade with a wooden handle; trenches and canal vs. suburb village.) The last character pronounces as “xū”. There are only two pairs in the line.
A picture of ancient plough and hoe
犀(xī)角(jiǎo)带(dài)，象(xiàng)牙(yá)梳(shū)，驷(sì)马(mǎ)对(duì)安(ān)车(chē)。 (Literal translation of the line: A belt made of rhinoceros horn and an ivory comb; a cart pulled by four horses and a cart pulled by one horse.) The last character pronounces as “jū”. There are apparently three pairs.
青(qīng)衣(yī)能(néng)报(bào)赦(shè)，黄(huáng)耳(ěr)解(jiě)传(chuán)书(shū)。 The dog named yellow ear could send letters to far places and bring answers back. (Literal translation of the line: The man in cyan clothes could tell who would be absolved; the dog named yellow ear could send letters to far places and bring answers back.) The last character pronounces as “shū”. It was said that when Fú Jiān (338-385) drafting a statement to absolve some criminals, a blue bottle was disturbing him and could not brush it away. Soon, the public knew who would be pardoned. Fú then asked to find out way and was told a man in cyan clothing was tell the news in the market. Fú Jiān then knew that man must be that blue bottle. The dog named Yellow Ear belonged to Lù Jī of the Jìn Dynasty, who was an official in the capital and his hometown, was over one thousand li away. He talked to his dog and asked it to bring letters back and forth. The dog really did so for the master.
庭(tíng)畔(pàn)有(yǒu)人(rén)持(chí)短(duǎn)剑(jiàn)， 门(mén)前(qián)无(wú)客(kè)曳(yè)长(zhǎng)裾(jū)。 (Literal translation of the line: Someone was carrying a dagger in the court; there was no visitors pulling up their long gown before the door.) The last character pronounces as “jū”. There are such pairs in the lines: one side of the court vs. before the door; someone vs. no visitors; carrying vs. pulling; a dagger vs. a long gown. The first line talks about Jīng Kē, who was hiding a dagger under one big plate and wanted to assassinate the King of the Qín, but failed. The second line talks about a letter written by Zōu Yang to the King of the Wú, explaining why he decided to work for the latter, he said if the King was not kind and virtuous, there would be no scholars pulling up their long gowns before the door for meetings with the King.
Waves slashing on the boat, the scared had to spend the night on the water.
波(bō)浪(làng)拍(pāi)船(chuán)，骇(hài)舟(zhōu)人(rén)之(zhī)水(shuǐ)宿(sù)； 峰(fēng)峦(luán)绕(rào)舍(shě)，乐(lè)隐(yǐn)者(zhě)之(zhī)山(shān)居(jū)。 (Literal translation of the line: Waves slashing on the boat, the scared had to spend the night on the water; the house is surrounded by hills and peaks, the hermit is happy to live in the mountains.) The last character pronounces as “jū”. This is a couplet with ten characters. Waves vs. hills and peaks; slashing vs. surrending; baot vs. house; the scared vs. the happy one; boat taker vs. hermit; stay in water vs. live in the mountain.
