English Original
One year, the State of Qi suffered a severe drought after a long period without rain.
King Jing Gong of Qi grew deeply concerned and considered making sacrifices to the mountain deity to pray for rain. His prime minister, Yan Zi, advised against it:
"Your Majesty, it is futile to beg the mountain deity. The soil of the mountains is like his flesh; the grass and trees are like his hair. After such a long drought, the deity's hair has withered and his flesh is scorched by the sun. Wouldn't the mountain deity himself be anxious for rain? If he could make it rain, it would have happened long ago."
Jing Gong then asked, "Very well, we shall not beg the mountain deity. What about praying to Hebo, the river deity?"
"Your Majesty, that is also useless," Yan Zi replied. "The river waters are Hebo's domain, and the fish and turtles are his subjects. With no rain, the rivers will dry up, meaning Hebo will lose his territory. His subjects, the fish and turtles, will perish from thirst. If Hebo could bring rain, it would have come already. What use is praying to him?"
Convinced by Yan Zi's reasoning, Jing Gong abandoned his plans to pray to the deities for rain.
中文翻译
有一年，齐国久旱不雨，发生了严重的旱灾。
齐景公非常焦急，打算祭祀山神以求雨。他的宰相晏子劝说道：
"大王，不要去。求山神没有用。山上的泥土如同山神的肌肉，草木如同他的毛发。长久不下雨，山神的毛发已经枯死，肌肉也被烈日晒焦。山神自己难道不渴望雨水吗？如果他能唤来雨水，雨早就下了。"
景公说："好吧，不求山神。那么去祈求河伯（河神）如何？"
晏子答道："大王，那也没用。河水是河伯的国土，鱼鳖是他的臣民。天久不下雨，河水就会干涸，这意味着河伯将失去国土；他的臣民，鱼和鳖，都会渴死。如果河伯能唤雨，雨早就下了。祈求河伯又有什么用呢？"
景公被晏子的话说服，不再向神灵求雨。