English Original
Duke Huan of Qi, the first overlord of the Spring and Autumn Period, lit a bright torch in front of his palace day and night to show his sincerity in enlisting able and virtuous men. Yet, the torch burned for a full year without a single visitor.
One day, a villager from the eastern suburbs of the capital requested an audience, claiming he could recite the multiplication table. Duke Huan found this amusing and sent an officer to ask, "How can you hope to see the King just for knowing the multiplication table?"
The villager replied, "I heard the palace torch has burned for a year with no visitors. This is because Your Majesty is a ruler of great talent and vision. Talented men from afar doubt you would value them, so they dare not come. My skill is trivial, but if you receive me courteously, you need not worry that those with real ability will stay away."
He continued, "Mount Tai is immense because it does not reject a single stone; the sea is deep because it gathers every stream. The Book of Songs says: 'Wise kings of old sought advice even from woodcutters and grass-gatherers. Only thus can one pool the wisdom of the masses.'"
Hearing this, Duke Huan repeatedly nodded assent and received the villager with great honor. As expected, within a month, many able and virtuous men came to see him.
中文翻译
春秋时期的第一位霸主齐桓公，为了表明自己招纳贤士的诚意，在宫殿前日夜点燃明亮的火炬。然而，火炬燃烧了整整一年，却无人前来。
一天，都城东郊的一位村民请求拜见，声称自己会背诵九九乘法口诀。齐桓公觉得可笑，派官员去问：“你难道仅凭会背乘法口诀就想见国王吗？”
村民答道：“我听说宫前的火炬燃烧了一年也无人来访。这是因为陛下雄才大略，远近的人才都担心您看不上他们，所以不敢来。我的技能微不足道，但若您能以礼相待，又何愁那些有真才实学的人不来呢？”
他接着说：“泰山之所以雄伟，是因为它不排斥任何一块小石头；江海之所以深邃，是因为它汇聚了每一条小溪。《诗经》有云：‘古代英明的君王常向砍柴割草的农夫请教。唯有如此，才能集思广益。’”
齐桓公听后连连点头称是，并以隆重的礼节接待了这位村民。果然，不出一个月，四方贤士能人纷纷前来拜见。