English Original
Once, the King of Wu planned to invade the State of Chu. He sternly warned his ministers: "Anyone who dares to dissuade me again will be put to death."
A young attendant in the court wished to advise against the invasion but was afraid. For three consecutive mornings, he paced in the royal garden with a slingshot, his clothes soaked with dew.
The King noticed him and asked, "Why endure such hardship? Your clothes are drenched."
The young man replied, "In this garden, a cicada sits high on a tree, chirping leisurely and drinking dew, unaware of a mantis lurking behind. The mantis, concealed and intent on catching the cicada, does not know a siskin is hiding behind it. The siskin stretches its neck to peck the mantis, oblivious to the man with a slingshot below. All three creatures focus entirely on the immediate gain, ignoring the peril behind them."
Hearing this, the King of Wu suddenly saw the light. "You are right!" he exclaimed, and consequently abandoned his plan to invade Chu.
中文翻译
一次，吴王打算进攻楚国。他严厉警告大臣们：“再有敢来劝阻我的人，将被处死。”
宫中一位年轻的侍从想劝阻却又不敢。于是，他连续三个早晨怀揣弹弓在御花园里徘徊，露水浸透了他的衣衫。
吴王看见后问道：“你何必受这份苦？衣服都湿透了。”
年轻人回答：“这园中，有只蝉高居树上，悠闲鸣叫，畅饮露水，却不知一只螳螂正潜伏在它身后。螳螂紧贴隐蔽之处，一心要捕捉蝉，却不知一只黄雀正躲在它身后。黄雀伸长脖子要去啄食螳螂，却没察觉树下有个拿着弹弓的人。这三只小生物都只顾眼前的利益，完全忽视了身后的灾祸。”
吴王听后恍然大悟，说道：“你说得对！”于是，他放弃了攻打楚国的计划。