English Original
Long ago in Henan, there lived a poor young man named Le Yangzi.
One day, he found a piece of gold on the road and joyfully brought it home to his wife. She responded gravely: "I have heard that a man of aspiration does not drink from the 'Dao Spring' (associated with theft), and an honest man does not accept handout food. Moreover, picking up lost valuables tarnishes one's character."
Ashamed, Le Yangzi threw the gold away in a field. Deeply moved, he resolved to leave home and study under a distant master.
A year later, he returned. When his wife asked why he came back so soon, he smiled and said, "Only because I missed you terribly while away."
His wife turned pale. She grabbed a knife, ran to her silk loom, placed the blade on the delicate fabric, and spoke agitatedly:
"I reeled each strand from cocoons and wove this fabric inch by inch with the shuttle. If I cut it now, all my devoted effort and time would be wasted. Your studies are the same. You must constantly remind yourself how much more there is to learn to build noble character. To quit halfway is like cutting this silk in one stroke."
Determined by her words, Le Yangzi bid farewell immediately. He studied diligently in that faraway place for seven full years and finally achieved success.
中文翻译
从前，河南有个名叫乐羊子的贫穷青年。
一天，他在路上捡到一块金子，高兴地拿回家交给妻子。妻子却严肃地说：“我听说，有志气的人不饮盗泉之水，廉洁的人不受嗟来之食。何况，拾取他人财物会玷污一个人的品德！”
乐羊子深感惭愧，将金子扔到了野外。此事深深触动了他，他下定决心离家远行，拜师求学。
一年后，乐羊子回到家中。妻子询问他为何这么快回来，他笑着说：“没有别的原因，只是在外太想念你了。”
妻子闻言脸色刷白。她拿起一把刀，奔到织机前，将刀架在蚕丝织成的绸缎上，激动地说：
“这丝绸是我从蚕茧中一丝一缕抽出丝线，用梭子一寸一寸织成的。如果我此刻一刀割断它，之前所有的心血和时间就都白费了。你的求学也是如此。你必须时刻提醒自己学无止境，方能培养高尚品德。半途而废，就如同将这匹丝绸一刀割断。”
妻子的话深深打动了乐羊子。他当即告别妻子，远赴他乡发愤苦读，整整七年没有回家，最终学有所成。