English Original
Someone mocked Hui Zi before the King of Liang, saying, "Hui Zi loves to use metaphors when he speaks. If he is forbidden to use them, he surely won't be able to explain anything clearly."
The next day, the King of Liang met Hui Zi and said, "From now on, speak directly to the point. Do not use metaphors or beat about the bush."
Hui Zi replied, "Suppose someone does not know what a slingshot is. If you tell him, 'A slingshot is a slingshot,' will he understand?"
"How could he?" said the King.
Hui Zi continued, "But if I tell him a slingshot is shaped like a bow, its string is made of bamboo, and it is a device for shooting, will he understand then?"
"Yes, he will," the King admitted.
Hui Zi concluded, "The purpose of an analogy is to use what is already known to explain what is unknown. How can I speak without using metaphors?"
The King of Liang said, "You are right."
中文翻译
有人在梁王面前嘲笑惠子，说：“惠子说话时喜欢用比喻。如果不准他用比喻，他肯定什么也说不清楚了。”
第二天，梁王见到惠子，对他说：“从今以后，说话请直截了当，不要再用比喻，拐弯抹角。”
惠子回答说：“假如有个人不知道‘弹’是什么东西。你告诉他‘弹就是弹’，他能明白吗？”
“那怎么能明白呢？”梁王说。
惠子接着说：“但如果我告诉他，弹的形状像弓，弦是用竹子做的，是一种射击的工具，这样他能明白吗？”
“是的，他能明白了。”梁王承认道。
惠子总结说：“打比方的目的，就是用已知的事物来解释未知的事物。让我说话不用比喻，这怎么行呢？”
梁王说：“你说得对。”