English Original
The defense minister of the state of Chu noticed that one of his subordinates, an eighty-year-old blacksmith, still maintained masterly craftsmanship despite his age.
He inquired about the reason. The old man replied, "It is because I abide by the rules. I have liked forging waistband hooks ever since I was twenty. I have been concerned about nothing but waistband hooks and never looked carefully at anything else. By doing so, I have had ample time and energy to master my craft. Once I reached this realm, all things became available for my use."
中文翻译
楚国的大司马注意到他的一位下属——一位八十岁的铁匠，尽管年事已高，技艺依然精湛。
他询问老人其中的缘由。老人回答说：“这是因为我遵守法则。我从二十岁起就喜欢锻造腰带钩。除了腰带钩，我什么都不关心；不是腰带钩的东西，我从不细看。正因如此，我才有充足的时间和精力去精通我的技艺。一旦达到这种境界，万物皆可为我所用。”