English Original
One day, King Hui of Liang was seated in the ancestral hall when he saw a man leading an ox pass by. He asked, "Where are you taking the ox?"
The man stopped and answered, "I am taking it to be slaughtered and will use its blood to consecrate the bell."
Hearing this, King Hui felt pity for the ox and said, "How can that be done? It is too cruel. Release it at once. It is innocent. How can you kill it? I cannot bear to see its distress—shedding tears and trembling before death."
The man asked, "Do you mean I should let the ox go and not consecrate the bell?"
King Hui replied, "What are you saying? The bell must be consecrated! Let the ox go, but use a sheep instead."
中文翻译
一天，梁惠王坐在庙堂上，看到堂下有一个人牵着一头牛走过，便问道：“你把牛牵到哪里去？”
牵牛的人停下来回答说：“我要把这头牛牵去杀掉，用它的血来涂钟。”
惠王听了，对牛心生怜悯，说道：“那怎么行呢！这太残忍了，赶快把牛放掉。它没有罪，怎么能杀掉呢？我不忍心看到牛临死前恐惧、流泪、战栗的样子。”
牵牛的人问道：“您的意思是要我把牛放了，不必再涂钟了，是吗？”
惠王回答说：“你在说什么？钟怎么能不涂呢！把牛放了，换只羊吧。”