Prevod

Long ago in China, Confucius was strolling through a wood where the ground rose into a little hill. He played the zither while his disciples read their books. Just then, an old man wearing a hat moored his boat among the reeds, came ashore, and stood leaning on his staff, listening until the music ended. Those present wondered who this curious stranger might be. The old man beckoned to Confucius’s disciples, and one of them went over to him. “Who is the gentleman playing the zither?” he asked. “Is he perhaps the king of this country?” “No,” the disciple replied. “Then is he a minister of state?” “No, he is not.” “Then is he an officer of the government?” “No, he is not that either.” “What is he, then?” “He is a wise man of this country, who attends to its affairs and sets right what is wrong.” The old man laughed scornfully. “What an utter fool!” he said, and went away. Puzzled, the disciple reported all he had heard. When Confucius heard it, he said, “He must indeed be a wise man. Make haste and ask him to return.” The disciple ran after the old man, who was just rowing away, and called him back. At his call, the old man came ashore again. Confucius asked, “What is your occupation, sir?” The old man replied, “I have no particular occupation. I merely travel about in my boat for my own heart’s content. And who might you be?” “I am one who travels about in order to set the affairs of the world to rights.” The old man said, “You are a most foolish fellow indeed. There are those in this world who hate their shadows. They go out into the sunlight and run to escape them, yet their shadows never leave them. If they would only sit in the shade and rest at ease, their shadows would disappear. Instead, they go out into the sunlight and try to get away from them. They merely exhaust their strength, and their shadows never leave them. Again, when a dog’s carcass comes floating down a river, anyone who rushes after it to catch it may drown and die. What you are doing is just as useless. You should simply settle in a suitable dwelling and pass your life there. That is all one need wish for in this life. To neglect this, entangle your heart in worldly affairs, and fret over them is folly indeed.” Without waiting to hear a reply, he turned away, boarded his boat, and rowed off. Confucius bowed twice toward his departing figure, then remained with his head bowed until he could no longer hear the sound of the pole. Only when all was silent did he mount his carriage and return home, so the story is told.