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Chinese Idiom Story 塞翁失马焉知非福 Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived near the border and was well versed in divination. One day their horse accidentally fled to Hu(a northern barbarian tribe). People came to comfort him. The old man said: "How do you know this mustn't be a good thing?" After a few months, the horse came back with lots fine horses of Hu. People came to congratulate their family. The old man said: "How do you know this mustn't be a bad thing?" Since then, they had a lot of good horses, and his son liked horseback riding, which resulted in falling from the horse and broking his thigh. People came to comfort him. The old man said: "How do you know this mustn't be a good thing?" After one year, Hu invaded the border area, and the young men near the border took up bows and arrows to fight. Most of them were dead. However, because of his lame leg, the son was not enlisted. Therefore, he and his father survived the war. This idiom story tells us that the good things and the bad things can be transformed reciprocally under certain conditions, and everything has two sides. ----------------------------------------------- 靠近边境一带居住的人中有一个精通占卜的老人,他们家的马无缘无故跑到了胡人的住地。人们都前来慰问他。那个老人说:“你怎么知道这不是一件好事呢?”过了几个月,那匹马带着胡人的良马回来了。人们都前来祝贺他们一家。那个老人说:“你怎么知道这不是一件坏事呢?”自此,他家中有了很多好马,他的儿子喜欢骑马,结果从马上掉下来摔得大腿骨折。人们都前来安慰他们一家。那个老人说:“你怎么知道这不是一件好事呢?”过了一年,胡人大举入侵边境一带,靠近边境一带的壮年男子都拿起弓箭去作战。绝大部分都死了。唯独这个人因为腿瘸的缘故免于征战,父子得以保全生命。 这个成语故事告诉了我们:祸福在一定条件下可以互相转化,任何事物都有两面性。 原文: 近塞上之人,有善术者,马无故亡而入胡。人皆吊之,其父曰:“此何遽不为福乎?”居数月,其马将胡骏马而归。人皆贺之,其父曰:“此何遽不能为祸乎?”家富良马,其子好骑,堕而折其髀。人皆吊之,其父曰:“此何遽不为福乎?”居一年,胡人大入塞,丁壮者引弦而战。近塞之人,死者十九。此独以跛之故,父子相保。
Jun 20, 2017 4:06 PM
Corrections · 8
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靠近边境一带居住的人中有一个精通占卜的老人,Near the border lived a man who is well versed in divination. 他们家的马无缘无故跑到了胡人的住地。His family horse ran off to the Hu area.人们都前来慰问他。His neighbors/friends came to console him. 那个老人说:“你怎么知道这不是一件好事呢?” The old man replied, "How do you know that this is not a good thing?" 过了几个月,After a few months, 那匹马带着胡人的良马回来了。That horse came back with several good horses from the Hu area.  人们都前来祝贺他们一家。His neighbors came to congratulate him. 那个老人说:“你怎么知道这不是一件坏事呢?” The old man replied, "How do you know that this is not a bad thing?" 自此,From then, 他家中有了很多好马,his family has many fine horses.  他的儿子喜欢骑马,His son loves to ride horses. 结果从马上掉下来摔得大腿骨折。This resulted him from falling off one and broke his thigh bone. 人们都前来安慰他们一家。People came to console .  那个老人说:“你怎么知道这不是一件好事呢?” The old man replied, "How do you know this is not a good thing?" 过了一年,A year later, 胡人大举入侵边境一带,The Hu barbarians led a great invasion to the surrounding borders. 靠近边境一带的壮年男子都拿起弓箭去作战。All the men from the surroundinging areas took up arms. 绝大部分都死了。Many were killed. 唯独这个人因为腿瘸的缘故免于征战,Only because of the lamness, the son was not conscripted. 父子得以保全生命。Father and son were able to survive.


这个成语故事告诉了我们:This idiom story tells us that 祸福在一定条件下可以互相转化,whether good fortune or disaster may change.  任何事物都有两面性。Everthing has a dual nature.

原文:
近塞上之人,有善术者,马无故亡而入胡。人皆吊之,其父曰:“此何遽不为福乎?”居数月,其马将胡骏马而归。人皆贺之,其父曰:“此何遽不能为祸乎?”家富良马,其子好骑,堕而折其髀。人皆吊之,其父曰:“此何遽不为福乎?”居一年,胡人大入塞,丁壮者引弦而战。近塞之人,死者十九。此独以跛之故,父子相保。
June 20, 2017
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I shall correct your English without looking at your Chinese.  The 2nd one will be my translation :)

Chinese Idiom Story 塞翁失马焉知非福

Once upon a time, there was an old man who lived near the border and was well versed in divination. One day their  his horse accidentally fled ran off to the Hu (a northern barbarian tribe) side. People Those who knew him, came to comfort him. However, the old man said: "How do you know this mustn't won't be a good thing?" After a few months, the horse came back with lots many other fine horses of from Hu. People Again his fellowmen came and to congratulate himtheir family. Once more the old man said: "How do you know this mustn't won't be a bad thing?" Since then, As they now have many had a lot of good horses, and that his son likes to ride them,  horseback riding, which resulted in falling from the horse He fell and broke his leg thigh. People came to comfort the old man but he  him. The old man said: "How do you know this mustn't won't be a good thing?"
June 20, 2017
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近塞上之人,Those living by the border, 有善术者,is one who is well versed in divinity. 马无故亡而入胡。[His] horse with no apparent reason ran off to the side of the Hu barbarians. 人皆吊之,People consoled him. 其父曰:The old man said, Here 父 does not mean father but an elderly person 此何遽 遽 here is equivalent to 遂 = in the end 不为福乎?” How this would not end in good fortune?" 居数月,A few months later. 其马将胡骏马而归。That horse came back with some fine horses from Hu. 人皆贺之,Everyone came to congratulate.  其父曰:The old man said, “此何遽不能为祸乎?” How this would not end in disaster?"  家富良马,The family is now rich with fine horses/steeds. 其子好骑,His son loves to ride. 堕而折其髀。He fell, he broke his femur. 人皆吊之,All came to express condolences. 其父曰:His father said, In this context, it is the father and not to mean elderly.  This is the context dependency of Classical Chinese! “此何遽不为福乎? How this not end in good fortune?”居一年,When a year later, Here 居 has the lesser known meaning of "thus", "when"胡人大入塞,The Hu barbarians poured in great numbers into the border 丁壮者引弦而战。 Those who are fit and strong are conscripted for the war/invasion. 近塞之人,死者十九。Nine out of ten died were from the surrounding borders. 此独以跛之故,Due to the sole reason of being lame, 父子相保。father and son survived together.

June 20, 2017
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 After one year laterthe Hu invaded the border area, and the young men near the border took up bows and arrows to fight around the surrounding area were conscripted. Most of them were dead did not survive the warDue to  However, because of his lameness,  leg, the old man's son was not conscriptedenlisted. Therefore, he and his father survived the war

This idiom story tells us that the good things and the bad things can be can be good or otherwise. How the result turns out depends on the prevailing conditions.  transformed reciprocally under certain conditions, and everything has two sidesSuch is the duality of things.

June 20, 2017
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