说苑/孔子見羅者，其所得者，皆黃口也。

孔子見羅者，其所得者，皆黃口也。

Eric Henry

Once, when Kongzi was observing a person netting birds, he saw that the birds that fell into the net were all yellowbeaks.

孔子曰：「黃口盡得，大爵獨不得，何也？

Eric Henry

“The birds you are catching are all yellowbeaks,” observed Kongzi.

」羅者對曰：「黃口從大爵者，不得，大爵從黃口者，可得。

Eric Henry

“Why are you catching no big birds?” “When the yellowbeaks follow after the big birds,” said the birdcatcher, “they cannot be caught.

」孔子顧謂弟子曰：「君子慎所從，不得其人，則有羅網之患。」

Eric Henry

When big birds follow after yellowbeaks, they can be caught.” Kongzi looked at his disciples and said, “A man of quality is careful about whom he follows; if he fails to find the right person, he may fall prey to the net.