公子皙曰：「吾聞上士可以託色，中士可以託辭，下士可以託財。
Zixi made a bed of straw with which to greet him and said, “May I presume to ask, honored sir, where you are going?” Boyu leaned on the rails of his carriage and saluted him respectfully.
三者固可得而託身耶?蘧伯玉曰：「謹受命！
“I have heard,” said Zixi, “that a person of the higher sort can be commissioned to do something through a change of expression, that a person of the middling sort can be commissioned to do something through the use of speech, and that a person of the lower sort can be commissioned to do something through the use of gifts.
」蘧伯玉見楚王，使事畢，坐談語，從容言至於士，楚王曰：「何國最多士?蘧伯玉曰：「楚最多士。
Which of these three could I use to enlist your services?” “I have taken careful note of your command!” said Qu Boyu.
Later, during Qu Boyu’s audience with the king of Chu, when his official business was done and the two were seated conversing, they turned gradually to a discussion of men-of-service.
」楚王大悅。
“What state has the most men-of-service?” the king asked.
蘧伯玉曰：「楚最多士，而楚不能用。
“Chu has the most,” said Qu Boyu.
」王造然曰：「是何言也?琴，又善哭。
The king looked very pleased when he heard this.
But then Qu Boyu said, “Though Chu has the greatest quantity of such men, it is unable to use them.” “How do you explain that?” asked the king with an expression of concern.