说苑/鄭桓公東會封於鄭，暮舍於宋東之逆旅，逆旅之叟從外來，曰：「客將焉之？

鄭桓公東會封於鄭，暮舍於宋東之逆旅，逆旅之叟從外來，曰：「客將焉之？

Eric Henry

When Lord Huan of Zheng161 was journeying eastward to accept the bestowal of his fief in Zheng, he stopped in the evening at an inn east of the Song capital.

」曰：「會封於鄭。

Eric Henry

The old owner of the establishment came in from outside and asked, “Where are you going, sir?” “I am going to accept my enfeoffment in Zheng,” Lord Huan replied.

」逆旅之叟曰：「吾聞之，時難得而易失也，今客之寢安，殆非會封者也。

Eric Henry

“I have heard,” said the old man, “that opportunities are hard to come by and easy to lose.

」鄭桓公聞之，援轡自駕，其僕接淅而載之，行十日夜而至。

Eric Henry

But now you are settling down for a night’s rest—so I take it that you are not really going to accept an enfeoffment.” Upon hearing these words, Lord Huan took up his reins and mounted his carriage himself, and his attendants withdrew the sifted rice from the water in which it was boiling and put it into their vehicles.

釐何與之爭封，以鄭桓公之賢，微逆旅之叟，幾不會封也。

Eric Henry

Then they traveled for ten days and nights before reaching their destination. Li He162 was contesting Lord Huan’s enfeoffment.

Eric Henry

Lord Huan of Zheng, worthy though he was, might not have been enfeoffed had it not been for the words of the old man at the inn. Prince Lü Uses a Parable to Alert Lord Wen of Jin to Danger at Home