船人接而出之，問曰：「今者子欲安之？
Some boatmen came and got him out of the water.
」西閭過曰：「欲東說諸侯王。
“Where are you traveling to?” they asked.
“I want to go east and discuss policy with the rulers of states,” he replied.
」船人掩口而笑，曰：「子渡河中流而溺，不 能自救，安能說諸侯乎？
Covering their mouths and laughing, the boatmen said, “You fell into the water while crossing a river and had no means of saving yourself.
」西閭過曰：「無以子之所能相傷為也。
How can you discuss policy with the lords of the eastern states?” “You should not use your own abilities as a basis for disparaging others,” said Xilü Guo.
Have you all not heard of the jade piece of Mr. He?
子獨不聞和氏之璧乎？
It is worth a thousand gold pieces, but, if you were to use it as a weaving spindle, it would be much inferior to a piece of tile.
價重千金，然以之間紡，曾不如瓦塼，隨侯之珠，國之寶也，然用之彈，曾不如泥丸。
The pearl of the marquis of Sui60 is a national treasure; yet, if you were to use it as a slingshot missile, it would be much inferior to a muddy stone.
When the great stallions Qi Ji and Lu Er61 are yoked to a carriage and driven, they can cover a thousand li in a day—the fastest speed in the realm—but, if you were to set them the task of catching rats, they would be much inferior to a civet cat that you can get for a hundred cash.
騏驥騄駬，倚衡負軛而趨，一日千里，此至疾也，然使捕鼠，曾不如百錢之狸。
The swords Gan Jiang and Mo Ye62 can cut a bronze bell without making a sound.
干將鏌鎯，拂鍾不錚，試物不知，揚刃離金斬羽契鐵斧，此至利也，然以之補履，曾不如兩錢之錐。
Before one is even conscious of having brandished them in the air, they can split metal, slice through feathers, and cut through iron axes—nothing is sharper than this.
But if you were to use them to put padding in shoes, they would be much inferior to an ordinary awl that you can get for two cash.