【原文】
靖郭君将城薛，客多以谏。靖郭君谓谒者无为客通齐人有请 者，“臣请三言而巳矣。益一言，臣请烹！”靖郭君因见之。客趋而 进，曰：“海大鱼。”因反走。君曰 :“客有于此。”客曰 :“鄙臣不敢以死为戏/’君曰广亡，更言之。”对君不闻[海]大鱼乎？网不能止，钩不能 牵，荡时失水，则蝼蚁得意焉。今夫齐，亦君之水也。君长有齐阴，奚以 薛为？夫齐，虽隆薛之城到于天，犹之无益也。”君曰善。”乃辍城薛。
【今译】
靖郭君将要在薛地修筑城墙，很多门客劝他不要这么做。靖郭君 对掌管接待宾客的官吏说不要为客人通报了广齐国有人请求见靖郭 君，说广我只想献上三个字而已，如果多说一个字，请把我活活煮死！” 靖郭君就接见了他。客人快步走了进来，说广海大鱼。”接着转身往回 走。靖郭君说：“客人还有话要说吧客人说：“我不敢拿自己的生死当儿戏。”靖郭君说广不治你的罪，说吧！ ”客人回答说广您没有听说过海 里的大鱼的故事吗？用网不能捉住它，用鱼钩不能牵制它，而一'旦跳跃 到没有水的地方，就连蝼蛄、蚂蚁都能战胜它了。如今齐国也是您的水 啊。您已经拥有了齐国的萌庇，还要薛做什么？再说，即使把薛地的城 墙修筑得跟天一样高，也没有什么用处！”靖郭君说广说得好。”于是就 停止在薛地修筑城墙。
Lord Jinguo Was Going to Build a Protective Wall in Xue
Lord Jingguo was going to build a protective wall in the city of Xue. Many of his guests remonstrated with him. Lord Jingguo issued an order to the officer in charge of taking in his visitors? “Don’t bring any more guests to me!” A man from the stale of Qi wanted to see the lord. He promised, Please allow me to say only three words to the lord. If I should speak one more word，please cook me alive, ” So Lord Jingguo agreed to meet him. The man quickly went to the lordr s place and said} “Ocean, Big. Fish. ” Then he turned around and was about to leave- The lord stopped him and said, “You are holding something back. ” The man said, “I am in fear that I might lose my life." The lord said，“I will not punish you. Just express whatever you want to say." The man replied, " Haven’t you heard of the story of an extremely large fish? It couldn’t be caught with nets, nor could it be caught with hooks. However, if it left the water，it would be devoured by ants and mole crickets. As for the state of Qi, it is your ocean. You have already attained Qi7 s protection. Why do you Mill want the city of Xue? In addition, although you might have an extremely high protective wall buill around the city of Xue，it would be of no use to you at all!” Lord Jingguo said, “I see. ” So he gave up his plan for building a protective wall in Xue.