Zou Ji Worked for King Xuan's Government
邹忌事宣王
Zou Ji worked in the government of King Xuan of the state of Qi and recommended a lot of people to work for the state. King Xuan was unhappy with him for this reason, Yan Shou was very powerful and influential in the state. But he seldom recommended people to the government. King Xuan liked him very much. Zou Ji had a talk with King Xuan and said ? “I heard that people believe that having five sons to take care of them is much bcller than having only one to perform this task. How many people has Yan Shou recommended to you?” Then King Xuan began to think that Yan Shou intended to destroy the careens of those capable scholars and thus prevent them from serving his state.
【原文】
邹忌事宣王，仕人众，宣王不悦。晏首贵而仕人寡，王悦之。邹忌谓立王曰：“忌闻以为有一子之孝，不如有五子之孝。今首之所进仕者， 以儿何人？ ”官王因以晏首壅塞之。
【今译】
邹忌侍奉齐宣王、推荐很多人到朝中做官，宣王不高兴了 ；晏首很显贵，但推荐的人却很少，宣王很喜欢他。邹忌对宣王说我听说人们 认为有一个儿子孝顺自己，不如有五个儿子孝顺自己。如今晏首所推 荐为官的人有几个呢？ ”宣王因此以为晏首拒绝推荐贤人为他效劳。