魏王遗楚王美人
Wei’s King Presented a Beautiful Woman to Chu’s King
【原文】
魏王遗楚王美人，楚王说之。夫人郑袖知王之说新人也，甚爱新 人。衣服玩好，择其所喜而为之；宫室卧具，择其所善而为之。爱之甚 于王。王曰妇人所以事夫者，色也；而妒者，其情也。今郑袖知寡人 之说新人也，其爱之甚于寡人，此孝子之所以事亲,忠臣之所以事君 也。”
【今译】
魏王送给楚怀王一个美人，楚怀王很喜欢她。夫人郑袖得知怀王 喜欢新来的美人，就非常呵护她。凡是穿的、玩的，都挑选她最喜欢的 给她；宫室卧具，也挑选她最喜欢的给她。对她的呵护超过了楚怀王^ 楚怀王说广女人用来侍奉丈夫的，就是自己美丽的容颜。而忌妒是女 人的常情。如今郑袖知道我喜欢新来的美人，对她呵护的程度超过了 我。这如同孝子侍奉父母、忠臣侍奉君主一般啊。”郑袖曰;“其似恶闻王之臭也。”王曰悍哉！”令劓之，无使逆命。
Wei's king presented Chu’s king with a beautiful woman and Chu7 s king loved her very much. Madame Zheng Xiu knew that the king loved the new concubine，so she also took good care of the concubine. She presented the concubine with everything she liked the most，such as clothes and toys. She also gave the concubine the best rooms and furniture to please her. She cared for the concubine much more than the king did himself. The king said, “The only thing women can use to attract their husbands is their beauty. It is very natural that women are always jealous of each other and vie with each other for their husbands ’ love. Even though Zheng Xiu knows that I like the new concubine，she still takes good care of her and does much better than I do. she is acting the way loyal court officials serve their sovereigns or dutiful sons treat their parents. ”
【原文】
郑袖知王以己为不妒也，因谓新人曰王爱子美矣。虽然，恶子之 鼻。子为见王，则必掩子鼻。”新人见王，因掩其鼻。王谓郑袖曰广夫新 人见寡人，则掩其鼻，何也？”郑袖曰妾知也。”王曰广虽恶，必言之。”
【今译】
郑袖知道怀王以为自己不嫉妒了，于是对新来的美人说大王很 喜欢你的美貌。虽然如此，却讨厌你的鼻子。你如果见了大王，一定要 把鼻子捂起来新来的美人见到楚怀王，就把鼻子捂了起来a楚怀王 对郑袖说广新来的美人见到我就捂起鼻子，这是怎么回事？” 郑袖说:我知道的。”楚怀王说：“即便不是什么好事，也一定要说出来。”郑袖说她好像讨厌闻大王身上的味道。”楚怀王说竟敢如此刁蛮！”下令 割掉她的鼻子，任何人不得违背命令。
Zheng Xiu realized that the king thought she was not jealous of the new concubine. Then she told the new concubine, “His Majesty loves your beauty, but he dislikes your nose. Therefore, when you meet him, you should cover your nose. ” As a result, the new concubine covered her nose when she met the king. The king told Zheng Xiu, Every time the new concubine sees me，she covers her nose. What‘s the reasonZheng Xiu said, “I know the reason. ” The king said，“You must tell me even though it might be something unpleasant. ” Zheng Xiu said，“Probably she hates your smell.” The king said , “What a virago! Then he ordered the concubine9 s nose to be cut off and no one was allowed to defy this decree.