1. 商鞅对秦孝公说：“一个国家要富强，必须注意农业，奖励将士；要打算把国家治好，必须有赏有罚。有赏有罚，朝廷有了威信，一切改革也就容易进行了。”

1. Shang Yang said to King Xiaogong of Qin: "For a country to be strong and prosperous, it must pay attention to agriculture and reward soldiers and officers; to aim for good governance of the country, there must be rewards and penalties. With rewards and penalties, the court will gain credibility, and all reforms will become easier to carry out."

2. 晏殊谢恩后说：“我其实也是个喜欢游玩饮宴的人，只是家贫而已。若我有钱，也早就参与宴游了。”这两件事，使晏殊在群臣面前树立起了信誉，而宋真宗也更加信任他了。

2. After expressing his gratitude, Yan Shu said, "In fact, I am also someone who enjoys entertainment and feasts, but it's just that my family is poor. If I had money, I would have participated in feasts and entertainment long ago." These two events helped Yan Shu establish credibility among the officials, and Emperor Zhenzong of Song also trusted him more.

3. 商鞅知道老百姓还不相信他下的命令，就把赏金提到五十两。没有想到赏金越高，看热闹的人越觉得不近情理，仍旧没人敢去扛。

3. Shang Yang knew that the common people did not yet believe his orders, so he raised the reward to fifty taels of silver. Unexpectedly, the higher the reward, the more unreasonable it seemed to the onlookers, and still no one dared to take it on.

4. 又过了五天，张良半夜就到桥上等着那个老人。一会儿，老人也来了，他高兴地说：“年轻人要成大事，就要遵守诺言，说什么时候到就什么时候到。”

4. After another five days, Zhang Liang arrived at the bridge in the middle of the night, waiting for the old man. Soon, the old man also arrived, and he said happily, "A young person who wants to achieve great things must keep his promises, and should arrive when he says he will."

5. 商鞅起草了一个改革的法令，但是怕老百姓不信任他，不按照新法令去做。就先叫人在都城的南门竖了一根三丈高的木头，下命令说：“谁能把这根木头扛到北门去的，就赏十两金子。”

旗 5. Shang Yang drafted a reform decree, but was afraid that the common people would not trust him and would not follow the new decree. So he first had a three-zhang-high pole set up at the southern gate of the capital city, and issued an order saying, "Whoever can carry this pole to the northern gate will be rewarded with ten taels of gold."

6. 秦末有个叫季布的人，一向说话算数，信誉非常高，许多人都同他建立起了浓厚的友情。当时甚至流传着这样的谚语：“得黄金百斤，不如得季布一诺。”（这就是成语“一诺千斤”的由来）后来，他得罪了汉高祖刘邦，被悬赏捉拿。

6. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, there was a man named Ji Bu, who was known for always keeping his word and had an extremely high reputation. Many people had established a strong friendship with him. At that time, there was even a saying that spread around: "A hundred pounds of gold is not as valuable as a promise from Ji Bu." (This is the origin of the idiom "A promise is worth a thousand pounds.") Later, he offended Emperor Gaozu Liu Bang of the Han Dynasty and was placed on the wanted list and offered a reward for his capture.

7. 此书中相当多的篇幅杂采众书而成。如《规箴》《贤媛》等篇所载个别西汉人物的故事，采自《史记》和《汉书》。其他部分也多采自于前人的记载。

7. A considerable portion of this book is compiled from various sources. For example, the stories of individual figures from the Western Han Dynasty, as presented in sections like "Admonitions" and "Exemplary Women," are sourced from the "Records of the Grand Historian" and the "Book of Han". Other parts are also largely compiled from the records of predecessors.

8. 张良乖乖地走上前去，老头和蔼地对他说：：我看你这娃不错，值得教导。五天后天一亮，和我在那里见面。”张良行了个礼说：“是”。

8. Zhang Liang went forward submissively, and the old man kindly said to him, "I see you're a good kid, worth teaching. In five days, meet me there at dawn." Zhang Liang bowed and said, "Yes."

9. 秦孝公这样一号召，果然吸引了不少有才干的人。有一个卫国的贵族公孙鞅（就是后来的商鞅），在卫国得不到重用，跑到秦国，托人引见，得到秦孝公的接见。

9. When Duke Xiang of Qin issued this call, it indeed attracted many talented individuals. There was a noble from the State of Wei named Sun Bin (who was later known as Shang Yang), who could not be promoted in the State of Wei and ran to the State of Qin. He was introduced by someone and was granted an audience with Duke Xiang of Qin.

10. 妻子阻止说：“我不过是跟孩子闹着玩的。”曾子说：“和孩子是不可说着玩的。小孩子不懂事，凡事跟着父母学，听父母的教导。现在你哄骗他，就是教孩子骗人啊”。

10. The wife intervened and said, "I was just playing around with the children." Zengzi replied, "It's not a game to be played with children. Young children do not understand things and follow their parents in everything, learning from their teachings. If you deceive them now, you are teaching the children to deceive others."

11. 于是曾子把猪杀了。曾子深深懂得，诚实守信，说话算话是做人的基本准则，若失言不杀猪，那么家中的猪保住了，但却在一个纯洁的孩子的心灵上留下不可磨灭的阴影。

11. Then, Zengzi slaughtered the pig. Zengzi deeply understood that honesty, trustworthiness, and keeping one's word are fundamental principles of being a person. If he had failed to kill the pig, the pig would have been saved, but an innocent child's mind would have been left with an indelible shadow.

12. 反过来，如果贪图一时的安逸或小便宜，而失信于朋友，表面上是得到了“实惠”。但为了这点实惠他毁了自己的声誉而声誉相比于物质是重要得多的。所以，失信于朋友，无异于失去了西瓜捡芝麻，得不偿失的。

12. Conversely, if one seeks temporary comfort or minor benefits at the expense of one's friends, it may seem that one has gained tangible benefits on the surface. However, for these fleeting benefits, one has damaged one's own reputation, which is much more important than material possessions. Therefore, breaking one's promise to a friend is akin to letting go of a watermelon for a handful of sesame seeds, which is not worth the loss.

13. 李世民不但没发怒，反而认为大臣的话有很深的智慧，便欣然理解了这句逆耳的忠言。还有一次，李世民下令年龄虽不满十八岁，但体格健壮的男子也要应征入伍。

13. Not only did Li Shimin not lose his temper, but he also regarded the words of the minister as deeply wise, and happily understood this unpleasant but loyal advice. There was also another time when Li Shimin ordered that strong young men, although not yet 18 years old, should be conscripted into the army.

14. 公元前361年，秦国的新君秦孝公即位。他下决心发奋图强，首先搜罗人才。他下了一道命令，说：“不论是秦国人或者外来的客人，谁要是能想办法使秦国富强起来的，就封他做官。”

14. In the year 361 BC, the new king of the State of Qin, Qin Hui Gong, ascended the throne. He was determined to strive for strength and progress, starting by gathering talents. He issued an edict stating: "Whether a Qin native or an outsider, anyone who can find a way to make the State of Qin prosperous will be granted an official position."

15. “种世衡不失信于羌人”。北宋名将种世衡到青涧城戍边时，巡视抚问境内羌族部落。牛家族首领奴讹倔强自负，从不服从宋朝地方管理。

15. "Zhong Shiheng did not betray the trust of the Qiang people." When the famous general of the Northern Song Dynasty, Zhong Shiheng, was stationed in Qingjian City to defend the border, he inspected and comforted the Qiang ethnic tribes within the region. The leader of the Niu family, Nuo Jue, was stubborn and self-righteous, never submitting to the local administration of the Song Dynasty.

16. 为了侦查那些暗中受贿和将来有可能受贿的贪官污吏，李世民令亲信暗中向各部官员行贿，结果还真查处了几个贪官。李世民在得意之余把他的谋略告诉一位隋朝遗臣。

16. In order to investigate corrupt officials who secretly accept bribes and those who may accept bribes in the future,李世民 ordered his trusted confidants to secretly bribe officials from various departments. As a result, several corrupt officials were indeed uncovered.李世民, in his delight, shared his strategy with a former minister of the Sui Dynasty.

17. 在战国七雄中，秦国在政治、经济、文化各方面都比中原各诸侯国落后。贴邻的魏国就比秦国强，还从秦国夺去了河西一大片地方。

17. Among the seven powerful states during the Warring States period, the State of Qin was lagging behind the central states in terms of politics, economy, and culture. Neighboring Wei was stronger than Qin and even seized a large area of land in the Hexi region from Qin.

18. 三下五除二。

18. In one fell swoop.

19. 后来，重耳果然作了国君，成了晋文公。五年之后，也就是僖公二十八年，晋文公果然与楚国在战场上相遇，晋文公确实实践了自己的诺言，退避近百里以报楚国招待之恩。

19. Later, Jiu'er indeed became the king of the state and became known as Duke Wen of Jin. Five years later, that is, in the 28th year of Duke Xie, Duke Wen of Jin indeed encountered the Chu state on the battlefield. Duke Wen of Jin truly fulfilled his promise, retreating for nearly a hundred miles to express gratitude for the hospitality of the Chu state.

20. 可你却先失去诚信。陛下不以诚信待人，所以先疑心人民诈欺。”李世民深以为然，并立即收回成命。

20. But you lost integrity first. Your Majesty does not treat people with integrity, so you first suspect that the people are cheating." Li Shimin deeply agreed with this, and immediately revoked his previous order.

21. 魏文侯说：“我与虞人约好了今天打猎，虽然下雨不能打猎了，岂可因为自己喝得高兴就不去跟人家说一声呢？”于是便亲自前往。魏文侯原为晋国臣下，后来和魏、韩、赵，三家分晋，独立为侯，饱受传统思想者诟病。但它是一个很有作为的诸侯，特别是在诚信方面，堪称楷模。

21. Wei Wenhu said, "I had an agreement with the Yu people to hunt today, but since it's raining and we can't hunt, how can I not inform them just because I'm enjoying myself drinking?" So he went there personally. Wei Wenhu originally served as a minister of the Jin state, and later, together with the families of Wei, Han, and Zhao, divided the Jin state into three parts and became a marquis independently, suffering the criticism of traditional thinkers. However, he was a marquis with great achievements, especially in terms of honesty, and could be regarded as a role model.

22. 雨不见停反而越下越大了，魏文侯起身对众大臣说：“对不起，我要告辞了，赶快准备车马，我要到效外去打猎练兵，那里已经有人在等到我了！”

22. The rain did not stop but got heavier instead, and Marquis Wei Wenhao stood up and said to the ministers, "Sorry, I must take my leave. Please prepare the chariots and horses quickly. I am going to the outskirts to hunt and train the troops, as there are already people waiting for me there!"

23. 那个人眨着眼睛仿佛没有听懂似的，魏文侯说：“昨日是我亲自跟人家约定的，如今失约，我要亲自向人家道歉才行。”说完大步跨出门外，顶着大雨到管林人的住处去了。

23. The person blinked his eyes as if he didn't understand, and Marquis Wei Wen said, "It was me who personally made the appointment yesterday. Now that I have broken the promise, I must apologize to them myself." After saying this, he took a few strides out the door, braving the heavy rain to go to the residence of the person in charge of the forest.

24. 八月十五洒一阵，旱到来年五月尽。

24. A sprinkle on the 15th of August, the drought will last until the end of May the following year.

25. 长五月，短十月，不长不短二八月。

25. Long May, short October, neither long nor short in February and August.

26. 结果晏殊发现考试是自己十天前刚练习过的，就如实向真宗报告，并请求改换其他题目。宋真宗非常赞赏晏殊的诚实品质，便赐给他“同进士出身”。

26. As a result, Yan Shu discovered that the exam was the one he had practiced ten days ago, and he reported this truthfully to Emperor Zhenzong, requesting to be given a different set of questions. Emperor Zhenzong highly praised Yan Shu's honesty and thus bestowed upon him the title "Tong Jinshi Chuansheng," which means he was granted the status of a scholar with the same rank as the graduates of the imperial examination.

27. 曾子是个非常诚实守信的人。有一次，曾子的妻子要去赶集，孩子哭闹着也要去。妻子哄孩子说，你不要去了，我回来杀猪给你吃。她赶集回来后，看见曾子真要杀猪，连忙上前阻止。曾子说，你欺骗了孩子，孩子就会不信任你。说着，就把猪杀了。曾子不欺骗孩子，也培养了孩子讲信用的品德。

27. Zengzi was a very honest and trustworthy person. Once, Zengzi's wife had to go to the market, and the child was crying and wanting to go along. The wife coaxed the child by saying, "Don't go, I'll come back and kill a pig to eat for you." After she returned from the market, she saw that Zengzi was really going to kill the pig and hurriedly stepped forward to stop him. Zengzi said, "You deceived the child, and the child will not trust you." With that, he killed the pig. Zengzi did not deceive the child and also cultivated the child's virtue of being trustworthy.

28. 正在大伙儿议论纷纷的时候，人群中有一个人跑出来，说：“我来试试。”他说着，真的把木头扛起来就走，一直搬到北门。

28. While everyone was arguing, someone from the crowd ran out and said, "I'll give it a try." Saying that, he actually picked up the piece of wood and carried it off, all the way to the north gate.

29. 术士把秘方和炼成的一斤白金封好交给范仲淹，就病故了。几年后，范仲淹当了谏官，他找到那个术士的儿子，对他说：“你的父亲会使用神奇的点金术，当年他过世的时候，因为你年纪还小，所以就托我先保管秘方，如今你已长大，应当把这个东西还给你。”于是就拿出那个秘方还有白金一起交给术士之子，那个密封的记号还保存完好，没有被打开过。

29. The sorcerer sealed the secret formula and the refined one jin of platinum and handed it over to Fan Zhongyan before passing away. Years later, when Fan Zhongyan became an advisor, he found the son of the sorcerer and said to him, "Your father was skilled in the magical alchemy of turning base metals into gold. When he passed away, as you were still young at the time, he entrusted me to keep the secret formula. Now that you have grown up, you should have this object returned to you." So he took out the secret formula and the white gold together and handed them over to the son of the sorcerer. The seal was still intact, unbroken.

30. 种世衡与他约定，次日到帐下慰问部族。谁知当晚下起了大雪，次日道险难行，而奴讹部落又在偏僻的山沟，众官劝阻种世衡改天再去，种世衡坚持一定要赴约。

30. Zhong Shiheng made an agreement with him that he would visit the tribe the next day. However, it snowed heavily that night, and the road the next day was treacherous and difficult to travel. The Nuohe tribe was also located in a remote mountain valley. The officials persuaded Zhong Shiheng to postpone his visit until another day, but he insisted on keeping his appointment.

31. 战国时候魏国第一个国君叫魏文侯，由于他处处诚信待人，不论当官的，还是普通百姓，都敬重他，所以魏国迅速强大起来。

31. During the Warring States period, the first ruler of the State of Wei was known as King Wen of Wei. Because he treated people with honesty at all times, both officials and common citizens respected him, leading to the rapid rise in power of the State of Wei.

32. 众大臣在背后都说魏文侯太傻，随便叫一个随从去就能够了，何必自我亲自去呢？我觉得魏文侯一点也不傻，正因为他处处诚信待人，他才博得了臣民的信赖。国家才得以强盛。

32. All the ministers secretly say that Marquis Wei Wen is too foolish, it would suffice to send just any of his attendants; why does he have to go himself? I think Marquis Wei Wen is by no means foolish. It is precisely because he treats people with integrity everywhere that he earns the trust of his subjects and ministers. It is only because of this that the state has become strong.

33. 重耳说：“珍珠美玉，你都不缺，我不会有更稀罕的东西送给你，不过托你洪福，以后我如果做了晋国国君，假若我们在战场上相遇，我便以退避三舍（一舍三十里）作为回报！”

33. Zhuang Er said, "You already have beautiful pearls and jade, so I won't have anything rare to give you. However, relying on your great fortune, if I were to become the king of Jin in the future and we were to meet on the battlefield, I would retreat three li as a gesture of gratitude!"

34. 晏殊当职时，正值天下太平。于是，京城的大小官员便经常到郊外游玩或在城内的酒楼茶馆举行各种宴会。晏殊家贫，无钱出去吃喝玩乐，只好在家里和兄弟们读写文章。

34. When Yan Shu was in office, it was a time of peace in the world. Consequently, the officials of all ranks in the capital often went on outings to the suburbs or held various banquets at restaurants and teahouses within the city. Yan Shu, being from a poor family, had no money to indulge in dining and entertainment, so he had to stay at home with his brothers, reading and writing articles.

35. 魏文侯看看天色说：“打猎练兵是不成了，但是也得告诉那位管理山林的人哪。”众臣中有一个自告奋勇的人说：“那好，我立刻去。”魏文侯把手一摆，说：“慢，要告诉也得我自我去。”

35. Marquis Wei Wen looks at the sky and says, "It's not possible to hunt and train the troops, but we also need to inform the person in charge of the mountains and forests." Among the ministers, there is one who volunteers, saying, "Alright, I will go immediately." Marquis Wei Wen waves his hand and says, "Wait, I must go and inform them myself."

36. 奴讹以为这样的大雪种世衡想必不会来了，没想到他顶风冒雪的赶来了，奴讹深感佩服，急忙聚齐了族人来见种世衡并听命于他。此后，当地的羌族人也都相继来归顺。种世衡的军队秋毫无犯，深得人心，与羌民和睦相处，人称“种家军”。后来每当西夏军侵犯宋朝时，羌民总是提前去通报，并尽全力相助，因此宋军每战必胜，使边境得到安宁。

36. The slave thought that such heavy snow would prevent Zhong Shiheng from coming, but to his surprise, he braved the wind and snow to arrive. The slave was deeply impressed and immediately gathered his clan members to meet Zhong Shiheng and follow his orders. After that, the local Qiang people also came one after another to submit. Zhong Shiheng's army did not commit any crimes, won the people's hearts, and got along well with the Qiang people, being known as the "Zhong family army." Later, whenever the Xixia army invaded the Song Dynasty, the Qiang people would inform them in advance and do their utmost to help, so the Song army was always victorious in battle, bringing peace to the border.

37. 众臣一见国君要冒雨出门，都有上前去劝阻。这个说：“天下这么大的雨，怎能出门呢？”那个说：“去了也无法打猎练兵。”

37. Upon seeing the king about to venture out in the rain, all the ministers stepped forward to dissuade him. One said, "With such a heavy rain, how can one go out?" Another said, "Even if he goes, he cannot hunt or train the army."

38. 大臣魏征拒绝在诏书上签字（注意这是李世民最为智慧的杰作，他的命令没有分管大臣的签字就没有法律效力，除李世民外，没有哪个皇帝会主动限止自我的无限权力）。

38. Minister Wei Zheng refused to sign the edict (note that this is one of Emperor李世民's most wise works; his commands are not legally valid without the signatures of the ministers in charge. Apart from Emperor李世min, no other emperor would voluntarily limit his boundless power).

39. 太丘的长子陈元方那年七岁，当时正在门外玩。那人便问元方：“你爸爸在家吗？”元方答道：“等你好久都不来，他已经走了。”那人便发起脾气来，骂道：“真不是东西！跟别人约好一块儿走，却把别人丢下，自个儿走了。”

39. That year, when Chen Yuanfang, the eldest son of Taiqiu, was seven years old, he was playing outside the door. The person then asked Yuanfang, "Is your father at home?" Yuanfang replied, "You've been waiting for so long and still haven't come; he's already left." The person then lost his temper and cursed, "What a despicable person! You made an agreement to leave together with someone else, but you left them behind and went off by yourself."

40. 五月蝶，讨无食。

40. May butterfly, seek no food.

41. 之后老人又从怀里掏出一本又薄又破的书，说：“读了这本书，就能够成为皇帝的老师。这话会在十年后应验。十三年后，你会在济北见到我，谷城山下那块黄石就是我。”说完之后，老头儿就离开了，以后再也没有出现过。

41. After that, the old man took out a thin and worn book from his bosom and said, "After reading this book, you will be able to become the teacher of an emperor. This saying will come true in ten years. Thirteen years later, you will meet me in Jibei, and that piece of yellow stone under the mountain in Gucheng is me." After saying this, the old man left and never appeared again.

42. 经过这里的路人感到奇怪，就走过去问他说：“老人家，您家中丢失了牛犊，别人一再告诉您，您为什么不管呢？”老人笑着说：“范大人住在这里，谁愿意当小偷？这是决不可能的事。”不一会儿，牛犊果然回来了。

42. Passersby who went through here felt puzzled and went over to ask him, "Old man, you've lost a calf at home, and others have told you repeatedly, why don't you do anything about it?" The old man smiled and said, "With Mr. Fan living here, who would want to be a thief? That's absolutely impossible." Not long after, the calf indeed came back.

43. 五月端午前，风大雨也连。

43. Before the Dragon Boat Festival in May, strong winds and heavy rains persist.

44. 过了一会，又有人来告诉他牛犊丢失的事，老人脸色平静的对那人说：“你不要去找，一定是有人开玩笑，把它藏起来了。”

44. After a while, someone else came to tell him about the missing calf. The old man calmly said to the person, "You need not look for it; it's definitely someone playing a joke and hiding it."

45. 没想到这位大臣当场泼了他一瓢冷水。他说陛下平时总告戒臣民要诚信待人，可陛下自我却先行欺诈之术，上梁不正下梁歪，臣民会一样用欺诈的手段报答你。

45. Unexpectedly, this minister poured a bucket of cold water on him right then and there. He said, "Your Majesty always warns the people to treat others with sincerity, but now you yourself are practicing deceit. When the top is crooked, the bottom is sure to be as well. The people will surely repay you with deceit as well."

46. 《陈太丘与友期》是《世说新语》里记载的一则轶事。此轶事说明了人必需要讲诚信，不讲诚信得不到朋友的尊重，甚至于不想和其成为朋友。

46. "The Story of Chen Taiqiu and His Friend's Appointment" is a famous anecdote recorded in "The New Analects of the World." This anecdote illustrates that it is essential for a person to be honest and trustworthy. Without honesty, one cannot gain the respect of friends, nor can one even hope to become a friend to them.

47. 李世民解释说：“这是奸民逃避兵役，故意少报年龄。”魏征回答说：“陛下常说我以诚信待天下，要人民不可诈欺。

47.李世民 explained, "These are traitorous citizens evading military service, deliberately underreporting their ages." Wei Zheng replied, "Your Majesty often says that I treat the world with integrity and honesty, and that the people must not be deceived."

48. 结果他的旧日的朋友不仅不被重金所惑，而且冒着灭九族的危险来保护他，缍使他免遭祸殃。一个人诚实有信，自然得道多助，能获得大家的尊重和友谊。

48. As a result, his old friends were not swayed by riches and even risked their entire clans to protect him, thereby saving him from misfortune. A person who is honest and trustworthy naturally gains many helpers and is able to earn the respect and friendship of everyone.

49. 有钱难买五月旱，六月连阴吃饱饭。

49. It's hard to buy May drought with money, but in June, a continuous rainy season will fill your belly with food.

50. 宋朝人查道，一天早上和仆人挑着礼物去看望远方的亲戚。到了中午，两个人都饿了，可路上没有饭铺，怎样办呢？仆人

51. 查道说：“那怎样能呢？这些礼物既然要送人，便是人家的东西了。我们要讲信用，怎样能偷吃呢？”结果两人只好饿着肚子继续赶路。

50. During the Song Dynasty, a man named Zha Dao, one morning, carried gifts with his servant to visit relatives far away. By noon, both of them were hungry, but there were no restaurants on the road. What should they do? The servant asked: 51. Zha Dao replied, "How could that be? These gifts are meant to be given to others; they are no longer ours. We must uphold our integrity; how could we steal and eat them?" As a result, the two of them had to continue their journey on an empty stomach.

52. 真宗说：“近来群臣经常游玩饮宴，只有晏殊闭门读书，如此自重谨慎，正是东宫官合适的人选。”

52. Emperor Zhenzong said: "Recently, the ministers often engage in leisurely outings and banquets, but Yan Shu remains at home, reading books. His self-respect and caution are exactly what is needed for a suitable candidate for the position of the Crown Prince's officials."

53. 曾子是孔子的学生。有一次，曾子的妻子准备去赶集，由于孩子哭闹不已，曾子妻许诺孩子回来后杀猪给他吃。曾子妻从集市上回来后，曾子便捉猪来杀。

53. Zengzi was a student of Confucius. Once, when Zengzi's wife was preparing to go to the market, the child kept crying and fussing. The wife promised the child that she would kill a pig and cook it for him upon her return. After the wife came back from the market, Zengzi immediately caught a pig to kill it.

54. 元方时年七岁，门外戏。客问元方：“尊君在不？”答曰：“待君久不至，已去。”友人便怒曰：“非人哉！与人期行，相委而去。”元方曰：“君与家君期日中，日中不至，则是无信；对子骂父，则是无礼。”

54. Yuan Fang was seven years old at the time, playing outside the door. A guest asked Yuan Fang, "Is your father home?" Yuan Fang replied, "You have been waiting for a long time, but he has already gone." The friend got angry and said, "What an unhuman person! To make an appointment with someone and then abandon them." Yuan Fang said, "If you made an appointment with my father at noon and he did not arrive, it is a lack of trust; to scold one's father is a lack of respect."

55. 五月的麂子六月鹿，七月的熊类八月虎。

55. Muntjac in May, deer in June, bears in July, and tigers in August.

56. 于是，张良跪在地上，老人心安理得地伸出脚让张良把鞋穿上，然后老人就笑着离开了。张良十分吃惊地望着老人的背影。谁知，那个老人走了几步又转过身来，对着张良招招手，示意张良到他跟前儿去。

56. So, Zhang Liang knelt on the ground, and the old man, feeling quite justified, extended his foot for Zhang Liang to put on his shoe. After that, the old man smiled and left. Zhang Liang was greatly surprised, watching the old man's back. Little did he know that the old man walked a few steps and then turned around, waving his hand at Zhang Liang, indicating for him to come closer.

57. 陈太丘与友期行，期日中，过中不至，太丘舍去。去后乃至。

57. Chen Taiqiu and his friend were scheduled to go out together. They had planned to meet at noon, but the friend did not arrive on time. Chen Taiqiu left without him. He arrived after Chen Taiqiu had gone.

58. 两人吃完枣，查道拿出一串钱，挂在采过枣子的树上。仆人奇怪地问：“这是什么意思？”查道说：“吃了人家的枣子，就应给钱。”

58. After the two of them finished eating the dates, Zha Dao took out a string of coins and hung it on the tree where the dates were picked. The servant was puzzled and asked, "What does this mean?" Zha Dao replied, "After eating someone else's dates, one should give money."

59. 齐桓公是春秋五霸之一，九合诸侯，可以说周天子都拿她没办法，鲁庄公与其过交战，曹沫为将，结果连败三仗，鲁庄公不得不割地求和，齐桓公答应与鲁国停战会盟。可是在会盟之上，曹沫突然拿出匕首抵住齐桓公，要齐桓公返还鲁国因战败答应割让给齐国的土地，齐桓公答应归还。

59. Qi Huangong was one of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn period. He united the feudal lords nine times, and it could be said that the Zhou天子 was at a loss against him. When he fought against Duke Zhuang of Lu, Cao Mo served as the general, and the result was that they were defeated in three consecutive battles. Duke Zhuang of Lu had no choice but to cede land and seek peace. Qi Huangong agreed to a truce and a meeting with the state of Lu. However, at the meeting, Cao Mo suddenly took out a dagger and held it against Qi Huangong, demanding that he return the land of Lu that was promised to be ceded to Qi due to the defeat. Qi Huangong agreed to return the land.

60. 六月不热，五谷不结。

60. If June is not hot, the five grains will not mature.

61. 有一次，他和管理山林的人约好第二天下午必须去山林打猎练兵。到了次日，下朝后举行了宴会，魏文侯准备宴会一结束就去打猎练兵，可谁知宴会结束后，天忽然下起了瓢泼大雨。

61. Once, he had arranged with the person in charge of the forest to go hunting and train in the forest the next afternoon. On the following day, after the court session ended, a banquet was held. Prince Wei Wenhou intended to go hunting and train after the banquet was over, but to his surprise, as the banquet concluded, it suddenly began to pour with rain heavily.

62. 白米饭好吃，五谷田难种。

62. White rice is delicious, but it's hard to cultivate the fields for five grains.

63. 过了两年，秦孝公的君位坐稳了，就拜商鞅为左庶长（秦国的官名），说：“从今天起，改革制度的事全由左庶长拿主意。”

63. After two years, King Xiao of Qin had established his throne firmly, and he appointed Shang Yang as the Left Prime Minister (an official title in the State of Qin), saying, "From today on, all matters concerning the reform of the system shall be decided by the Left Prime Minister."

64. 五月端午雨生虫．六月六日雨灭灾。

64. In May, the Dragon Boat Festival brings rain and bugs. On the sixth day of June, rain extinguishes disasters.

65. 秦孝公完全同意商鞅的主张。可是秦国的一些贵族和大臣却竭力反对。秦孝公一看反对的人这么多，自己刚刚即位，怕闹出乱子来，就把改革的事暂时搁了下来。

65. Duke Xiang of Qin completely agreed with Shang Yang's proposals. However, some of the nobles and ministers in the State of Qin strongly opposed them. Seeing so many opponents, Duke Xiang, who had just ascended the throne, feared that it might lead to chaos, and therefore temporarily shelved the reform.

66. 陈太丘跟一个朋友约定一同出门，约好正午时碰头。正午已过，不见那朋友来，太丘不再等候就走了。太丘走后，那人才来。

66. Chen Taiqiu made an appointment with a friend to go out together, and they agreed to meet at noon. By noon, the friend had not arrived, and Taiqiu no longer waited and left. After Taiqiu had gone, the friend finally arrived.

67. 三里不同乡，五里不同俗。

67. Every three miles there's a different village, and every five miles there's a different custom.

68. 走着走着，路旁出现一个枣园。枣树上挂满了熟透的枣子，十分招人喜爱。查道和仆人本来已经饿得发慌，更觉得饥饿难耐，便停了下来。查道叫仆人去树上采些枣子来吃。

68. As they walked along, a date orchard appeared by the roadside. The date trees were laden with ripe dates, very attractive. Both Chao Dao and his servant were already very hungry, making the hunger even more unbearable, so they stopped. Chao Dao instructed his servant to pick some dates from the trees to eat.

69. 张良，汉代人，从小就是尊敬老者、信守约定的好孩子。有一天，张良悠闲地在桥上散步。有位老人，穿着粗布短衣，走到张良跟前，故意把穿在脚上的草鞋丢到桥下，并且看着张良说：“小子，去把鞋给我捡回来！”

69. Zhang Liang, a person from the Han Dynasty, was a good child who respected the elderly and kept his promises from a young age. One day, Zhang Liang was strolling leisurely on the bridge when an old man, dressed in coarse cloth short robes, walked up to Zhang Liang and deliberately threw the straw sandals he was wearing into the bridge below, then looked at Zhang Liang and said, "You young fellow, go get those shoes for me!"