中国成语寓言故事57:Two Children Argue About the Sun小儿辩日(双语)
Once, Confucius went to the east to advocate his ideas, On the way he met two children arguing hotly with each other. Confucius asked:
有一次,孔子到东方去游说,途中见到两个小孩正在激烈地争辩着。孔子问:
"Children, what are you arguing about?"
“孩子们,你们在辩论什么呀?”
One child said:
一个小孩说:
"I think when the sun rises from the hills, it is nearer to us, and at noon, it is farther from us."
“我认为,太阳刚刚出山时,离我们近;到了中午,就离我们远了。”
The other child argued:
另一个小孩争辩说:
"I think when the sun rises from the hills, it is farther from us, but at noon it is nearer to us."
“我认为,太阳刚出山时,离人远;中午时离人近。”
One child said:
一个说:
"As is known to all, things far away look smaller and things nearer look bigger. When the sun rises, it is as big as the canopy on a carnage; at noon it is only as big as a plate or a dish. Doesn't this show that when the sun rises, it is nearer to us?"
“众所周知,远的东西显得小,近的显得大。太阳刚出来时,大得像车上的伞盖;到了中午,就只有盘子、碟子那么大了。这不正说明太阳出山时离我们近吗?”
The other child said:
另一个却说:
"We all know that things nearby make us feel hot, and things far away make us feel cool. When the sun comes out, the air is clear and clean; at noon it is as hot as putting the hand in hot water. Doesn't this show that the sun is nearer to us at noon?"
“大家知道,近的东西使人觉得热,远的使人觉得清凉。太阳刚出来时,空气清清爽爽的;到了中午,热得像把手伸到热水里一样。这不正说明太阳在中午时离我们近吗?”
The two children went on arguing endlessly. Confucius was unable to judge who was right. The two children laughed at him:
两个小孩,争论不孔子无法判断谁是谁两个小孩嘲笑他说:
"Who said you are learned and erudite?"
“谁说你博学多知呢!”
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