《闭门思过》成语英译与典故

三、闭门思过

今日山东郓城地，

西汉时候称东郡。

当时有个韩延寿，

曾在东郡做太守。

部下劝告能听取，

经常采纳好建议。

东郡治理非常好，

延寿因此有名气。

一直在那做太守，

后来调到左冯翊（yì），

即今陕西大荔州，

头几年，从未到各县去巡视。

有一次一个部下提醒他，

劝他下去走一走，

了解民情怎么样，

以及各县啥政绩。

延寿说，各县官长很贤明，

下属也能勤效力，

巡视恐怕没必要。

那位部下不服气，

连说正当春耕时，

可以看看耕种事。

延寿一想也在理，

随即收拾出城去。

到了高陵县境内，

告状来了俩兄弟，

只因互相争田产，

请求延寿给评理。

对此事，延寿心中生感触，

他认为，百姓争端责在己。

自己身为父母官，

教化百姓有不及。

有伤风情与教化，

贤人孝子以为耻。

想到此，他决定让贤要退职，

称病不再理政事。

地方官员见此情，

深感自身也失职。

就连那互争田地的兄弟俩，

也来认罪各责己。

延寿以酒来款待，

对他们知过悔过多勉励。

延寿复出又重理政，

二十四县都巡及。

下属及百姓更敬重，

从此再无争讼事。

到后来“闭门思过”作成语，

常与闭门自省的行为比。

自知之明是美德，

人人难免犯过失，

能够自我作批评，

对自身修养最有益。

Pondering Behind a Closed Door

In the present Yuncheng County，Shandong Prov⁃ince which was called Dongjun during the Western Han Dynasty（206B.C.—24A.D.），there was a per⁃son named Han Yanshou，who was viceroy of the dis⁃trict.He always kept himself advised，and often a⁃dopted his subordinates'constructive suggestions.In this way Dongjun was run very well.

By and by，Yanshou was well⁃known for his ad⁃visability，and so he continued to be a good viceroy.Later he was transferred to Zuofengyi，the present Dalizhou of Shaanxi^[1]Province.There he made no in⁃spections in the first few years.One day a subordi⁃nate of his reminded him about going around and making an inspection to learn how the people lived，and what the county leaders had accomplished.

“Officers of each county are able and wise，”Yanshou said，“and their staff are also diligent，so the inspection would be of little value.”

His subordinates did not agree with him，and said that since it was spring plowing time he could at least go and see how the peasants sow.This，Yanshou thought might make some sense，so he got prepared and set out immediately.

He came to Gaoling County，where two brothers sued each other and entered the court，quarreling a⁃bout their inherited land.They begged Yanshou to de⁃cide who was right and who was wrong.Yanshou was feeling quite upset about this，as he regarded it as his own fault.As an official in charge of this place，he hadn't done well enough in educating and moralizing upon his people.A gentleman could not live down the shame of it，when he found out something was inde⁃cent and immoral.

Upon thinking this，he decided to resign from his post.And so he pretended to be ill and shunned his duties.When the officials of the district saw this they took it as their own fault.And even the two quarre⁃ling brothers confessed their misdoings respectively.

Then Yanshou entertained them with good wine in praise of their acknowledgment and repentance.After that Yanshou resumed his post，and made a thorough inspection throughout the 24 counties.Now his subordinates and his people spoke highly of him.There were no more quarrels or suing from that time.

Later，the idiom“Pondering Behind a Closed Door”came to mean that“one should look before he leaps”or“be careful and always behave well”.Self⁃knowing is a moral thing，because everyone is apt to make mistakes.If you constantly try self⁃criticism，you'll be next to the saints someday.

【注释】

[1]1979年以来，“山西”和“陕西”被约定俗成地拼写成：“Shanxi”和“Shaanxi”，以示区别。