《一叶障目》成语英译与典故

八十七、一叶障目

古时候，楚国有个穷书生，

性懒惰，不愿做工与种田，

成日里，梦想发个意外财，

发了财，好置办房屋与田产。

这一天，他翻阅古书《淮南子》，

见书上，讲到螳螂会捕蝉，

螳螂捕蝉能隐形，

树叶遮体蝉不见。

这书生，读到这儿心一动，

跑出书房树底站。

事情说来也真巧，

书生果然有发现：

院内那株古槐上，

有只螳螂正捕蝉！

螳螂隐在树叶后，

蝉正鸣唱未看见。

螳螂叶后伸大钳，

一下钳住那只蝉！

书生两眼瞅得准，

爬到树上摘叶片。

不想心慌手发抖，

叶片飘飞落地面。

许多落叶混一起，

那片神叶难分辨。

无奈何，把树叶统统扫进屋，

一片一片手中掂，

掂起树叶问妻子：

“我在这里你可见？”

妻子回答“能看到”，

书生又把树叶换。

妻子觉得很奇怪，

问丈夫，为何老把树叶玩？

书生光笑不回答，

又把树叶举面前，

又问妻子能见否？

五遍十遍不嫌烦。

妻子见此心生气，

索性回答“看不见”。

书生一听真高兴，

忙把那叶藏袖间。

第二天，他喜滋滋地出了门。

奔到集市人堆钻，

手里高举那片叶，

以为人家看不见，

伸手去拿摊上货，

卖货人，一把抓住高声喊：

“大家快来抓小偷！”

人群围得铁桶般。

这个书生被抓住，

送进县衙公堂站。

这故事，让你笑后生思索，

想一想，书生为何落笑谈？

只因为，一叶障目迷心窍，

千人万眼丑态现。

树叶一片遮视线，

眼前泰山全不见。

常比喻，局部现象把人迷，

整体大局难顾全。

认识处理问题时，

往往盲目和片面。

A Leaf Before the Eye Hinders the Sight

In ancient times，there was a poor scholar in the State of Chu.He was too lazy to work and farm，and he was always daydreaming to have a windfall some⁃day.He hoped to get money for estate and house.One day when he was browsing the book“Huai Nan Zi”，he read the message about the mantis preying on the cicada.The mantis was invisible when preying，because he had a magical leaf.This scholar was so deeply impressed that he rushed to a scholar⁃tree out⁃side his study.It happened to be quite a coincidence，but the scholar then did find in the old scholar⁃tree in his yard a mantis was preying on a cicada.The mantis was just behind a leaf while the cicada was singing and couldn't see it.The mantis reached his paws from behind the leaf，and caught the cicada with one stroke.

The scholar was staring at the very leaf，and quickly climbed up the tree for the leaf.Unfortunately he was too excited to hold it firm，and the leaf dropped flying onto the ground.It mixed with others on the ground，and it was very hard to tell which one was the magic one.Obligedly he had to collect all the leaves and take them inside.He picked up the leaves one by one.A leaf in hand，he asked his wife：“I'm here but can you see me？”His wife replied，“yes，I can.”The scholar had to change it for another leaf.The wife found it very queer，and asked him why he was playing with leaves.The scholar however，gave her no answer but only smiles，and just put a leaf in front of him，and asked her if she could see him at all.Five times，ten times passed and he was not at all bored，but keeping⁃on made the wife a little annoyed.And she then bluntly gave him the answer“No，I can't see you”.

The scholar was very pleased and jumped up，and immediately hid the leaf in his sleeve.The next day，he went out as happy as a lark.He went to a county fair and joined the crowds.He held high the magic leaf，and thinking that others could not see him，he reached to steal the stock of a stall.The ped⁃dler caught him and yelled：“Someone come quick and seize the thief！”People nearby came and circled around.The scholar was caught red⁃handed，and taken to the court of the county.

This story makes you laugh and provides you with food for thought.Give it a thought，why the scholar was a laughing stock？It was just because the leaf before the eye，put him in disgrace before the public.A leaf before you may block your sight，and Mount Tai ahead you can't see！It means that some superficies are very confusing，and one can't easily get an overall idea.In dealing with a problem，people tend to take a one⁃sided approach.