《优孟衣冠》成语英译与典故

九十、优孟衣冠

春秋的时候有一天，

楚国有个小孩在路上玩，

突然间草丛窜出一条蛇，

跑到他前头把路拦。

平常之蛇孩子不害怕，

可这一条生得不一般：

蛇身长着两个头，

四只眼睛朝孩子看。

这孩子猛记起一句迷信话，

说谁见了双头蛇会把阎王见。

他心想若这话儿是真的，

今天我可怎么办？

自己死了倒无所谓，

怕就怕以后还有人看见。

谁要见了就遭殃，

遗患无穷心不安！

这少年拾起几块石块儿，

豁出性命和蛇战。

终把那蛇打死后，

挖坑深埋在里边。

回家后把这件事告诉老母亲，

母亲听罢直称赞。

后来这少年并未死，

还一天天地长才干。

家庭教育本就好，

他个人努力也不一般。

到后来楚庄王任他做相国，

才能学问得施展。

他帮助楚王料理国家事，

声名在楚国到处传。

他便是楚相孙叔敖，

《史记》里头有他的传（zhuàn）。

谁料到孙叔敖自从逝世后，

楚庄王慢慢把他的功劳全忘完。

连他的妻儿也不过问，

孙家人生活很艰难。

孙叔敖的儿子只好上山去砍柴，

挑上大街换油盐。

这件事被一个名叫孟的人听到，

这人在宫廷做演员。

古时候演员被人称为“优”，

人家就把他“优孟”喊。

优孟是个热心人，

生就的侠肠和义胆。

孙叔敖还在世上时，

曾给儿子留遗言：

以后如果有困难，

进宫去找优孟谈。

这一天孙叔敖的儿子果然来，

优孟立刻把他见，

答应了保证替他想办法，

让他回家等着看。

优孟便回想相国孙叔敖，

面貌神情在脑中现。

他模仿叔敖的神态和动作，

一年里几乎天天练。

直练得举止全像孙叔敖，

这才把孙相当年的服装换。

恰遇着王宫开宴会，

优孟便去把楚王见。

俯身把壶满酒时，

楚王抬头猛看见。

楚王不由吃一惊，

以为孙叔敖复生在眼前，

便求他再来做相国。

优孟故意头不点，

求楚王允他先回家，

跟妻子商量商量看。

三天后优孟复来见楚王，

说妻子对此有意见。

妻认为楚相做不得，

楚王一听更纳罕。

优孟说：

“比如说已故相国孙叔敖，

他生前功劳重如山。

大王你得以霸诸侯，

他死后，

你竟把他忘一边。

连他的遗属也不问，

他的儿子赡养老母亲，

打柴糊口真可怜。”

楚王听了优孟的话，

再仔细朝这人脸上看，

发现他根本不是孙叔敖，

原是优孟巧装扮。

紧接着优孟又细对楚王讲，

说孙叔敖家境如何难。

楚王大大受感动，

很快给孙叔敖儿子封了官。

到后来“优孟衣冠”作成语。

常形容某人能乔装会打扮；

也比喻文艺作品缺乏创造性，

一味模仿无主见。

Actor Meng in Costume

One day during the Spring and Autumn Period（770—476B.C.），a boy was playing on the road in the State of Chu，when suddenly emerged from the grass a snake，running ahead and getting in his way.Snakes he generally never feared，but this one was particular.It had two heads on its body，and gazed at him with its four eyes.The boy then remembered the superstitious saying：“He who encounters a snake with a double head will soon go to hell.”And he was wondering if it was true.“What shall I do？It's no pity if I alone am dead，but what if others see it？For whoever sees it，they must die.For this I really feel upset.”

This lad then picked up some little stones，and fought furiously with the snake.In the end he beat it to death，and dug a hole and buried it there.He told his mother about it when he got home，and his moth⁃er was very pleased with him.Later on this boy didn't die，but grew smarter and smarter day by day.He certainly received an excellent education at home，and he made extraordinary efforts in his studies，too.Later King Zhuang made him premier，so that he could make full use of his talent.He helped King Zhuang run the state very well，and his fame spread to the four corners of the State of Chu.He was known as Premier Sun Shu'ao，and“The Records of the Historian”recorded his biography.But unfortu⁃nately after he passed away，King Zhuang gradually forgot all of Sun's achievements，and gave no thought of his widow and children，and so they all had a hard life.

Sun Shu'ao's son had to go collecting wood in the mountains，and then traded it in the streets for food，oil and salt.This matter was heeded by a man named Meng，who served as an actor in the palace.At that time actors were called“you”.So people called him You Meng（Actor Meng）.You Meng was a man of golden heart，born with a particular mind.When Sun Shu'ao was still alive，he made a will to his son.If he should come across any difficulty，go and tell You Meng about it.

One day Sun Shu'ao's son did come to see him，and You Meng received him immediately，promising him that he would do something for him，and asked Sun's son to go home and wait.You Meng recalled the late premier Sun Shu'ao，his voices and smiles reap⁃peared in his mind.He imitated Sun's manners.On each and every day of the year，until he looked in ev⁃ery way just like a Sun Shu'ao，did he change into the uniform that Sun once wore.

It was just on one of the court⁃party days that You Meng went to see the King of Chu.He was bend⁃ing to pour wine for the king，when suddenly the king caughtsight of him and got a surprise.Thinking that Sun Shu'ao had come back to life again，he asked him to be the premier again.And You Meng deliber⁃ately gave a positive answer，saying that he had to go home first，and consult with his wife before he made such a decision.

Three days later，You Meng came back to meet King of Chu again，and he said that his wife was op⁃posed to this idea.Hearing that the wife would not al⁃low her husband to be the primier，the emperor was even more puzzled.You Meng then explained，“take Premier Sun Shu'ao for example，he had gained mountainous achievements，but when Your Majesty obtained sovereignty over all the dukes，you forgot all about him，and Your Majesty，you forgot his widow and children too.They had to make out a living by collecting wood.”When the King of Chu heard this，he made a careful study of Meng's face，and found he was not Sun Shu'ao at all，he was only You Meng in disguise.

Then You Meng gave the king more details，tell⁃ing him that Sun's family was in great difficulty.The King of Chu was deeply moved，and assigned Shu'ao's son an official post immediately.

Later on“the Actor Meng in Costume”became an idiom，referring to someone in disguise.And it can also be used to denote creativity deficiency of some literary and artistic works，which imitate others all a⁃long.