2.13 [38] 景公为履〔而〕饰以金玉晏子谏

齐景公做了一双鞋用金玉来装饰，晏子进谏

【原文】

景公为履，黄金之綦，饰以银，连以珠，良玉之（朐）〔絇〕，其长尺，冰月服之以听朝。晏子朝，公迎之，履重，仅能举足，问曰：“天寒乎？”晏子曰：“君奚问天之寒也？古圣人制衣服也，冬轻而暖，夏轻而（清）〔凊〕，今（君）〔金玉〕之履，冰月服之，是重寒也，履重不节，是过任也，失生之情矣。故鲁工不知寒温之节、轻重之量，以害正生，其罪一也；作服不常，以笑诸侯，其罪二也；用财无功，以怨百姓，其罪三也。请拘而使吏度之。”公〔曰〕：“苦，请释之。”晏子曰：“不可。婴闻之，苦身为善者，其赏厚；苦身为非者，其罪重。”公不对。晏子出，令吏拘鲁工，令人送之境，（吏）〔使〕不得入。公撤履，不复服也。

【今译】

齐景公做了一双鞋子，用金丝做鞋带，用白银来装饰鞋面，用珍珠来连接，又用美玉缀在鞋头，鞋子长一尺，（景公）腊月里穿着它临朝听政。晏子来朝见，景公起身相迎，但鞋子太重，只能抬起脚，他问晏子道：“天气冷吗？”晏子说：“您怎么问天气冷不冷？古时候的圣人制作衣服时，冬衣要轻而温暖，夏衣要轻而凉爽，现在您这双饰满金玉的鞋子，腊月天穿上它会更加寒冷，鞋子重量不合适，脚的负担也增加，这就脱离了生活的实际需求。所以（制作这双鞋的）鲁国鞋匠不知道冷暖的适度，也不知道轻重的适量，用这样的鞋子损害正常的生理，这是他的第一条罪名；做的鞋子不符合常制，让诸侯耻笑，这是他的第二条罪名；花掉很多财富却对国家不利，使得百姓怨恨，这是他的第三条罪名。请将他拘捕起来命官吏依法治罪。”景公说：“鞋匠在制作鞋子时也付出了很多辛苦，请您放过他吧。”晏子说：“不可以。我听说辛苦自己而去做善事的，应该重赏；辛苦自己而去做坏事的，应该重罚。”景公无言以对。晏子退出后，命令官吏拘捕鲁国鞋匠，派人把他送出齐国国境，不准他再到齐国来。景公也脱掉这双鞋，再也没有穿过。

Duke Jing comm issioned shoes w ith golden laces and silver decorations. They had cords strung with pearls and their ornamental points were made of fine jade. They were one foot long.^[1] He wore them for an audience in the w inter. When Yanzi attended the audience,the Duke went to greet him but the shoes were so heavy that the Duke was barely able to lift his feet.

The Duke asked: “Is the weather cold?”

Yanzi replied: “Why do you ask if the weather is cold? In ancient times,clothes made for the sage were such that they were light and warm in winter,and light and cool in summer. Yet,wearing shoes that are made of gold and jade in the w inter is heavy and leaves one cold. The weight of the shoes is inappropriate; it is beyond all bounds and constitutes losing touch w ith the reality of life. Apparently,the craftsman of Lu^[2] did not know the correct proportions of cold and warm and did not know the correct measurement of light and heavy,and he thereby harmed orderly life. This is his first crime. That he produced an article that does not conform to proper norms and thereby made you the laughingstock among the regional princes. This is his second crime. That he utilized property w ithout a useful result and thereby engendered resentment among the people. This is his third crime. Please have him arrested and judged by the court officers.”

The Duke said: “The craftsman of Lu put hard work into making these shoes,please set him free.”

Yanzi said: “It would not be appropriate. I have heard that if someone puts hard work into doing good,then he should be rewarded handsomely. But if someone puts hard work into w rongdoing,his punishment should be heavy.”

The Duke did not answer. Yanzi went out and ordered the court officers to arrest the craftsman of Lu. He ordered someone to send the craftsman off to the border region and to make it impossible for him to return. The Duke removed the shoes and did not wear them again.

注释

[1]The ancient Chinese foot,chi 尺,is said to be about 23 cm.

[2]As the story of this item evolves,we learn that Yanzi blames a particular craftsman from Lu for the making of these shoes.