唇亡齿寒

Between the States of Jin and Guo was the State of Yu.

 

Once, the State of Jin intended to invade the State of Guo and had to seek for permission to go by way of the State of Yu. The King of Jin was worried that the State of Yu would refuse to consent.

 

Xun Xi, a high official of the State of Jin, offered his scheme to the King. He said: "If you offer that piece of round jade¹ and that fine steed as gifts to the King of Yu to ask his permission, he is sure to give his consent."

 

The King of Jin said: "The round jade from Chuiji is an heirloom from my ancestors. The fine steed from Qudi is a great favorite of mine. If the King of Yu accepted our gifts, yet would not give us permission, what shall we do then?"

 

Xun Xi replied: "That is not likely. If the King of Yu does not consent to give us permission, he certainly dares not accept our gifts. If he accepts our gifts and gives us permission, that will be like moving the round jade from the storehouse inside to the storehouse outside, and the fine horse from the stable inside to the stable outside. Why should you worry?"

 

Sure enough, the King of Yu, coveting² the round jade and the fine horse, was ready to give permission.

 

At this moment, his high official Gong Ziqi quickly stepped forward to dissuade³ him, saying: "You shouldn't give your consent! The State of Guo is our neighbour. Its relation with us is just like that of the lips with the teeth. If the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If we give permission to let the State of Jin invade the State of Guo, then when the latter is subjugated⁴, will our state still be safe? That absolutely won't do!"

 

The King of Yu did not listen to Gong Ziqi's advice and consented to the request of the State of Jin.

 

Soon, Xun Xi led his forces and conquered the State of Guo. Three years later, the State of Jin conquered the State of Yu, too. Carrying the round jade and leading the fme horse, Xun Xi returned in triumph and gave them back to the King of Jin.

 

Immensely pleased, the King of Jin smiled and said: "The round jade remains⁵ the same; only the fine steed has aged⁶ a bit."

 

晋国和掳国的中间，隔着一个虞国。

 

有一次，晋国要去进攻掳国，得向虞国借路，国王担心虞国不答应。

 

晋国的大臣荀息向国王献计，说：“如果您把那块璧玉和那匹良马送给虞公，向他借路，那么他一定会答应的。”

 

晋王说：“垂棘的璧玉是我祖先的传家宝；屈地的良马是我最喜欢的骏马。如果虞王接受了我们的礼物，却又不肯借路，那怎么办呢？”

 

荀息回答说：“不会。如果虞王不答应借路，必然不敢接受我们的礼物；如果他接受了礼物，把路借给我们，就好像将璧玉从里边的仓库放到外边的仓库，把良马从里边的马厩拴到外边的马厩里一样，您何必担心呢！”

 

虞王果然贪图璧玉良马，想答应借路。

 

这时候，他的大臣宫子奇急忙上前劝阻，说：“不能答应！掳国是我们的邻邦，跟我们的关系，就像嘴唇和牙齿一样。唇亡齿寒，如果借路给晋国去进攻掳国，掳国被灭亡了，我们虞国还会安全吗？万万不能答应！”

 

虞王没有听宫子奇的话，还是答应了晋国的要求。

 

不久，荀息带领兵马，灭了掳国。三年后，晋国又灭了虞国。荀息捧着璧玉，牵着骏马，凯旋而归，把这两件国宝奉还给了晋王。

 

晋王得意地笑着说：“璧玉依旧，只是骏马老了点儿！”

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