春秋時期,晉國有個樂師叫師曠,眼睛失明,但善彈一手好琴,精于辨音。有一天,晉平公問師曠,我已經(jīng)70歲了,還想學習,恐怕已“暮”了,先生你看呢?師曠沒有正面回答,而是接過晉平公的“暮”字說道:“暮何不炳燭乎?” 晉平公有些不解,怔怔地望著師曠。師曠便進一步解釋說:“臣聞之,少而好學,如日出之陽;壯而好學,如日中之光;老而好學,如炳燭之明。炳燭之明,孰與昧行乎?”晉平公聽了,恍然大悟,高興不已,從此開始了晚年的求學路。
《炳燭之光》
晉平公問于師曠曰:“吾年七十,欲學恐已暮矣?!睅煏缭唬骸昂尾槐T乎?”平公曰:“安有為人臣而戲其君乎?”師曠曰:“盲臣安敢戲君乎?臣聞之;少而好學,如日出之陽;壯而好學,如日中之光;老而好學,如炳燭之明。孰與昧行乎?”平公曰:“善哉!”
The Light of a Candle
One day Marquis Ping of the State of Jin said to his minister Shikuang: "I'm seventy years old now. Though I desire to read and learn more, I am afraid it may be too late. You see I'm in the evening of my life." "In the evening? Then why don't you light a candle?" "I have spoken to my minister I earnest and he in turn jests with his lord." Shikuang said: "How dare I, a blind man? I have heard that a youth who is eager in his studies has a bright future radiating light like the rising sun. A person of middle age, if he is keen on his learning, just shines as the sun at high noon. A person of old age, if he is still given to his study and reading, will give out light as much as a lighted candle does. In spite of its dim light, it is far far better than pitch-dark!" "What you said is quite right," approved Marquis Ping admiringly.