爭影
Quarrel about a Shadow
contest (^quarrel[_about]) [a] ^shadow
行人賃驢而行遠。
A traveller hired a donkey and went on a long journey.
[^a] go-person (traveller) hire[d] [a] donkey and went far[:on_a_long_journey].
天方暑。
The day just happened to be (very) hot.
[^the] day just [was getting] hot.
覓蔭莫得。
(The traveller and the donkey-boy) looked for shade, (but) could not find (it).
[^the traveller and the donkey-boy] look[ed]_for shade [but could] not get (find) [it].
乃伏於驢腹之下以避日。
Then (they) crept under the donkey's belly in order to get shelter from the sun.
^then [they] fall_prostrate (creep[:crept]) at[:~] 2donkey['s] 3belly ~'s[:~] 1bottom in_order_to evade [the] sun.
然驢腹僅蔽一人。驢夫與行人爭之。
But the donkey's belly could shelter only one man, and (therefore) the donkey-boy and the traveller (began to) quarrel about it.
^but [the] donkey['s] belly [could] only shade[:shelter] one man, [so the] donkey-man (donkey\-boy) and [the] go-person (traveller) [began to] quarrel[_about] it.
驢夫曰。吾賃君驢。不賃君影。
The donkey-boy said, "I have hired out my donkey to you, but did not hire his shadow".
[^the] donkey-man (donkey\-boy) speak[:said], I rent[:have_hired_out] 2[to] you 1[my] donkey, [but did] not rent[:hire_out] 2[to] you 1[his] shadow.
行人曰。吾以錢賃驢。則影亦屬我。
The traveller said, "I have hired your donkey with money, and therefore his shadow also belongs to me".
[^the] go-person (traveller) speak[:said], I 2with 3money rent[:have_hired] 1[your] donkey, [and] therefore [his] shadow also belong[s]_to me.
語不相讓。鬪於驢下。
(They both) quarreled (lit. spoke) without yielding to each other, and came to blows under the donkey.
[^they both] talk (discuss[ed]) not[:without] 2each_other 1yield[ing], [and] fight[:came_to_blows] at[:~] 2[the] donkey 1bottom (beneath).
驢驚而逸。
The donkey took fright and ran away.
[^the] donkey be_frightened[:took_fright] and run_away[:ran_away].
行人與驢夫共追之。不獲。懊喪而歸。
The traveller and the donkey-boy rushed after him but could not catch him, and returned in low spirits.
[^the] go-person (traveller) and [the] donkey-man (donkey\-boy) collectively (both) pursue[:rushed_after] him [but could] not catch [him], [and] 2vexed-mourn (low\-spirited[:in_low_spirits]) conjunctive_particle[:~] 1return[ed].
故曰。爭虛者喪其實。
For this reason it is said: "He who quarrels about nothing (lit. empty things) may lose something substantial."
^therefore speak[:it_is_said], "2contest (quarrel[s]_about) 3empty (vain[_matters]) [may] 1one_who[:^he_who] lose 2[of] his 1genuine[:something_substantial]."