押忽大珠
A Ya-hu Pearl
[A] a_name-a_name-big-pearl (Ya\-hu_Pearl)
西域賈人。有奉珠求售於尚文者。索價六十萬。
A trader from western regions brought a pearl (which) he endeavoured to sell to Shang-wen asking (for it) 600,000 (ounces of silver).
[^among] 2[in the] west[ern] 3region[s] 1buy-person (trader[s]), be[:there_was] 2receive_respectfully_with_both_hands[:held] 3[a] pearl [and] 4aim_at[:sought] 5[to] sell [it] 6[to] a_name-a_name (Shang\-wen) 1one_who, demand[ing] [a] price [of] six ten-ten_thousand (hundred_thousand).
識者曰。此所謂押忽大珠也。六十萬酬之。不爲過矣。
A connoisseur said, "It is the so-called Ya-hu great pearl. To pay 600,000 (for it) would not be too much."
[^a] know-one_who (connoisseur) speak[:said], "^it 2[the] passive_particle-be_called (so\-called) 3a_name-a_name-big-pearl (Ya\-hu_Pearl) 1final_particle[:is]. 2six 3ten-ten_thousand (hundred_thousand) [for] 1[^to] compensate[:pay] it [would] not be excessive."
一坐傳觀。爭以爲奇。
The whole company looked at the pearl passing it round and one after another recognized (lit. considered) (that it) was a wonderful (pearl).
[^the] whole-sit (whole_company) 2pass[ing] [it round and] 1look[ed] [at it] vie[d] [to] take-consider (regard) [it as] marvelous (wonderful).
文問曰。此寶作何用。
"What is the use of this gem?" asked Shang-wen.
a_name[:Shang\-wen] speak[:asked], "2[of] this 3jewel (gem) ^what [is the] 1use?"
其人曰。含之可不渴。
The other man said, "By keeping it in the mouth one can have no thirst."
^that[:^the] man speak[:said], "[^by] hold_in_the_mouth[:keeping] it [in the mouth] [one] can [have] not[:no] thirst,"
文曰。一人含之。十萬人不渴。則誠寶也。
Shang-wen said, "If one man kept it in the mouth, (so that) a hundred thousand men would not thirst, it would have been a gem indeed.
a_name[:Shang\-wen] said, "[^if] one man hold_in_the_mouth[:kept] it [in the mouth], [so that] ten-ten_thousand ([a_]hundred_thousand) man[:men] [would] not thirst, then [it would have been] 2indeed 1[a] gem final_particle[:~].
若一珠只濟一人。爲用已微矣。 (But) if one pearl (can) help only one man its utility then is insignificant. [^but] if one pearl [will] only help one man, [its] regard-useful (utility) [is] then slight (insignificant) final_particle[:~]."
吾之所謂寶者。米粟是也。
What I call a gem is rice.
[^as for] 2my[:I] expletive_particle[:~] passive_particle[:~] 3[would] call 4[a] jewel (gem) 1what, rice-grain (rice) [would be] it final_particle[:~].
一日不食則飢。三日不食則疾。七日不食則死。
One day without it makes one hungry; three days without it makes one ill; seven days without it makes one die.
^one day not[:without] eat[ing] [it] then[:and] [one] hunger (grow[s]_hungry); three day[s] not[:without] eat[ing] [it] then[:and] [one] sickness (fall[s]_ill); seven day[s] not[:without] eat[ing] [it] then[:and] [one] die[s].
有則百姓安。無則天下亂。
If there is rice, the people are quiet; if there is no rice, the country (lit. under the sky) revolts.
[^if they] have [it], then hundred-surname (the_masses) [are] at_ease (quiet); [if they] not_have[:don't_have] [it], then under-sky (the_country) revolt[s].
以功用較之。豈不愈於彼乎。
If we compare them in accordance with (their) utility, is it not better than the pearl?"
[^if we] 2by 3[their] merit-use (utility) compare 1them, how [is it] not superior (greater) than that [pearl] interrogative_particle[:~]?"