MENY
| 夫禍富之 (auch 夫禍福之) 轉而相生, | Good luck and bad luck create each other |
| 其變難見也. | and it is difficult to foresee their change. |
| 近塞上之人有善術者. | A righteous man lived near the border. |
| 馬無故亡而入胡. | For no reason, his horse ran off into barbarian territory. |
| 人皆吊之.(auch 人皆弔之.) | Everyone [people] felt sorry for him. |
| 其父曰: | [But] His father spoke [to him]: |
| „此何遽不為福乎?“ | "Who knows if that won't bring you good luck?" |
| 居數月, | Several months later |
| 其馬將胡駿馬而歸. | his horse came back with a group of [good, noble] barbarian horses. |
| 人皆賀之. | Everyone [people] congratulated him. |
| 其父曰: | [But] His father spoke [to him]: |
| „此何遽不能為禍乎?“ | "Who knows if that won't bring you bad luck?" |
| 家富良馬, | A rich house has good horses |
| 其子好騎, | and the son mounted with joy/loved riding. |
| 墮而折其髀. | He fell and broke his leg. |
| 人皆吊之. | Everyone [people] felt sorry for him. |
| 其父曰: | [But] His father spoke [to him]: |
| „此何遽不為福乎?“ | "Who knows if that won't bring you good luck?" |
| 居一年, | One year later |
| 胡人大入塞, | the barbarians invaded across the border. |
| 丁壯者引弦而戰, | Adult men strung up their bows and went into battle. |
| 近塞之人，死者十九, | Nine out of ten border residents were killed, |
| 此獨以跛之故. | except for the son because of his broken leg. |
| 父子相保. | Father and son were protected/both survived. |
| 故福之為禍, | Hence: Bad luck brings good luck |
| 禍之為福. | and good luck brings bad luck. |
| 化不可極, | This happens without end |
| 深不可測也. | and nobody can estimate it. |
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