Once, Confucius went to the east to advocate his ideas, On the way he met two children arguing hotly with each other. Confucius asked:

有一次，孔子到东方去游说，途中见到两个小孩正在激烈地争辩着。孔子问:

"Children, what are you arguing about?"

"孩子们，你们在辩论什么呀?"

One child said:

一个小孩说:

"I think when the sun rises from the hills, it is nearer to us, and at noon, it is farther from us."

"我认为，太阳刚刚出山时，离我们近;到了中午，就离我们远了。"

The other child argued:

另一个小孩争辩说:

"I think when the sun rises from the hills, it is farther from us, but at noon it is nearer to us."

"我认为，太阳刚出山时，离人远;中午时离人近。"

One child said:

一个说:

"As is known to all, things far away look smaller and things nearer look bigger. When the sun rises, it is as big as the canopy on a carnage; at noon it is only as big as a plate or a dish. Doesn't this show that when the sun rises, it is nearer to us?"

"众所周知，远的东西显得小，近的显得大。太阳刚出来时，大得像车上的伞盖;到了中午，就只有盘子、碟子那么大了。这不正说明太阳出山时离我们近吗?"

The other child said:

另一个却说:

"We all know that things nearby make us feel hot, and things far away make us feel cool. When the sun comes out, the air is clear and clean; at noon it is as hot as putting the hand in hot water. Doesn't this show that the sun is nearer to us at noon?"

"大家知道，近的东西使人觉得热，远的使人觉得清凉。太阳刚出来时，空气清清爽爽的;到了中午，热得像把手伸到热水里一样。这不正说明太阳在中午时离我们近吗?"

The two children went on arguing endlessly. Confucius was unable to judge who was right. The two children laughed at him:

两个小孩，争论不孔子无法判断谁是谁两个小孩嘲笑他说:

"Who said you are learned and erudite?"

"谁说你博学多知呢！"

编辑:Liuxuepaper.Com