One day in the year 489 B.C., Confucius led his disciples to the State of Cai via the State of Chen. When they passed by the State of Chen, they were surrounded by the people of Chen.

　　公元前489年的一天，孔子带着弟子经陈国去蔡国。他们路过陈国的时候，被陈国人包围了。

　　For seven days and nights in succession, they hadn't eaten one grain of rice. They were so hungry that they couldn't get up from bed.

　　整整七天七夜，他们没有吃到一粒米饭，都饿得躺在床上起不来。

　　Later, after much effort, one of his disciples Yan Hui somehow obtained some rice. The rice was washed and cooked, and when it was almost done, Yan Hui suddenly stretched out his hand to grab a handful of rice from the steamer, put it into his mouth and swallowed it.

　　后来，弟子颜回好不容易弄到了一点儿米，淘洗做饭。当米饭快要熟的时候，颜回突然伸手从颤里抓起一把米饭，塞进嘴里吞了下去。

　　Confucius, lying at a distance, saw all this by chance, but pretended that he had seen nothing and didn't say a word.

　　这一切，恰巧被躺在远处的孔子看在眼里，但是他却装作没有看见，一声不响。

　　After a while the rice was done. Yan Hui respectfully came to Confucius and asked him to take his meal.

　　不一会儿，米饭熟了。颜回恭恭敬敬地来拜见孔子，请老师去吃饭。

　　Confucius slowly sat up in his bed and said to Yan Hui:

　　孔子慢悠悠地从床上坐起来，对颜回说：

　　"A short while ago I had a dream. I dreamed of my deceased father. If the rice is clean, I would like to make a sacrificial offer to him."

　　“刚才我做了一个梦，梦见我死去的父亲。如果米饭干净的话，我想祭奠一下他老人家。”

　　Yan Hui replied hurriedly:

　　颜回急忙说道：

　　"Master, the rice is not clean, and it's unfit for sacrifice."

　　“先生，这米饭不干净，不能用来祭祖。”

　　He then continued:

　　接着又说：

　　"Some soot has just fallen into the steamer and soiled the rice. It is a pity to throw the rice away, so I picked out the sooted rice and ate it."

　　“甄里刚才掉进了一点儿烟尘，弄脏了米饭。倒掉它太可惜，我就用手把有烟尘的米饭抓出来吃了。”

　　Confucius suddenly saw the light. He sighed and said:

　　孔子恍然大悟，长叹了一口气，说道：

　　"It goes without saying that one can trust one's own eyes. But now it seems that one's eyes cannot be trusted entirely. It goes without saying that one can trust one's own mind, but now it seems that one's own mind cannot be trusted entirely either. Disciples, keep this in mind: It is not easy to thoroughly understand a person after all."

　　“本来自己的眼睛是可以相信的，现在看来眼睛也不能完全相信呵！本来自己的头脑是可以信赖的，现在看来头脑也不完全可以信赖呵！弟子们，记住吧！要真正了解一个人，是很不容易的啊！”