The whip used by humans to control horses is very long, but the length of this whip is still limited. It is impossible for a rider to use this whip to hit the belly of the horse he is riding.(鞭長莫及)
The whip used by humans to control horses
is very long, but the length of this whip is still limited. It is impossible
for a rider to use this whip to hit the belly of the horse he is riding.(鞭長莫及)
The whip used by humans to control horses
is very long, but the length of this whip is still limited. It is impossible
for a rider to use this whip to hit the belly of the horse he is riding. )
The Zhou Dynasty of China lasted from 1046
BC to 256 BC.
The period from 770 BC to 476 BC is called
the Spring and Autumn Period, and the period from 476 BC to 221 BC is called
the Warring States Period.
The supreme leader of China at this time
was the king of the Zhou dynasty.
The kings of the Zhou dynasty gave land to
more than 100 princes, each of whom established his own kingdom.
There were many fierce wars between these
kingdoms as they competed for land and resources.
It was a time of extreme chaos.
In 594 BC, the powerful Chu Kingdom sent an
army to attack the weak Song Kingdom. The Chu army had surrounded the Song
capital.
The king of the Song Kingdom sent an envoy
to the Jin Kingdom to ask for help.
After receiving the envoys from the Song
Kingdom and learning about the whole situation, the king of the Jin Kingdom
wanted to send troops to help the Song Kingdom.
At that time, a minister named (Bo Zong) in
the Jin Kingdom said to the king
I am against sending troops.
On the grounds of defending justice, we
should send troops to help the Song Kingdom resist the Chu Kingdom's attack.
But we must consider the actual situation
and think rationally about whether our action is right.
In recent years, the Chu Kingdom's national
strength has become very strong under the leadership of their wise king.
Although our national strength is also very strong, I don't think our national
strength is strong enough to win this war easily.
There is an old proverb.
The whip used by humans to control horses
is very long, but the length of the whip is still limited. It is impossible for
a rider to hit the belly of the horse he is riding with this whip.
The meaning of this proverb is that each of
us has a limit to our ability, and we cannot do anything beyond the limit of
our ability.
I think we should think carefully about
what this wise old saying can teach us.
I think we should refuse to send troops.
Now is not the time for us to send troops to join this war.
If we join this war, our chances of helping
the Song Kingdom defeat the Chu Kingdom are not good.
If we join this war, we will use up a lot
of our country's military strength.
After hearing Bo Zong's words, the king
thought for a few minutes and finally decided not to send troops to help the
Song Kingdom.
The literal translation of this idiom is
that the whip used by humans to control horses is very long, but the length of
the whip is still limited. It is impossible for a rider to use this whip to hit
the belly of the horse he is riding.
This idiom means that we cannot do anything
beyond the limits of our abilities.
Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
Do you make decisions rationally or
emotionally? Have you ever experienced great loss in helping others?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
鞭長莫及(The whip used by humans to control horses is very long, but the length of this whip is still limited. It is impossible for a rider to use this whip to hit the belly of the horse he is riding.)
人們用來駕馭馬匹的馬鞭很長，但是這支馬鞭的長度還是有限度，騎馬的人不可能用這隻馬鞭去打到他所騎的馬的腹部。)
中國周王朝的政權從公元前1046年延續到公元前256年。
其中從公元前770年到公元前476年這段時間被稱為春秋時代，公元前476年到公元前221年這段時間被稱為戰國時代
當時中國的最高領導人是周王朝的國王。
周王朝的國王把土地分封給100多個諸侯，這些諸侯各自成立的自己的王國。
這些王國之間為了爭奪土地與資源而發生許多慘烈的戰爭。
那是一個極度混亂的年代。
西元前594年，強大的楚王國派出軍隊攻打弱小的宋王國，楚王國的軍隊已經將包圍了宋王國的首都。
宋王國的國王派一個使者到晉王國尋求援助。
晉王國)的國王接見了宋王國的使者並且了解整個情況後，他便想派出軍隊去協助宋王國。
就在這個時候，晉王國中一位名字叫做(伯宗)的大臣對國王說。
我反對出兵。
我們基於捍衛正義的理由，我們應該要派遣軍隊去協助宋王國抵禦楚王國的攻擊。
但是我們必須考慮現實的情況，我們應該理性去思考我們這個行動是否正確。
這幾年楚王國的國力在他們英明的國王領導之下變得非常的強大，我們的國力雖然也很強大，但是我認為我們的國力沒有強大到可以輕鬆地取得這場戰爭的勝利。
有一句古代的諺語。
人們用來駕馭馬匹的馬鞭很長，但是這支馬鞭的長度還是有限度，騎馬的人不可能用這隻馬鞭去打到他所騎的馬的腹部。
這句諺語要表達的意思是我們每個人的能力都有限度，我們不可能做出超越自己能力的限度的事情。
我認為我們應該仔細想想這很有智慧的古老的諺語能帶給我們的啟示。
我認為我們應該拒絕出兵，現在的時機不適合我們發動軍隊去加入這場戰爭。
我們如果加入這場戰爭，我們只有很少的機率可以協助宋王國戰勝楚王國。
我們如果加入這場戰爭，我們將會耗損我們國家的很多軍力。
國王聽完(伯宗)的話後思考了幾分鐘，他最後便決定不出兵協助宋王國。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是人們用來駕馭馬匹的馬鞭很長，但是這支馬鞭的長度還是有限度，騎馬的人不可能用這隻馬鞭去打到他所騎的馬的腹部。
這句成語被的意思是我們不可能做出超越自己能力的限度的事情。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你做決定的方式是理性還是感性的呢?你有過因為幫助別人而導致自己巨大的損失的經驗嗎?
我希望這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為左傳-宣公15年
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2024/12/22更新