中國成語故事：網(wǎng)開三面

One day, King Tang, the founder1 of the Shang Dynasty, saw a man arranging a net on all sides and praying to the deity2: "Let those that fly down from the sky, those that come out of the ground, and those that come running from all directions all run into my met!"

Tang said: "Well, isn't this catching3 the whole lot in one net?"

Tang went forward and took away the net on three sides, leaving only one side there. Then he said to the man: "Now please pray again! You can say thus: In the past, the spiders have spun4 nets. Now people have learned to make nets too. You birds and animals, those that want to turn left can go to the left; those that want to turn right can go to the right; those that want to fly can soar; those that want to get into holes can get intoholes. I only catch those that are doomed5 to die."

The much-told tale of King Tang's leaving the net open on three sides spread far and wide at once. When the people of the states south of the Han River heard of it, they all said: "King Tang of Shang bestows6 favour even upon birds and animals. He is so lenient7 that he is truly a benevolent8 man."

Thereupon, all the 40 small states of the time had a heartfelt admiration9 for Tang and pledged ther allegiance to the Shang Dynasty.

一天，商朝開國君主湯看見一個人四面布下了天羅地網(wǎng)，正在向神禱告: “從天上飛下來的，從地下鉆出來的，從四面八方跑過來的，都撞到我的網(wǎng)里來吧!”

湯說：“咦!這不是一網(wǎng)打盡了嗎?”

湯上前收掉了三面的網(wǎng)，只留下一面的網(wǎng)。然后，他對那人說：“請你重新禱告吧!你可以這樣說：過去，蜘蛛織出了網(wǎng)，現(xiàn)在人們也學(xué)會了織網(wǎng)。你們這些鳥獸，想往左邊的就往左邊走開;想往右邊的就往右邊走開;想高飛的就高飛;想鉆洞的就鉆洞;我僅僅捕捉那些命里注定要死的。”

商湯網(wǎng)開三面的佳話，一下子傳開了。漢水以南各國知道后，都說：“商湯對禽獸也這樣恩賜，這樣寬恕，真是個仁慈的人。”

于是，當時的四十個小國家都心悅誠服地歸順了商湯。

One day, King Tang, the founder1 of the Shang Dynasty, saw a man arranging a net on all sides and praying to the deity2: "Let those that fly down from the sky, those that come out of the ground, and those that come running from all directions all run into my met!"

Tang said: "Well, isn't this catching3 the whole lot in one net?"

Tang went forward and took away the net on three sides, leaving only one side there. Then he said to the man: "Now please pray again! You can say thus: In the past, the spiders have spun4 nets. Now people have learned to make nets too. You birds and animals, those that want to turn left can go to the left; those that want to turn right can go to the right; those that want to fly can soar; those that want to get into holes can get intoholes. I only catch those that are doomed5 to die."

The much-told tale of King Tang's leaving the net open on three sides spread far and wide at once. When the people of the states south of the Han River heard of it, they all said: "King Tang of Shang bestows6 favour even upon birds and animals. He is so lenient7 that he is truly a benevolent8 man."

Thereupon, all the 40 small states of the time had a heartfelt admiration9 for Tang and pledged ther allegiance to the Shang Dynasty.

一天，商朝開國君主湯看見一個人四面布下了天羅地網(wǎng)，正在向神禱告: “從天上飛下來的，從地下鉆出來的，從四面八方跑過來的，都撞到我的網(wǎng)里來吧!”

湯說：“咦!這不是一網(wǎng)打盡了嗎?”

湯上前收掉了三面的網(wǎng)，只留下一面的網(wǎng)。然后，他對那人說：“請你重新禱告吧!你可以這樣說：過去，蜘蛛織出了網(wǎng)，現(xiàn)在人們也學(xué)會了織網(wǎng)。你們這些鳥獸，想往左邊的就往左邊走開;想往右邊的就往右邊走開;想高飛的就高飛;想鉆洞的就鉆洞;我僅僅捕捉那些命里注定要死的。”

商湯網(wǎng)開三面的佳話，一下子傳開了。漢水以南各國知道后，都說：“商湯對禽獸也這樣恩賜，這樣寬恕，真是個仁慈的人。”

于是，當時的四十個小國家都心悅誠服地歸順了商湯。