百喻经之九：叹父德行喻

　　英文：

　　Once upon a time there was a man who praised his father's virtues before everybody. "my father is compassionate. he neither kills nor steals. he speaks earnestly and gives alms," said the man.

　　At the time, it so happened that a stupid man heard those words and declared, "my father is more virtuous than yours." the others asked, "in what way he is more virtuous'！ please tell us about him." the man answered, "undefiled as my father was, he gave up completely his sexual desires when he was young". the others said, "if your father had done so, how could he have brought you into the world?" this aroused the sardonical laugh from all those around him.

　　There are those ignorant people in the world who want to extol the merits of others without knowing how to be realistic and get ridiculed instead. these people are just like that stupid man who wanted to praise his father but turned out to speak fatuously.

　　古文：

　　昔时有人，于众人中，叹己父德，而作是言：鈥溛腋复热剩�不害不盗，直作实语，兼行布施。鈥�

　　时有愚人，闻其此语，便作是言：鈥溛腋傅滦校�复过汝父。鈥澲钊宋恃裕衡�溣泻蔚滦校壳氲榔涫隆ｂ�澯奕舜鹪唬衡�溛腋感±矗�断绝淫欲，初无染污。鈥澲谌擞镅裕衡�溔舳弦�欲，云何生汝？鈥澤钗�时人之所怪笑。

　　犹如世间无智之流，欲赞人德，不识其实，反致毁訾。如彼愚者，意好叹父，言成过失，此亦如是。

　　译文：

　　从前有个人在大家的面前赞誉自己父亲的人品：鈥溛腋盖兹蚀瓤砗瘢�不损害他人，不拿不义之财，行为正派，实话实说，并能够关心和帮助别人。鈥澱馐庇幸桓鲇薮赖娜耍�听到这些话，就接着讲：鈥溛腋盖椎钠沸谐�过您的父亲。鈥澊蠹冶阄剩衡�溣惺裁雌沸心兀壳刖咛逅狄凰怠ｂ�澯奕嘶卮穑衡�溛腋盖状有【投暇�了性行为，从未与异性接触，做不干净的事。鈥澊蠹曳⑽剩衡�溔绻�他断绝了性行为，怎么会生下你呢？鈥澣抢戳舜蠹业囊黄�讥笑声。

　　这就像社会上没有常识的人，想称赞别人的品德，但不了解实际情况，反而会招来人们的诋毁和议论。这和愚蠢的人，本意是赞誉父亲，却由于表达不当，惹人讥笑的道理一样。