中國傳統文化 第28期:臥薪嚐膽

Sleep on Brushwood and Taste Gall

臥薪嚐膽

During the Spring and Autumn periodt the State of Wu launched an attack against the State of Yue.

春秋時期，吳國和越國之間進行了一場戰爭，

The King of Wu was seriously wounded and soon died.

吳王不幸受了重傷，不久就死了。

His son Fu Chai became the new King.

他的兒子夫差作了吳國的新國王，

Fu was determined to revenge.

他發誓要替父親報仇。

He drilled his army rigidly until it was a perfect fighting force.

於是，他嚴格的操練他的士兵，把他們訓練成了一支非常厲害的軍隊。

Three years Later, he led his army against the State of Yue and caught its king Gou Jian.

三年以後，他對越國發動了戰爭，抓住了越王勾踐，

Fu took him to the State of Wu.

把他帶回了吳國。

In order to avenge his father’s death, Fu let him to live in a shabby stone house by his fathers tomb and ordered him to raise horses for him.

爲了復仇，夫差讓勾踐住在他父親墓旁的破石屋裏天天看墓、餵馬。

Gou pretended to be loyal to Fu but he never forgot his humiliation.

勾踐表面上服從，心裏面卻想着復仇。

Many years later, he was set free.

幾年以後，勾踐被放回越國。

Gou secretly accumulated a military force after he went back to his own state.

他立刻開始祕密聚集一支軍隊。

In order to make himself tougher he slept on firewood and tasted a gall-bladder before having dinner and going to bed.

爲了提醒自己不要忘了報仇，他睡在柴堆上，還每天在吃飯睡覺前嘗一嘗苦膽。

At the same time he administered his state carefully, developing agriculture and educating the people.

同時，他專心治理國家，大力發展農業，加強民衆教育。

After a few years，his country became strong.

幾年後，越國又變得強大起來，

Then Gou seized a favorable opportunity to wipe off the State of Wu.

然後， 勾踐抓住一個適當的機會消滅了吳國。

Later, people use it to describe one who endures self-imposed hardships to strengthen one’s resolve to realize one’s ambition.

後來，人們用“臥薪嚐膽”來形容人刻苦自勵以實現自己定下的目標。