察今（节选） Examining the present: two river stories
Scholars at Lü Buwei’s court 吕不韦门客 · Late Warring States
A sword lost from a boat and a baby held over a river expose two failures of comparison.
楚人有涉江者，其剑自舟中坠于水，遽契其舟，曰：“是吾剑之所从坠。” chǔ rén yǒu shè jiāng zhě, qí jiàn zì zhōu zhōng zhuì yú shuǐ, jù qì qí zhōu, yuē: “shì wú jiàn zhī suǒ cóng zhuì.”
A man from Chu was crossing a river when his sword fell from the boat into the water. He immediately cut a mark into the boat and said, “This is where my sword fell.”
舟止，从其所契者入水求之。 zhōu zhǐ, cóng qí suǒ qì zhě rù shuǐ qiú zhī.
When the boat stopped, he entered the water beside the place he had marked to look for it.
舟已行矣，而剑不行，求剑若此，不亦惑乎？ zhōu yǐ xíng yǐ, ér jiàn bù xíng, qiú jiàn ruò cǐ, bù yì huò hū?
The boat had moved, but the sword had not. Was it not confused to look for the sword like this?
以此故法为其国与此同。 yǐ cǐ gù fǎ wéi qí guó yǔ cǐ tóng.
Governing a state with these old laws is the same as this.
时已徙矣，而法不徙，以此为治，岂不难哉？ shí yǐ xǐ yǐ, ér fǎ bù xǐ, yǐ cǐ wéi zhì, qǐ bù nán zāi?
The times have shifted, but the laws have not. Would it not be difficult to govern this way?
有过于江上者，见人方引婴儿而欲投之江中。 yǒu guò yú jiāng shàng zhě, jiàn rén fāng yǐn yīng ér ér yù tóu zhī jiāng zhōng.
A passer-by at the river saw someone holding a baby and about to throw it into the water.
婴儿啼，人问其故，曰：“此其父善游。” yīng ér tí, rén wèn qí gù, yuē: “cǐ qí fù shàn yóu.”
The baby cried. Asked why he was doing this, the man said, “The child's father swims well.”
其父虽善游，其子岂遽善游哉？ qí fù suī shàn yóu, qí zǐ qǐ jù shàn yóu zāi?
Even if the father swims well, how could the child already swim well?
此任物亦必悖矣。 cǐ rèn wù yì bì bèi yǐ.
Handling things this way is bound to go wrong too.
荆国之为政，有似于此。 jīng guó zhī wéi zhèng, yǒu sì yú cǐ.
The government of Jing is rather like this.