塞翁失马 The old man who lost his horse
Liu An and his court scholars 刘安及其门客 · Western Han
The frontier story in full, through the father's and son's survival in a border war.
近塞上之人，有善术者，马无故亡而入胡。 jìn sài shàng zhī rén, yǒu shàn shù zhě, mǎ wú gù wáng ér rù hú.
Among the people living near the frontier was a man skilled in the arts of prediction. His horse ran away into Hu territory for no apparent reason.
人皆吊之。 rén jiē diào zhī.
Everyone came to console him.
其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？” qí fù yuē: “cǐ hé jù bù wéi fú hū?”
His father said, “Who knows whether this might not turn out to be a blessing?”
居数月，其马将胡骏马而归。 jū shù yuè, qí mǎ jiāng hú jùn mǎ ér guī.
Several months later his horse returned, bringing a fine Hu horse with it.
人皆贺之。 rén jiē hè zhī.
Everyone congratulated him.
其父曰：“此何遽不能为祸乎？” qí fù yuē: “cǐ hé jù bù néng wéi huò hū?”
His father said, “Who knows whether this might not turn into a misfortune?”
家富良马，其子好骑，堕而折其髀。 jiā fù liáng mǎ, qí zǐ hào qí, duò ér zhé qí bì.
The household had plenty of fine horses. The son loved riding, fell and broke his thigh.
人皆吊之。 rén jiē diào zhī.
Everyone came to console him.
其父曰：“此何遽不为福乎？” qí fù yuē: “cǐ hé jù bù wéi fú hū?”
His father said, “Who knows whether this might not turn out to be a blessing?”
居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壮者引弦而战。 jū yī nián, hú rén dà rù sài, dīng zhuàng zhě yǐn xián ér zhàn.
A year later Hu forces invaded the frontier in strength, and the able-bodied men drew their bows and fought.
近塞之人，死者十九。 jìn sài zhī rén, sǐ zhě shí jiǔ.
Of the people near the frontier, nine in ten died.
此独以跛之故，父子相保。 cǐ dú yǐ bǒ zhī gù, fù zǐ xiāng bǎo.
Because of his lameness, this son alone was spared, and father and son both survived.