One day, Ping Gong, the King of the State of Jin, said to his minister Shi Kuang:
有一天，晉國君主晉平公對他的臣子師曠說:
"I am over 70 years old. Though I "am eager to read some books, I feel it is too late."
“我已經七十多歲了，雖然很想讀些書，但是，總覺得時間太晚了!”
Shi Kuang said:
師曠說:
"Too late? Why don't you light the candle?"
“時間太晚嗎?為卜么不把蠟燭點起來呢?”
Ping Gong said:
平公說:
"I am serious. But you go so far as to make fun of me!"
“我和你說正經話，怎么，你竟和我開起玩笑來了!”
Shi Kuang said:
師曠說:
"How dare I, a blind minister, make fun of Your Majesty? I heard that when a man in his youth is fond of studying, he is like the rising sun, brilliant and magnificent; when a man in the prime of life is fond of studying, he is like the sun at noon, with still half a day's good time ahead; when a man in his old age is fond of studying, he is like the flame of a candle. Though the light is failing, it is better than groping in the dark."
“我這個雙目失明的臣子，哪里敢和大王開玩笑!我聽說，一個人在少年的時候好學，就像初升的太陽那樣，輝煌而燦爛;壯年的時候好學，猶如正午的太陽，還有半天的好時光呢;老年的時候好學，就像蠟燭的火焰一樣。蠟燭的光亮雖然是有限的，但是有了它，總比在黑暗中摸索著前進要好些吧!”
Hearing Shi Kuang's words, Ping Gong of Jin said with pleasure:
聽了師曠的話，晉平公高興地說:
"How well you have put it!"
“你說得多好啊!”