紀渻子為王養鬥雞。
十日而問：「雞已乎？」
曰：「未也。方虛憍而恃氣。」
十日又問。曰：「未也。猶應嚮景。」
十日又問。曰：「未也。猶疾視而盛氣。」
十日又問。曰：「幾矣。雞雖有鳴者，已無變矣，望之似木雞矣，其德全矣，異雞無敢應者，反走矣。」
十日而問：「雞已乎？」
曰：「未也。方虛憍而恃氣。」
十日又問。曰：「未也。猶應嚮景。」
十日又問。曰：「未也。猶疾視而盛氣。」
十日又問。曰：「幾矣。雞雖有鳴者，已無變矣，望之似木雞矣，其德全矣，異雞無敢應者，反走矣。」
"Ji Xing-zi was rearing a fighting-cock for the king. Being asked after ten days if the bird were ready, he said, 'Not yet; he is still vain and quarrelsome, and relies on his own vigour.' Being asked the same after other ten days, he said, 'Not yet; he still responds to the crow and the appearance of another bird.' After ten days more, he replied, 'Not yet. He still looks angrily, and is full of spirit.' When a fourth ten days had passed, he replied to the question, 'Nearly so. Though another cock crows, it makes no change in him. To look at him, you would say he was a cock of wood. His quality is complete. No other cock will dare to meet him, but will run from him.'
Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project
Unless noted otherwise, all quotations of classical texts and accompanying translations come from the Chinese Text Project
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