In ancient times a man named Zou Ji, 8 chi tall and impressive looking, had served as the prime minister of the State of Qi.
古代齐国有个人名叫邹忌，身高八尺，相貌堂堂，曾经做过齐国的相国。
One morning, he tidied his clothes and hat, looked into the mirror, and asked his wife:
一天早晨，他整整衣服帽子，照照镜子，问妻子:
"Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong living in the north of the city or I?"
"你看，我跟住在城北的徐公比，谁长得漂亮?"
His wife replied:
妻子回答说:
"You are far more handsome. Xu Gong is no match for you!"
"你漂亮多了。徐公哪里比得上你呢!
Xu Gong of the north of the city was a well-known handsome man in the State of Qi. Zou Ji really didn't believe he was more handsome than Xu Gong. So he asked his concubine:
城北的徐公，是齐国有名的美男子，邹忌真的不相信自己比徐公长得漂亮。于是，又问他的妾说:
"Look, who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?"
"你看，我同徐公比，哪个漂亮些?"
His concubine also said:
妾也说:
"Xu Gong is no match for you!"
"徐公怎么比得上你漂亮呢?"
The next day, a guest came to discuss some matter with him. Zou Ji asked his guest the same question:
第二天，有个客人来找他，跟他商谈一件事情，邹忌又问客人说:
"Who is more handsome, Xu Gong or I?"
"我与徐公谁长得美呢?"
The guest answered positively:
客人肯定地回答说:
"Xu Gong is not as handsome as you."
"徐公不如你美。"
Another day passed and Zou Ji met Xu Gong in person. He stared closely at the other for some time and carefully compared him with himself. He really couldn't see that he was more handsome than Xu Gong. Later, he again looked into the mirror. The more he looked at himself, the more he felt he was not as handsome as Xu Gong.
又过了一天，邹忌见到了徐公。他紧紧地盯着他看了一阵，又把自己和他仔细地比较了一番，实在看不出自己比徐公漂亮。后来，再去照照镜子，越看越觉得自己不及徐公。
Zou Ji was rather restless in his mind. At night, lying on the bed, he pondered: He was not as handsome as Xu Gong, but why did these three persons say he was more handsome?In the end, he came to understand the reason:
邹忌心里很不平静。晚上，他躺在床上，想来想去，自己本来不及徐公，为什么这三个人都说自己美呢?最后，他终于明白了:
"My wife says I am handsome because she shows favouritism to me. My concubine says I am handsome because she is afraid of me. My guest says I am handsome because he wants to curry my favour."
"妻子说我漂亮，是因为偏爱我;妾说我漂亮，是因为怕我;客人说我漂亮，是因为有意讨好我。"
