译文：有个河蚌刚刚打开晒太阳，一只鹬飞来啄它的肉，河蚌马上闭拢，夹住了鹬的嘴。鹬说：“今天不下雨，明天不下雨，那就会有死蚌了。”河蚌说：“今天你的嘴不取出来，明天你的嘴不取出来，那就会有死鹬了。”它们都不肯互相放弃，渔夫看见了，就把它们俩一起捉走了。告诫人们：做事要懂得权衡得失，化解矛盾互相谦让，以免顾此失彼，让别人钻空子。
《古代寓言·鹬蚌相争》
蚌方出曝，而鹬啄其肉。蚌合而莫过甘其喙。
鹬曰：“今日不雨，明日不雨，即有死蚌！”
蚌亦谓鹬曰：“今日不出，明日不出，即有死鹬！”
两者不肯相舍，渔者得而并禽之。
——《战国策》
The Snipe and the Mussel
A mussel was opening its shell to bask in the sun when a snipe pecked at it. The mussel clamped down on the bird's beak, and held it fast.
"If it doesn't rain today or tomorrow," said the snipe, "there will be a dead mussel lying there."
"If you can't pry loose today or tomorrow," retorted the mussel, "there will be a dead snipe here too."
As neither of them would give way, a passing fisherman caught them both.
Warring States Anecdotes
