译文：郑国有个想要买鞋子的人，先自己量好脚的尺度，并把量好的尺码搁放在了自己的座位上。等到前往市场，却忘了带量好的尺码。已经拿到鞋子，才想起自己忘了带尺码。就对卖鞋的人说：“我忘记带量好的尺码了。”于是返回家去取量好的尺码。等到他返回集市的时候，集市散了，于是没买到鞋。 有人问他说：“为什么不用你的脚试一试鞋的大小呢？”他说：“我宁可相信量好的尺码，也不相信自己的脚。”
这则故事告诉我们对待事物要注重事实，不能太墨守成规。词语解释，用来讽刺只信教条，不顾实际的人。
《古代寓言·买鞋》
郑人有且置履者，先自度其足而置之其坐。
至之市，而忘操之，已得履，乃曰：“吾忘持度。”反归取之。
乃反，市罢，遂不和履。
人曰：“何不试之以足？”
曰：“宁信度，无自信也。”
——《韩非子》
Buying a Pair of Shoes
A man in the state of Zheng decided to buy some new shoes. He measured his feet but left the measure on his sea, and went to the market without it. There he found a shoemaker.
"Why, I forgot to bring the measurement!" he cried.
He hurried home to fetch it.
By the time he got back to the market, the fair was over; so he failed to buy his shoes.
"Why didn't you try the shoes on?" asked one of his neighbours.
"I trust the ruler more," was his reply.
Han Fei Zi
