One day, seated in the ancestral hall, King Hui of Liang saw a man leading an ox pass by. He asked:
一天，梁惠王坐在庙堂上，看到堂下有一个人牵着一头牛走过，便问道：
The man leading the ox stopped and answered:
牵牛的人停下来回答说：
"Where are you taking the ox?"
“你把牛牵到哪儿去啊？
"I am taking it to be slaughtered and will use its blood to paint the bell."
“我要把这头牛牵去杀掉，用它的血来涂钟。
As King Hui heard this, he felt pity for the ox and said:
惠王听了，对牛十分怜悯，说：
The man leading the ox asked:
牵牛的人问道：
"How can that be done? You are too cruel. Let it go at once. It is not guilty. How can you kill it? I cannot bear to see it panic-stricken, shedding tears and trembling before its death."
“那怎么行呢！你们太残忍了，赶快把牛放掉。它没有罪，怎么能把它杀掉呢？我不忍心看到牛临死前惊恐、流泪、战栗的样子。
"Do you mean that I shall let the ox go and not paint the bell? Is that it?"
“您的意思是要我把牛放了，不必再涂钟了，是吗？
King Hui answered:
惠王回答说：
"What are you saying? How can you not paint the bell! Let the ox go, but use a sheep instead."
“你在说什么？钟怎么能不涂呢！把牛放了，就换只羊吧！