Once, Confucius went to the east to advocate his ideas, On the way he met two children arguing hotly with each other.

有一次，孔子到东方去游说，途中见到两个小孩正在激烈地争辩着。

Confucius asked: "Children, what are you arguing about?"

孔子问: “孩子们，你们在辩论什么呀?”

One child said: "I think when the sun rises from the hills, it is nearer to us, and at noon, it is farther¹ from us."

一个小孩说: “我认为，太阳刚刚出山时，离我们近;到了中午，就离我们远了。”

The other child argued: "I think when the sun rises from the hills, it is farther from us, but at noon it is nearer to us."

另一个小孩争辩说: “我认为，太阳刚出山时，离人远;中午时离人近。”

One child said: "As is known to all, things far away look smaller and things nearer look bigger.

一个说: “众所周知，远的东西显得小，近的显得大。

When the sun rises, it is as big as the canopy² on a carnage; at noon it is only as big as a plate or a dish.

太阳刚出来时，大得像车上的伞盖;到了中午，就只有盘子、碟子那么大了。

Doesn't this show that when the sun rises, it is nearer to us?"

这不正说明太阳出山时离我们近吗?”

The other child said: "We all know that things nearby make us feel hot, and things far away make us feel cool.

另一个却说: “大家知道，近的东西使人觉得热，远的使人觉得清凉。

When the sun comes out, the air is clear and clean; at noon it is as hot as putting the hand in hot water.

太阳刚出来时，空气清清爽爽的;到了中午，热得像把手伸到热水里一样。

Doesn't this show that the sun is nearer to us at noon?"

这不正说明太阳在中午时离我们近吗?”

The two children went on arguing endlessly.

两个小孩争论不休。

Confucius was unable to judge who was right.

孔子无法判断谁对谁错。

The two children laughed at him: "Who said you are learned³ and erudite?"

两个小孩嘲笑他说:“谁说你博学多知呢！”