There was a man of the State of Song who liked to curry1 favour with others.
One day, he got a piece of uncarved jade2 and went to present it to Zi Han, a minister of the State of Song, with the intention to ingratiate himself with the official.
Zi Han adamantly3 refused to accept it.
Thereupon, this man said in honeyed words: "This is a piece of rare jade. I regard it as a treasure suitable for a gentleman's utensil4. If it gets into the hands of an old gentleman like you, to be worn by you or put on your dining table, that would be most suitable and fitting. I am an unrefined man, not deserving such a valuable treasure."
"You may regard this piece of jade as a treasure," said Zi Han, "but I do not accept other's fawning5, nor do I regard this kind of conduct a treasure."
The man of Song felt he had asked for a snub and sneaked6 away.
宋国有一个人，喜欢奉承别人。 <a hrEf=hTtps://Www.EUZw.nEt/miniform.html>提分快的苏州初中作文阅读培训</a>
有一天，他得到了一块未经雕琢的玉石，便去献给宋国大臣子罕，想讨好一番。
子罕执意不受。
于是，那人便花言巧语地说：“这是一块珍奇的玉石啊！我把它当做宝贝，适宜于做君子的器皿。要是落在老先生你的手中，挂在你的身上，放在你的餐桌上，是最相称、最适合的。我是一个粗人，不配使用这种贵重的宝物。”
子罕回答说：“你把这块玉石当做宝贝，我却不接受别人巴结奉承，并且不把这种行为当做宝贝。”
那个宋国人自讨没趣，溜了。
1 curry
n.咖哩粉，咖哩饭菜；v.用咖哩粉调味，用马栉梳，制革
参考例句：
Rice makes an excellent complement to a curry dish.有咖喱的菜配米饭最棒。 Add a teaspoonful of curry powder.加一茶匙咖喱粉。 <A hRef=htTps://Www.EuZw.net/MiNifoRm.html>苏州中小学生作文培训班</a>
2 jade
n.玉石；碧玉；翡翠
参考例句：
The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。 He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。
3 adamantly
adv.坚决地，坚定不移地，坚强不屈地
参考例句：
"Come over here,"he told her adamantly. “到这边来，”他对她坚定地说。 来自《简明英汉词典》 His family were adamantly opposed to the marriage. 他的家人坚决反对这门亲事。 来自《简明英汉词典》
4 utensil
<a hrEf=https://WWw.EuZw.nEt/MinifOrm.html>苏州阅读写作培训班</a>
n.器皿，用具
参考例句：
The best carving utensil is a long, sharp, flexible knife.最好的雕刻工具是锋利而柔韧的长刻刀。 Wok is a very common cooking utensil in every Chinese family.炒菜锅是每个中国人家庭里很常用的厨房食用具。
5 fawning
adj.乞怜的，奉承的v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的现在分词 )；巴结；讨好
参考例句：
The servant worn a fawning smile. 仆人的脸上露出一种谄笑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》 Then, what submission, what cringing and fawning, what servility, what abject humiliation! 好一个低眉垂首、阿谀逢迎、胁肩谄笑、卑躬屈膝的场面！ 来自英汉文学 - 双城记
6 sneaked
v.潜行( sneak的过去式和过去分词 )；偷偷溜走；（儿童向成人）打小报告；告状
参考例句：
I sneaked up the stairs. 我蹑手蹑脚地上了楼。 She sneaked a surreptitious glance at her watch. 她偷偷看了一眼手表。
《宋人献玉》添加时间：2024-12-14；更新时间：2025-03-09
