一段經典的君臣對話【唐太宗問許敬宗】
唐太宗問許敬宗：我看滿朝的文武百官中，你是最賢能的一個，但還是有人不斷地在我面前談論你的過失，這是為什麼呢？
許敬宗回答：春雨貴如油，農夫因為它滋潤了莊稼，而喜愛它，行路的人卻因為春雨使道路泥濘難行而嫌惡它；秋天的月亮像一輪明鏡輝映四方，才子佳人欣喜地對月欣賞，吟詩作賦，盜賊卻討厭它，怕照出了他們醜惡的行徑。
無所不能的上天且不能令每個人滿意，何況我一個普通人呢？我沒有用肥羊美酒去調和眾口是非，況且，是非之言本不可聽信，聽到之後，也不可傳播。
君王盲目聽信臣子的，可能要遭受殺戮；父親盲目聽信兒子的，可能要遭受誅殺；夫妻聽到讒言，可能會離棄；朋友聽信讒言，可能會斷交；親人聽到讒言，可能會疏遠；鄉鄰聽信讒言，可能會生分。
人生有七尺高的身軀，要謹慎對待聽到的傳言，舌頭上有龍泉劍，殺人不見血。哪個人在人前沒有說過別人？哪個人背後不被別人評說？
唐太宗說：“你講得很好，我會記住的” （選自“貞觀政要”）
【原文】
唐太宗問許敬宗曰：“朕觀群臣之中唯卿最賢，人有議卿非者，何哉？”敬宗對曰：“春雨如膏，農夫喜其潤澤，行人惡其泥濘；秋月如鏡，佳人喜其玩賞，盜賊惡其光輝，天地之大尤憾而況臣乎？臣無肥羊美酒以調和眾口是非，且是非不可聽，聽之不可說。君聽臣受戮，父聽子遭誅，夫婦聽之離，朋友聽之絕，親戚聽之疏，鄉鄰聽之別。人生七尺軀，謹防三寸舌，舌上有龍泉，殺人不見血。誰人面前不說人？誰人背後無人說？ ”太宗曰：“卿言甚善，朕當識之！ ”
【小議】
這是“貞觀政要”中所記載的一個片段，這段對話被刻在陝西耀州藥王山廟
旁的一块石碑上。唐太宗认为许敬宗是百官中最贤良的一个。然而，在群臣中，
仍有人說許敬宗的壞話，於是，君臣之間便有了這樣的一番對話。
面对君王的疑问，许敬宗的回答可谓妙极。许敬宗并没有直接为自己辩解，而
是用“春雨”和“秋月”的自然现象来比喻人生，从而使唐太宗明白了其中的道理。
http://wenku.baidu.com/view/00de61c00c22590102029de7.html
註:很喜歡這篇文章.因此把它翻成英文放在我的英文部落格 ‧ 愛永不止息loveneverending.
During the Tang Dynasty, a conversation took place between Emperor Taizong and Mr. Shih, one of his subordinates. (Note: Emperor Taizong of Tang (599-649) was the second emperor of Tang, and often considered to be one of the most successful emperors in Chinese history. He was born Li Shimin, son of Emperor Gaozu, the founder of the Tang dynasty. He took the name Taizong in 626 when he became emperor.)
tw.aboluowang.com
“There are many subordinates in my seat, and you are the wisest. Yet, many still criticize you. Why is that?” Emperor Taizong asked.
Mr. Shih answered, “Spring rain is very precious to the farm. With it, the farm flourishes. Spring rain gives them an abundant harvest for all their crops. But for those in the village, spring rain makes all of the roads very muddy and difficult to walk on. In autumn, the moon shines upon the earth, and all of the scholars and intellectuals have a grand time being inspired to write poems. But the thieves hate it because the light exposes their evil conduct.
Even the almighty God can not make everyone satisfied – if he cannot do it, how can an ordinary person like me do it? I do not use good wine and dainty dishes to reconcile public clamor. Moreover, we should not listen to the gossip, nor spread it once we hear it.
If the king blindly listens to his subordinates, he runs the risk of being betrayed. If the father blindly listens to his son, he may encounter bad faith. If husband and wife blindly believe what they hear, they may face divorce. Good friends, if they listen to rumors, may break up and grow apart. So we must be careful about what we hear because our tongue while soft, can cause a bloodless death by spreading the untruth words. Often, we are being criticized behind our back because it is easy to say something bad about another person.
Emperor Taizong nodded,"Well said. You made your point very well, and I will remember what you say."
From the Tang dynasty to now, over 1000 years have passed. When I reread this legendary conversation, I realize that it is not possible to please everyone. But if we do things according to virtue, we can ignore the unnecessary criticisms of others. May we use this simple story to reflect our daily conduct.
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