話說濟公過去一腳把棺材踢了。掌柜的一瞧真急了，要打和尚。
话说济公过去一脚把棺材踢了。掌柜的一瞧真急了，要打和尚。
Now, Ji Gong stepped up and kicked the coffin in. The shopkeeper took one look and flew into a real rage; he wanted to beat the monk.
書中交代，濟公為什麼攔住棺材不叫走呢？皆因棺材鋪掌柜的心田不公。這個買棺材的老丈姓李，就是跟著劉王氏化棺材的。那老者原是因劉王氏家中沒人，她丈夫劉福生了瘡，不能動轉，所以幫他們的忙。有雷鳴、陳亮周濟四十多兩銀子，劉王氏就煩李老丈去買棺材。李老丈也不會買，來到東門外同峰桅廠，一瞧這口棺材，足夠四五六的尺寸，漆著黑油。一問掌柜的賣多少錢？
书中交代，济公为什么拦住棺材不叫走呢？皆因棺材铺掌柜的心田不公。这个买棺材的老丈姓李，就是跟着刘王氏化棺材的。那老者原是因刘王氏家中没人，她丈夫刘福生了疮，不能动转，所以帮他们的忙。有雷鸣、陈亮周济四十多两银子，刘王氏就烦李老丈去买棺材。李老丈也不会买，来到东门外同峰桅厂，一瞧这口棺材，足够四五六的尺寸，漆着黑油。一问掌柜的卖多少钱？
A word of explanation: why did Ji Gong stop the coffin and refuse to let it go on? Because the coffin-shop keeper was crooked at heart. The old man buying the coffin was named Li; he was the one who had gone with Madam Liu when she begged for a coffin. Madam Liu had no one at home — her husband, Liu Fu, had come down with sores and could not move — and so the old man was helping them out. Lei Ming and Chen Liang had given them more than forty taels of silver, and Madam Liu asked old Li to go and buy the coffin. Old Li did not know how to buy one either. He came to the Tongfeng coffin shop outside the East Gate and looked at this coffin: a full ‘four-five-six’ in size, coated with black oil paint. He asked the shopkeeper how much he wanted for it.
這位掌柜的說：「十五兩銀子。」這口棺材，是削檐鉤頭，原是兩層板包的，裡面是刨花鋸末，外頭一上油，瞧著好像杉木，實是碎木頭做的，盡值五兩銀子。掌柜的是成心冤人，向李老丈要十五兩，連抬代埋二十兩銀子。李老丈也不懂還價，就答應了。掌柜的一想：「這號買賣做著了，可以剩十幾兩銀子，又夠定一個月的伙食。」趕緊叫四個夥計，抬著跟去入殮。哪想剛走到東門，和尚攔住，要躺在裡頭試一試。掌柜的不肯，和尚用腳一踢，把一層薄板踢碎了，由裡面直掉下鋸末。李老丈一瞧說：「我不要了。我只說是厚木頭，哪知裡面淨是鋸末，我不能要。」掌柜的一想，已然銀子到手，和尚給他破了，氣往上沖。吩咐夥計：「你們拉住盡打！」四個夥計就奔上來，要揪濟公。濟公用手一指，口念六字真言：「唵嘛呢叭迷吽，唵，敕令赫。」
这位掌柜的说：「十五两银子。」这口棺材，是削檐钩头，原是两层板包的，里面是刨花锯末，外头一上油，瞧着好像杉木，实是碎木头做的，尽值五两银子。掌柜的是成心冤人，向李老丈要十五两，连抬代埋二十两银子。李老丈也不懂还价，就答应了。掌柜的一想：「这号买卖做着了，可以剩十几两银子，又够定一个月的伙食。」赶紧叫四个伙计，抬着跟去入殓。哪想刚走到东门，和尚拦住，要躺在里头试一试。掌柜的不肯，和尚用脚一踢，把一层薄板踢碎了，由里面直掉下锯末。李老丈一瞧说：「我不要了。我只说是厚木头，哪知里面净是锯末，我不能要。」掌柜的一想，已然银子到手，和尚给他破了，气往上冲。吩咐伙计：「你们拉住尽打！」四个伙计就奔上来，要揪济公。济公用手一指，口念六字真言：「唵嘛呢叭迷吽，唵，敕令赫。」
“Fifteen taels of silver,” said the shopkeeper. This coffin had trimmed eaves and a hooked head. In fact it was made of two layers of board with wood shavings and sawdust packed in between; once the outside was painted, it looked like fir, but it was really made of scraps and was worth five taels at most. The shopkeeper meant to cheat him from the start: he asked old Li for fifteen taels, twenty with carrying and burial thrown in. Old Li did not know how to haggle either, and agreed. The shopkeeper thought, “I’ve struck it lucky with this deal. That leaves me ten-odd taels clear — enough to pay for a month’s meals.” He quickly called four of his men to carry it along for the laying-in. Who would have thought that just as they reached the East Gate, the monk would stop them and want to lie inside and try it out? The shopkeeper would not allow it. The monk gave it a kick and smashed one of the thin boards, and sawdust came pouring out from inside. Old Li took one look and said, “I don’t want it. I took it for thick wood — who knew it was nothing but sawdust inside? I can’t have this.” The shopkeeper thought it over: the silver was already in his hands, and now the monk had spoiled it for him. His temper flared up. He ordered his men, “Grab him and beat him all you like!” The four men rushed up to seize Ji Gong. Ji Gong pointed a finger and recited the six-syllable mantra: “Om mani padme hum! Om! By command — he!”