樂雲鶴、夏平子，二人少同里，長同齋，相交莫逆。夏少慧，十歲知名。樂虛心事之，夏亦相規不勌，樂文思日進，由是名並著。而潦倒場屋，戰輒北。無何，夏遘疫卒，家貧不能葬，樂銳身自任之。遺襁褓子及未亡人，樂以時恤諸其家；每得升斗，必析而二之，夏妻子賴以活。於是士大夫益賢樂。樂恆產無多，又代夏生憂內顧，家計日蹙。乃嘆曰：「文如平子，尚碌碌以沒，而況於我！人生富貴須及時，戚戚終歲，恐先狗馬填溝壑，負此生矣，不如早自圖也。」於是去讀而賈。操業半年，家貲小泰。
乐云鹤、夏平子，二人少同里，长同斋，相交莫逆。夏少慧，十岁知名。乐虚心事之，夏亦相规不勌，乐文思日进，由是名并着。而潦倒场屋，战辄北。无何，夏遘疫卒，家贫不能葬，乐锐身自任之。遗襁褓子及未亡人，乐以时恤诸其家；每得升斗，必析而二之，夏妻子赖以活。于是士大夫益贤乐。乐恒产无多，又代夏生忧内顾，家计日蹙。乃叹曰：「文如平子，尚碌碌以没，而况于我！人生富贵须及时，戚戚终岁，恐先狗马填沟壑，负此生矣，不如早自图也。」于是去读而贾。操业半年，家赀小泰。
Yue Yunhe and Xia Pingzi grew up in the same village and as young men studied in the same school, and they were the closest of friends. Xia was quick as a boy and known for it by the age of ten. Yue humbly looked up to him, and Xia never tired of correcting him, so Yue’s writing improved by the day, and the two became equally famous. But in the examination halls they got nowhere: every time they went into battle, they were routed. Before long Xia caught the plague and died. His family was too poor to bury him, and Yue took the whole burden on himself. Xia left a baby in swaddling clothes and a widow, and Yue looked after the household as the seasons came round; whenever he got a peck or a pint of grain, he always split it in two, and Xia’s wife and son lived on that. The gentry thought all the better of Yue for it. Yue had little property of his own, and with Xia’s household to worry about as well as his own, his means grew tighter every day. At last he sighed and said, “Pingzi wrote as he did, and still he died a nobody — how much more so me! If one is ever to have wealth and rank, it must be in good time. If I fret away year after year, I am afraid I shall go to fill a ditch before my own dogs and horses, and waste this life. Better to make my own way while I can.” So he gave up his books and went into trade. After half a year in business, his household was a little better off.
一日，客金陵，休於旅舍。見一人頎然而長，筋骨隆起，彷徨座側，色黯淡，有戚容。樂問：「欲得食耶？」其人亦不語。樂推食食之；則以手掬啗，頃刻已盡。樂又益以兼人之饌，食復盡。遂命主人割豚肩，堆以蒸餅，又盡數人之餐。始果腹而謝曰：「三年以來，未嘗如此飫飽。」樂曰：「君固壯士，何飄泊若此？」曰：「罪嬰天譴，不可說也。」問其里居，曰：「陸無屋，水無舟，朝村而暮郭也。」樂整裝欲行，其人相從，戀戀不去。樂辭之。告曰：「君有大難，吾不忍忘一飯之德。」樂異之，遂與偕行。途中曳與同餐。辭曰：「我終歲僅數餐耳。」益奇之。次日，渡江，風濤暴作，估舟盡覆，樂與其人悉沒江中。俄風定，其人負樂踏波出，登客舟，又破浪去；少時，挽一船至，扶樂入，囑樂臥守，復躍入江，以兩臂夾貨出，擲舟中；又入之：數入數出，列貨滿舟。樂謝曰：「君生我亦良足矣，敢望珠還哉！」檢視貨財，並無亡失。益喜，驚為神人，放舟欲行。其人告退，樂苦留之，遂與共濟。樂笑云：「此一厄也，止失一金簪耳。」其人欲復尋之。樂方勸止，已投水中而沒。驚愕良久。忽見含笑而出，以簪授樂曰：「幸不辱命。」江上人罔不駭異。
一日，客金陵，休于旅舍。见一人颀然而长，筋骨隆起，彷徨座侧，色黯淡，有戚容。乐问：「欲得食耶？」其人亦不语。乐推食食之；则以手掬啗，顷刻已尽。乐又益以兼人之馔，食复尽。遂命主人割豚肩，堆以蒸饼，又尽数人之餐。始果腹而谢曰：「三年以来，未尝如此饫饱。」乐曰：「君固壮士，何飘泊若此？」曰：「罪婴天谴，不可说也。」问其里居，曰：「陆无屋，水无舟，朝村而暮郭也。」乐整装欲行，其人相从，恋恋不去。乐辞之。告曰：「君有大难，吾不忍忘一饭之德。」乐异之，遂与偕行。途中曳与同餐。辞曰：「我终岁仅数餐耳。」益奇之。次日，渡江，风涛暴作，估舟尽覆，乐与其人悉没江中。俄风定，其人负乐踏波出，登客舟，又破浪去；少时，挽一船至，扶乐入，嘱乐卧守，复跃入江，以两臂夹货出，掷舟中；又入之：数入数出，列货满舟。乐谢曰：「君生我亦良足矣，敢望珠还哉！」检视货财，并无亡失。益喜，惊为神人，放舟欲行。其人告退，乐苦留之，遂与共济。乐笑云：「此一厄也，止失一金簪耳。」其人欲复寻之。乐方劝止，已投水中而没。惊愕良久。忽见含笑而出，以簪授乐曰：「幸不辱命。」江上人罔不骇异。
One day, travelling on business in Jinling, he was resting at an inn when he saw a man, very tall, big-boned and bulging with sinew, hovering by his seat. The man’s face was dull and gloomy, and he looked miserable. “Do you want something to eat?” Yue asked. The man said nothing. Yue pushed his food across to him; the man scooped it up with his hands and wolfed it, and in a moment it was gone. Yue ordered him a meal for two, and that was gone too. Then Yue had the innkeeper carve a shoulder of pork and pile it with steamed buns, and the man ate enough for several more. Only then was he full. He thanked Yue and said, “In three years I have not eaten my fill like this.” “You are plainly a strong man,” said Yue. “Why are you drifting about like this?” “I have offended Heaven and am under its punishment. I cannot speak of it.” Yue asked where he lived. “On land I have no house, on water no boat. Mornings in a village, evenings in a town.” When Yue packed up to leave, the man followed him and would not go away. Yue tried to send him off. “You are going to meet with great danger,” the man told him. “I cannot forget the kindness of one meal.” Yue thought this strange and let him come along. On the road he pulled the man in to eat with him, but the man refused: “I eat only a few meals a year.” Yue thought him stranger still. The next day they were crossing the river when a storm blew up and the merchant boats all capsized. Yue and the man went into the river with the rest. Soon the wind dropped, and the man came up out of the waves with Yue on his back, climbed onto a passenger boat, and was off again through the waves. Shortly he came back towing a boat, helped Yue in, and told him to lie down and keep watch. Then he leapt back into the river and came up with goods clasped in both arms, which he threw into the boat; in again he went; again and again he went in and came out, until the goods filled the boat. “You saved my life,” said Yue, thanking him. “That is more than enough. How could I hope to have my pearls come back as well!” He went through the goods and money and found nothing missing. More delighted than ever, he took the man for a god. He was about to set off in the boat when the man said he would take his leave. Yue begged him to stay, and they crossed together. “What a disaster,” Yue said with a laugh, “and all I lost was a gold hairpin.” The man wanted to go and look for it. Yue was just telling him not to when he dived into the water and vanished. Yue stood there aghast for a long time. Suddenly the man came up smiling and handed him the hairpin. “I am glad I did not fail you.” Everyone on the river was amazed.