濰邑李氏有別第。忽一翁來稅居，歲出直金五十，諾之。既去無耗，李囑家人別租。翌日，翁至，曰：「租宅已有關說，何欲更僦他人？」李白所疑。翁曰：「我將久居是；所以遲遲者，以涓吉在十日之後耳。」因先納一歲之直，曰：「終歲空之，勿問也。」李送出，問期，翁告之。過期數日，亦竟渺然。及往覘之，則雙扉內閉，炊煙起而人聲雜矣。訝之，投刺往謁。翁趨出，逆而入，笑語可親。既歸，遣人饋遺其家；翁犒賜豐隆。又數日筵邀翁，款洽甚歡。問其居里，以秦中對。李訝其遠。翁曰：「貴鄉福地也。秦中不可居，大難將作。」時方承平，置未深問。越日，翁折柬報居停之禮，供帳飲食，備極侈麗。李益驚，疑為貴官。翁以交好，因自言為狐。李駭絕，逢人輒道。
潍邑李氏有别第。忽一翁来税居，岁出直金五十，诺之。既去无耗，李嘱家人别租。翌日，翁至，曰：「租宅已有关说，何欲更僦他人？」李白所疑。翁曰：「我将久居是；所以迟迟者，以涓吉在十日之后耳。」因先纳一岁之直，曰：「终岁空之，勿问也。」李送出，问期，翁告之。过期数日，亦竟渺然。及往觇之，则双扉内闭，炊烟起而人声杂矣。讶之，投刺往谒。翁趋出，逆而入，笑语可亲。既归，遣人馈遗其家；翁犒赐丰隆。又数日筵邀翁，款洽甚欢。问其居里，以秦中对。李讶其远。翁曰：「贵乡福地也。秦中不可居，大难将作。」时方承平，置未深问。越日，翁折柬报居停之礼，供帐饮食，备极侈丽。李益惊，疑为贵官。翁以交好，因自言为狐。李骇绝，逢人辄道。
A man named Li of Wei County owned a second house. One day an old man came to rent it, offering fifty taels a year, and Li agreed. The old man left and nothing more was heard of him, so Li told his household to let the place to someone else. The next day the old man came. “The lease has already been agreed,” he said. “Why do you want to let it to anyone else?” Li told him what he had suspected. “I mean to live here a long time,” said the old man. “I have been slow only because the lucky day falls ten days from now.” He paid a year’s rent in advance and said, “If the house stands empty all year, don’t ask why.” Li saw him out and asked when he would come; the old man told him. That day passed, and several more, and still there was no sign of him. When Li went to look, the double gate was barred from inside, cooking smoke was rising, and there was a hubbub of voices. Surprised, Li sent in his card and went to call. The old man hurried out and welcomed him in, laughing and talking most amiably. When Li got home he sent a servant with gifts for the household; the old man rewarded the servant handsomely. Some days later Li gave a feast for the old man, and the two got on very well. Li asked where he came from. “From Qin,” he answered. Li was surprised it was so far. “Your part of the country is a blessed place,” said the old man. “Qin is no place to live. A great calamity is coming.” The land was at peace then, and Li let it pass without asking more. The next day the old man sent a written invitation to repay his landlord’s hospitality. The hangings, the food and the wine were lavish beyond anything. Li was more amazed than ever and took him for some great official. Because they were now good friends, the old man told him he was a fox. Li was utterly astonished, and told everyone he met.
邑搢紳聞其異，日結駟于門，願納交翁，翁無不傴僂接見。漸而郡官亦時還往。獨邑令求通，輒辭以故。令又托主人先容，翁辭。李詰其故。翁離席近客而私語曰：「君自不知，彼前身為驢，今雖儼然民上，乃飲䊚而亦醉者也。僕固異類，羞與為伍。」李乃託詞告令，謂狐畏其神明，故不敢見。令信之而止。此康熙十一年事。未幾，秦罹兵燹。狐能前知，信矣。
邑搢绅闻其异，日结驷于门，愿纳交翁，翁无不伛偻接见。渐而郡官亦时还往。独邑令求通，辄辞以故。令又托主人先容，翁辞。李诘其故。翁离席近客而私语曰：「君自不知，彼前身为驴，今虽俨然民上，乃饮䊚而亦醉者也。仆固异类，羞与为伍。」李乃托词告令，谓狐畏其神明，故不敢见。令信之而止。此康熙十一年事。未几，秦罹兵燹。狐能前知，信矣。
When the gentry of the county heard of this marvel, their carriages crowded his gate day after day, all wanting to make the old man’s acquaintance, and he received every one of them with bows. In time even the officials of the prefecture came and went. Only when the county magistrate asked to call did he always excuse himself on some pretext. The magistrate then asked Li, as landlord, to put in a word for him; the old man refused. Li pressed him for the reason. The old man left his seat, came close to his guest and whispered, “You don’t know this, but in his last life that man was a donkey. He may sit so grandly over the people now, but he is the sort who gets drunk on mere dregs. I am not human, to be sure, but I would be ashamed to keep company with him.” So Li made up a story and told the magistrate that the fox stood in awe of his godlike discernment and dared not meet him. The magistrate believed it and let the matter drop. This happened in the eleventh year of the Kangxi reign. Not long afterwards, Qin was laid waste by war. That foxes can see what is to come is true indeed.
異史氏曰：「驢之為物，龐物也。一怒則踶趹嗥嘶，眼大於盎，氣粗于牛；不惟聲難聞，狀亦難見。倘執束芻而誘之，則帖耳輯首，喜受羈勒矣。以此居民上，宜其飲䊚而亦醉也。願臨民者，以驢為戒，而求齒于狐，則德日進矣。」
异史氏曰：「驴之为物，庞物也。一怒则踶趹嗥嘶，眼大于盎，气粗于牛；不惟声难闻，状亦难见。倘执束刍而诱之，则帖耳辑首，喜受羁勒矣。以此居民上，宜其饮䊚而亦醉也。愿临民者，以驴为戒，而求齿于狐，则德日进矣。」
The Historian of the Strange says: The donkey is a great hulking beast. When it is angry it kicks and bucks, brays and squeals, its eyes bigger than a basin, snorting harder than an ox. Its voice is hard to bear and its looks are no easier. But hold out a bundle of hay to coax it, and it lays back its ears and lowers its head and gladly takes the halter and bit. Set such a creature over the people, and no wonder it gets drunk on mere dregs. I hope that those who govern the people will take the donkey as a warning and strive to be counted with the fox. Then their virtue will grow day by day.