新城王大司馬，有主計僕，家稱素封。忽夢一人奔入，曰：「汝欠四十千，今宜還矣。」問之，不答，徑入內去。既醒，妻產男。知為夙孽，遂以四十千捆置一室，凡兒衣食病藥，皆取給焉。過三四歲，視室中錢，僅存七百。適乳姥抱兒至，調笑于側。因呼之曰：「四十千將盡，汝宜行矣。」言已，兒忽顏色蹙變，項折目張。再撫之，氣已絕矣。乃以余資置葬具而瘞之。此可為負欠者戒也。
新城王大司馬有個管賬的僕人，家裡很富裕，人們說他雖沒有爵位，財富卻抵得上有封地的貴人。一天，他忽然夢見一個人奔進來，說：「你欠我四萬錢，現在該還了。」他追問那人，那人不回答，徑直走進內室。醒來後，妻子生下了一個男孩。他知道這是前世欠下的債，便把四萬錢捆好，放在一間屋裡，孩子的衣食以及生病時的醫藥費用，都從這些錢裡支取。過了三四年，他檢視屋裡的錢，只剩下七百。恰好奶媽抱著孩子過來，在他身邊逗孩子玩。他便對孩子說：「四萬錢快用完了，你該走了。」話剛說完，孩子忽然臉色大變，脖子垂折下來，兩眼大睜。他再去撫摸，孩子已經斷氣了。他便用剩下的錢買了安葬所需的東西，把孩子埋葬。這件事可以給欠債的人作個警戒。
新城王大司马，有主计仆，家称素封。忽梦一人奔入，曰：「汝欠四十千，今宜还矣。」问之，不答，径入内去。既醒，妻产男。知为夙孽，遂以四十千捆置一室，凡儿衣食病药，皆取给焉。过三四岁，视室中钱，仅存七百。适乳姥抱儿至，调笑于侧。因呼之曰：「四十千将尽，汝宜行矣。」言已，儿忽颜色蹙变，项折目张。再抚之，气已绝矣。乃以余资置葬具而瘗之。此可为负欠者戒也。
新城王大司马有个管账的仆人，家里很富裕，人们说他虽没有爵位，财富却抵得上有封地的贵人。一天，他忽然梦见一个人奔进来，说：“你欠我四万钱，现在该还了。”他追问那人，那人不回答，径直走进内室。醒来后，妻子生下了一个男孩。他知道这是前世欠下的债，便把四万钱捆好，放在一间屋里，孩子的衣食以及生病时的医药费用，都从这些钱里支取。过了三四年，他查看屋里的钱，只剩下七百。恰好奶妈抱着孩子过来，在他身边逗孩子玩。他便对孩子说：“四万钱快用完了，你该走了。”话刚说完，孩子忽然脸色大变，脖子垂折下来，两眼大睁。他再去抚摸，孩子已经断气了。他便用剩下的钱买了安葬所需的东西，把孩子埋葬。这件事可以给欠债的人作个警戒。
Minister of War Wang of Xincheng had a steward who kept his accounts, a man whose family was reckoned as rich as a lord, though he held no title. One night the steward dreamed that a man came running in and said, “You owe me forty thousand cash. Now it is time to pay it back.” He asked what he meant, but the man did not answer and went straight on into the inner rooms. When the steward woke, his wife gave birth to a boy. He knew it was an old debt from a past life. So he tied up forty thousand cash in strings and put it in a room by itself, and everything the child needed, his clothes, his food, medicine when he was ill, was paid out of it. Three or four years went by. He looked at the money in the room: only seven hundred were left. Just then the nurse carried the boy in, and she sat playing with him at the steward’s side. So the steward called to him: “The forty thousand are nearly gone. You ought to be on your way.” As he said it, the boy’s face suddenly puckered and changed colour; his head dropped to one side and his eyes stared wide. The steward stroked him again, but his breath had already stopped. With the money that was left he bought what was needed for a burial, and buried him. Let this be a warning to anyone who owes a debt.
昔有老而無子者，問諸高僧。僧曰：「汝不欠人者，人又不欠汝者，烏得子？」蓋生佳兒，所以報我之緣；生頑兒，所以取我之債。生者勿喜，死者勿悲也。
從前有個人年紀老了，卻沒有兒子，便向一位高僧詢問。高僧說：「你不欠別人的，別人也不欠你的，怎麼會有兒子呢？」原來，生下好孩子，是來報答父母的恩情；生下頑劣的孩子，是來討父母欠下的債。孩子出生，不必歡喜；孩子死去，也不必悲傷。
昔有老而无子者，问诸高僧。僧曰：「汝不欠人者，人又不欠汝者，乌得子？」盖生佳儿，所以报我之缘；生顽儿，所以取我之债。生者勿喜，死者勿悲也。
从前有个人年纪老了，却没有儿子，便向一位高僧询问。高僧说：“你不欠别人的，别人也不欠你的，怎么会有儿子呢？”原来，生下好孩子，是来报答父母的恩情；生下顽劣的孩子，是来讨父母欠下的债。孩子出生，不必欢喜；孩子死去，也不必悲伤。
Once there was a man who had grown old without a son, and he asked an eminent monk about it. The monk said, “You owe nothing to anyone, and no one owes anything to you. How could you have a son?” For a good son is born to repay what is owed to us, and a wayward son is born to collect what we owe. Let no one rejoice when a child is born, nor grieve when one dies.