中州境有道士，募食鄉村。食已，聞鸝鳴，因告主人使慎火。問故，答曰：「鳥云：『大火難救，可怕！』」眾笑之，竟不備。明日，果火，延燒數家，始驚其神。好事者追及之，稱為仙。道士曰：「我不過知鳥語耳，何仙也！」適有皂花雀鳴樹上，眾問何語。曰：「雀言：『初六養之，初六養之；十四、十六殤之。』想此家雙生矣。今日為初十，不出五六日，當俱死也。」詢之，果生二子；無何，並死，其日悉符。邑令聞其奇，招之，延為客。時群鴨過，因問之。對曰：「明公內室，必相爭也。鴨曰：『罷罷！偏向他！偏向他！』」令大服，蓋妻妾反脣，令適被喧聒而出也。因留居署中，優禮之。時辨鳥言，多奇中。而道士樸野，肆言輒無所忌。令最貪，一切供用諸物，皆折為錢以入之。一日，方坐，群鴨復來，令又詰之。答曰：「今日所言，不與前同，乃為明公會計耳。」問：「何計？」曰：「彼云：『蠟燭一百八，銀朱一千八。』」令慚，疑其相譏。道士求去，令不許。踰數日，宴客，忽聞杜宇。客問之。答曰：「鳥云：『丟官而去。』」眾愕然失色。令大怒，立逐而出。未幾，令果以墨敗。嗚呼！此仙人儆戒之，而惜乎危厲熏心者，不之悟也。
中州境內有個道士，在各村求取食物。一次，他吃完飯，聽見黃鸝啼叫，便提醒主人小心火災。主人問為什麼，他回答：「鳥說：『大火救不了，可怕啊！』」眾人都笑他，始終沒有防備。第二天，果然起了火，接連燒了幾戶人家，大家這才驚歎他的神奇。愛湊熱鬧的人追上他，稱他為仙人。道士說：「我不過懂得鳥說的話罷了，算什麼仙人！」恰好有隻皂花雀在樹上叫，眾人問它說什麼。道士說：「雀說：『初六生下來，初六生下來；十四、十六夭折了。』想來這戶人家生了一對雙胞胎。今天是初十，不出五六天，兩個孩子就都會死。」一打聽，果然生了兩個兒子；不久，兩個都死了，日期全都吻合。縣令聽說他的奇異本領，便召他來，留作客人。當時有一群鴨子經過，縣令便問鴨子說什麼。道士回答：「大人家裡的妻妾，一定正在爭吵。鴨子說：『算了，算了！你偏向她！你偏向她！』」縣令十分佩服，原來他的妻妾正在爭吵，他正是被吵得煩了，才走出來的。於是留道士住在衙署裡，對他十分禮遇。道士時常解釋鳥語，大多都應驗得出奇。但他為人質樸粗野，說話直來直去，毫無顧忌。縣令十分貪婪，各種供他使用的物品，全都折成錢，收入自己囊中。一天，縣令正坐著，那群鴨子又來了，他便再次詢問。道士回答：「今天說的跟上回不同，是在給大人算賬。」縣令問：「算什麼賬？」道士說：「它們說：『蠟燭一百八十，銀硃一千八百。』」縣令羞慚起來，懷疑道士在譏諷自己。道士請求離開，縣令卻不答應。過了幾天，縣令宴請客人，忽然聽見杜鵑啼叫。客人問道士它說什麼，道士回答：「鳥說：『丟了官職走人。』」眾人驚愕，臉色都變了。縣令大怒，立刻把道士趕了出去。不久，縣令果然因貪汙敗露而丟了官。唉！這是仙人在警告他，可惜那個被貪慾矇蔽了心、不顧自身危險的人，卻沒有醒悟。
中州境有道士，募食乡村。食已，闻鹂鸣，因告主人使慎火。问故，答曰：「鸟云：『大火难救，可怕！』」众笑之，竟不备。明日，果火，延烧数家，始惊其神。好事者追及之，称为仙。道士曰：「我不过知鸟语耳，何仙也！」适有皂花雀鸣树上，众问何语。曰：「雀言：『初六养之，初六养之；十四、十六殇之。』想此家双生矣。今日为初十，不出五六日，当俱死也。」询之，果生二子；无何，并死，其日悉符。邑令闻其奇，招之，延为客。时群鸭过，因问之。对曰：「明公内室，必相争也。鸭曰：『罢罢！偏向他！偏向他！』」令大服，盖妻妾反唇，令适被喧聒而出也。因留居署中，优礼之。时辨鸟言，多奇中。而道士朴野，肆言辄无所忌。令最贪，一切供用诸物，皆折为钱以入之。一日，方坐，群鸭复来，令又诘之。答曰：「今日所言，不与前同，乃为明公会计耳。」问：「何计？」曰：「彼云：『蜡烛一百八，银朱一千八。』」令惭，疑其相讥。道士求去，令不许。逾数日，宴客，忽闻杜宇。客问之。答曰：「鸟云：『丢官而去。』」众愕然失色。令大怒，立逐而出。未几，令果以墨败。呜呼！此仙人儆戒之，而惜乎危厉熏心者，不之悟也。
中州境内有个道士，在各村求取食物。一次，他吃完饭，听见黄鹂啼叫，便提醒主人小心火灾。主人问为什么，他回答：“鸟说：‘大火救不了，可怕啊！’”众人都笑他，始终没有防备。第二天，果然起了火，接连烧了几户人家，大家这才惊叹他的神奇。爱凑热闹的人追上他，称他为仙人。道士说：“我不过懂得鸟说的话罢了，算什么仙人！”恰好有只皂花雀在树上叫，众人问它说什么。道士说：“雀说：‘初六生下来，初六生下来；十四、十六夭折了。’想来这户人家生了一对双胞胎。今天是初十，不出五六天，两个孩子就都会死。”一打听，果然生了两个儿子；不久，两个都死了，日期全都吻合。县令听说他的奇异本领，便召他来，留作客人。当时有一群鸭子经过，县令便问鸭子说什么。道士回答：“大人家里的妻妾，一定正在争吵。鸭子说：‘算了，算了！你偏向她！你偏向她！’”县令十分佩服，原来他的妻妾正在争吵，他正是被吵得烦了，才走出来的。于是留道士住在衙署里，对他十分礼遇。道士时常解释鸟语，大多都应验得出奇。但他为人质朴粗野，说话直来直去，毫无顾忌。县令十分贪婪，各种供他使用的物品，全都折成钱，收入自己囊中。一天，县令正坐着，那群鸭子又来了，他便再次询问。道士回答：“今天说的跟上回不同，是在给大人算账。”县令问：“算什么账？”道士说：“它们说：‘蜡烛一百八十，银朱一千八百。’”县令羞惭起来，怀疑道士在讥讽自己。道士请求离开，县令却不答应。过了几天，县令宴请客人，忽然听见杜鹃啼叫。客人问道士它说什么，道士回答：“鸟说：‘丢了官职走人。’”众人惊愕，脸色都变了。县令大怒，立刻把道士赶了出去。不久，县令果然因贪污败露而丢了官。唉！这是仙人在警告他，可惜那个被贪欲蒙蔽了心、不顾自身危险的人，却没有醒悟。
In the Central Plain there was a Daoist who went begging for food from village to village. Once, when he had eaten, he heard an oriole sing, and so he told his host to be careful with fire. Asked why, he answered, “The bird says: ‘A great fire, no saving it — how frightening!’” Everyone laughed at him, and in the end they took no precautions. The next day there was indeed a fire. It spread and burned several houses, and only then were they astonished at his powers. Some busybodies went after him, caught up with him and hailed him as an immortal. “I only understand what birds say, that is all,” said the Daoist. “What immortal?” Just then a black-flecked sparrow was singing in a tree, and they asked what it was saying. “The sparrow says: ‘Born on the sixth, born on the sixth; dead on the fourteenth and the sixteenth.’ I suppose some family here has had twins. Today is the tenth. Within five or six days both should be dead.” They inquired, and sure enough two sons had been born. Before long both died, on exactly the days he had said. The county magistrate heard of these wonders, summoned him and kept him as a guest. Once a flock of ducks went by, and the magistrate asked about them. “In Your Honour’s inner quarters there must be a quarrel,” said the Daoist. “The ducks are saying: ‘Stop it, stop it! You take her side! You take her side!’” The magistrate was entirely won over: his wife and his concubine had been snapping at each other, and he had just come out to get away from the din. So he kept the Daoist living in his official residence and treated him with great courtesy. From time to time the Daoist interpreted what birds said, and was often uncannily right. But he was a plain rustic fellow and spoke his mind freely, with no regard for anything. The magistrate was exceedingly greedy: everything supplied for his use he converted into cash and pocketed. One day, as he was sitting there, the ducks came by again, and he asked once more. “What they say today is not the same as before,” the Daoist answered. “They are doing Your Honour’s accounts.” “What accounts?” “They say: ‘Candles, a hundred and eight; vermilion, a thousand eight hundred.’” The magistrate was embarrassed and suspected he was being mocked. The Daoist asked to leave, but the magistrate would not let him go. A few days later, at a banquet, a cuckoo was suddenly heard. A guest asked what it said. “The bird says: ‘Lose your post and go,’” he answered. The whole company was stunned and turned pale. The magistrate flew into a rage and had him thrown out at once. Not long afterwards the magistrate was indeed dismissed for corruption. Alas! This was an immortal warning him. What a pity that those whose hearts are clouded by perilous greed never see it!