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。
樂雲鶴和夏平子小時候住在同一個鄉里，長大後又在同一處讀書，彼此十分投契，是最要好的朋友。夏平子從小聰明，十歲就出了名。樂雲鶴虛心向他學習，夏平子也不厭其煩地指出他的不足，樂雲鶴的寫作才思一天比一天進步，兩人因此齊名。可他們在科舉考試中始終不得意，每次應試都落敗。不久，夏平子染上疫病去世，家裡窮得無力安葬，樂雲鶴挺身而出，把這件事全擔了下來。夏平子留下一個還在襁褓中的兒子和妻子，樂雲鶴按時接濟他們；每得到一點糧食，必定分成兩份，夏平子的妻兒靠這才活了下來。士大夫們因此更加敬重樂雲鶴。他自己的田產本來就不多，又替夏平子承擔照顧妻兒的責任，家用一天比一天緊張。他便嘆道：「平子的文章那麼好，尚且一生不得志，何況我呢！人生要享富貴，總得趕得及時。這樣整年憂愁下去，恐怕我會先於狗馬死去，棄屍溝壑，白白辜負這一生，不如早些另謀生計。」於是放下書本，去做生意。經營了半年，家境稍稍寬裕起來。
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。
乐云鹤和夏平子小时候住在同一个乡里，长大后又在同一处读书，彼此十分投契，是最要好的朋友。夏平子从小聪明，十岁就出了名。乐云鹤虚心向他学习，夏平子也不厌其烦地指出他的不足，乐云鹤的写作才思一天比一天进步，两人因此齐名。可他们在科举考试中始终不得意，每次应试都落败。不久，夏平子染上疫病去世，家里穷得无力安葬，乐云鹤挺身而出，把这件事全担了下来。夏平子留下一个还在襁褓中的儿子和妻子，乐云鹤按时接济他们；每得到一点粮食，必定分成两份，夏平子的妻儿靠这才活了下来。士大夫们因此更加敬重乐云鹤。他自己的田产本来就不多，又替夏平子承担照顾妻儿的责任，家用一天比一天紧张。他便叹道：“平子的文章那么好，尚且一生不得志，何况我呢！人生要享富贵，总得赶得及时。这样整年忧愁下去，恐怕我会先于狗马死去，弃尸沟壑，白白辜负这一生，不如早些另谋生计。”于是放下书本，去做生意。经营了半年，家境稍稍宽裕起来。
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。
一天，樂雲鶴到金陵做生意，在客店裡休息，看見一個身材修長、筋骨粗壯的人在座位旁徘徊，臉色黯淡，滿面愁苦。樂雲鶴問：「你想吃東西嗎？」那人不說話。樂雲鶴把自己的飯食推給他，他便用手捧著吃，轉眼就吃光了。樂雲鶴又給他添了兩人份的飯菜，他也吃得乾乾淨淨。於是樂雲鶴讓店主人切來一塊豬肩肉，再堆上蒸餅，那人又吃掉了夠幾個人吃的飯食，這才填飽肚子，道謝說：「三年來，我還沒有吃得這樣飽過。」樂雲鶴說：「你明明是個壯士，怎麼會漂泊到這個地步？」那人說：「我犯了罪，受上天懲罰，不能說。」問他住在哪裡，他說：「陸地上沒有房屋，水上沒有船隻，早晨在村裡，晚上又到了城裡。」樂雲鶴收拾行裝要走，那人便跟著他，依依不捨地不肯離開。樂雲鶴勸他走，他說：「你將遇到大難，我不忍忘記你這一頓飯的恩情。」樂雲鶴覺得奇怪，便讓他同行。途中拉他一起吃飯，他卻推辭說：「我一年只吃幾頓飯。」樂雲鶴更加驚奇。第二天渡江時，突然狂風大作，波濤洶湧，商船全都翻了，樂雲鶴和那人也都落入江中。不久風停了，那人揹著樂雲鶴踏著波浪出來，登上一艘客船，隨後又破浪而去。過了一會兒，他拖來一條船，扶樂雲鶴進去，囑咐他躺著守候，自己又跳進江裡，用兩臂夾著貨物出來，扔進船中，然後再下水。這樣來來回回好幾次，貨物擺滿了整條船。樂雲鶴道謝說：「你救了我的性命，已經足夠了，哪裡還敢指望失去的財物也能回來！」他檢查貨物錢財，竟沒有一樣丟失，越發歡喜，驚歎這人是神人，便要開船前行。那人提出告辭，樂雲鶴苦苦挽留，他便與樂雲鶴一起渡江。樂雲鶴笑著說：「遇上這樣一場災難，我只丟了一支金簪。」那人又要去找。樂雲鶴正要勸阻，他已經跳進水裡，不見了蹤影。樂雲鶴驚愕了好一陣，忽然看見他含笑出水，把金簪遞過來說：「幸好沒有辜負你的期望。」江上的人無不驚奇。
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。
一天，乐云鹤到金陵做生意，在客店里休息，看见一个身材修长、筋骨粗壮的人在座位旁徘徊，脸色黯淡，满面愁苦。乐云鹤问：“你想吃东西吗？”那人不说话。乐云鹤把自己的饭食推给他，他便用手捧着吃，转眼就吃光了。乐云鹤又给他添了两人份的饭菜，他也吃得干干净净。于是乐云鹤让店主人切来一块猪肩肉，再堆上蒸饼，那人又吃掉了够几个人吃的饭食，这才填饱肚子，道谢说：“三年来，我还没有吃得这样饱过。”乐云鹤说：“你明明是个壮士，怎么会漂泊到这个地步？”那人说：“我犯了罪，受上天惩罚，不能说。”问他住在哪里，他说：“陆地上没有房屋，水上没有船只，早晨在村里，晚上又到了城里。”乐云鹤收拾行装要走，那人便跟着他，依依不舍地不肯离开。乐云鹤劝他走，他说：“你将遇到大难，我不忍忘记你这一顿饭的恩情。”乐云鹤觉得奇怪，便让他同行。途中拉他一起吃饭，他却推辞说：“我一年只吃几顿饭。”乐云鹤更加惊奇。第二天渡江时，突然狂风大作，波涛汹涌，商船全都翻了，乐云鹤和那人也都落入江中。不久风停了，那人背着乐云鹤踏着波浪出来，登上一艘客船，随后又破浪而去。过了一会儿，他拖来一条船，扶乐云鹤进去，嘱咐他躺着守候，自己又跳进江里，用两臂夹着货物出来，扔进船中，然后再下水。这样来来回回好几次，货物摆满了整条船。乐云鹤道谢说：“你救了我的性命，已经足够了，哪里还敢指望失去的财物也能回来！”他检查货物钱财，竟没有一样丢失，越发欢喜，惊叹这人是神人，便要开船前行。那人提出告辞，乐云鹤苦苦挽留，他便与乐云鹤一起渡江。乐云鹤笑着说：“遇上这样一场灾难，我只丢了一支金簪。”那人又要去找。乐云鹤正要劝阻，他已经跳进水里，不见了踪影。乐云鹤惊愕了好一阵，忽然看见他含笑出水，把金簪递过来说：“幸好没有辜负你的期望。”江上的人无不惊奇。
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.