有鄉人貨梨於市，頗甘芳，價騰貴。有道士破巾絮衣，丐於車前，鄉人咄之而不去，鄉人怒，加以叱罵。道士曰：「一車數百顆，老衲止丐其一，於居士亦無大損，何怒為？」觀者勸置劣者一枚，令去，鄉人執不肯。
有個鄉下人在集市上賣梨，梨很甜，也很香，賣價很高。有個道士戴著破頭巾，穿著棉絮衣服，在車前討梨。鄉下人呵斥他，他卻不走，鄉下人生了氣，又大聲罵他。道士說：「一車有幾百個梨，我這個老出家人只討一個，對居士也沒有多大損失，何必生氣呢？」圍觀的人勸鄉下人拿一個差些的梨給他，讓他走，鄉下人卻堅持不肯。
有乡人货梨于市，颇甘芳，价腾贵。有道士破巾絮衣，丐于车前，乡人咄之而不去，乡人怒，加以叱骂。道士曰：「一车数百颗，老衲止丐其一，于居士亦无大损，何怒为？」观者劝置劣者一枚，令去，乡人执不肯。
有个乡下人在集市上卖梨，梨很甜，也很香，卖价很高。有个道士戴着破头巾，穿着棉絮衣服，在车前讨梨。乡下人呵斥他，他却不走，乡下人生了气，又大声骂他。道士说：“一车有几百个梨，我这个老出家人只讨一个，对居士也没有多大损失，何必生气呢？”围观的人劝乡下人拿一个差些的梨给他，让他走，乡下人却坚持不肯。
A countryman was selling pears in the market. They were very sweet and fragrant, and the price was high. A Daoist in a ragged headcloth and a padded cotton coat stood begging in front of his cart. The countryman shouted at him to be off, but he would not go. The countryman grew angry and cursed him. “There are several hundred pears in your cart,” said the Daoist. “This old monk asks for only one. It would be no great loss to you, good layman. Why be so angry?” The onlookers urged the countryman to give him a poor one and send him away, but he stubbornly refused.
肆中傭保者，見喋聒不堪，遂出錢市一枚，付道士，道士拜謝，謂眾曰：「出家人不解吝惜，我有佳梨，請出供客。」或曰：「既有之，何不自食？」曰：「吾特需此核作種。」於是掬梨大啗，且盡，把核於手，解肩上鑱坎地上深數寸，納之，而覆以土，向市人索湯沃灌。好事者，於臨路店，索得沸瀋，道士接浸坎處。萬目攢視，見有勾萌出，漸大，俄成樹，枝葉扶疏，倏而花，倏而實，碩大芳馥，纍纍滿樹。道人乃即樹頭，摘賜觀者，頃刻而盡，已乃以鑱伐樹，丁丁良久乃斷，帶葉荷肩頭從容徐步而去。
店裡一個夥計見他們吵鬧得讓人受不了，就出錢買了一個梨，交給道士。道士行禮道謝，對眾人說：「出家人不懂得吝嗇。我有好梨，讓我拿出來招待大家。」有人說：「既然有，為什麼不自己吃呢？」道士說：「我只是需要這個梨核來做種子。」於是，他捧著梨大口吃起來，快吃完時，把梨核拿在手裡，取下肩上的鏟子，在地上挖了個幾寸深的坑，把梨核放進去，蓋上土，又向集市上的人要熱水來澆。有個喜歡湊熱鬧的人，從路邊的店裡要來滾燙的水，道士接過來，澆在坑上。眾人的目光都集中在那裡，只見一棵彎曲的嫩芽冒了出來，漸漸長大，轉眼就成了一棵樹，枝葉茂盛，忽然開了花，又忽然結了果，梨又大又香，一串串掛滿了樹。道士便從樹上摘下梨來，分給圍觀的人，一會兒就分光了。隨後，他用鏟子砍樹，叮叮噹噹地砍了很久才砍斷，把還帶著葉子的樹扛在肩上，從容地慢慢走了。
肆中佣保者，见喋聒不堪，遂出钱市一枚，付道士，道士拜谢，谓众曰：「出家人不解吝惜，我有佳梨，请出供客。」或曰：「既有之，何不自食？」曰：「吾特需此核作种。」于是掬梨大啗，且尽，把核于手，解肩上镵坎地上深数寸，纳之，而覆以土，向市人索汤沃灌。好事者，于临路店，索得沸沈，道士接浸坎处。万目攒视，见有勾萌出，渐大，俄成树，枝叶扶疏，倏而花，倏而实，硕大芳馥，累累满树。道人乃即树头，摘赐观者，顷刻而尽，已乃以镵伐树，丁丁良久乃断，带叶荷肩头从容徐步而去。
店里一个伙计见他们吵闹得让人受不了，就出钱买了一个梨，交给道士。道士行礼道谢，对众人说：“出家人不懂得吝啬。我有好梨，让我拿出来招待大家。”有人说：“既然有，为什么不自己吃呢？”道士说：“我只是需要这个梨核来做种子。”于是，他捧着梨大口吃起来，快吃完时，把梨核拿在手里，取下肩上的铲子，在地上挖了个几寸深的坑，把梨核放进去，盖上土，又向集市上的人要热水来浇。有个喜欢凑热闹的人，从路边的店里要来滚烫的水，道士接过来，浇在坑上。众人的目光都集中在那里，只见一棵弯曲的嫩芽冒了出来，渐渐长大，转眼就成了一棵树，枝叶茂盛，忽然开了花，又忽然结了果，梨又大又香，一串串挂满了树。道士便从树上摘下梨来，分给围观的人，一会儿就分光了。随后，他用铲子砍树，叮叮当当地砍了很久才砍断，把还带着叶子的树扛在肩上，从容地慢慢走了。
A waiter in one of the shops, seeing that the squabbling was more than anyone could stand, paid for a pear himself and gave it to the Daoist. The Daoist bowed his thanks and said to the crowd, “We who have left home know nothing of stinginess. I have some fine pears, and I invite you all to share them.” “If you have some,” someone said, “why don’t you eat them yourself?” “All I want is the pip of this one, for seed,” he said. Then, holding the pear in both hands, he ate it up in great bites. When it was almost gone, he took a pip in his hand, unslung the spade from his shoulder, dug a hole in the ground several inches deep, put the pip in and covered it with earth. He asked the people of the market for hot water to water it. Some busybody got boiling water from a shop by the road, and the Daoist took it and soaked the hole. With ten thousand eyes fixed on the spot, a curled shoot came up. It grew bigger, and in a moment it was a tree, its branches and leaves spreading thick. All at once it was in blossom; all at once it was in fruit, big and fragrant, hanging in clusters all over the tree. The Daoist picked the pears from the treetop and handed them out to the onlookers, and in no time they were gone. Then he chopped at the tree with his spade, chop, chop, for a long time before it came down. He shouldered it, leaves and all, and strolled unhurriedly away.
初道士作法時，鄉人亦雜眾中，引領注目，竟忘其業。道士既去，始顧車中，則梨已空矣，方悟適所俵散，皆己物也。又細視車上一靶亡，是新鑿斷者，心大憤恨。急跡之，轉過牆隅，則斷靶棄垣下，始知所伐梨本，即是物也。道士不知所在，一市粲然。
起初道士施法時，鄉下人也混在人群裡，伸長脖子盯著看，竟把自己的生意全忘了。道士走後，他才回頭看車裡，卻發現梨已經一個也不剩，這才明白剛才分出去的都是自己的梨。再仔細看，車上還少了一根車把，是剛剛被砍斷的，心裡十分憤恨。他急忙追趕道士，轉過牆角，就見那根斷車把被丟在牆下，這才知道道士砍下的梨樹樹幹就是這東西。道士已經不知去了哪裡，整個集市的人都大笑起來。
初道士作法时，乡人亦杂众中，引领注目，竟忘其业。道士既去，始顾车中，则梨已空矣，方悟适所俵散，皆己物也。又细视车上一靶亡，是新凿断者，心大愤恨。急迹之，转过墙隅，则断靶弃垣下，始知所伐梨本，即是物也。道士不知所在，一市粲然。
起初道士施法时，乡下人也混在人群里，伸长脖子盯着看，竟把自己的生意全忘了。道士走后，他才回头看车里，却发现梨已经一个也不剩，这才明白刚才分出去的都是自己的梨。再仔细看，车上还少了一根车把，是刚刚被砍断的，心里十分愤恨。他急忙追赶道士，转过墙角，就见那根断车把被丢在墙下，这才知道道士砍下的梨树树干就是这东西。道士已经不知去了哪里，整个集市的人都大笑起来。
When the Daoist began his magic, the countryman had been among the crowd too, craning his neck to watch, and had quite forgotten his business. Only after the Daoist had gone did he look round at his cart: the pears were all gone. Then he understood that what had just been handed out was all his own. And when he looked more closely, one of the cart’s shafts was missing, freshly chopped off. He was furious. He hurried after the Daoist, and as he turned the corner of a wall, there was the shaft, thrown down at the foot of the wall. Only then did he know that the pear tree that had been chopped down was this very thing. Where the Daoist had gone, no one knew. The whole market roared with laughter.
異史氏曰：鄉人憒憒，憨狀可掬，其見笑於市人，有以哉。每見鄉中稱素封者，良朋乞米，則怫然，且計曰：「是數日之資也。」或勸濟一危難，飯一煢獨，則又忿然計曰：「此十人五人之食也。」甚而父子兄弟，較盡錙銖。及其淫博迷心，則傾囊不吝，刀鋸臨頸，則贖命不遑。諸如此類，正不勝道，蠢爾鄉人，又何足怪？
異史氏說：鄉下人糊里糊塗，那副傻樣簡直活靈活現。他被集市上的人取笑，是有緣由的。我常見鄉里那些號稱富戶的人，好朋友向他們討些米，他們就生氣，還算計著說：「這是好幾天的口糧啊。」有人勸他們救濟一個遭遇危難的人，或讓一個孤苦無依的人吃頓飯，他們又氣憤地算計著說：「這夠十個人、五個人吃了。」甚至父子之間、兄弟之間，也要把每一文錢都算得清清楚楚。可等到他們被女色和賭博迷住了心，卻毫不吝惜地掏空錢袋；刀鋸架到脖子上時，又急不可待地花錢贖命。這類事情實在說不完，那個愚蠢的鄉下人，又有什麼值得奇怪的呢？
异史氏曰：乡人愦愦，憨状可掬，其见笑于市人，有以哉。每见乡中称素封者，良朋乞米，则怫然，且计曰：「是数日之资也。」或劝济一危难，饭一茕独，则又忿然计曰：「此十人五人之食也。」甚而父子兄弟，较尽锱铢。及其淫博迷心，则倾囊不吝，刀锯临颈，则赎命不遑。诸如此类，正不胜道，蠢尔乡人，又何足怪？
异史氏说：乡下人糊里糊涂，那副傻样简直活灵活现。他被集市上的人取笑，是有缘由的。我常见乡里那些号称富户的人，好朋友向他们讨些米，他们就生气，还算计着说：“这是好几天的口粮啊。”有人劝他们救济一个遭遇危难的人，或让一个孤苦无依的人吃顿饭，他们又气愤地算计着说：“这够十个人、五个人吃了。”甚至父子之间、兄弟之间，也要把每一文钱都算得清清楚楚。可等到他们被女色和赌博迷住了心，却毫不吝惜地掏空钱袋；刀锯架到脖子上时，又急不可待地花钱赎命。这类事情实在说不完，那个愚蠢的乡下人，又有什么值得奇怪的呢？
The Historian of the Strange says: The countryman was a muddled fool. One can just picture his dim look, and the market had good reason to laugh at him. Yet time and again I see men in the countryside who are known as rich. When a good friend begs a little rice, they bristle and reckon, ‘That would keep me for several days.’ When someone urges them to rescue a man in trouble or feed someone alone in the world, they reckon again, angrily, ‘That would feed ten men, or five.’ Even between father and son, between brothers, they count every last farthing. Yet when lust and gambling have bewitched them, they empty their purses without a pang; and when the knife and the saw are at their necks, they cannot buy back their lives fast enough. There are more of this kind than can be told. So why wonder at that blockhead of a countryman?