益都鄭氏兄弟，皆文學士。大鄭早知名，父母嘗過愛之，又因子並及其婦；二鄭落拓，不甚為父母所懽，遂惡次婦，至不齒禮：冷暖相形，頗存芥蒂。次婦每謂二鄭：「等男子耳，何遂不能為妻子爭氣？」遂擯弗與同宿。於是二鄭感憤，勤心銳思，亦遂知名。父母稍稍優顧之，然終殺於兄。次婦望夫綦切，是歲大比，竊於除夜以鏡聽卜。有二人初起，相推為戲，云：「汝也涼涼去！」婦歸，凶吉不可解，亦置之。闈後，兄弟皆歸。時暑氣猶盛，兩婦在廚下炊飯餉耕，其熱正苦。忽有報騎登門，報大鄭捷。母入廚喚大婦曰：「大男中式矣！汝可涼涼去。」次婦忿惻，泣且炊。俄又有報二鄭捷者。次婦力擲餅杖而起，曰：「儂也涼涼去！」此時中情所激，不覺出之於口；既而思之，始知鏡聽之驗也。
益都有一對姓鄭的兄弟，都是讀書人。大鄭很早就出了名，父母一向過分偏愛他，又因為疼愛兒子，連他的妻子也一起偏愛。二鄭窮困不得志，不太討父母喜歡，父母便連他的妻子也討厭，甚至不肯以應有的禮節待她。兩邊一冷一熱，二鄭夫妻心裡頗有怨恨。二鄭的妻子常對他說：「同樣是男人，你怎麼就不能給妻子兒女爭口氣呢？」於是把他趕開，不肯與他同睡。二鄭因此受到刺激，憤發起來，用心苦讀，專心思考，也終於出了名。父母漸漸對他好了一些，但始終不如對哥哥那樣。二鄭的妻子對丈夫寄予極大的期望。這一年舉行鄉試，她在除夕夜偷偷拿著鏡子聽別人說話，占卜吉凶。有兩個人剛站起身，互相推著玩，其中一個說：「你也涼快涼快去！」她回家後，弄不清這話是吉是兇，便放在一邊了。鄉試結束，兄弟倆都回到家中。當時暑氣還很盛，兩人的妻子在廚房做飯，準備送給種田的人吃，熱得十分難受。忽然有騎馬報喜的人來到門前，說大鄭考中了。母親走進廚房，叫大兒媳說：「大兒子考中了！你可以涼快涼快去了。」二兒媳又氣又難過，一邊哭一邊做飯。不久，又有人來報二鄭考中的喜訊。二兒媳用力扔下擀麵杖，站起來說：「我也涼快涼快去！」當時她心中激動，不知不覺脫口說出這句話；後來想起來，才知道鏡聽的預兆應驗了。
益都郑氏兄弟，皆文学士。大郑早知名，父母尝过爱之，又因子并及其妇；二郑落拓，不甚为父母所懽，遂恶次妇，至不齿礼：冷暖相形，颇存芥蒂。次妇每谓二郑：「等男子耳，何遂不能为妻子争气？」遂摈弗与同宿。于是二郑感愤，勤心锐思，亦遂知名。父母稍稍优顾之，然终杀于兄。次妇望夫綦切，是岁大比，窃于除夜以镜听卜。有二人初起，相推为戏，云：「汝也凉凉去！」妇归，凶吉不可解，亦置之。闱后，兄弟皆归。时暑气犹盛，两妇在厨下炊饭饷耕，其热正苦。忽有报骑登门，报大郑捷。母入厨唤大妇曰：「大男中式矣！汝可凉凉去。」次妇忿恻，泣且炊。俄又有报二郑捷者。次妇力掷饼杖而起，曰：「侬也凉凉去！」此时中情所激，不觉出之于口；既而思之，始知镜听之验也。
益都有一对姓郑的兄弟，都是读书人。大郑很早就出了名，父母一向过分偏爱他，又因为疼爱儿子，连他的妻子也一起偏爱。二郑穷困不得志，不太讨父母喜欢，父母便连他的妻子也讨厌，甚至不肯以应有的礼节待她。两边一冷一热，二郑夫妻心里颇有怨恨。二郑的妻子常对他说：“同样是男人，你怎么就不能给妻子儿女争口气呢？”于是把他赶开，不肯与他同睡。二郑因此受到刺激，愤发起来，用心苦读，专心思考，也终于出了名。父母渐渐对他好了一些，但始终不如对哥哥那样。二郑的妻子对丈夫寄予极大的期望。这一年举行乡试，她在除夕夜偷偷拿着镜子听别人说话，占卜吉凶。有两个人刚站起身，互相推着玩，其中一个说：“你也凉快凉快去！”她回家后，弄不清这话是吉是凶，便放在一边了。乡试结束，兄弟俩都回到家中。当时暑气还很盛，两人的妻子在厨房做饭，准备送给种田的人吃，热得十分难受。忽然有骑马报喜的人来到门前，说大郑考中了。母亲走进厨房，叫大儿媳说：“大儿子考中了！你可以凉快凉快去了。”二儿媳又气又难过，一边哭一边做饭。不久，又有人来报二郑考中的喜讯。二儿媳用力扔下擀面杖，站起来说：“我也凉快凉快去！”当时她心中激动，不知不觉脱口说出这句话；后来想起来，才知道镜听的预兆应验了。
In Yidu there were two brothers named Zheng, both men of letters. The elder Zheng made a name for himself early. His parents doted on him beyond reason, and for the son’s sake they doted on his wife as well. The younger Zheng was down on his luck and not much in his parents’ favour, so they came to dislike his wife too, to the point of not treating her with common courtesy. Warmth on one side and coldness on the other: there was no little bitterness between them. The younger wife would often say to her husband, “You are a man just like him. Why can’t you do something to make your wife hold up her head?” And she shut him out and would not sleep with him. Stung and indignant, the younger Zheng set his heart to his studies and sharpened his wits, and he too made a name for himself. His parents began to favour him a little more, but always less than his brother. The younger wife’s hopes for her husband were very keen. That year was the year of the provincial examinations, and on New Year’s Eve she secretly divined by mirror-listening. Two people who had just got up were pushing each other about in fun, and one said, “You go and cool off too!” She went home. She could not tell whether it meant good or ill, and put it out of her mind. After the examinations both brothers came home. The summer heat was still fierce. The two wives were in the kitchen cooking food for the men working in the fields, and the heat was hard to bear. Suddenly a mounted herald came to the door to announce that the elder Zheng had passed. Their mother came into the kitchen and called to the elder wife, “Our eldest has passed! You can go and cool off.” The younger wife, angry and wretched, wept as she cooked. Soon another herald came to announce that the younger Zheng had passed. The younger wife flung down her rolling pin with all her strength and stood up. “I’m going to cool off too!” she said. At that moment her feelings were so stirred that the words were out before she knew it. Only when she thought it over afterwards did she realize that the mirror-listening had come true.