毛遂自荐Mao Sui offers His Own Services

Mao Sui offers His Own Services（成语 毛遂自荐 英文)


Qin's troops(1) laid siege to Handan, the capital of the State of Zhao. Therefore, the Prince of Zhao sent the merchant prince Pinyuan to the State of Chu to form an alliance against Qin. It was agreed that he could bring with him twenty of his own guest advisers who were well-versed in letters and martial arts...Pingyuan had pick nineteen; there was no one competent enough to fill the twentieth place.

Among the guests fed by Pingyuan was a man called Mao Sui who went up to his host and introduced himself, saying:"I heard that you are going to form an alliance with Chu and will take along twenty of your own guest advisers, without any outsiders. And I know there is one man lacking, so I would like to make up the number and go with you."

"Sir, may I know how long you have been here under my patronage?" asked Pingyuan.

"It's three years since I came here."

"Well, an able and virtuous man gets on in the world just like an awl getting in a cloth bag. No sooner does it enter than its point penetrates and comes out. Now, you have been here for three long years,sir, yet no one around me has ever said anything in praise of you nor have I ever heard of you. This shows you have no special skill at all. You can't go with me; you'll have to stay behind."

"Until today I didn't ask to get into the bag," answered Mao Sui."Had I been placed in it earlier, my point like the awl, would have broken through it long ago, and more than that, the whole awl itself would have come out."

Half-believing, Pingyuan asked Mao Sui to accompany him for the trip, while the nineteen chosen men eyed each other and laughed in their sleeves, although they did not protest.

When the party arrived in the State of Chu, Mao Sui began to discuss things with the nineteen men. During these discussions they soon became convinced of his talents. Soon Pingyuan began to talk over the alliance with the King of Chu, putting forward the advantages as well as the disadvantages involved. The negotiations went on from morning till noon, yet nothing definite came of them. Seeing this,the nineteen men asked Mao Sui to mount the platform where the negotiations were being held. Placing a hand on the hilt of his sword, Mao Sui ascended the steps and said to Pingyuan, "The advantages and the disadvantages of an alliance are clear enough; it takes only a few words to settle the matter. Why spend the whole morning on it?"

At this, the King of Chu turned towards Pingyuan and asked,"And who is this man?"

"He's one of my guest advisers,"answered Pingyuan.

"Then why do you come here, sir?" shouted the King of Chu."I'm talking with your patron. What has that to do with you?"

Mao Sui went forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and said,"The reason why Your Highness bawls at me is that Chu has a large backing force--more people and more troops. But within this short distance of ten paces separating you and me, the backing is of no avail,for you life is in my hand.....Qin's general Bai Qi is a nobody. But when he had several thousand troops under his command and fought with you, he took your capital--Yi and ten Chen--at the first encounter, and in the next he despoiled Yiling, the site of your late father's tomb, and the third battle brought shame on all you forefathers.You have a never-to-be-forgotten score to settle with Qin. We of the State of Zhao feel that it should be a galling shame to you, just to think on all this. Nevertheless, Your Highness feels no humiliation or disgrace! In fact, our proposed alliance is more to the advantage of Chu than of Zhao. Why then,with my lord present, do you shout so much?"

Awe-struck and convinced, the King of Chu said,"Indeed, indeed. You have said rightly,sir. I will devote the strength of our whole state to the formation of an alliance with Zhao."

_____________remark_______________
(1) belonging to the State of Qin during the Warring States Period(475-221 Bc).

毛遂自荐(chinese idioms)

　　秦兵围困邯郸的时候，赵国派遣平原君请求救兵，到楚国签订“合纵”的盟约。平原君约定与门下既有勇力又文武兼备的食客二十人一同（前往）....平原君找到十九个人，其余的人没有可以选取的，没办法补满二十人（的额数）。门下有（一个叫）毛遂的人，走上前来，向平原君自我推荐说：“毛遂（我）听说先生将要到楚国去签订‘合纵’盟约，约定与门下食客二十人一同（前往），而且不到外边去寻找。现在还少一个人，希望先生就以（我）毛遂凑足人数出发吧！”平原君说：“先生来到（我）赵胜门下到现在（有）几年了？”毛遂说：“到现在（有）三年了。”平原君说：“贤能的士人处在世界上，好比锥子处在囊中，它的尖梢立即就要显现出来。现在，处在（我）赵胜的门下已经三年了，左右的人们（对你）没有称道（的话），赵胜（我）也没有听到（这样的）赞语，这是因为（你）没有什么才能的缘故。先生没有才能，（所以）先生请留下！”毛遂说：“我不过今天才请求进到囊中罢了。如果我早就处在囊中的话，（我）就会象禾穗的尖芒那样，整个锋芒都会挺露出来，不单单仅是尖梢露出来而已。”平原君终于与毛遂一道前往（楚国）。那十九个人互相用目光示意嘲笑他却都没有说出来。

　　毛遂到了楚国，与十九个人谈论，十九个人都折服了。平原君与楚国谈判“合纵”的盟约，（反复）说明“合纵”的利害关系，从太阳出来就阐述这些理，到太阳当空时还没有决定，那十九个人对毛遂说：“先生上去！”毛遂手握剑柄登阶而上，对平原君说：“合纵’的利害关系，两句话就可以决定。今天，太阳出来就谈论‘合纵’， 日到中天还不能决断，（这是）为什么？”楚王对平原君说：“这个人是干什么的？”平原君说：“这是（我）赵胜的舍人。”楚王怒斥道：“为什么不下去？我是在同你的君侯说话，你算干什么的？”毛遂手握剑柄上前说道：“大王（你）敢斥责（我）毛遂的原因，是由于楚国人多。现在，十步之内，大王（你）不能依赖楚国人多势众了，大王的性命，悬在（我）毛遂的手里。...白起，不过是（一个）小小的竖子罢了，率领几万部众，发兵来和楚国交战，一战而拿下鄢、郢，二战而烧掉夷陵，三战而侮辱大王的祖先。这是百代的仇恨，而且是赵国都感到羞辱的事，而大王却不知道羞耻。。‘合纵’这件事是为了楚国，并不是为了赵国呀。我的君主在眼前，（你）斥责（我）干什么？”楚王说：“是，是！实在象先生说的，谨以我们的社稷来订立‘合纵’盟约。”

毛遂自荐,比喻自告奋勇去做某项工作。