a beadle
1 the frontier changwu said to confucius's student. zi lao, "when i grew crops in the past, i used to be repaid with poor harvest because i ploughed the field absent- mindedly; i hoed up the weeds carelessly, consequently the weeds grew higher than the crops. afterwards, i ploughed the field
2 and hoed the weeds with extra care, leaving the field
3 tilled, as a result of which the crops grew
4 well, and i was rewarded with an improved harvest. i got ample food and clothing. if you deal with government affairs as assiduously as i ploughed the field, your decent income is guaranteed."
驻守在长梧的边疆小吏对孔子的弟子子牢说:“我以前种庄稼,由于耕地的时候漫不经心,收获的季节便遭到减产的回报,除草马马虎虎,结果草长得比庄稼还要高。后来,我割地时候很用力,地也犁牛得很深,又十分细致的除草,庄稼变长得格外地好,收成也大有提高。这一年,我的日子过得丰衣足食,您处理政务如果也能做到和我耕田般勤恳,您的收入也一定会有保证。”