▸ 很久hěn jiǔ以前yǐ qián，在zài中国zhōng guó的de边境biān jìng，有yǒu一个yī gè老人lǎo rén叫jiào塞翁sài wēng。

Long ago, at China's border, there lived an old man named Sai Weng.

▸ 他tā养yǎng了le一yī匹pǐ马mǎ。

He owned a horse.

▸ 一天yī tiān，这zhè匹pǐ马mǎ突然tū rán跑pǎo到dào山shān里lǐ去qù了le，不bù见jiàn踪影zōng yǐng。

One day, the horse suddenly ran into the mountains and disappeared.

▸ 邻居lín jū们men听说tīng shuō后hòu，都dōu来lái安慰ān wèi他tā：“你nǐ丢diū了le马mǎ，真zhēn是shì不幸bù xìng啊a！”

When neighbors heard, they came to comfort him: 'Losing your horse is terrible luck!'

▸ 但dàn塞翁sài wēng平静píng jìng地de说shuō：“谁shéi知道zhī dào呢ne？也许yě xǔ这zhè会huì变成biàn chéng好事hǎo shì。”

But Sai Weng calmly said: 'Who knows? This might turn out well.'

▸ 没méi过guò几天jǐ tiān，塞翁sài wēng的de马mǎ回来huí lái了le，还hái带dài回huí一yī匹pǐ漂亮piào liang的de野马yě mǎ。

Days later, the horse returned with a beautiful wild horse.

▸ 邻居lín jū们men赶來gǎn lái恭喜gōng xǐ他tā：“你nǐ真zhēn幸运xìng yùn啊a！”

Neighbors rushed to congratulate him: 'How lucky you are!'

▸ 塞翁sài wēng只是zhǐ shì微笑wēi xiào：“谁shéi知道zhī dào呢ne？也许yě xǔ这zhè会huì带來dài lái麻烦má fan。”

Sai Weng smiled: 'Who knows? This might bring trouble.'

▸ 果然guǒ rán，塞翁sài wēng的de儿子ér zi骑qí那nà匹pǐ野马yě mǎ时shí，摔断shuāi duàn了le腿tuǐ。

Soon after, Sai Weng's son broke his leg while riding the wild horse.

▸ 邻居lín jū们men又yòu来lái安慰ān wèi他tā：“这zhè真zhēn不幸bù xìng！”

Neighbors came again: 'This is so unfortunate!'

▸ 塞翁sài wēng依旧yī jiù平静píng jìng：“谁shéi知道zhī dào呢ne？也许yě xǔ这zhè会huì带來dài lái好处hǎo chù。”

Sai Weng remained calm: 'Who knows? This might bring benefits.'

▸ 没méi多久duō jiǔ，边境biān jìng发生fā shēng战争zhàn zhēng，所有suǒ yǒu年轻人nián qīng rén都dōu必须bì xū当兵dāng bīng，许多xǔ duō人rén再没zài méi回来huí lái。

Soon war broke out. All young men had to fight, and many never returned.

▸ 但dàn塞翁sài wēng的de儿子ér zi因为yīn wèi受伤shòu shāng，留在liú zài家里jiā lǐ，保住bǎo zhù了le性命xìng mìng。

But Sai Weng's son stayed home safely because of his injury.

▸ 这个zhè gè故事gù shì的de成语chéng yǔ叫jiào“塞翁失马sài wēng shī mǎ，焉知非福yān zhī fēi fú”，意思yì si是shì：坏事huài shì可能kě néng变biàn成chéng好事hǎo shì，好事hǎo shì可能kě néng带來dài lái麻烦má fan。

This story's idiom '塞翁失马，焉知非福' means: Bad things may bring good results, and good things may bring trouble.

▸ 例如lì rú，一个yī gè女生nǚ shēng叫jiào丽莎Lì shā失去shī qù工作gōng zuò后hòu，利用lì yòng时间shí jiān创业chuàng yè，最后zuì hòu非常fēi cháng成功chéng gōng。

For example, Lisa lost her job but started a business during that time, eventually becoming very successful.

▸ 这zhè就jiù是shì“塞翁失马sài wēng shī mǎ”——看起来kàn qǐ lái的de坏事huài shì，结果jié guǒ却què变好biàn hǎo了le。

This shows how 'Sai Weng's lost horse' works - what seemed bad actually brought good results.

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