孔子故事三十则之商羊知雨

孔子入齐这年夏天，齐侯宫殿前的池沼中出现一种怪兽，齐人不认识，以为出现了怪物，齐景公也觉得奇怪，便派使臣请教孔子。孔子说： “这动物叫‘商羊’，出现即预兆要发大水。民谚： ‘天将大雨，商羊鼓舞。’快告诉百姓治理沟渠河道，修好堤防，预防今年有洪涝成灾。”孔子所说的“商羊”其实就是鳄鱼。鳄鱼有预报大雨的知觉，在雨季来临前会鼓噪如雷鸣。此年夏天，齐国果然大雨倾盆，洪水泛滥成灾。其他国家都遭到水淹，唯独齐国有备无患。齐景公说：“圣人的话不可不信，往往会得到验证。”
Confucius into neat summer this year, JiHou palace of former ponds in a monster, the people don't know, thought a monster, duke jing of qi also feel strange, Confucius sent him for advice. Confucius said: "this animal is called 'sheep', is a sign to flood. Proverb:" days will be heavy rain, shang sheep. 'tell people governance river ditches and fixed embankments, prevent this year's floods." What Confucius said "business sheep" is actually a crocodile. The crocodile has forecast the perception of the heavy rain, before the rainy season will clamor like thunder. This summer, qi and sure enough it was raining heavily, overrun by the flood. Other countries were flooded, but qi encounter. Duke jing of qi said: "sage words cannot not letter, tend to be verified."