管鮑之交

From the Liezi:

管仲嘗歎曰：「吾少窮困時，嘗與鮑叔賈，分財多自與；鮑叔不以我為貪知我貧也。吾嘗為鮑叔謀事而大窮困，鮑叔不以我為愚，知時有利不利也。吾嘗三仕，三見逐於君，鮑叔不以我為不肖，知我不遭時也。吾嘗三戰三北，鮑叔不以我為怯，知我有老母也。公子糾敗，召忽死之，吾幽囚受辱；鮑叔不以我為无恥，知我不羞小節，而恥名不顯於天下也。生我者父母，知我者鮑叔也！」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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管仲尝叹曰：「吾少穷困时，尝与鲍叔贾，分财多自与；鲍叔不以我为贪知我贫也。吾尝为鲍叔谋事而大穷困，鲍叔不以我为愚，知时有利不利也。吾尝三仕，三见逐于君，鲍叔不以我为不肖，知我不遭时也。吾尝三战三北，鲍叔不以我为怯，知我有老母也。公子纠败，召忽死之，吾幽囚受辱；鲍叔不以我为无耻，知我不羞小节，而耻名不显于天下也。生我者父母，知我者鲍叔也！」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: Liezi, 1^st – 5^th century CE

Guǎn Zhòng cháng tàn yuē: “Wú shào qióngkùn shí, cháng yǔ Bào Shū gǔ, fēncái duō zì yǔ; Bào Shū bù yǐ wǒ wèi tān zhī wǒ pín yě. Wú cháng wèi Bào Shū móushì ér dà qióngkùn, Bào Shū bù yǐ wǒ wèi yú, zhī shí yǒulì bùlì yě. Wú cháng sān shì, sān jiànzhú yú jūn, Bào Shū bù yǐ wǒ wèi bùxiào, zhī wǒ bù zāo shí yě. Wú cháng sān zhàn sān bèi, Bào Shū bù yǐ wǒ wèi qiè, zhī wǒ yǒu lǎomǔ yě. Gōngzǐ Jiū bài, Zhàohū sǐ zhī, wú yōuqiú shòurǔ; Bào Shū bù yǐ wǒ wèi wúchǐ, zhī wǒ bù xiū xiǎojié, ér chǐ míng bù xiǎn yú tiānxià yě. Shēng wǒ zhě fùmǔ, zhī wǒ zhě Bào Shū yě!”

Guan Zhong once sighed, saying: "When I was young and poor, I once did business with Bao Shu and gave the majority of the profits for myself, but Bao Shu did not think I was greedy; he understood that I was poor. I once planned for some affair with Bao Shu which ended in great disaster, but Bao Shu did not think that I was foolish; he understood that destiny can be favorable or unfavorable. I served thrice in the court and was exiled by my monarch thrice, but Bao Shu did not think that I was unworthy; he understood that I had not met with the times that were right for me. I fought in three battles and ran away thrice, but Bao Shu did not think that I was cowardly; he understood that I had an aged mother to care for. When Lord Jiu was defeated, Zhaohu died there while I suffered the disgrace of being imprisoned, but Bao Shu did not think that I was shameless; he understood that I was not ashamed over trifling matters, but was ashamed that my name might not be known to the world. It is my parents who have given birth to me, but it is Bao Shu who has understood me.

管鮑之交

1. intimate friendship

Others:

• → Japanese: (calque) 管鮑(かんぽう)の交(まじ)わり (kanpō no majiwari)