19.23 叔孙武叔语大夫于朝曰1：“子贡贤于仲尼。” 子服景伯以告子贡。 子贡曰：“譬之宫墙2，赐之墙也及肩，窥见室家之好。夫子之墙数仞3，不得其门而入，不见宗庙之美，百官之富4。得其门者或寡矣。夫子之云5，不亦宜乎！”
【译文】
叔孙武叔在朝中对诸大夫说：“子贡比仲尼更优秀。” 子服景伯把这话告诉子贡。 子贡说：“就用围墙作比方吧，我家的围墙只有肩膀那么高，人们可以直接望见墙内房屋的美好。我老师的围墙高达数丈，不找到大门进入，就不能看到宗庙的华美和房舍的富丽。而能找到大门的人或许不多吧。那位先生这样说，不也是自然的吗！”
【YZG解释】
叔孙武叔在朝中对诸大夫说：“子贡的贤能超过了孔子。” 子服景伯把这话告诉子贡。 子贡说：“就用院墙作比方吧，我家的院墙只有肩膀那么高，人们可以直接望见墙内房屋的精美。我老师的院墙高达数丈，不找到大门进入，登堂入室，就不能看到宗庙的华美和百官的兴盛。而能找到大门的人或许不多吧。那位先生这样说，不也是自然的吗！”
【English Translation】
Shu Sun Wu Shu1 said to the other ministers in the court: “Zi Gong’s2 virtue and ability exceed those of Confucius.”
Zi Fu Jing Bo3 told this to Zi Gong.
Zi Gong said: “Let’s take the courtyard wall as a comparison. The courtyard wall of my home is only as high as the shoulders, and people can directly see the delicacy of the houses inside the wall. The courtyard wall of my teacher is as high as several zhangs. Without finding the gate to enter and reach the main hall, one cannot see the magnificence of the ancestral temple and the prosperity of the officials. And perhaps there are not many people who can find the gate. Isn’t it natural for that gentleman to say so!”
【Note】