Good fortune and Calamity

[anvi]

This is my translation of a story that comes from a second-century Chinese philosophical text called the Huainanzi (Masters of Huainan).  It's basically a story about not judging too quickly the value of what happens to us.  It's one of my favorite stories, and when times are hard, I always remind myself of it.  Just posting it in case anyone else might find it helpful.

"Near the border, there lived a righteous man.  His horse, for no reason, escaped and entered barbarian country.  All the people took pity on him.  The man said: 'Could this not cause good fortune?'  After some months, the horse returned, and was accompanied by a barbarian steed.  All the people congratulated him.  The man said: 'Might this not cause a calamity?'  His family grew rich because of the horse.  His son loved to ride it, but he fell off and broke his hip.  All the people pitied him.  The man said: 'Could this not cause good fortune?'  After a year, a host of barbarians invaded; all the able-bodied men drew their bows and fought, and nine out of every ten people perished, but precisely because that child had been rendered lame, the father and son were spared.  Therefore, good fortune may cause calamity, calamity may cause good fortune.  Change does not permit extremism, and profound things cannot be measured."  

近塞上之人有善術者，馬無故亡而入胡，人皆弔之。其父曰：「此何遽不為福乎！」居數月，其馬將胡駿馬而歸，人皆賀之。其父曰：「此何遽不能為禍乎！」家富良馬，其子好騎，墮而折其髀，人皆弔之。其父曰：「此何遽不為福乎！」居一年，胡人大入塞，丁壯者引弦而戰，近塞之人，死者十九，此獨以跛之故，父子相保。故福之為禍，禍之為福，化不可極，深不可測也。