说苑　是汉代刘向所著的小说集，又名 新苑　。

原二十卷，后仅存五卷，大部分已经散佚，后经宋曾巩搜辑，复为二十卷，每卷各有标目。

古代寓言好学的三个比喻　晋平公问于师旷曰：“吾年七十，欲学，恐已暮矣。

”师旷曰：“何不炳烛乎？

”平公曰：“安有为人臣而戏其君乎？

”师旷曰：“盲臣安敢戏（其）君（乎），臣闻之：少而好学，如日出之阳；壮而好学，如日中之光；老而好学，如炳烛之明：炳烛之明，孰与昧行乎？

”平公曰：“善哉！

”—— 说苑　A Parable on Study“I am seventy already,” said Duke Ping of Jin to his blind musician Shi Kuang.

“Though I want very much to study and read some books, I feel it is too late.

”“But why not light the candle?

” suggested Shi Kuang.

“How dare a subject joke with his master?

” cried the duke angrily.

“A blind musician, I dare not!

” protested Shi Kuang.

“But I have heard that if a man is fond of study in his youth, his future is as bright as the morning sun; if he applies himself to study in middle age, it is like the noon-day sun; while if he begins to study when he is old, it is like a candle's flame.

Though a candle is not very bright, at least it is better than groping in the dark.

”The duke agreed with him.

--The Garden of Anecdotes (Shuo Yuan)【双语诗歌翻译|古代寓言·好学的三个比喻　查看网站：[db:时间]】