There was an archer named Geng Ying in the State of Wei.

魏国有位射手名叫更赢。

He went sightseeing with the King of Wei at Jingtai.

他跟随魏王在京台游玩。

At that time a bird was circling around in the sky, uttering sad and shrill cries now and then.

这时有一只鸟在空中盘旋，还不时发出凄厉的叫声。

The King of Wei looked up at it for a while and said to Geng Ying:

魏王抬头看了一会儿，便对更赢说:

"Do you see that bird? Can you shoot it down?"

“你看见那只鸟了吗?你能把它射下来吗?”

"I can shoot it down without using an arrow," Geng Ying said.

更赢说:“这只鸟，我不用箭就能把它射下来。”

After a while, the bird flew near.

一会儿，那只鸟飞近了。

Geng Ying pulled his bow to the full, plucked the bowstring, and at the sound the bird fell to the ground before their feet.

更赢拉满弓，拨动了一下弓弦，鸟就应声落在他们跟前。

The King of Wei said in surprise: "You can shoot down a bird without an arrow. Your skill in archery is really wonderful."

魏王惊奇地说: “你不用箭就能把飞鸟射下来，你射箭的技术真高明啊!”

Geng Ying said: "Your Majesty, this is not due to my good skill, but because this is a bird of bad luck.

更赢说: “大王，这不是我的技术高明，而是因为这是一只倒霉的鸟。

You can hear how sadly and shrilly it wailed, and see how tiredly it flew.

你听它叫得那样凄厉，飞得那样疲乏。

It was already wounded, and for a long time could not find its companion.

它已经负了伤，很长时间找不到伴侣。

Therefore it couldn't stand the least fright.

所以经不起一点点的惊吓。

As soon as I twanged my bow, it thought it had been shot and fell down of its own accord from the sky.

我的弓弦一响，它就以为是被射中了，自己从空中跌落下来。

What a pitiful bird frightened by the mere twang of a bowstring!"

多么可怜的惊弓之鸟啊!”