Contents

笑府卷十三

Chapter 13

閏語部^

Leap words

墨憨子曰。語云。美言可市。洵然哉。但取觧願。何虞亂德。余故採影語之巧者。謔語之善者。及澹語之可味者。以足十二部之遺。盖歸餘于終。周之閏法然矣。集閏語部。

The Master of Mo-han Studio says: It is said, there is a market for fine words. This is indeed true! But in collecting to satisfy our wants, do we also care about the disruption of moral order? I have harvested from those who are clever at subtle language, those who have a way with insults, and those whose plain talk has flavor. This was enough for twelve chapters with more to spare. These leftovers are placed at the end, just as we deal with the leap day in a month. Thus begins the chapter of leap words.

閏周 is here translated figuratively as "leap day".

造人^

Making people

玉帝私行。見夫婦行房者。召土地問之。荅曰。造人。問182一年造幾箇。荅曰。一箇。曰。既如此。何消得這等忙。

The Jade Emperor was taking a stroll, when he saw a husband and wife in the bedroom. He asked the Earth God what they were doing, and he replied: "They're making people." "How many people can they make in a year?" "Just one." "If that's the case, why are they moving so frantically?"

仙女^

Fairy maiden

董永行孝。上帝命一仙女嫁之。衆仙女送行。皆嘱付曰。此去下方。若更有行孝者。千萬寄箇信來。

To recognize Dong Yong for his filial piety, the Lord of Heaven sent down a fairy maiden to be his bride. The other fairy maidens gathered to send her off, saying to her: "After you get down there, if you should find any other filial sons, be sure to write to us about it!"

The story of Dong Yong is in the 二十四考

千里馬^

關公乘赤兔馬。日行千里。周倉握刀從行。日亦千里。公憐之。欲覔一良馬賜焉。而遍索無千里者。止一馬日行九百。乃厚價市之贈倉。々乘馬從公。一日差百183里。兩百差二百里。倉恐失公。仍下馬步行。而又不忍棄馬。乃以索攢馬蹄。懸之刀頭。掮之而飛走。

尤俞^

人有性尤俞者。各誇所姓之美。姓俞者曰。公之姓。犬牛等耳。惟我姓属人。姓尤者曰。何徵。曰。徵于孟子。孟子云。犬之性。牛之性猶。人之性與

Phonetic wordplay

蛀帽^

有盛大盛二者。所戴氊帽。遇暑月。同置一所。至冬復184取戴之。其一蛀損。兄弟皆認其不蛀者。遂致喧開適一士經[過]。二人以其讀書人也。請决之。七執蛀帽番覆再四。乃睨盛大曰。此汝帽也。問何以證之。曰。豈不聞大學註云。宣盛大貌

或問孔門七十二腎人。已冠者幾人末冠者幾人。荅者曰。已冠者三十人。未冠者四十二人。問何證。曰。論語曰。冠者五六人。五六得三十。童子六七人。六七四十二也。又問那三千弟子。後來都甚結果。185荅者曰。時將戰國了。二千五百都充了軍去。那五百箇做了客商。又問何證。曰論語注云。二千五百人為軍。五百人為旅。引書巧合。如天成然。異哉。

公治長^

有以婦翁之力得中魁選者。或為語嘲之曰。孔門弟子入試。臨揭曉。聞報子張第十九。衆曰。他一貌堂々。果有好䖏。又報子路苐十三。衆曰這粗人也中得高虧=左虛=他那一陣氣魄。又報顏淵苐十二。衆曰。他最有學186問。屈了他些。又報公治長第五。駭曰。那人平時不見怎得。如何倒中得高。一人曰。他虧=左虛=有扶持。問誰扶持他。曰。丈人。

胡廬生曰。但是平時不見怎的。偏中得高。豈箇々有婦翁是聖人。

滑字^

主人見客好食火肉。盤中且盡矣。命童持內請益。童意內必有餘。并啖所剩。而內已告竭。乃空手復命。主187因索前剩盤。童偽曰。路滑。已跌失矣。主怒曰。你說謊。若寫得滑字出。當恕你。童乃以指畫掌曰。一點兒。又一點兒。又一長點兒。其餘是骨了。

Phonetic wordplay

蘇字^

有設魚享客者。主席魚大。客席魚小。客問主曰。蘇州蘇字如何寫。主曰。草字頭左魚字。右禾字。客曰。又有放魚字于右者。何也。主曰。左右俱放得的。客即取大魚置前曰。既如此。々魚這裡也放得。188

金銀錠^

貧子持金銀錠一串行。頋錠嘆曰。若得你硬時。就濟得我用了。錠笑曰。我如何得硬。不若你硬了凑我罷。

到得硬時。富翁與貧子同。真錠與假錠同矣。此最可喚醒痴迷也。

口脚爭^

脚謂口曰。世上惟你最討便宜。我千辛萬苦奔得來時都被你喫去了。口荅曰。不要爭。我莫喫你也莫走。189如何。

全虧=左虛=喫得。所以奔得。老脚底不識好歹。

歲首謝怪^

一人歲首出門。適鳥遺糞帽上。以為不祥。欲謝恠。又值無銀。捱至夜。于鄰家賖一猪頭謝訖。屢討不還。至次年歲首。賣肉者來索曰。汝去年此日賖我猪頭謝恠。今周年矣。理該還否。荅曰。遲是遲了。只是我有一譬喻在此與你說。譬如此猪不生得頭。索者曰。亂話。190那有猪沒頭的。曰既講不通。還有一說。譬如去年我還了銀子。你用[過]。如今也沒得了。索者曰。一發亂話。若去年討得來用。又省下別項銀子矣。乃沉吟曰。此又講不通。還有一說。譬如去年這堆鳥屎。出在你頭上如何。

銀喻^

有以銀喻婦人者。曰面孔。是白臉。頭髮是細絲。臂腹是粉坡。一雙妳也是起花煎餅。或曰。雖如此。還欠足191色。問何處不足。曰。嫌屁眼風窠大些。

妻化銀^

俗傳見北斗畨身。随指一物。可化為銀。一貧士見之。偶指其妻。已化銀人矣。丈人聞之。謂士曰。你只好自家鑿。不要與別人鑿。

就不鑿。也是箇銀婦了。

短方巾^

有婦人倚門。見一人帶方巾甚短。笑曰。此巾何異鉄192鐓。其人曰。奉娘子打箇釘何如。

親家公^

有見少婦抱小兒于懷。即呼之曰。好兒子。婦知其討便宜也。應曰。既是好兒子。與你做了女壻罷。荅曰。若如此。你就呌我親家公了。

僧耳^

一僧奸人婦。為人割去其耳。僧托病。不能見人。有識者詒之曰。汝病勿瞞我。々能醫之。僧以寔告。因盛欵193求療。其人命取曆日來看。揭至七月。指甲子日言曰。看汝造化。是日若有雨。耳即長矣。僧恠問之。荅曰。秋甲子雨。禾頭生耳。

魔王反^

魔王率鬼兵造反。觀音持凈瓶誦咒。諸鬼悉攝入瓶中以符封口。魔王惧。請降。乃釋之。魔王問諸鬼曰。汝等在瓶中饑否。荅曰。餓是小事。只是幾乎擠殺。

有以小船請多客者。名姬馮喜生話此嘲之。一坐194絕倒。乃知笑話雖佳。須時然後言。方得價耳。

城隍廟燒香^

甲遇乙于途。問何往。乙曰。欲往城隍廟燒香。甲曰。他正忘了你。々又去捉醒他則甚。

封君相^

相士在途。餒甚。見一士衣冠甚偉。因注視之。士訝曰。子得無善風鑑乎曰。然。曰。何以視我。曰。公相貴甚。士喜邀歸。厚欵之。因請教。相者曰。貴是貴。只莫恠我說195。公乃封君相也。士猶喜其子貴。因呼子出。求相。々者曰。好々。又是一位封君。

不奉富^

千金子驕語人曰。我當甚。汝何得不奉。其人曰。汝自有金。于我何與而奉汝耶。曰。儻分半與汝。何如。荅曰。汝五百。我亦五百。我汝等耳。何奉焉。又曰。悉以相授。難道猶不奉我。荅曰。汝失千金而我得之。汝又當奉我矣。196

說得極妙。恨世人不知。又富翁謂貧士曰。我所蓄近十萬矣。貧士曰。我亦有十萬之蓄。公未知耳。富翁驚問曰。汝十萬何在。貧士曰。公不用我亦不用。可是一般。

烟雨樓^

嘉興只有烟雨樓。可以舒跳。偶嘉興人與蘇人會飲。蘇人行令。欲各陳本處佳勝。負者罰之。蘇人曰。虎兵嘉興人曰。烟雨樓。蘇人連舉石湖。天平洞庭七十二197峯之屬。嘉興人無以對。前後只烟雨樓耳。受罰無算。大醉而歸。妻問故。荅曰。與蘇州朋友。行令。賭說景致輸了。是以醉也。妻曰。何不說烟雨樓。

心在身上^

Body and soul

一有妾者。與妻雲雨間。妻曰。你身在這裡。心自在那邊。夫曰。若然。待我身在那邊。心在這裡。何如。

A man was making thunder in the bedroom with his wife, but his wife said: "Your body is here, but your heart is with your concubine." The husband replied: "If that's so, would you rather that my body be with her and my heart be here?"

摳眼睛^

有婦人倚戶。行者停目看之。婦曰。看甚麼。摳出你這198雙眼睛。其人曰。娘子。若摳下。千萬放在馬桶裡。

燒速香^

有見燒速香屑者。笑之曰。何苦氣之甚也。舍下速香似木柴一般燒。々香者曰。未必。只怕宅上木柴到似速香一般燒哩。

表號^

有借馬者。柬云。生偶他往。告借駿足一騎。主人問駿足何物。對曰。馬也。主人曰。原來畜生也有表號。199

綿紬衫^

有借佳扇觀者。以綿紬衫袖襯之。扇主看其袖色。謂曰。你到是光手拿着罷。

醵金^

有人遇喜事。其友醵金一星往賀。乃密書封內云。現五分。賖五分。已而此友亦有賀分。其人仍以一星荅之。乃以空封往。內書云。退五分。賖五分。

諱偷棋^

Losing at chess

200有自負棋名者與人角。連負三局。他日人問之曰。前與某人較棋幾局。曰。三局。又問勝負如何。曰。苐一局。我不曾嬴。苐二局。他不曾輸。苐三局。我要和。他不肯罷了。

There was a chess player who lost three games in a row to the same opponent. The next day, someone asked him about it: "How many games did you play with him yesterday?" "Three" "How many did you win and lose?" "The first game I didn't win. The second, he didn't lose. The third, well I wanted to draw, but he wouldn't let me."

見皇帝^

Seeing the emperor

一花子從京師回。自誇曾見皇帝。或問皇帝門景如何。曰。四柱牌坊。金書皇帝世家。大門內扁。金書天子第。春聯寫日月光天德。山河壯帝居。又問皇帝如何 201粧束。曰。頭帶玉紗帽。身穿金海青問者曰。汝說謊。穿了金打的海青。如何作揖。荅曰。呸。你真是不曾見景的。皇帝與那箇作揖。

A dandy returned from the capital, and boasted that he had seen the emperor. Someone asked him: "What's the view like from the emperor's doorway?" He replied: "On the four pillars are words engraved in gold - 'Imperial Lineage"; over the great doorway are more golden words 'Residence of the Son of Heaven'; beside are a couplet that reads 'Sun and moon radiate the righteousness of heaven / Mountains and rivers strengthen the abode of empire'." Another asked him: "What does the emperor wear?" He replied: "On his head is a hat made of fine jade. On his body, a robe made of pure gold." His questioner said: "You must be lying. How can anyone wear a robe hammered from gold? He wouldn't be able to bend over." The dandy replied: "You really don't know much about the world - the emperor bends and bows before nobody!"

皇帝深居如天。真不易知。金粧玉束。想當然耳。莫笑莫笑。又甞聞挑糞。[鄉]人苦曉寒。倚擔相劳苦間。忽慕皇帝受用。其黨問之。荅曰。我想皇帝老官。此時怎肯早起正在紅緜紬被內。抱了皇后娘々同睡。口中吃乾柿●=左石、右上左、右下月=哩●=左石、右上左、右下月=音䭾202

外太公^

有教小兒字者。苐一日。教以大字矣。明日寫太字問之。試其記性。兒仍曰。大字。因教之曰。中多一點。此即俗呼太公太字也。又明日。寫犬字問之。兒仍曰。此太公的太字。師曰。點在外面。如何還是太字。荅曰。這是外太公的太字。

Phonetic wordplay

蜆子^

兩人相遇。問所生子女幾人。一曰。五女。一曰。一子。生203女者曰。一子是險子。生子者怒曰。我是蜆子。猶勝你許多𧉻。

Phonetic wordplay

好漢^

強盜往刼一家。其家呼為大王。盜曰。我不要呌大王。只呌我好漢便了。其家因連呼好漢。臨去。謂之曰。好漢是好漢了。有本事在寒家喫了早飯去麼。

^

Falling down

一人偶仆地。方起。復跌。乃曰。早知還有一跌。不起來204也罷了。

A man had fallen down. When he got up, he fell down again. He said: "If I had known that I would fall down again, I wouldn't have bothered getting up!"

賣[鍋]^

Selling pots

賣[鍋]者必以[鍋]底擲地作聲。以明無損。一人偶擲地而破。謂人曰。如此等[鍋]就不賣與你了。

A pot-seller should knock the pot against the floor to make a sound and show that it won't be damaged. One man did so, broke the pot, and told onlookers: "I wouldn't sell such a pot to you."

露水卓子^

Wet table

一人偶于露水卓子上。以指戱畫。我要做皇帝。五字。仇家見之。即掮卓赴府。首彼謀反。值官府未出。日光中。露水已滅迹矣。衆問。汝掮卓至此何為。荅曰。此卓205一樣六張。列位要買否。

A man was idling at a wet table, and traced out on it with his finger the words: "I want to be emperor." An enemy of his saw this, and promptly carried the table before the courthouse, wanting to have him charged with treason. But while it stood in the sun as he waited for the court to emerge, all the moisture evaporated away from the table. The crowd asked: "Why have you carried this table here?" He replied: "..."

殺天^

Killing heaven

落雨不止。一田夫將天大罵。復欲取刀殺之。其妻力勸而止。因起向天曰。我的龍天。他雖然性懆。你也忒煞。

A farmer was so upset that it was raining without pause that he faced upwards to the sky and yelled: "I wish I could take a knife and kill you!" His wife persuaded him to stop shouting, and herself looked up and said: "O Heavens above, my husband may be upset, but you are also a pain in the ass."

笑林評曰。仗得此婦調停。不然幾乎惹出大事來。

親嘴^

一人于無人䖏。遇一女子。即擁抱親嘴。女子方怒罵。206其人即曰。不必惱。我只怕你要如此耳。我是甚麼正經。

換馬^

一人跨蹇而出。前遇騎駿馬者。急下。揖而請曰。願以此驢易公之馬。騎馬者曰。君莫是痴否。騎驢者曰。我將謂公是痴的耳。

石敢當說話^

有石敢當者。能言禍福。里甲希上官之賞。急趋報府。207府命負敢當來騐。既至。再三問之。不言。官怒。責甲十板。仍令負去。中途。遇其鄰。問曰。請賞幾何。甲頓足曰。為此冤家。已受杖五下矣。石于背上言曰。如何調謊瞞却五下。

陳摶^

諺云彭祖公々活子八百嵗。不比陳摶一寣眠。彭祖初生時。乃翁請陳摶先生相之。摶云。此兒養不大的。歸家即睡去。既醒。問旁人曰。彭家小兒。如何了。答曰。208[死]矣。摶曰。我說難養果然。

却不道怎的^

有羣棍欲騙人物。乃以凌雲巾彭緞衣及鞋襪餙胖丐。謂曰。此皆汝有也。但須從我一言。丐問何言。曰。此去不論到何人家。我等對你說話。你只應却不道怎的罷了。丐曰諾。乃偽事為主人翁。而自為羣僕随之。至紬緞店。大言曰。某爺取家小上京。要買羅緞若干。大相公自在此。其家信之。盡情搬看。棍俱呈様于209乞曰。此等可用若干乎。曰却不道怎的。凡各様問荅皆然。約近百匹。乃曰。大相公權坐此。我等送去船中與奶々看畢兌銀。可也。曰。却不道怎的。已而久去不返。店主疑曰。莫非不來了。曰。却不道怎的。店主曰你那大相公。莫非假的。曰。却不道怎的。乃共譁為騙子。剝其衣。而破絮俱露。罵曰。原來是一箇呌化子。曰。却不道怎的。

Index

Personal names 玉帝 土地 董永

Translations copyright (c) 2016-2018 Brandon Seah.