病入膏肓

Bìng Rù Gāo Huāng

病已经严重到了膏肓,没办法治了。形容事情已经到了无法挽救的地步。

The illness has reached the vital region — a situation so far gone that nothing can save it.

春chūn秋qiū时shí候hòu,晋jìn景jǐng公gōng生shēng了le一yì场chǎng大dà病bìng,请qǐng了le许xǔ多duō医yī生shēng,都dōu治zhì不bù好hǎo。听tīng说shuō秦qín国guó有yǒu一yí位wèi神shén医yī,他tā就jiù派pài人rén把bǎ神shén医yī请qǐng来lái。

在zài神shén医yī到dào来lái的de前qián一yì天tiān晚wǎn上shàng,晋jìn景jǐng公gōng做zuò了le一yí个gè梦mèng。他tā梦mèng见jiàn自zì己jǐ的de病bìng变biàn成chéng了le两liǎng个gè小xiǎo人rén,一yí个gè说shuō:“这zhè次cì来lái的de是shì神shén医yī,我wǒ们men快kuài跑pǎo吧ba!”另lìng一yí个gè说shuō:“不bú用yòng怕pà。我wǒ们men躲duǒ到dào‘肓huāng’的de上shàng面miàn、‘膏gāo’的de下xià面miàn,他tā就jiù治zhì不bú到dào我wǒ们men了le。”

第dì二èr天tiān,神shén医yī来lái给gěi晋jìn景jǐng公gōng看kàn病bìng。他tā看kàn了le很hěn久jiǔ,摇yáo摇yáo头tóu说shuō:“大dà王wáng,您nín的de病bìng已yǐ经jīng钻zuān到dào膏gāo和hé肓huāng中zhōng间jiān去qù了le,针zhēn扎zhā不bú到dào,药yào也yě到dào不bù了le,我wǒ没méi有yǒu办bàn法fǎ治zhì了le。”

晋jìn景jǐng公gōng听tīng了le,想xiǎng起qǐ自zì己jǐ的de梦mèng,又yòu惊jīng又yòu怕pà。没méi过guò多duō久jiǔ,他tā就jiù去qù世shì了le。

“病bìng入rù膏gāo肓huāng”这zhè个gè成chéng语yǔ,就jiù是shì从cóng这zhè里lǐ来lái的de。它tā用yòng来lái形xíng容róng事shì情qíng已yǐ经jīng坏huài到dào无wú法fǎ挽wǎn救jiù的de地dì步bù,让ràng人rén劝quàn告gào我wǒ们men平píng时shí要yào爱ài惜xī身shēn体tǐ,小xiǎo问wèn题tí不bú要yào拖tuō成chéng大dà问wèn题tí。

During the Spring and Autumn period, Duke Jing of Jin fell seriously ill. Many doctors came, but none could cure him. Hearing that the state of Qin had a brilliant physician, he sent for him.

The night before the doctor arrived, Duke Jing had a strange dream. He saw his illness take the shape of two little figures. One said, “A great doctor is coming. We'd better run!” The other answered, “No need. Let's hide above the huang and below the gao — the spots deep inside. He won't be able to reach us.”

The next day, the physician examined him. After a long look he shook his head. “My lord, your illness has slipped into the space between the gao and the huang. No needle can reach it, no medicine can follow. I cannot cure you.”

Remembering his dream, Duke Jing was shaken. Not long after, he died.

From this comes “the illness has reached the vital region” — used when a situation has gone so far beyond help that nothing remains to be done. It also reminds us to care for small troubles before they grow.