Translation: There was a guest who wanted to teach the King of Yan how to live forever. The King of Yan sent someone to learn it, but the guest died before the person could learn it. The King of Yan was furious and killed the person. The King of Yan did not know that the guest had deceived him, but instead thought that the person learned too late and punished him. Believing in incorrect things and punishing ministers who have not committed any crime are all disasters caused by lack of careful investigation. Moreover, people are most concerned about themselves. If the guest could not make himself immortal, how could he make the King of Yan live forever? A warning to people: Desire makes people blind and stupid. Only by staying out of things can you be objective. Without investigation, you have no right to speak.
译文：有一个要教燕王学习长生不死方法的客人，燕王派人学习它，派去学习的人还没有学成，这个客卿就死了。燕王大怒，杀了派去学习的人。燕王不知道是客卿欺骗自己，反而认为学习的人学成太晚而惩罚了他。相信不正确的东西，责罚没有罪过的臣子，都是缺乏仔细考察造成的祸患。况且人所迫切关心的莫过于他自己，那个客人不能让自己不死，又怎么能够让燕王长生呢？告诫人们：欲望使人盲目，使人愚蠢，置身事外才能客观，没有调查就没有发言权。
《古代寓言·长生不老的仙方》
客有教燕王为不死之道者，王使人学之，所使学者未及学，而客死，王大怒诛之。王不知客之欺已，而诛学者之晚也，夫信不然之物，而诛无罪之臣，不察之患也，且人所急无如其身，不能自使其无死，安能使王长生哉！
——《韩非子》
A Recipe for Immortality
A stranger informed the Prince of Yan that he could make him immortal, and the prince bade one of his subjects learn this art; but before the man could do so the stranger died. Then the prince, in great anger, executed his subject.
He failed to see that the stranger was cheating him, but taken in by his lies had an innocent citizen killed. This shows what a fool he was! For a man values nothing more than his own life, yet his fellow could not even keep himself alive, so what could he do for the prince?
Han Fei Zi
