Once, Chun Yukun recommended seven able and virtuous¹ scholars to King Xuan of the State of Qi. King Xuan was surprised and said: "I heard that talented people are hard to find. If one able and virtuous scholar can be found within a circumference² of 1, 000 li, it cannot be regarded as few. If 100 years witnesses the advent³ of a saint, it cannot be regarded as few. Now you recommend seven able and virtuous scholars all at once, then there are too many able and virtuous scholars."

 

Chun Yukun said: "Birds of the same feather always flock together. Wild beasts of the same kind always walk together. For example, if we wish to find medicinal herbs like the root of Chinese thorowax and the root of balloonflower on the marsh⁴, we will never find even one in our whole life. But if we go to the north side of the Zeshu Mountain and the Liangfu Mountain, we will need carts to carry them back. In the world, things of the same kind always gather together, and it is the same with people. If you want me to select able and virtuous scholars, it will be like getting water from the river, or getting fire from a flint. What is so strange about that? I am going to recommend another big batch⁵ of able and virtuous scholars to you, far more than these seven."

 

一次，厚于凳给齐宣王推荐了七名贤士。齐宣王觉得奇怪，说：“我听说，人才是很难得的。在一千里方圆以内，能选到一名贤士，就不算少了；一百年以内，能发现一个圣人，也不算少了。你一次就推荐了七名贤士，贤士也太多了。”

 

淳于凳说：“同类的鸟总是聚集在一起，同类的野兽也总是一道行走。比如说，我们要寻找柴胡和桔梗这类药草，到沼泽地去找，就是找一辈子也找不到一株；但是如果到泽黍山、梁父山的北面去找，那就要用大车去拉了。天下的事物都是同类相聚的，人也是这样。你要我淳于凳挑选贤士，就好比到河里去打水，用火石去打火一样，有什么好奇怪的呢?我正准备再给你推荐一大批贤士，何止这七个呢！”

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