Once upon a time, have an old man that sells charcoal, pass seventy years of age, be in alone eventually Nashan lives. He does not have the skill with excellent what, can rely on to sell charcoal to make money only so, burning charcoal fire hibernate. Search charcoal every time, burn charcoal to be over, touched a lot of dirt ash again with respect to the face like gully originally. His two hair on the temples are already ashen, one passes the old person of seventy years of age, the feeble income hardship that relies on oneself even however lives, he sees that finger like carbon black every time, can consider oneself only from groan.
从前，有一位卖炭的老翁，年过古稀，孤身一人在终南山生活。他没有什么高超的技能，所以只能靠卖炭去赚钱，烧着炭火过冬。每次寻炭、烧炭完，本就如沟壑般的脸又沾了许多尘灰。他的两鬓已经灰白，一位年过古稀的老人，却还要靠自己的单薄收入艰难生活，他每次看见那如炭黑般的手指，只能自顾自的叹息。
The Qian Tai that sells charcoal is too scanty, dry what to use? It is to be used of course buy a few sackcloth skirt and eat fed. Old man looks at his feeble appearance, treat the condition that the winter enters gradually outside the window again, can't help heaving a sigh: Does my charcoal still sell go out? Weather still does not pass to hurry at cold …… weather chill rises ……
卖炭的钱太过于微薄，用来干什么呢？当然是用来买一些粗布衣裳和吃食了。老翁看着自己的单薄外衣，又看看窗外渐渐入冬的景况，不由得叹息：我的炭还卖得出去吗？天气还不过于寒冷……天气赶紧寒冷起来吧……
Cooperate of the ruler of heaven, issued a snow that evening, suburban snow has one feet to come thick. Old man is driving oxcart to go to rapidly in the morning drive in the city, but old ox already was passed at tired lack, old man had not eaten a pretty meal a lot of days, be forced the go to bed in the slimy ground outside the door austral city.
天公作美，当晚就下了一场雪，城外的雪有一尺来厚。老翁在早晨赶紧驾着牛车往城里赶，但是老牛已经过于累乏，老翁已经好多天没吃上一口像样的饭，只好在市南门外的泥地里歇息。
Passed a little while, old man sees two Ma Jian are stood by to them gradually, it is an eunuch and his at hand so. Eunuch hum, open writ, one word reads aloud the buccal instruct that has a czar one sentence to old man. Read aloud
过了一会儿，老翁看见有两匹马渐渐向他们靠近，原来是一位太监和一位他的手下。太监哼了一声，打开文书，一字一句向老翁念起皇帝的口谕。念罢
Turn around return Xiang Niu vehicle, cry out wears the at hand that follows him to pull oxcart to palace. Of old man one truckload carbolic altogether has more than 1000 jins, eunuch and his at hand also does not want to spend too much money, be no good miserlily. Say “ to old man then alas, damask silk of these half red gauze and this one a unit of length buys charcoal fund with respect to what become us! ”
就掉头返向牛车，跟他的手下吆喝着把牛车牵向了宫廷。老翁的一整车碳一共有千余斤，太监和他的手下也不想花太多钱，吝啬的不行。于是就对老翁说“哎呀，这半匹红纱和这一丈绫就当我们的买炭钱了！”
Old man looks at the cloth that is hanged on bovine head then, look at the charcoal car that that is far from him gradually and goes again. His have no alternative, be forced to holding give u of those a few cloth in the arms to answer hill, stay already on the face full miserable tear ……
老翁看着那挂在牛头上的布料，又看着那渐渐远离他而去的炭车。他无可奈何，只好抱着那几块布料作罢回山，脸上早已留满了辛酸泪……(文/浅夏)