古時候，楚國有個窮書生，
性懶惰，不願做工與種田，
成日裏，夢想發個意外財，
發了財，好置辦房屋與田產。
這一天，他翻閱古書《淮南子》，
見書上，講到螳螂會捕蟬，
螳螂捕蟬能隱形，
樹葉遮體蟬不見。
這書生，讀到這兒心一動，
跑出書房樹底站。
事情說來也真巧，
書生果然有發現：
院內那株古槐上，
有隻螳螂正捕蟬！
螳螂隱在樹葉後，
蟬正鳴唱未看見。
螳螂葉後伸大鉗，
一下鉗住那隻蟬！
書生兩眼瞅得準，
爬到樹上摘葉片。
不想心慌手發抖，
葉片飄飛落地麵。
許多落葉混一起，
那片神葉難分辨。
無奈何，把樹葉統統掃進屋，
一片一片手中掂，
掂起樹葉問妻子：
“我在這裏你可見？”
妻子回答“能看到”，
書生又把樹葉換。
妻子覺得很奇怪，
問丈夫，為何老把樹葉玩？
書生光笑不回答，
又把樹葉舉麵前，
又問妻子能見否？
五遍十遍不嫌煩。
妻子見此心生氣，
索性回答“看不見”。
書生一聽真高興，
忙把那葉藏袖間。
第二天，他喜滋滋地出了門。
奔到集市人堆鑽，
手裏高舉那片葉，
以為人家看不見，
伸手去拿攤上貨，
賣貨人，一把抓住高聲喊：
“大家快來抓小偷！”
人群圍得鐵桶般。
這個書生被抓住，
送進縣衙公堂站。
這故事，讓你笑後生思索，
想一想，書生為何落笑談？
隻因為，一葉障目迷心竅，
千人萬眼醜態現。
樹葉一片遮視線，
眼前泰山全不見。
常比喻，局部現象把人迷，
整體大局難顧全。
認識處理問題時，
往往盲目和片麵。
A Leaf Before the Eye Hinders the Sight
In ancient times，there was a poor scholar in the State of Chu。He was too lazy to work and farm，and he was always daydreaming to have a windfall someday。He hoped to get money for estate and house。One day when he was browsing the book“Huai Nan Zi”，he read the message about the mantis preying on the cicada。The mantis was invisible when preying，because he had a magical leaf。This scholar was so deeply impressed that he rushed to a scholar-tree outside his study。It happened to be quite a coincidence，but the scholar then did find in the old scholar-tree in his yard a mantis was preying on a cicada。The mantis was just behind a leaf while the cicada was singing and couldn't see it。The mantis reached his paws from behind the leaf，and caught the cicada with one stroke。