大意：在江上的众多女子中，有一个家贫无烛的女子。女子们在一起商量，要把家贫无烛的赶走。家贫无烛的女子准备离去了，她对女子们说：“我因为没有烛，所以常常先到，一到便打扫屋子，铺席子。你们何必爱惜照在四壁上的那一点余光呢？如果赐一点余光给我，对你们又有什么妨碍呢？我自认为对你们还是有用的，为什么一定要赶我走呢？”女子们商量以后，认为她说的对，就把她留下来了。

《古代寓言·借光》

江上之处女，有家贫而烛者。

处女相与语，欲去之。

家贫无烛者将去矣，谓处女曰：“妾以无烛故，常先至扫室布席。何爱余明之照四壁者，幸以赐妾，何妨于处女？妾自以有益于处女，何为去我？”

处女相语，以为然而留之。

——《战国策》

Borrowing the Light

A girl in one of the workshops by the river was too poor to buy oil for the lamp; so the other girls decided to drive her away. As the poor girl was leaving she said to the others:

“Because I couldn't afford to pay for the light, I always arrived first to sweep the room and put down the mats. Your light shines on all four walls: Why grudge me a share in it? It doesn't hurt you to let me borrow your light, and I make myself useful to you. Why should you drive me away?”

Realizing the truth of what she said, they let her stay after all.

--Warring States Anecdotes

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