英文：

　　Once upon a time, there was a shepherd who was skillful in raising as many as thousands of sheep. however, he was so stingy that he would not spend a penny.

　　At the time, a swindler found means to make friends with him and said, "since you and i have become intimate friends united as one man, there should be no gap of any kind between us now. i know a pretty girl from a certain family. i should like you to ask her to be your wife."

　　The sheep-farmer was glad to hear those words. he gave him a flock of sheep and other precious things.

　　The swindler then said, "now your wife has brought a child into the world."

　　The sheep-farmer was very delighted to learn about this, in spite of the fact that he had not met her yet. again he gave him more things.

　　Then one day the swindler said, "your child is dead shortly after birth."

　　On hearing those words, the sheep-farmer cried bitterly and sighed ceaselessly.

　　So are the people at large. there are people who, acquiring much knowledge, put their creed into practice only for fame and gain. they keep secret its teachings, unwilling to preach or to teach the others. indulging in mundane pleasures, they are cheated by the transience of their bodies like the poor man cheated by the illusion of getting a wife and a child. consequently, they lose first their good faith, then their lives and finally their precious possessions. they can then only shed bitter tears by getting depressed and melancholy just like the sheep-farmer.

　　古文：

　　昔有一人，巧于牧羊，其羊滋多，乃有千萬。極大慳貪，不肯外用。

　　時有一人，善于巧詐，便作方便，往共親友，而語之言：“我今共汝極成親愛，便為一體，更無有異。我知彼家有一好女，當為汝求，可用為婦。”

　　牧羊之人，聞之歡喜，便大與羊及諸財物。

　　其人復言：“汝婦今日已生一子?！?/p>

　　牧羊之人，未見于婦，聞其已生，心大歡喜，重與彼物。

　　其人后復而與之言：“汝兒已生，今死矣！”

　　牧羊之人聞此人語，便大啼泣，噓欷不已。

　　世間之人，亦復如是。既修多聞，為其名利，秘惜其法，不肯為人教化演說，為此漏身之所誑惑，妄欺世樂，如己妻息，為其所欺，喪失善法，后失身命，并及財物，便大悲泣，生其憂苦。如彼牧羊之人，亦復如是。

　　譯文：

　　從前有一個人，善于牧羊，羊越來越多，乃至于成千上萬，卻很是慳貪，不肯讓外人沾點兒光。這時有一個人精于詭計，就找機會，去與他交朋友，對他說：“如今我與你最為要好了，已經成了一體，再沒分異之處了。我知道某家有一個好姑娘，我會替你去說媒，可讓她來做你的妻子?！蹦裂蛉寺犃?，很歡喜，便給了他許多羊和財物。這人又對他說：“你妻子今日生了一個兒子?！蹦裂蛉诉€沒見到妻子，聽見已生了兒子，心中大歡喜，又給了他財物。這人后來又對他說：“你兒子生了之后，于今日死了?！蹦裂蛉寺犃诉@話，便大哭起來，噓欷不已。

　　世上的人也是如此，既修習經文了，出于名利的考慮，保守住記憶和理解的方法，不肯為眾人教化演說，受了這有漏身體的迷惑，妄求世間的歡樂，譬如自己的妻子兒女之類，受了這些歡樂的欺誑，從而喪失了善法。后來就喪失了身體的生命以及財物，便悲泣起來，產生了憂苦。如那個牧羊人，也是這樣。