”It is upon bad fortune that good fortune leans, upon good fortune that bad fortune rests. “ – Lao Tzu
There lived an old man near the frontier who was skilled in divination. One day, his horse ran off to the lands of the nomadic tribes beyond the border. The neighbours all came to console him. Yet he said, “Why should this not turn out to be a good thing?”
A few months later, the horse returned, bringing with it a fine horse from the nomadic tribes. The neighbours came to congratulate him. The old man said, ‘Why should this not turn out to be a misfortune?’
The old man had a wealth of fine horses, and his son loved riding them. On one occasion, he fell from the horse and broke his leg. The neighbours came to console him once more. The old man said again, ‘Why should this not turn out to be a blessing?’
A year later, the nomadic tribes launched a massive invasion of the frontier; and all the strong and able-bodied men took up their bows and arrows to go into battle, and nine out of ten perished on the battlefield. It was only because of the son’s broken leg, that the father and son were spared this tragedy.
From “Huai Nan Zi: Discourse on the Human World”
#20 塞翁失马 焉知非福
“ 祸兮福所倚，福兮祸所伏。“ – 老子
靠近边塞住着一位精通术数的老人。有一天，他家的马跑到塞外的胡人那边去了。邻居们都来安慰他。他却说：“这怎么就不能是一件好事呢？”
过了几个月，那匹马带着胡人的骏马回来了。邻居们都来祝贺他。老人说：“这怎么就不能是一件坏事呢？”
老人家里有很多好马，他的儿子喜欢骑马，有一次从马上摔下来，把腿摔断了。邻居们又来安慰他。老人又说：“这怎么就不能是一件好事呢？”
一年后，胡人大举入侵边塞，身强力壮的男子都拿起弓箭去作战。边塞附近的人家，战死的占了十分之九。因为老人的儿子腿瘸，父子得以保全性命。
出自《淮南子·人间训》