用英语讲中国故事——Plundering a Burning House 趁火打劫
趁火打劫
Plundering a Burning House
“三十六计”中的第五计——趁火打劫计
The fifth strategy in the "Thirty-Six Strategies" - Plundering a Burning House
意思是指利用别人处于困难或危机之时，乘机谋取私利，通常带有贬义。
It means to take advantage of others' difficulties or crises to seek personal gain, usually with a derogatory meaning.
这个故事是在《左传·僖公二十五年》中有记载，关于晋文公重耳在流亡期间，曾得到楚成王的帮助。
This story is recorded in "Zuo Zhuan·Duke Xi's 25th Year", about how Duke Wen of Jin, Chong'er, received help from King Cheng of Chu during his exile.
楚成王在宴请重耳时，曾开玩笑说：“如果有一天你回到晋国当上国君，我们两国交战，你愿意退避三舍吗？”重耳答应了。
When King Cheng of Chu hosted Chong'er for a banquet, he joked: "If one day you return to Jin and become the king, and our two countries go to war, are you willing to retreat three miles?" Chong'er agreed.
后来，重耳果然成为晋文公，两国真的发生了冲突。
Later, Chong'er really became Duke Wen of Jin, and the two countries really clashed.
晋文公遵守诺言，命令军队后退三舍（一舍等于30里），以示对楚成王的尊重。
Duke Wen of Jin kept his promise and ordered the army to retreat three miles (one mile equals 30 miles) to show respect for King Cheng of Chu.
但是，楚国的将领子玉却趁晋军后退之机，直接发动攻击。
However, Zi Yu, the general of Chu, took advantage of the retreat of the Jin army and launched a direct attack.
晋文公没有办法，开始反击。
Duke Wen of Jin had no choice but to fight back.
晋军利用子玉的轻敌，设下埋伏，最终在城濮之战中大败楚军。
The Jin army took advantage of Zi Yu's underestimation of the enemy and set up an ambush, eventually defeating the Chu army in the Battle of Chengpu.
楚国的盟友陈国、蔡国趁楚国战败，国力虚弱之时，也纷纷背叛楚国。这便是“趁火打劫”的典故之一。
Chu's allies, Chen and Cai, also betrayed Chu when Chu was defeated and weak. This is one of the allusions of "taking advantage of the fire to rob".
历史上有很多趁火打劫的典故故事，《三国演义》中也有很多这样的故事。
There are many allusions of taking advantage of the fire to rob in history, and there are many such stories in "The Three Kingdoms".
“趁火打劫”这个成语，形象地描绘了在他人处于危机或混乱之时，趁机谋取私利的行为。它提醒人们，在别人遇到困难时，应该伸出援手，而不是趁机渔利。
The idiom "Plundering a Burning House" vividly depicts the behavior of taking advantage of others' crisis or chaos to seek personal gain. It reminds people that when others are in trouble, they should lend a hand instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to fish.
在现代社会，这个成语同样适用，警示人们在面对突发事件或他人困境时，应保持道德底线，不应趁机谋取私利。
In modern society, this idiom is also applicable, warning people that when facing emergencies or the plight of others, they should maintain a moral bottom line and should not take advantage of the opportunity to seek personal gain.