中文 / B2
自相矛盾
有个楚国人出售盾牌和长矛。他称赞自己的盾牌说：「我的盾牌坚固无比，没有任何东西能够把它刺穿。」
接着，他又称赞自己的长矛：「我的长矛极其锋利，任何东西都可以刺穿。」
于是有人向他提出一个问题：「拿你的长矛去刺你的盾牌，结果会怎样呢？」
这一问，他便无法回答了。
两件武器分别介绍时，似乎各有优点：盾牌能够抵挡攻击，长矛能够穿透防护。然而，他夸耀的并不仅仅是坚固或锋利，而是「没有任何东西」和「任何东西」这两个毫无例外的说法。
如果长矛真能刺穿一切，就不可能有一面连它也刺不穿的盾牌；如果盾牌真能挡住一切，那支长矛也就不可能刺穿一切。这两种东西，不可能像他所说的那样同时存在。
English summary · includes the ending
A man from the ancient state of Chu sells shields and spears. To praise his shield, he claims that nothing can pierce it. He then praises his spear, saying that it can pierce absolutely anything.
Someone asks what would happen if he used his own spear against his own shield. The seller cannot answer. The two claims sound impressive separately, but they cannot both be true when the weapons are tested against each other.
If the spear pierces the shield, the shield is not impossible to pierce. If the shield stops the spear, the spear cannot pierce everything. Either result would disprove one of his promises.
The story ends with the seller unable to resolve this problem. No actual test takes place. A single question is enough to reveal the conflict between his two statements, which is the point behind the familiar Chinese expression for contradicting oneself.
Adapted for Lejrbål from the credited source.
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