Two men were buying meat at a butcher's stall in the marketplace, and, while the butcher's back was turned for a moment, one of them snatched up a joint1 and hastily thrust it under the other's of them snatched up a joint and hastily thrust it under the other's cloak, where it could not be seen. When the butcher turned round, he missed the meat at once, and charged them with having stolen it: but the one who had taken it said he hadn't taken it. The butcher felt sure they were deceiving him, but he only said, "You may cheat me with your lying, but you can't cheat the gods, and they won't let you off so lightly."

　　Prevarication2 often amounts to perjury3.

　　兩個(gè)人正在市場里屠戶的攤位上買肉，屠夫剛一轉(zhuǎn)身背向他們，其中一人便抓起一塊腱子肉，迅速放進(jìn)另一個(gè)人的斗篷里，誰也沒看到他的舉動(dòng)。待屠夫轉(zhuǎn)過身來，立刻注意到少了一塊肉，便指控他們偷了肉。但是，拿了肉的那個(gè)人說自己沒有偷，而得到肉的那個(gè)人也說自己沒有拿。屠夫確信他們是在欺騙自己，但僅僅說了一句話：“你可以用謊言來欺騙我，但卻騙不了神，他們不會這么輕易放過你的。”

　　相互推諉等同于欺騙。