英文：
Once upon a time, there was a man whose wife was graceful except for her ugly nose. when he was out, he saw another graceful looking woman with a pretty nose. it came into his mind that “i would cut her nose and transplant it on my wife's face. wouldn't that be nice?“
He then cut the nose off this other woman. caring it home he hurriedly called out to his wife, “come quickly！ i got a pretty nose for you.“
Once she came out, he cut off her nose and replaced it with the one he had cut off first. it did not fit; also the wife suffered a great pain.
So are the stupid in the world. they hear that aged monks and brahmans with great fame and merit are respected and much supported. they say to themselves in these words, “there is no difference between them and us.“
They falsely pretend to be virtuous. not only do they gain nothing, they get a bad name for their misbehavior as well. those people are just like the stupid man cutting other's nose only to injure his own wife.
古文：
昔有一人，其妇端正，唯有鼻丑。其人外出，见他妇面貌端正，其鼻甚好，便作是言：“我今宁可截取其鼻，著我妇面上，不亦好乎！”
即截他妇鼻，持来归家，急唤其妇：“汝速出来，与汝好鼻。”
其妇出来，即割其鼻，寻以他鼻著妇面上。既不相著，复失其鼻，唐使其妇受大苦痛。
世间愚人，亦复如是。闻他宿旧沙门、婆罗门有大名德，而为世人之所恭敬，得大利养，便作是念言：“我今与彼便为不异。”
虚自假称，妄言有德，既失其利，复伤其行。如截他鼻，徒自伤损。世间愚人，亦复如是。
译文：
从前有一个人，他的妻子长得端正，只是鼻子难看。这人外出之际，见别人的妻子面貌端正，鼻子长得很好，便说：“我现今可把她的鼻截取下来安著到我妻子面孔上去，不是很好么！”随即将别人妻子的鼻子截下来，拿回家去，急急地叫妻子：“你快出来，给你好鼻。”他妻子一出来，就割了她的鼻子，旋而将他人的鼻子安著在妻子面孔上。既安不上去，又失了她原先的鼻子，空落落地使她受了大苦痛。
世间的愚人也是这样，听闻那些年高的沙门、婆罗门有大名德，因而受到世人的敬重，获得丰富的供养，便想：现今我与他们便是一样的了。就虚假地自称有德，既失掉了修证的功德，又损及了自身的品行。如截来他人的鼻子，徒然使自己受到损伤一般，世间的愚人，也是这般。
这故事比喻∶有人痴心妄想，主观很深，自骄自大，轻举妄动，结果常致两败俱伤，害人自害。