一天，商朝开国君主汤看见一个人四面布下了天罗地网，正在向神祷告:
One day, King Tang, the founder of the Shang Dynasty, saw a man arranging a net on all sides and praying to the deity:
“从天上飞下来的，从地下钻出来的，从四面八方跑过来的，都撞到我的网里来吧!”
"Let those that fly down from the sky, those that come out of the ground, and those that come running from all directions all run into my net!"
汤说: “咦!这不是一网打尽了吗?”
Tang said: "Well, isn't this catching the whole lot in one net?"
汤上前收掉了三面的网，只留下一面的网。
Tang went forward and took away the net on three sides, leaving only one side there.
然后，他对那人说:“请你重新祷告吧!
Then he said to the man: "Now please pray again!
你可以这样说:过去，蜘蛛织出了网。
You can say thus: In the past, the spiders have spun nets.
现在人们也学会了织网。
Now people have learned to make nets too.
你们这些鸟兽，想往左边的就往左走开;
You birds and animals, those that want to turn left can go to the left;
想往右边的就往右走开;想高飞的就高飞;
those that want to turn right can go to the right; those that want to fly can soar;
想钻洞的就钻洞。
those that want to get into holes can get into holes.
我仅仅捕捉那些命里注定要死的。”
I only catch those that are doomed to die."
商汤网开三面的佳话，一下子传开了。
The much-told tale of King Tang's leaving the net open on three sides spread far and wide at once.
汉水以南各国知道后，都说:
When the people of the states south of the Han River heard of it, they all said:
“商汤对禽兽也这样恩赐。
"King Tang of Shang bestows favour even upon birds and animals.
这样宽恕，真是个仁慈的人。”
He is so lenient that he is truly a benevolent man."
于是，当时的四十个小国家都心悦诚服地归顺了商汤。
Thereupon, all the 40 small states of the time had a heartfelt admiration for Tang and pledged their allegiance to the Shang Dynasty.