Explanation
Ittakestimetosharpentheknife,butitdoesnotdelaycuttingwood.Metaphoricalpreparationbeforehandcanspeedupthework.
Source
Twowoodcutters,AdeandAcai,wentupthemountaintochopwoodtogether.
Youmustgotobedearlyandgetupearlywhenyougoupthemountaintocutwood.Adethought,"Ifyoucutonemorebundle,youwillgetanextraincome.Ihavetogetupearliertomorrowandarrivebeforedawn."Afterreturninghome,Acaihurryedtosharpentheknifeandpreparedtosharpentheknifethenextday.Thestonebeltgoesupthemountain.
Thenextday,AdbieAcaiwenttothemountainfirst.Heworkedwithallhisstrengthfromthebeginning,andhedarednotrestforamoment.AlthoughAhCaiwentupthemountainlater,hecutwoodfasterthanyesterday,andafterawhile,hecaughtupwithAd'sprogress.Atnoon,ACaistoppedtosharpenhisknife.HesuggestedtoAde:"Whydon'tyoutakeabreaktoo.Grindtheaxefirst,anditwon'tbetoolatetocontinuecutting.Thekidsinthefamilyareclamoringtoeatwildhawthorn,wecanalsopicksomebackbytheway."
AderejectedAhCaiandthought:"Idon'twanttowastetime.Whileyouareresting,Icanhurryupandchopafewmorebundlesoffirewood."
SoonThedayisoveragain.Adeonlychoppedsixbundlesoffirewood,andACai,inadditiontotheninebundlesoffirewoodhechopped,alsopickedsomewildhawthornstomakethechildrenhappy.
Adewaspuzzled.Hecouldn'tfigureoutwhyheworkedsohard,buthedidn'tcutasmuchasAcai.
Onthethirdday,AdetriedtocutdownthetreewhileobservingthesituationofAcai'swork.Hecouldn'tseethesecretofAcai,buthecutquickly.Finally,Adecouldnolongerhelpasking:"Ihavebeenworkingveryhard,andthereisnotimetorest.Whydoyoucutmoreandfasterthanme?"
AcaiKanHesmiledandsaid,"Inadditiontoskillandstrength,whatismoreimportantistheaxeinourhands.Ioftensharpenmyknife.Theknifeissharp,andofcourseIcutmorefirewood;andyouneversharpentheknife,althoughitcostsImayhavemorestrengththanme,buttheaxeisgettingblunt,andofcourselessfirewoodischopped."