曲突徙薪

From a story in Biography of Huo Guang and Jin Midi（霍光金日磾傳）, Book of Han:

臣聞客有過主人者，見其灶直突，傍有積薪。客謂主人，更為曲突，遠徙其薪，不者且有火患。主人嘿然不應。俄而家果失火，鄰里共救之，幸而得息。於是殺牛置酒，謝其鄰人，灼爛者在於上行，餘各以功次坐，而不錄言曲突者。人謂主人曰：「鄉使聽客之言，不費牛酒，終亡火患。今論功而請賓，曲突徙薪亡恩澤，焦頭爛額為上客耶？」主人乃寤而請之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

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臣闻客有过主人者，见其灶直突，傍有积薪。客谓主人，更为曲突，远徙其薪，不者且有火患。主人嘿然不应。俄而家果失火，邻里共救之，幸而得息。于是杀牛置酒，谢其邻人，灼烂者在于上行，余各以功次坐，而不录言曲突者。人谓主人曰：“乡使听客之言，不费牛酒，终亡火患。今论功而请宾，曲突徙薪亡恩泽，焦头烂额为上客耶？”主人乃寤而请之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

Chén wén kè yǒu guò zhǔrén zhě, jiàn qí zào zhí tū, bàng yǒu jī xīn. Kè wèi zhǔrén, gēng wéi qū tū, yuǎn xǐ qí xīn, bù zhě qiě yǒu huǒhuàn. Zhǔrén mòrán bù yìng. É'ér jiā guǒ shīhuǒ, línlǐ gòng jiù zhī, xìng ér dé xī. Yúshì shā niú zhì jiǔ, xiè qí línrén, zhuó làn zhě zài yú shàng háng, yú gè yǐ gōng cì zuò, ér bù lù yán qū tū zhě. Rén wèi zhǔrén yuē: “Xiàngshǐ tīng kè zhī yán, bù fèi niú jiǔ, zhōng wáng huǒhuàn. Jīn lùn gōng ér qǐng bīn, qūtūxǐxīn wáng ēnzé, jiāotóulàn'é wèi shàngkè yē?” Zhǔrén nǎi wù ér qǐng zhī. [Pinyin]

I heard that there was once a guest visiting a homeowner, and he observed that his stove was equipped with a straight chimney, and there was firewood piled up next to it. The guest told the owner, "Replace your chimney with a crooked one and move the firewood far away from it. Otherwise, there will be fire risk." But the owner ignored him. Soon his house was really on fire, and his neighbours went to put out fire together. Fortunately, they were able to put it out. The homeowner then slaughtered cows and prepared wine to thank his neighbours. Those who were burnt were arranged to sit at the front, and the others sat according to their contributions. However, he did not invite the person that told him to modify the chimney. Someone then said to him, "If you had listened to what your guest said, you would have eliminated fire without beef and wine. Now you are inviting people according to their contributions, then how can you forget the mercy of the person that told you to replace the chimney with a crooked one and move firewood away, but let those people got burnt seriously be the important guests?" The homeowner realized that and invited him.

曲突徙薪

1. to take preventive measures; to take precautions (to prevent trouble from happening)