There was a couple in the State of Lu. The husband was an expert shoemaker and the wife had a skilled hand in weaving silk.

One day, after a long discussion, they decided to go to the State of Yue to earn a livelihood. Learning about their plan, the neighbors advised them not to go. "Don't go there," said one neighbor, "If you go, you can never earn a good living."

"We don't understand," the couple objected, "We have a fine command of our crafts. How could we not earn a living? Don't talk such nonsense!"

"Indeed, you have skill," explained the man, "But have you taken notice of the fact that shoes require people to wear them? The people of Yue don't wear shoes; they are barefooted. Also, you use your silk to make hats. People there like to wear their hair down; they never wear hats. To whom would you sell your shoes and hats then? Experienced though you are in these crafts, the skills you have mastered are useless there."

After this explanation, the husband and wife understood that anything not adaptable to the outside world is impractical.

bù hé shí yí
不合時宜

?????? 魯國有對夫妻，男的是鞋匠，鞋子做的很好；女的是織絹能手。

?????? 有一天，他們商量想到越國去謀生。消息傳到四鄰后，有人對他們說：“不要到那兒去！否則你們一定無法生存的！”

?????? 那對夫婦說：“我們不明白你的意思，我們都有一套手藝，怎么會生活不了呢？別胡說了！”

?????? 那人說：“對呀，你們雖然都有一套手藝，可是你們要知道，鞋子是給人穿的，但越國人都赤腳不穿鞋子；你們織的絲絹原是做帽子用的，但越國人喜歡披著頭發，不戴帽子。你們的本領雖大，手藝雖高，但你們做的鞋子、帽子去賣給誰呢？”

?????? 那對夫婦這才明白，凡事如果不合時宜、不適合客觀環境就不中用了。

bù wén bù wèn
不聞不問
take no notice of; be indifferent to; show no interest in