春秋霸主齐桓公，
有两位大臣很有名：
一个名叫鲍叔牙，
一个名字叫管仲。
他二人之间友谊深，
一直为后人所称颂。
传说那齐襄公的儿子有两个，
父王死后兄弟便把王位争。
大公子小白二公子纠，
争王位兄弟动刀兵。
在当时鲍叔牙深得小白的信赖，
公子纠喜欢的却是管仲。
自从齐国闹内乱，
二位公子在国外观动静。
在回国抢夺王位的途中，
两兄弟在莒地交了锋。
管仲的箭儿射得准，
小白被他一箭射中了护心镜，
箭射在镜旁带钩上，
鲍叔牙连声唤“主公”，
让小白佯装受了伤，
到晚上却连夜催马赶进城。
管仲护卫公子纠，
却在途中慢慢行，
满以为小白早已死，
其实落在鲍叔牙的计谋中。
不久小白即王位，
便是那赫赫有名的齐桓公。
齐桓公派人杀死了公子纠，
同时下令囚管仲。
鲍叔牙与管仲是好友，
忙找桓公去求情，
夸管仲满腹经纶智谋多，
整军治国有才能。
劝桓公及早放了他，
用他治国早立功。
桓公说管仲本是大仇人，
放了他一箭之恨不能平。
叔牙说自古贤君无私怨，
对待臣子要宽容。
管仲他既然能效忠公子纠，
也能替主公立新功。
更何况您早想称霸中原地，
缺了管仲怕不成！
齐桓公果然听从叔牙话，
当即派叔牙去亲迎。
迎来之后以礼待，
委以重任放心用。
管仲辅佐齐桓公，
国力日益变强盛。
终于称霸于天下，
那桓公还以“仲父”称管仲。
管仲到了晚年后，
常提起鲍叔牙当年情。
他常说：“生我身的是父母，
鲍叔牙知我荐我恩义重。
既亏鲍叔牙了解我，
也亏桓公把我用。”
“管鲍之交”作成语，
常比喻知心朋友情深重。
Bosom Friends，Guan and Bao
In the Spring and Autumn Period（770—476B。C。），Duke Huan of the State of Qi was a war-lord。He had two ministers in his court，one was Bao Shuya，and the other was Guan Zhong。The friendship between them was profound，and it passed down to later generations。
It is said that Duke Xiang of Qi had two sons，and they were competing for the rank of Duke。One of the sons was Xiaobai and the other was Jiu。When competing they fought tit for tat。At that time Bao Shuya was trusted by Xiaobai，but Prince Jiu preferred Guan Zhong。
When the civil war broke out，the two princes were living abroad to observe。But on their way home to grab the duke rank，the two brothers met and fought at Ludi。Guan Zhong shot out an arrow，and Xiaobai was shot on the hook of the belt of the chest of his coat of amour。
Bao Shuya called out“Your Majesty”repeatedly，and he let Xiaobai pretend to have been wounded。In the evening he hastened their horses to the city。Meanwhile Guan Zhong was accompanying Prince Jiu，at a snail pace on the way back，thinking that Xiaobai must have been dead。Without being aware that they were actually falling into a trap。
Before long Xiaobai mounted the throne，and he later became a famous king，known as the Duke Huan of Qi。Duke Huan had prince Jiu murdered，and put his follower Guan Zhong under arrest at the same time。Bao Shuya being Guan Zhong's best friend，immediately went to Duke Huan and appealed for his friend's release。He highly praised Guan Zhong's wisdom and talent。He said he was quite at home in disciplining an army and running a country。He persuad-ed Duke Huan to set Guan Zhong free as soon as possible，in order that he could establish achievements in governing the country。
Duke Huan said that Guan Zhong was a sworn foe of his，if he set him free，how could he take revenge for the dreadful arrow shooting。Shuya said that a sagacious man had no personal enemies，and he should always be forgiving of his ministers。Guan Zhong had been loyal to Prince Jiu，and he may be willing to serve you。As you have already decided to govern Mid-China，you won't make it without him。
Duke Huan did accept Shuya's opinion，and he even sent Shuya to receive Guan。Duke Huan treated Guan Zhong with rites，and used him without a fig of suspicion。Later under the auspices of Guan Zhong，the country was thriving day by day。At last Duke Huan achieved his goal，and he called Guan as“Father Zhong”。
When he was older，Guan Zhong constantly mentioned the friendship with Bao。He would say，“I was born by my parents，as was blissful And I was known by Bao，that was even more blissful。Thanks to Bao's understanding of me And thanks also to Lord Huan's trust。”“Bosom friends，Guan and Bao”as an idiom，is the same as you would say David and Jonathon are best friends。
