【Original text】
晋人归楚公子谷臣与连尹襄老之尸于楚①，以求知 ②。于是 l饩涨 五x矣③，故楚人许之。
The Jin people brought the corpses of Chu Gongzi Gu Chen and Lian Yinxiang to Chu ① in order to seek knowledge ②. So the food went up to five times, so the people of Chu agreed.
王送知 ，曰：“子其怨我乎？”对曰：“二国治戎(4)，臣不才， 不胜其任，以为俘馘⑤。执事不以 鼓(6)，使归即7)君之惠也。 臣好。二国有好，臣不与及(10)，其谁敢德？”王日：“子归，何以报我？” 对曰：“臣不任受怨(11)，君亦不任受德，无怨无德，不知所报。”王 曰：“虽然，必告不谷。”对曰：“以君之灵，累臣得归骨于晋，寡 君之以为戮，死且不朽。若从君之惠而免之，以赐君之外臣首(12) 首其请于寡君而以戮于宗(13)，死且不朽。若不获命(14)，而使嗣宗 职(15)，次及于事，而帅偏师以修封疆(16)，虽遇执事，其弗敢违。其 竭力致死(17)，无有二心，以尽臣礼，所以报也。”王曰：“晋未可与 争。”重为之礼而归之。
The king sent the message and asked: "Does your son blame me?" He said to him: "The two countries are in charge of the army (4), but the minister is not talented and is not qualified for his duties, so he thinks he is a prisoner 5. The deacon does not use drums (6), so the return is 7) the favor of the king. I am good. The two countries have good things, but I do not match them (10). Who dares to be virtuous?" The king said: "My son returns, how can he repay me?" He said: "I do not accept resentment (11), and the emperor does not accept virtue. There is no resentment and no virtue, and I don't know the retribution." The king said: "Although, I will complain without success." He said: "With the emperor's spirit, the tired ministers must return their bones to the Jin Dynasty, and the few emperors will kill them, and they will die and become immortal. If you follow the emperor's favor and avoid it, you can give the ministers other than the emperor (12) First of all, he asked the prince to kill the clan (13), and if he died (14), he was given the title of successor (15), and then he took matters into his own hands, and commanded the troops to repair the territory (16). Even if he met the deacon, he would not dare to disobey him. Struggle. "Repay the courtesy and return.
【注释】
【Note】
①归；送还。公子谷臣：楚庄王的儿子。连尹襄老：连尹是官名，襄老 是人名。②求：索取。知 （zhi yTpg）；l饩漯漱I子，在泌之战中被楚 国俘虏。③于是：在这个时候。佐中军；担任中军副帅。(4)治戎：治 兵，演习军队。这里的意思是交战。⑤馘（gU0）：割下敌方战死者的左 耳（用来报功）。这里与“俘”连用，指俘虏。(6) 鼓：取血涂鼓，意思 是处死。①即戮（lu）：接受杀戮。(8)惩：戒，克制。忿：怨恨。 (9)宥（y0U）；宽恕，原谅。(10)与及：参与其中，相干。(11)任：担当 (12)外臣：外邦之臣。臣子对别国君主称外臣。(13)宗：宗庙。 (14)不获命：没有获得国君允许杀戮的命令。(15)宗职：祖宗世袭的职位。 (16)偏师：副帅、副将所属的军队，非主力军队。(17)致死：献出生命。
①Return; return. Gongzi Guchen: the son of King Zhuang of Chu. Lianyin and Xianglao: Lianyin is an official name and Xianglao is a personal name. ②Ask: request. Zhi (zhi yTpg); l was captured by the Chu State in the Battle of Mi. ③So: At this time. Assist the Central Army; serve as deputy commander of the Central Army. (4) Zhirong: to manage troops and train the army. The meaning here is to engage in war. ⑤阘(gU0): Cut off the left ear of the enemy’s deceased in battle (to report merit). It is used here with "prisoner" to refer to captives. (6) Drum: Taking blood and painting the drum means execution. ① Instant killing (lu): accept killing. (8) Punishment: discipline, restraint. Anger: Resentment. (9) Forgiveness (y0U); forgiveness, forgiveness. (10) And: participate in it, related. (11) Ren: Responsible (12) Foreign Minister: Minister of foreign countries. Subjects are called foreign ministers to the monarchs of other countries. (13) Zong: Ancestral temple. (14) Not ordered: No order from the king to allow killing was obtained. (15) Zongzhi: a position inherited from ancestors. (16) Partial division: the army to which the deputy commander and deputy general belong, not the main army. (17) Death: Give up your life.
【译文】
【Translation】
晋国人想把楚国公子谷臣和连尹襄老的尸体归还给楚国，用 来换回知 。这时l饩漱w经担任晋国的中军副帅，所以楚国人答 应了。
The people of Jin wanted to return the bodies of Chu's princes Gu Chen and Lian Yinxiang to Chu in exchange for their knowledge. At this time, Lun Shuw was already serving as the deputy commander of the Jin army, so the Chu people agreed.
楚共王为知 送行说：“您大概很恨我吧？”知 回答说：“两 国兴兵交战，臣下没有才能，不能胜任职务，所以成了你们的俘虏。 您的左右不把我杀掉取血涂鼓，让我回晋国去接受刑罚，这 是君王的恩惠。臣下确实不中用，又敢怨恨谁呢？楚王说：“那么 感谢我吗？”知莹回答说：“两国都为自己国家的利益考虑；希望 解除百姓的痛苦，各自抑制自己的怨忿，以求相互谅解。双方释 放囚禁的俘虏，以成全两国的友好关系。两国建立了友好的关系 臣下没有参与这件事，又敢感激谁呢？”楚共王说：‘•您回到晋 拿什么来报答我呢，”知 回答说：“臣下承担不起被人怨恨，君 王也承担不起受人感激。既没有怨恨，也没有恩德，不知道要报 答什么。”楚共王说：“虽然这样，你也一定要把你的想法告诉我。” 知 回答说，“托君王的福，我这个被俘之臣能把这把骨头带回晋 国，就是敞国国君把我杀了，我死了也不朽。如果按照君王的 好意而赦免了我，就把我交给您的外臣l饩满Cl饩卤N向我们国君 请求按家法在宗庙里处死我，我也死而不朽。如果得不到我们国 君杀戮我的命令，而让臣下继承祖宗的职位，依次序让我承担军 事要职，率 所属军队去治理边疆，即使遇上您的将帅也不敢违礼 回避。我将尽心竭力到献出自己的生命，不会有别的想法，对 晋王尽到为臣之礼，这就是我用来报答君王的。”楚共王说：“晋 国是不能同它相争斗的。”于是，楚王隆重地礼待知 ，并把他 放回晋国了。
The King of the Communist Party of Chu saw Zhi off and said, "You probably hate me very much, right?" The Zhi replied, "The two countries are at war, and I have no talent and can't do my job, so I became your prisoner. Your right and left did not kill me and smear me with blood, but let me go back to Jin to accept the punishment. This is the king's favor. I am really useless, who dare to resent me?" The King of Chu said, "Then thank me?" Zhiying replied: "Both countries consider the interests of their own countries; they hope to relieve the suffering of the people, and each suppresses their own resentment in order to understand each other." Both sides released the prisoners imprisoned to complete the friendly relations between the two countries. The two countries have established friendly relations. If I am not involved in this matter, who can I be grateful to? "The King of the Communist Party of Chu said: "How can you repay me when you return to Jin?" Zhi replied: "I can't afford to be resented, and the king can't afford to be grateful. There is neither resentment nor kindness, so I don't know what to repay." The King of the Communist Party of Chu said, "Even so, you must tell me your thoughts." Zhi replied, "Thanks to the king, I, a captured minister, can bring these bones back to Jin. country, even if the king of the country kills me, I will live forever. If you pardon me according to the king's good will, you can hand me over to your foreign ministers, and ask our king to kill me in the ancestral temple according to the family law. When the troops under my command go to manage the border, they will not dare to violate the rules and avoid it even if they encounter your general. I will do my best to sacrifice my life, and I will not have any other thoughts. This is what I will do to the King of Jin. This is what I will use to repay the king." The King of Chu said: "The Jin State cannot fight with it." So the King of Chu treated Zhi solemnly and returned him to the Jin State.
【读解】
【Interpretation】
知 不愧为一代辩才，他选取了一个战无不胜的立足点：国 家利益。用国家利益作为盾牌，把楚共三层层进逼的三个问题 回答得滴水不漏，使对手再也无言以对，于无可奈何之中不得不 罢手。知 的防守几乎达到了最佳境界，无懈可击。
Knowing that he was worthy of being a great debater, he chose an invincible starting point: national interests. Using national interests as a shield, he answered the three questions that the Chu Communist Party was pressing forward at three levels, so that the opponents could no longer say anything in reply, and had no choice but to give up. Zhiyang's defense has almost reached its best level and is impeccable.
如果完全以为知 是灵机一动，随机应变地在玩外交辞令和 技巧，并不完全对。他所打的国家利益的牌，既是一种技巧和策 略，同时也是合乎情理的真实观念。在那个礼崩乐坏的时代，从 前传统的价值观念已不为人们所信奉，一切注重实№利益，成了 普遍的时代潮流。大概除了像孔子这样的思想家之外，很少有人 关注现实利益之外的东西。即使祖先、神灵，在很多情况之下也 不过是个招牌，一种表面文章，并不具有实质性的内容。
It is not entirely correct to think that Zhiyang is just a sudden inspiration, playing with diplomatic rhetoric and skills according to circumstances. The national interest card he plays is not only a skill and strategy, but also a reasonable and real concept. In that era when etiquette collapsed, traditional values were no longer believed by people, and all emphasis on practical interests became a common trend of the times. Probably except for thinkers like Confucius, few people pay attention to things other than practical interests. Even ancestors and gods are just signs in many cases, a kind of superficial article without substantive content.
在一切实№利益之中，国家利益高于一切，是作为一个忠臣 必须烙守的原则，也是他言行举止的归依。如果连这一点也不顾， 那么为臣的基本原则便丧失了。无论人们自己是否意识到了，他 们在实№中或多或少地要追问自己所作所为的目的性，追问为什 么要这样做而不那样做，总要有一个最终的依托。价值、观念、信 仰会随时代的变化而不断变化，个人也可以在其中作出选择。但 是，国家利益在任何时代都应当是统治集团中的成员必须关注的， 其中的每个成员都应当以自己的言行来维护国家利益，实№上，他 们的个人利益、个人命运，也是同国家利益紧密联系在一起的。
Among all real interests, the national interest is above all else. This is the principle that a loyal minister must adhere to, and it is also the basis for his words and deeds. If even this is ignored, then the basic principle of being a minister will be lost. Regardless of whether people realize it or not, in practice they more or less have to question the purpose of what they do and why they do this and not that. There must always be an ultimate basis for support. Values, concepts, and beliefs will continue to change with the changes of the times, and individuals can also make choices among them. However, national interests should be of concern to members of the ruling group at any time. Each member of the ruling group should safeguard national interests with their own words and deeds. In fact, their personal interests and destiny are closely linked to national interests.
国家利益是爱国主义的主要内容。如果抽取了国家利益，们爱 国主义就成了空洞的、抽象的精神，实№上是不会具有吸引力和 感召力的。
National interest is the main content of patriotism. If national interests are extracted, our patriotism will become an empty and abstract spirit, and in fact it will not be attractive and inspiring.
国家利益是非常实在的，非常具体的。统治集团中的成员应 当用自己的实№行动来体现，同样，平民百姓也应当自觉维护国 家利益，因为大家的命运是休戚相关的。
National interests are very real and very specific. Members of the ruling group should use their own actions to reflect this. Similarly, ordinary people should also consciously safeguard national interests, because everyone's destiny is closely related.
