【Original text】
吴王夫差败越于夫椒(1)，报檇李也(2)。遂入越。越子以甲楯五千保于会稽(3) 使大夫种因吴大宰嚭以行成(4)。吴子将许之。伍员曰：“不可。臣闻之：‘树德莫 如尽(5)。’昔有过浇杀斟灌以伐斟鄩(6),灭夏后相(7)。后缗方娠(8)，逃出自窦(9), 归于有仍(10),生少康焉。为仍牧正(11),惎浇能戒之(12)。浇使椒求之(13),逃奔有虞(14), 为之疱正(15),以除其害(16)。虞思于是妻之以二姚(17)，而邑诸论(18) 。有田一成(19)，有众一旅(20)，能布其德而兆其谋(21)，以收夏众，抚其官职。 使女艾谍浇(22)，使季杼豷(23)，遂灭过、戈，复禹之绩，祀夏配天，不失旧物(24)。 今吴不如过，而越大于少康，或将丰之(25)，不亦难乎？勾践能亲而务施，施不失人，亲 不弃劳。与我同壤，而世为仇雠(26)。于是乎克而弗取，将又存之，违天而长寇仇，后虽 悔之，不可食已(27)。姬之衰也(28)，日可俟也。介在夷蛮而长寇仇(29)，以是求伯(30),必不行 矣。”弗听。退而告人曰：“越十年生聚(31)，而十年教训(32)，二十年之外，吴 其为沼乎(33)！”三月，越及吴平。
King Wu Fu Chai was defeated by Fu Jiao (1), and reported to Li Ye (2). Then he entered Yue. Yuezi secured it in Kuaiji with five thousand armored frames (3) and sent the official Zhongyin to Wu Dazai Pei (4). Wu Zi will promise it. Wu Yuan said: "No. I heard it: 'There is no tree with all its virtues (5).' In the past, people used to pour water to kill and pour irrigation to cut down and pour urin (6), and to destroy the prime minister of Xia (7). Hou Min Fang pregnancy (8), escaped from the sinus (9), Return to Youyuan (10), and give birth to Shaokang Yan. He is still Muzheng (11), and he pours pepper to ask for it (13). He flees to have Yu (14), and treats it as a blister (15), so as to eliminate its harm (16). Yu Si then gives his wife two Yao (17), and the comments on the city (18). . There is a field of Yicheng (19), a group of troops (20), who can spread his virtues and foretell his plans (21), so as to collect the Xia people and appease his official position. Now Wu is not as good as Guo, but he is bigger than Shaokang, or he will be rich (25). Isn't it difficult? Regret it, you can't eat it (27). Ji's decline (28), the day will come. There will be enemies among the barbarians (29), so it will be impossible to seek help from the uncle (30). "Don't listen. He retreated and told others: "In the past ten years, life has been gathered (31), and in ten years, lessons have been learned (32). Twenty years away, Wu Qi is a marsh (33)!" In March, Yue and Wu Ping.
【注释】
【Note】
(1)夫差：吴王阖庐的儿子。越：诸侯国名，姓姒，国都在会稽，即今浙江绍兴。夫椒：越国地名，在今 江绍兴北。(2)檇(zui)李：越国地名，在今浙江绍兴北。吴王阖庐在这里被越国打败，受伤而死。 (3)越子：越国国君勾践。楯：同“盾”。甲楯：指全副武装的士兵。会稽： 山名，在今浙江绍兴东南十二里。(4)种：文种，越国的大夫，楚国人。嚭(pi) ：伯嚭，伯州犁的孙子，吴国的太宰，楚国人。(5)这两句话后被收入《古文 尚书.泰誓》。滋：长，多。尽：彻底。(6)有过：古代的国名，在今山东掖县北。 浇：有过国的国君。斟灌、斟鄩：夏的同姓诸侯。(7)夏后相：夏朝的国君， 夏朝第五代君主。(8)后缗：相的妻子。娠：怀孕。(9)窦：洞，孔。(10)有仍： 古代诸侯国名，后缗的娘家，在今山东的济宁。(11)牧正：管理畜牧的官。(12) 惎：忌恨。戒：提防。(13)椒：浇的臣子。(14)有虞：古代诸侯国名，姓姚， 在今山西永济。(15)疱正：管理膳食的官。(16)除：避免。(17)二姚：指有虞国君 虞思的两个女儿，虞是姚姓国，所以称二姚。(18)邑诸纶：把纶邑封给他。纶 在今河南虞城东南。(19)成：十平方里为一成。(20)旅：五百里为一旅。 (21)兆：开始。(22)女艾：少康的儿子。豷(yi)：浇的弟弟，戈国国君。(24) 旧物：指夏代原来的典章制度。(25)丰：壮大。(26)同壤：同处一方，国土相连。 (27)食：消除。(28)姬：指吴国。吴国为姬姓国家。(29)介：处在 中间。夷蛮：指楚国和越国。(30)伯：同“霸”。(31)生聚：养育人民和积聚 财富。(32)教训：教育和训练。(33)外：后。为沼：变为湖沼，意思是国家灭亡。
(1) Fucha: The son of King Wu Helu. Yue: The name of the vassal country, with the surname Si, and the capital of the country was in Kuaiji, which is now Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Fujiao: The place name of the Yue Kingdom, in the north of Shaoxing, present-day Jiangxi. (2)懇(zui)李: The place name of Yue State, in the north of Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province today. King Wu Helu was defeated by Yue here and died of injuries. (3) Yuezi: Gou Jian, the king of Yue. Zhen: Same as "shield". Jia Zhen: Refers to a fully armed soldier. Kuaiji: The name of the mountain, located twelve miles southeast of Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province. (4) Zhong: Li Zhong, a senior official from Yue State, a native of Chu State. Pi (pi): Bo Pi, the grandson of Bozhou Li, the Grand Administrator of Wu State, and a native of Chu State. (5) These two sentences were later included in "Gu Wen Shangshu. Tai Oath". Zi: long, many. To the fullest: Completely. (6) Yes: The name of the country in ancient times was located in the north of Ye County, Shandong Province today. Pouring: There is a king who has passed the country. Zou Guan, Zou Po: the princes of Xia with the same surname. (7) Queen of Xia: The king of Xia Dynasty, the fifth generation monarch of Xia Dynasty. (8) Hou Min: The wife of the prime minister. Pregnancy: Pregnancy. (9) Sinus: hole, hole. (10) Youyi: The name of an ancient vassal state. Hou Min’s natal family was in Jining, Shandong today. (11) Mu Zheng: The official who manages livestock. (12) Peng: Jealousy. Caution: Beware. (13) Jiao: A minister who pours water. (14) Youyu: The name of the ancient vassal country, with the surname Yao, in today's Yongji, Shanxi. (15) Bu Zheng: The official who manages meals. (16) Except: avoid. (17) Eryao: Refers to the two daughters of Yu Si, the king of Yu State. Yu is a country with the surname Yao, so it is called Eryao. (18) Yi Zhu Lun: seal Lun Yi to him. Lun is in the southeast of today's Yucheng, Henan. (19) Cheng: Ten square miles is one percent. (20) Brigade: Five hundred miles is a brigade. (21) trillion: start. (22) Nu Ai: Shaokang’s son.豷(yi): The younger brother of 豷, the king of Ge State. (24) Old things: refers to the original rules and regulations of the Xia Dynasty. (25) Feng: strong. (26) Same soil: located in the same place, connected by land. (27) Food: Eliminate. (28) Ji: refers to the state of Wu. Wu State is a country with the surname Ji. (29) Introduction: In the middle. Yiman: refers to Chu and Yue. (30) Bo: Same as "hegemon". (31) Shengju: raising people and accumulating wealth. (32) Lessons: Education and training. (33) Outside: behind. Weizhu: Turning into a lake or swamp means the death of the country.
【译文】
【Translation】
吴王夫差在椒山打败了越军，报了檇李战役吴国战败之仇。接着，吴军进入了越国，越王勾践率领五千名全副武装的士兵退守到会稽山， 并派大夫文钟通过吴国太宰伯嚭去请求讲和。吴王夫差准备同意越国的请求 。伍员说：“不可答应。臣下听说：‘树立德行不如越多越好，去去除病痛不如 越彻底越好。’从前有过国的国君浇杀了斟灌后又去攻打斟鄩，消灭了夏朝君主相。 相的妻子后缗正怀着孕，从墙洞里逃出去，逃回娘家有仍国，在那里生下了少康。少康长大后当了有仍国的牧正，他忌恨浇，又时刻提防着浇的迫害。浇派大臣 椒去抓少康，少康逃到了有虞国，在那里当上了疱正，得以避开了浇的杀害。 有虞的国君虞思这时把两个女儿嫁给少康为妻，并把纶邑封给了少康。少康 有方圆十里的土地，有五百名士兵，能够广施德政，并开始谋划复兴国家，收罗 夏朝的遗民，按抚属下的官员。少康派女艾去刺探浇的情况，派季杼去引诱 浇的弟弟豷，结果灭掉了过国和戈国，复兴了夏禹业绩，祭祀夏朝的祖先并 祀享天帝，恢复了从前的典章制度。现在是吴国比不上有过国的强大，而 越国却比少康强大，如果越国再壮大起来，岂不是很难对付吗？越王勾践 能够爱护人民，注意施行恩惠，施行恩惠不会失掉人心，爱护民众而不 忘掉有功的人。越国同我们国土相连，又世世代代有冤仇。在我们战胜越国时不把它灭掉 ，却要保存它，这就违背了天意，助长了仇敌，日后即使后悔，也无法消除 祸患。吴国的衰亡，已经为期不远了。吴国处在夷蛮之间又助长仇敌， 想用这种办法去谋求霸权，必定行不通。”吴王夫差没有听从伍员的话。伍员退出来后 对别人说：“越国用十年的时间养育了人民和积聚财富，用十年的时间对 人民进行教育和训练，二十年之后，吴国大概会变成荒凉的湖沼了！”三月，越国和吴国讲和了。
King Wu Fucha defeated the Vietnamese army at Jiaoshan and avenged Wu's defeat at the Battle of Jianli. Then, the Wu army entered the Yue Kingdom. King Gou Jian of Yue led 5,000 fully armed soldiers to retreat to Kuaiji Mountain, and sent the official Wen Zhong to request peace through Bo Pe, the Grand Prime Minister of the Wu Kingdom. King Wu Fucha was ready to agree to Yue's request. Wu Yuan said: "You can't agree. I have heard: 'It is better to establish virtues as much as possible, and to get rid of diseases as thoroughly as possible.' In the past, a king of the country killed Zou Guan and then attacked Zhen Xu, and wiped out the monarch of Xia Dynasty. The prime minister's wife, Hou Min, escaped from the hole in the wall and returned to her parents' country, where she gave birth to Shaokang. When he grew up, Shaokang became the Mu Zheng of Youzhang. He hated Po and was always on guard against Po's persecution. At this time, Yu Si, the king of Youyu, married his two daughters to Shaokang and granted Lunyi to Shaokang. Shaokang had a land of ten miles and had 500 soldiers. He was able to implement good governance and began to plan to revive the country, recruit the survivors of the Xia Dynasty, and appease his officials. Shaokang sent his daughter Ai to spy on the situation, and sent Ji Zhu to seduce him. Chu's younger brother Chi eventually destroyed Guo and Ge, revived Xia Yu's achievements, worshiped the ancestors of the Xia Dynasty and worshiped Emperor Xiangtian, and restored the previous rules and regulations. Now Wu is not as powerful as Guo, but Yue is stronger than Shaokang. If Yue grows again, won't it be difficult to deal with it? King Gou Jian of Yue was able to care for the people, pay attention to showing kindness, and never lose people's hearts when showing kindness. He loved the people without forgetting the meritorious people. The country of Yue is connected to our territory, and there has been enmity from generation to generation. When we defeated Yue, we did not destroy it, but preserved it. This violated God's will and encouraged the enemy. Even if we regret it in the future, we will not be able to eliminate the disaster. The decline of Wu State is not far away. The state of Wu was located between the barbarians and the barbarians and encouraged their enemies. If they tried to seek hegemony in this way, it would definitely not work. " King Wu Fu Chai did not listen to the words of Wu Yuan. After Wu Yuan left, he said to others: "The State of Yue has spent ten years raising its people and accumulating wealth, and it has taken ten years to educate and train its people. After twenty years, the State of Wu will probably turn into a desolate lake and swamp! "In March, Yue and Wu made peace.
【读解】
【Interpretation】
读了这个故事，很让我们疑心，这是否是后来添加上去的，因为伍员，也就是伍 子胥，真的是料事如神，越王勾践卧薪尝胆，十年生聚，十年教训，竟然 就在二十年后灭掉了吴国，应了伍子胥的预言。当然，这个故事没有造假，不是假冒伪劣 产品，而是真实的历史事实。
After reading this story, we are very suspicious whether this was added later, because Wu Yuan, also known as Wu Zixu, was really good at predicting events. Gou Jian, the king of Yue, lived on firewood and tasted courage. After ten years of gathering and ten years of lessons, he actually destroyed the state of Wu twenty years later, fulfilling Wu Zixu's prophecy. Of course, this story is not fake, it is not a fake product, but a true historical fact.
这样我们的确要佩服伍子胥的眼光和头脑了。他是清醒的政治家、军事家，具有理性的精神和现实主义 态度。他识破了越国在兵临城下之时媾和来保存实力的意图，援引历史教训来 告诉吴王夫差，却未被采纳。
In this way, we really have to admire Wu Zixu's vision and mind. He is a sober politician and military strategist with a rational spirit and a realist attitude. He saw through the Yue State's intention to make peace to preserve its strength when the army approached the city, and quoted historical lessons to tell King Wu Fu Chai, but it was not adopted.
这又一次告诉我们：历史的经验值得注意！历史发展虽然不是重复循环的，但 常常有惊人的相似之处，不认真总结经验，吸取教训，确乎要栽大跟头。夏朝 第六代君主少康的“少康中兴”，就是一面镜子。国家虽然亡了，但留下了复仇的种子， 为日后的复兴提供了火种。星星之光，可以燎原。少康就真的从小到大，由弱到强， 灭掉仇敌，光复了祖先的业绩。
This once again tells us: historical experience is worth noting! Although historical development is not repetitive, there are often striking similarities. If we do not seriously sum up experience and learn lessons, we will surely fall into serious trouble. The "Shaokang Zhongxing" of the sixth generation monarch of the Xia Dynasty, Shaokang, is a mirror. Although the country died, it left behind the seeds of revenge, providing the fire for future revival. The light of a star can start a prairie fire. Shaokang really grew up from small to large, from weak to strong, destroyed his enemies and restored the achievements of his ancestors.
教训之二，是对陷入困境的“穷寇”，要穷追猛打，直至彻底消灭，不留任何祸根， 不时敌手有任何东山再起的希望，也就是要灭掉“种子”。还是毛主席英明， 他老人家早就手过：“宜将剩勇追穷寇，不可沽名学霸王。”鲁迅先生也极力倡导 通打“落水狗”的精神，即使狗儿落入水中做出哀求的可怜状，也要通打之， 否则，它一旦爬上岸来，又会咬人的。古人也总结过不能纵虎归山，要不然会遗 害无穷。从这个方面来说，吴王夫差放过越王勾践，实在是养虎遗患，玩火以至 自焚。
The second lesson is to pursue the "poor bandits" who are in trouble until they are completely eliminated, leaving no roots of trouble. Whenever the enemy has any hope of making a comeback, that is to say, the "seeds" must be destroyed. Chairman Mao was still wise. His old man had already said: "It is better to use your remaining courage to chase the poor bandits, and not to use your reputation as an academic overlord." Mr. Lu Xun also strongly advocated the spirit of fighting "dogs in the water". The ancients also concluded that you cannot let the tiger return to the mountain, otherwise it will cause endless harm. From this aspect, Wu King Fu Chai let go of Yue King Gou Jian, which is really a legacy of raising a tiger, playing with fire and even self-immolation.
教训之三，从越王勾践的角度说，在明知对手强大时，及时的表示屈服，要求媾和， 以便保存实力，另图东山再起，卷土重来，是迫不得已最好的选择。识时务者为俊杰。 勾践不愧为识时务者，在即将亡国灭种的关键时刻，甘拜下风，屈居人下，以屈 求神，保住了复仇的种子。留得青山在，不怕没柴烧。
The third lesson, from the perspective of King Gou Jian of Yue, is that when you know that your opponent is strong, it is the best choice to surrender in time and ask for peace in order to preserve your strength and try to make a comeback. He who knows the current affairs is a hero. Gou Jian was worthy of being a man who understood current affairs. At the critical moment when his country was about to be destroyed and his species was about to be destroyed, he was willing to bow down and be inferior to others. He bowed to God and kept the seeds of revenge. As long as the green hills remain, there is no need to worry about running out of firewood.
教训之四，要有坚韧不拔地坚持下去的毅力，事业终将成功。君子报仇，十年不 晚。勾践大概是牢记住了这一点，并且再退一步，加上十年，用两倍的时间来为复仇作准备。 这个过程也够漫长的，其中的屈辱辛酸，非局外人所能体验。以国君的身份， 卧薪尝胆，这要有超出常人的毅力。在长期的艰难困苦之中，人的精神随时都会有 崩溃的可能，随时都可能因挫折而彻底的放弃希望和努力。但是勾践坚持下来了。 因此我们也要敬佩勾践，佩服他的坚韧不拔地向目标挺进的毅力。
Lesson 4: If you have the perseverance to persevere, your career will eventually succeed. A gentleman's revenge is never too late. Gou Jian probably kept this in mind, and took a step back, adding ten years to double the time to prepare for revenge. This process is also long enough, and the humiliation and bitterness involved cannot be experienced by outsiders. As a king, it takes perseverance beyond ordinary people to work hard. In long-term hardships, the human spirit may collapse at any time, and people may completely give up hope and efforts due to setbacks at any time. But Gou Jian persisted. Therefore, we must also admire Gou Jian and admire his perseverance in advancing toward his goal.
