随何曰：“大王与项王俱列为诸侯，北乡而臣事之者，必以楚为强，可以托国也。Sui He said, "Your Majesty and King Xiang Yu are both ranked as feudal lords. For you to face north and serve someone means that you must think Chu is strong enough to entrust your state to.
项王伐齐，身负版筑，为士卒先。大王宜悉九江之众，身自将之，为楚前锋；When King Xiang Yu attacked Qi, he carried the tools for building fortifications on his back and led the soldiers in the front. Your Majesty should have led all the troops of Jiujiang in person to serve as the vanguard of Chu.
今乃发四千人以助楚。夫北面而臣事人者，固若是乎？But now you have only sent four thousand men to assist Chu. Is this how one should act when serving someone as a vassal facing north?
汉王入彭城，项王未出齐也。大王宜悉九江之兵渡淮，日夜会战彭城下；When the King of Han entered Pengcheng, King Xiang Yu was still in Qi. Your Majesty should have led all the troops of Jiujiang to cross the Huai River and fight day and night under the walls of Pengcheng.
大王乃抚万人之众，无一人渡淮者，垂拱而观其孰胜。夫托国于人者，固若是乎？But instead, you just comforted the ten thousand troops under your command, and not a single man crossed the Huai River. You just sat back and watched to see who would win. Is this how one should act when entrusting one's state to someone?
夫楚兵虽强，天下负之以不义之名，以其背盟约而杀义帝也。Although the Chu troops are strong, the whole world blames them for being unjust because they broke the covenant and killed the Righteous Emperor.
夫楚之强，适足以致天下之兵耳。故楚不如汉，其势易见也。The strength of Chu is just enough to attract the troops of the whole world to oppose it. So Chu is not as well as Han, and this situation is obvious.
今大王不与万全之汉而自托于危亡之楚，臣窃为大王惑之！Now Your Majesty doesn't side with the all-safe Han but entrusts yourself to the doomed Chu. I am secretly puzzled about this for Your Majesty!
臣非以九江之兵足以亡楚也；大王发兵而倍楚，项王必留；留数月，汉之取天下可以万全。I don't mean that the troops of Jiujiang are enough to destroy Chu. If Your Majesty sends troops to turn against Chu, King Xiang Yu will surely stay to deal with it. If he stays for a few months, the King of Han can surely take the whole world without any risk.
臣请与大王提剑而归汉，汉王必裂地而封大王；又况九江必大王有也。”I ask Your Majesty to draw your sword and join Han with me. The King of Han will surely divide the land and enfeoff Your Majesty. Moreover, Jiujiang will surely remain in Your Majesty's possession."
九江王曰：“请奉命。”阴许畔楚与汉，未敢泄也。The King of Jiujiang said, "I will obey your orders." Secretly, he promised to defect from Chu and side with Han, but he didn't dare to disclose it yet.
