饰邪 Admonishing Against Superstition
凿龟数策，兆曰“大吉”，而以攻燕者，赵也。The tortoise shell was drilled and the divination stalks were counted, and the omen indicated "great good fortune", and it was Zhao that launched an attack on Yan.
凿龟数筴，兆曰“大吉”，而以攻赵者，燕也。The tortoise shell was drilled and the divination stalks were counted again, and the omen also said "great good fortune", and this time it was Yan that launched an attack on Zhao.
剧辛之事燕，无功而社稷危；邹衍之事燕，无功而国道绝。When Ju Xin served Yan, he achieved nothing and the state was put in danger. When Zou Yan served Yan, he achieved no success and the state's way was cut off.
赵代先得意于燕，后得意于齐，国乱节高。First, Zhao and Dai had success against Yan, and later they had success against Qi. The state was in chaos but their ambitions were high.
自以为与秦提衡，非赵龟神而燕龟欺也。They thought they could be on an equal footing with Qin. It was not that the tortoise shell used by Zhao was miraculous while that of Yan was deceptive.
赵又尝凿龟数筴而北伐燕，将劫燕以逆秦，兆曰“大吉”。Zhao also once drilled the tortoise shell and counted the divination stalks and then launched a northern expedition against Yan, intending to force Yan to resist Qin. The omen said "great good fortune".
始攻大梁而秦出上党矣，兵至厘而六城拔矣；至阳城，秦拔鄴矣；庞援揄兵而南，则鄣尽矣。However, when they began to attack Daliang, Qin's troops emerged from Shangdang. When their troops reached Li, six cities were captured. When they reached Yangcheng, Qin had captured Ye. When Pang Yuan led the troops southward, Zhang was completely lost.
臣故曰：赵龟虽无远见于燕，且宜近见于秦。秦以其“大吉“，辟地有实，救燕有有名。Therefore, I say that although the tortoise shell used by Zhao had no far-sight regarding Yan, it should at least have had some insight regarding Qin. With its "great good fortune", Qin actually expanded its territory and had a proper reason to rescue Yan.
赵以其“大吉”，地削兵辱，主不得意而死。又非秦龟神而赵龟欺也。But with its "great good fortune", Zhao had its territory reduced, its troops humiliated, and its ruler died in disappointment. Again, it was not that the tortoise shell of Qin was miraculous and that of Zhao was deceptive.
初时者，魏数年东乡攻尽陶、卫，数年西乡以失其国。At first, Wei spent several years attacking eastward and occupied all of Tao and Wei. But in a few years when it attacked westward, it lost its own state.
此非丰隆、五行、太一、王相、摄提、六神、五括、天河、殷抢、岁星非数年在西也，又非天缺、弧逆、刑星、荧惑、奎台非数年在东也。It was not that Fenglong, the Five Elements, Taiyi, the Royal Prime, Sheti, the Six Deities, Wuguo, the Celestial River, Yinqiang, and Jupiter were not in the west for several years, nor that Tianque, Huniy, the Punishment Star, Mars, and Kuitai were not in the east for several years.
故曰：龟筴鬼神不足举胜，左右背乡不足以专战。然而恃之，愚莫大焉。So it can be said that tortoise-shell divination, ghosts, and gods are not sufficient to ensure victory, and the directions of left, right, front, and back are not enough to rely on solely for warfare. However, to rely on them is the height of foolishness.
古者先王尽力于亲民，加事于明法。彼法明，则忠臣劝；罚必，则邪臣止。In ancient times, the former kings exerted all their efforts to be close to the people and focused on clarifying the laws. When the laws were clear, loyal ministers were encouraged; when punishments were certain, evil ministers were deterred.
忠劝邪止而地广主尊者，秦是也；Where loyalty was encouraged, evil was deterred, the territory was expanded, and the ruler was respected, that was the case of Qin.
群臣朋党比周以隐正道行私曲而地削主卑者，山东是也。Where the ministers formed cliques, colluded to conceal the right path, and pursued private interests, resulting in the reduction of territory and the decline of the ruler, that was the situation of the states east of the mountains.
乱弱者亡，人之性也；治强者王，古之道也。The chaotic and weak perish; this is the nature of human affairs. The well-governed and strong become kings; this is the ancient principle.
越王勾践恃大朋之龟与吴战而不胜，身臣入宦于吴；King Goujian of Yue relied on the auspicious tortoise shell to fight against Wu but was defeated. He had to serve as a subject in Wu.
反国弃龟，明法亲民以报吴，则夫差为擒。After returning to his own state, he abandoned the tortoise-shell divination, clarified the laws, and was close to the people to take revenge on Wu, and finally Fu Chai was captured.
故恃鬼神者慢于法，恃诸侯者危其国。So those who rely on ghosts and gods neglect the laws, and those who rely on other feudal lords endanger their own states.
曹恃齐而不听宋，齐攻荆而宋灭曹。邢恃吴而不听齐，越伐吴而齐灭邢。Cao relied on Qi and didn't listen to Song. When Qi attacked Jing, Song destroyed Cao. Xing relied on Wu and didn't listen to Qi. When Yue attacked Wu, Qi destroyed Xing.
许恃荆而不听魏，荆攻宋而魏灭许。郑恃魏而不听韩，魏攻荆而韩灭郑。Xu relied on Jing and didn't listen to Wei. When Jing attacked Song, Wei destroyed Xu. Zheng relied on Wei and didn't listen to Han. When Wei attacked Jing, Han destroyed Zheng.
今者韩国小而恃大国，主慢而听秦、魏，恃齐、荆为用，而小国愈亡。Now, the state of Han is small but relies on large states. Its ruler is neglectful and listens to Qin and Wei, relying on Qi and Jing for use, but the smaller the state becomes, the more likely it is to perish.
故恃人不足以广壤，而韩不见也。So relying on others is not enough to expand the territory, but Han doesn't realize this.
荆为攻魏而加兵许、鄢，齐攻任、扈而削魏，不足以存郑，而韩弗知也。Jing sent troops to Xu and Yan in order to attack Wei. Qi attacked Ren and Hu and weakened Wei. This was not enough to save Zheng, but Han didn't understand this.
此皆不明其法禁以治其国，恃外以灭其社稷者也。All these states failed to clarify their laws and regulations to govern their countries and relied on external forces, which led to the destruction of their states.
臣故曰：明于治之数，则国虽小，富；赏罚敬信，民虽寡，强。Therefore, I say that if one understands the techniques of governance, even if the state is small, it can be wealthy. If rewards and punishments are carried out with respect and credibility, even if the population is small, the state can be strong.
赏罚无度，国虽大，兵弱者，地非其地，民非其民也。If rewards and punishments are carried out without measure, even if the state is large and the military is weak, the land is no longer the state's land, and the people are no longer the state's people.
无地无民，尧、舜不能以王，三代不能以强。人主又以过予，人臣又以徒取。Without land and people, even Yao and Shun could not rule as kings, and the Three Dynasties could not become strong. The ruler over-rewards, and the ministers obtain rewards without effort.
舍法律而言先王以明古之功者，上任之以国。Those who talk about the former kings instead of the laws to show off the achievements of the past are entrusted with the governance of the state by the ruler.
臣故曰：是原古之功，以古之赏赏今之人也。Therefore, I say that this is to trace back to the achievements of the past and use the rewards of the past to reward people today.
主以是过予，而臣以此徒取矣。主过予，则臣偷幸；臣徒取，则功不尊。The ruler over-rewards, and the ministers obtain rewards without effort. If the ruler over-rewards, the ministers will seek fortune by chance. If the ministers obtain rewards without effort, merit will not be respected.
无功者受赏，则财匮而民望；财匮而民望，则民不尽力矣。If those who have no merit receive rewards, the state's wealth will be exhausted and the people will be resentful. When the state's wealth is exhausted and the people are resentful, the people will not exert their full efforts.
故用赏过者失民，用刑过者民不畏。So over-rewarding leads to the loss of the people's support, and over-punishing makes the people not fear.
有赏不足以劝，有刑不足以禁，则国虽大，必危。If rewards are not enough to encourage and punishments are not enough to prohibit, even if the state is large, it is bound to be in danger.
