灵枢·外揣 Miraculous Pivot·External Examination
黄帝曰：“余闻九针九篇，余亲受其调，颇得其意。Emperor Huangdi said, "I have heard of the Nine Needles in nine chapters. I have personally received the instructions related to them and grasped their meanings to some extent.
黄帝说：“我听说有九针九篇的论述，我亲自学习并体验过它的调理方法，也大致理解了其中的意思。
夫九针者，始于一而终于九，然未得其要道也。The Nine Needles start from one and end at nine, yet I haven't grasped the essential principles.
九针这种疗法，从一开始的一针到最后的九针，虽然我已经有所领悟，但仍然没有掌握到它的核心要义。
夫九针者，小之则无内，大之则无外，深不可为下，高不可为盖，恍惚无窍，流溢无极。The Nine Needles, when regarded as small, seem to have no interior; when regarded as large, seem to have no exterior. They can't be considered as being at the lowest depth or the highest elevation. They are indistinct and without apertures, flowing and overflowing without limits.
九针的应用，小至无法再细分，大至无所不包，深不可测，高不可攀，仿佛变幻莫测、没有定规，却又与天道、人事以及四时的变化相契合。
余知其合于天道人事四时之变也，然余愿杂之毫毛，浑束为一，可乎？”I know that they conform to the changes of the Heavenly Way, human affairs, and the four seasons. However, I wish to combine them as fine as hairs and bundle them into one. Is it possible?"
我很想把这些复杂的内容，像毫毛一样细微地整合在一起，统一为一个体系，这可以做到吗？”
岐伯曰：明乎哉问也！非独针道焉，夫治国亦然。Qibo said, "What a profound question! It's not only the case with the way of acupuncture. The governance of a state is also the same."
岐伯回答说：“您提出的问题真是深刻啊！不仅针道是这样，治理国家也是如此。”
黄帝曰：余愿闻针道，非国事也。Emperor Huangdi said, "I wish to hear about the way of acupuncture, not about state affairs."
黄帝说：“我更想听听关于针道的讲解，而不是国家大事。”
岐伯曰：夫治国者，夫惟道焉，非道，何可小大深浅，杂合而为一乎？Qibo said, "In governing a state, only by following the Way can things be done. Without following the Way, how can the small and large, the deep and shallow be combined into one?"
岐伯说：“治理国家和运用针道，其实都遵循着同样的道理。如果没有这个‘道’，又怎么能把大小深浅各不相同的事物融合为一个整体呢？”
黄帝曰：愿卒闻之。Emperor Huangdi said, "I wish to hear the whole explanation."
黄帝说：“请你完整地告诉我吧。”
岐伯曰：“日与月焉，水与镜焉，鼓与响焉。Qibo said, "It's like the sun and the moon, water and a mirror, a drum and its sound.
岐伯说：“就像日月的光辉，能准确地映照出物体的影子；水和镜子能清晰地反映出物体的形状；击鼓则会产生相应的回响。
夫日月之明，不失其影；水镜之察，不失其形；The brightness of the sun and the moon doesn't lose their shadows; the inspection by water and a mirror doesn't lose their shapes;
日月的光明不会让影子消失，水和镜子的清澈不会让物体的形象模糊。
鼓响之应，不后其声。动摇则应和，尽得其情。”The response of the drum sound doesn't lag behind the beating. When there is a movement, there is a corresponding response, and the whole situation can be grasped."
击鼓的回响不会滞后于鼓声。物体摇动就会产生相应的和声，从而完全了解它的真实情况。”
黄帝曰：“窘乎哉！昭昭之明不可蔽，其不可蔽，不失阴阳也。Emperor Huangdi said, "How difficult it is! The bright light cannot be obscured. The reason it cannot be obscured is that it doesn't lose the balance of yin and yang.
黄帝说：“掌握这些真是太难了！明亮的光芒无法被遮蔽，而它之所以无法被遮蔽，正是因为它准确地反映了阴阳的变化。
合而察之，切而验之，见而得之，若清水明镜之不失其形也。By combining and observing, by palpating and verifying, by seeing and obtaining, it is like clear water and a bright mirror that don't lose their shapes.
我们应该综合观察、仔细验证，就像清水和明镜能准确反映物体的形状一样。
五音不彰，五色不明，五脏波荡，若是则内外相袭，若鼓之应桴，响之应声，影之似形。When the five tones are not distinct, the five colors are not clear, and the five internal organs are in turmoil, in such a case, the inside and the outside interact with each other, just like the response of a drum to a drumstick, the sound in response to a sound, and the shadow similar to a shape.
如果五音不能清晰分辨，五色不能明确区分，五脏就会受到影响而功能失调。这样一来，内外就会相互影响，就像击鼓时鼓槌与鼓面的相互作用，声音与回响的相互呼应，影子与形体的相互映照。
故远者司外揣内，近者司内揣外，是谓阴阳之极，天地之盖。请藏之灵兰之室，弗敢使泄也。”Therefore, for the distant, one examines the outside to infer the inside; for the near, one examines the inside to infer the outside. This is called the extreme of yin and yang, covering the earth and the sky. Please store it in the Orchid Chamber of the Mind. I dare not let it be leaked."
因此，远处的医者通过观察外在表现来推测内在状况，近处的医者则通过了解内在状况来推测外在表现。这就是阴阳的极致表现，是天地万物运行的法则。请让我将这些珍贵的理论保存在灵兰之室，不敢轻易泄露出去。”
