| 《·》: | 昔者文公出走而正天下，桓公去国而霸诸侯，越王句践遇吴王之丑，而尚摄中国之贤君。 |
| Formerly Lord Wen was once in exile and yet later became the leading feudal lord. Lord Huan was once forced to leave his state and yet later became a "tyrant" among the feudal lords. Lord Gou Jian of Yue was once brought under humiliation by the king of Wu, and yet he was later looked upon with awe by the princes of China. |
| 《·》: | 宗庙会同，非诸侯而何？ |
| The Master again replied, "Yes; who but princes have to do with ancestral temples, and with audiences but the sovereign?" |
| 《·》: | 抑王兴甲兵，危士臣，构怨于诸侯，然后快于心与？ |
| You collect your equipments of war, endanger your soldiers and officers, and excite the resentment of the other princes - do these things cause you pleasure in your mind? |
| 《·》: | 匹夫犹未可动，而况诸侯乎！ |
| Even an ordinary man cannot be readily moved (to action), and how much less the prince of a state! |
| 《·》: | 诸侯相侵伐，暴虐百姓，而神农氏弗能征。 |
| The princes made raids on each other and harassed the people, but Shennong could not chastise them. |
| 《·》: | 朝诸侯，分职授政任功，曰予一人。 |
| As receiving at court the feudal princes, assigning (to all) their different offices, giving out (the laws and ordinances of) the government, and employing the services of the able, he styles himself, 'I, the one man.' |
| 《·》: | 邦君诸侯、莫肯朝夕。 |
| The lords of the various States, Are unwilling [to appear at court] morning and evening. |
| 《·》: | 夫钝兵，挫锐，屈力，殚货，则诸侯乘其弊而起，虽有智者，不能善其后矣！ |
| Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue. |
| 《·》: | 盖诸侯之孝也。 |
| This is the filial piety of the princes of states. |
| 《·》: | 五百里侯服：百里采，二百里男邦，三百里诸侯。 |
| Five hundred li (beyond) constituted the Domain of the Nobles. The first hundred li was occupied by the cities and lands of the (sovereign's) high ministers and great officers; the second, by the principalities of the barons; and the (other) three hundred, by the various other princes. |
| 《·》: | 先王以建万国，亲诸侯。 |
| (The trigram representing) the earth, and over it (that representing) water, form Bi. The ancient kings, in accordance with this, established the various states and maintained an affectionate relation to their princes. |
| 《·》: | 然而兵甲顿，士民病，蓄积索，田畴荒，囷仓虚，四邻诸侯不服，霸王之名不成，此无异故，其谋臣皆不尽其忠也。 |
| 《·》: | 昔者夏鲧作三仞之城，诸侯背之，海外有狡心。 |
| 《·》: | 政令法，举措时，听断公，上则能顺天子之命，下则能保百姓，是诸侯之所以取国家也。 |
| 《》: | 秋，七月，天王使宰咺来归惠公仲子之賵，缓，且子氏未薨，故名，天子七月而葬，同轨毕至，诸侯五月，同盟至，大夫三月，同位至，士逾月，外姻至，赠死不及尸，吊生不及哀，豫凶事，非礼也。 |
| 《·》: | 是故诸侯朝其德而天子致其胙。 |
