| | 谏逐客书: |
会韩人郑国来闲秦，以作注溉渠，已而觉。秦宗室大臣皆言秦王曰：“诸侯人来事秦者，大抵为其主游闲于秦耳，请一切逐客。”李斯议亦在逐中。斯乃上书曰： |
| | The Huihan people Zheng Guo came to spy on the Qin state, intending to build an irrigation canal, but was later discovered. The Qin royal family and high-ranking ministers all said to King Qin: "Those who come from the feudal lords to serve Qin are mostly sent by their rulers to spy on Qin. We request that all guests be expelled." Li Si's proposal was also included in the order to expel guests. He then submitted a memorial saying:
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| | 谏逐客书: |
臣闻吏议逐客，窃以为过矣。昔缪公求士，西取由余于戎，东得百里奚于宛，迎蹇叔于宋，来丕豹、公孙支于晋。此五子者，不产于秦，而缪公用之，并国二十，遂霸西戎。孝公用商鞅之法，移风易俗，民以殷盛，国以富强，百姓乐用，诸侯亲服，获楚、魏之师，举地千里，至今治强。惠王用张仪之计，拔三川之地，西并巴、蜀，北收上郡，南取汉中，包九夷，制鄢、郢，东据成皋之险，割膏腴之壤，遂散六国之从，使之西面事秦，功施到今。昭王得范睢，废穰侯，逐华阳，强公室，杜私门，蚕食诸侯，使秦成帝业。此四君者，皆以客之功。由此观之，客何负于秦哉！向使四君却客而不内，疏士而不用，是使国无富利之实，而秦无强大之名也。 |
| | I have heard that officials are discussing expelling guests, and I secretly think this is a mistake. In the past, Duke Mu sought talented people; he obtained You Yu from Rong in the west, acquired Bai Li Xi from Wan in the east, welcomed Jian Shu from Song, and brought Pei Bao and Gongsun Zhi from Jin. These five men were not native to Qin, yet Duke Mu employed them. As a result, he annexed twenty states and thus became the hegemon of the western Rong tribes. Duke Xiao employed Shang Yang's laws, which transformed customs and 风俗 (customs), made the people prosperous, enriched and strengthened the state, pleased the common people who were willing to serve, won the loyalty of feudal lords, defeated the armies of Chu and Wei, seized thousands of li of territory, and until today maintains good governance and strength. King Hui employed Zhang Yi's strategy, captured the land of Sanchuan, annexed Ba and Shu in the west, collected Shangjun in the north, seized Hanzhong in the south, incorporated the nine Yi tribes, controlled Yan and Ying, occupied the strategic pass of Chenggao to the east, carved out fertile lands, and thus broke up the alliance of the six states, making them face west to serve Qin. His achievements have lasted until today. King Zhao obtained Fan Jiu, dismissed Rang Hou, expelled Huayang, strengthened the royal family, closed private factions, gradually devoured feudal lords, and enabled Qin to accomplish imperial achievements. These four rulers all achieved success through the contributions of guests. From this perspective, how have these guests wronged Qin?! Had these four rulers rejected guests and refused to admit them, alienated talented people and failed to employ them, it would have resulted in the state lacking wealth and benefits, and Qin losing its reputation for strength.
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| | 谏逐客书: |
今陛下致昆山之玉，有随、和之宝，垂明月之珠，服太阿之剑，乘纤离之马，建翠凤之旗，树灵鼍之鼓。此数宝者，秦不生一焉，而陛下说之，何也？必秦国之所生然后可，则是夜光之璧不饰朝廷，犀象之器不为玩好，郑、卫之女不充后宫，而骏良駃騠不实外厩，江南金锡不为用，西蜀丹青不为采。所以饰后宫充下陈娱心意说耳目者，必出于秦然后可，则是宛珠之簪，傅玑之珥，阿缟之衣，锦绣之饰不进于前，而随俗雅化佳冶窈窕赵女不立于侧也。夫击瓮叩缶弹筝搏髀，而歌呼呜呜快耳者，真秦之声也；郑、卫、桑闲、昭、虞、武、象者，异国之乐也。今弃击瓮叩缶而就郑卫，退弹筝而取昭虞，若是者何也？快意当前，适观而已矣。今取人则不然。不问可否，不论曲直，非秦者去，为客者逐。然则是所重者在乎色乐珠玉，而所轻者在乎人民也。此非所以跨海内制诸侯之术也。 |
| | Now, Your Majesty possesses the jade from Kunshan Mountain, owns treasures such as Sui and He, wears the pearl of Mingyue, wields the sword Tai'e, rides the fine horse Xianli, raises the emerald phoenix flag, and sets up the drum of Lingtuo. These several treasures were not produced in Qin at all, yet Your Majesty loves them—why is that? If only things produced in the Qin state can be acceptable, then luminous jade discs would not decorate the court, ivory and rhinoceros artifacts would not serve as ornaments or treasures, women from Zheng and Wei would not fill the harem, swift horses like Juetai would not populate the stables, gold and tin from Jiangnan would not be used, and cinnabar and pigments from Xishu would not provide color. Therefore, if only items that can decorate the harem and satisfy one's desires by pleasing the eyes and ears must originate from Qin to be acceptable, then hairpins of Wan zhu, earrings with Fuji pearls, Agao silk robes, and embroidered ornaments would not appear before Your Majesty; nor would graceful and refined Zhao women stand at your side. Striking clay pots, tapping earthen jars, playing the zeng and slapping thighs to sing loudly in a hoarse manner for ear-pleasing enjoyment—these are truly Qin musical sounds; The music of Zheng, Wei, Sangjian, Zhao, Yu, Wu, and Xiang are the music of other states. Now, if we abandon striking clay pots and tapping earthen jars in favor of Zheng and Wei music, discard the zeng to adopt Zhao and Yu music—why is this so? It is merely for immediate pleasure and visual satisfaction. But when it comes to selecting people, the situation is not like this. Without asking whether they are suitable or not, without considering their merits or faults, those who are not from Qin are dismissed and guests are expelled. In this case, what is valued lies in beauty, music, pearls, and jade, while what is undervalued lies in the people. This is not the method to dominate within the seas and control the feudal lords.
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| | 谏逐客书: |
臣闻地广者粟多，国大者人众，兵强则士勇。是以太山不让土壤，故能成其大；河海不择细流，故能就其深；王者不却众庶，故能明其德。是以地无四方，民无异国，四时充美，鬼神降福，此五帝、三王之所以无敌也。今乃弃黔首以资敌国，却宾客以业诸侯，使天下之士退而不敢西向，裹足不入秦，此所谓“藉寇兵而赍盗粮”者也。 |
| | I have heard that a large territory produces more grain, a great state has many people, and strong troops make soldiers brave. Therefore, Mount Tai does not reject soil, so it can achieve its greatness; rivers and seas do not choose small streams, hence they can attain their depth; a sovereign does not reject the common people, so he can demonstrate his virtue. Therefore, territory is not limited to the four directions, people are not restricted by nationality; all four seasons are abundant and beautiful, and ghosts and gods bestow blessings. This is why the Five Emperors and Three Kings were invincible. Now, however, we are abandoning the common people to enrich enemy states and rejecting guests to benefit feudal lords, causing talented men from all under heaven to retreat in fear of heading westward and hesitate to enter Qin. This is what is called "lending weapons to bandits and providing food for thieves."
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| | 谏逐客书: |
夫物不产于秦，可宝者多；士不产于秦，而愿忠者众。今逐客以资敌国，损民以益雠，内自虚而外树怨于诸侯，求国无危，不可得也。 |
| | Things not produced in Qin, yet many of them are treasures; Talented people not born in Qin, but those willing to be loyal are numerous. Now, expelling guests to enrich enemy states, harming the people to benefit our enemies, weakening ourselves internally and creating resentment among feudal lords externally—seeking a state without danger is impossible.
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| | 谏逐客书: |
秦王乃除逐客之令，复李斯官，卒用其计谋。官至廷尉。二十馀年，竟并天下，尊主为皇帝，以斯为丞相。夷郡县城，销其兵刃，示不复用。使秦无尺土之封，不立子弟为王，功臣为诸侯者，使后无战攻之患。 |
| | King Qin then rescinded the order to expel guests, restored Li Si's official position, and ultimately employed his strategies. He was promoted to the rank of Tingwei (Minister of Justice). After more than twenty years, he eventually unified all under heaven, honored the ruler as emperor, and appointed Li Si as Chancellor. He destroyed city walls of commanderies and counties, melted down their weapons, and showed that they would not be used again. He ensured that Qin did not have even a square piece of land granted as fiefs, nor did he establish his sons and brothers as kings or enfeoff meritorious officials as feudal lords, so that future generations would be free from the troubles of war.
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