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七曰── |
| | Seven said──
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白圭謂魏王曰：「市丘之鼎以烹雞，多洎之則淡而不可食，少洎之則焦而不熟，然而視之蝺焉美無所可用。惠子之言，有似於此。」惠子聞之曰：「不然。使三軍饑而居鼎旁，適為之甑，則莫宜之此鼎矣。」白圭聞之曰：「無所可用者，意者徒加其甑邪？」白圭之論自悖，其少魏王太甚。以惠子之言蝺焉美無所可用，是魏王以言無所可用者為仲父也，是以言無所用者為美也。 |
| | Bai Gui said to King Wei, "The tripod from Shi Qiu is used for cooking chicken. If too much water is added, the flavor becomes bland and it cannot be eaten; if too little water is added, it burns without being cooked through. However, when one looks at it, it appears beautiful yet has no practical use." Hui Zi's words are similar to this." Hui Zi heard of it and said, "Not so." "If the three armies were starving and living beside this tripod, and just happened to have a steamer, then nothing would be more suitable for use than this tripod." Bai Gui heard of it and said, "If something is of no practical use, perhaps one could simply add a steamer to it?" Bai Gui's argument was self-contradictory; he was overly disrespectful toward King Wei. To describe Hui Zi's words as "beautiful yet of no practical use" implies that King Wei regarded someone whose words were of no practical value as a father-in-law, thus considering speech with no utility to be beautiful.
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公孫龍說燕昭王以偃兵。昭王曰：「甚善。寡人願與客計之。」公孫龍曰：「竊意大王之弗為也。」王曰：「何故？」公孫龍曰：「日者大王欲破齊，諸天下之士，其欲破齊者，大王盡養之；知齊之險阻要塞君臣之際者，大王盡養之；雖知而弗欲破者，大王猶若弗養；其卒果破齊以為功。今大王曰『我甚取偃兵』。諸侯之士，在大王之本朝者，盡善用兵者也，臣是以知大王之弗為也。」王無以應。 |
| | Gong Sunlong advised Yan Zhao Wang on ceasing military action. Zhao Wang said, "That is very good." "I would like to discuss this matter with you," he said. Gong Sunlong said, "I secretly believe that Your Majesty will not do it." The king asked, "Why?" Gong Sunlong said: "Recently, Your Majesty wished to defeat Qi. All the scholars from around the world who also desired to defeat Qi, Your Majesty provided for them all; Even those who knew about the dangers, obstacles, and key strongholds of Qi, as well as the relationship between its ruler and ministers, Your Majesty still provided for them all; even those who possessed knowledge but did not desire to see Qi defeated, Your Majesty still chose not to support them; In the end, they indeed succeeded in defeating Qi and took it as their achievement. "Now Your Majesty says, 'I greatly favor ceasing military action.'" The scholars from the feudal states who are present in Your Majesty's court are all those who excel in military strategy. For this reason, I know that Your Majesty will not truly carry out a cessation of military action," he said. The king had no response.
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司馬喜難墨者師於中山王前以非攻，曰：「先生之所術非攻夫？」墨者師曰：「然。」曰：「今王興兵而攻燕，先生將非王乎？」墨者師對曰：「然則相國是攻之乎？」司馬喜曰：「然。」墨者師曰：「今趙興兵而攻中山，相國將是之乎？」司馬喜無以應。 |
| | Si Ma Xi challenged a Confucian teacher before King Zhongshan on the issue of non-aggression, saying: "Is it not your doctrine that opposes attack?" The Mohist teacher said, "Yes." He asked, "Now the king is raising an army to attack Yan. Will you criticize the king for this?" The Mohist teacher replied, "Then are you, as chancellor, supporting the attack?" Si Ma Xi said, "Yes." The Mohist teacher asked, "Now Zhao is raising an army to attack Zhongshan. Will you approve of this action?" Si Ma Xi had no response.
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路說謂周頗曰：「公不愛趙，天下必從。」周頗曰：「固欲天下之從也。天下從則秦利也。」路說應之曰：「然則公欲秦之利夫？」周頗曰：「欲之。」路說曰：「公欲之，則胡不為從矣？」 |
| | Lu Shuo said to Zhou Po, "If you do not favor Zhao, the whole world will follow." Zhou Po said, "Indeed, I wish for the entire world to follow." "If the whole world follows, then Qin will benefit." Lu Shuo replied, "Then you wish for Qin's advantage?" Zhou Po said, "I do." Lu Shuo said, "If you desire it, then why not become part of the alliance yourself?"
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魏令孟卬割絳、𥦋、安邑之地以與秦王。王喜，令起賈為孟卬求司徒於魏王。魏王不說，應起賈曰：「卬，寡人之臣也。寡人寧以臧為司徒，無用卬。願大王之更以他人詔之也。」起賈出，遇孟卬於廷，曰：「公之事何如？」起賈曰：「公甚賤於公之主。公之主曰『寧用臧為司徒，無用公』。」孟卬入見，謂魏王曰：「秦客何言？」王曰：「求以女為司徒。」孟卬曰：「王應之謂何？」王曰：「寧以臧，無用卬也。」孟卬太息曰：「宜矣王之制於秦也。王何疑秦之善臣也？以絳、𥦋、安邑令負牛書與秦，猶乃善牛也。卬雖不肖，獨不如牛乎？且王令三將軍為臣先曰『視卬如身』，是臣重也。令二輕臣也，令臣責，卬雖賢固能乎？」居三日，魏王乃聽起賈。凡人主之與其大官也，為有益也。今割國之錙錘矣，而因得大官，且何地以給之？大官，人臣之所欲也。孟卬令秦得其所欲，秦亦令孟卬得其所欲，責以償矣，尚有何責？魏雖彊猶不能責無責，又況於弱？魏王之令乎孟卬為司徒以棄其責則拙也。 |
| | The State of Wei ordered Meng Ang to cede the territories of Jiao, Shang, and Anyi to King Qin. King Qin was pleased and ordered Qi Jia to request for Meng Ang the position of Siku from King Wei of Wei. King Wei of Wei was displeased and replied to Qi Jia, "Meng Ang is my subject." I would rather appoint Zang as Siku than use Meng Ang. "I hope, Your Majesty, that you will instead appoint someone else to convey this message," he said. Qi Jia left and met Meng Ang in the court. He asked, "How did your matter go?" Qi Jia said, "You are very undervalued by your lord." Your lord said, 'I would rather appoint Zang as Sikou than use you.'" Meng Ang entered to see King Wei and asked, "What did the Qin envoy say?" The king said, "He requested that you be appointed as Sikou." Meng Ang asked, "What did the king say in response?" The king said, "I would rather appoint Zang than use you." Meng Ang sighed and said, "It is only fitting that Your Majesty is controlled by Qin. Why does the king doubt the sincerity of Qin's ministers toward him? By ceding Jiao, Shang, and Anyi to Qin and sending oxen as tribute, it is like being kind to the ox. Although I may be unworthy, am I truly less valuable than an ox? Moreover, Your Majesty ordered the three generals to declare on my behalf, "Treat Meng Ang as you would yourself," which shows that I am held in high regard. Now Your Majesty treats me lightly and imposes blame upon me—could even a virtuous man like myself truly bear this?" Three days later, King Wei of Wei finally heeded Qi Jia's request. A ruler bestows high official positions upon his ministers for the sake of deriving benefit. Now, having ceded even the smallest portions of the state, one then gains a high official position—how can such a person provide any real benefit? High office is what ministers desire. Meng Ang enabled Qin to achieve its desires, and Qin in turn allowed Meng Ang to obtain what he desired. The debt has been repaid; what further blame remains? Even if Wei were strong, it could not justly impose blame where there is none—how much less so when it is weak? King Wei's order to appoint Meng Ang as Sikou in exchange for abandoning his claim to repayment was a foolish decision.
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秦王立帝，宜陽令許綰誕魏王，魏王將入秦。魏敬謂王曰：「以河內孰與梁重？」王曰：「梁重。」又曰：「梁孰與身重？」王曰：「身重。」又曰：「若使秦求河內，則王將與之乎？」王曰：「弗與也。」魏敬曰：「河內，三論之下也。身，三論之上也。秦索其下而王弗聽，索其上而王聽之，臣竊不取也。」王曰：「甚然。」乃輟行。秦雖大勝於長平，三年然後決，士民倦，糧食。當此時也，兩周全，其北存。魏舉陶削衛，地方六百，有之勢是，而入大蚤，奚待於魏敬之說也？夫未可以入而入，其患有將可以入而不入，入與不入之時，不可不熟論也。 |
| | King Qin declared himself emperor, and Xu Wan, the magistrate of Yiyang, mocked King Wei of Wei, prompting King Wei to prepare to enter Qin. Wei Jing said to the king, "Which is more important, He Nei or Liang?" The king said, "Liang is more important." He asked again, "Which is more important, Liang or your own life?" The king said, "One's own life is more important." He asked again, "If Qin demands He Nei, will the king give it to them?" The king said, "I would not give it." Wei Jing said, "He Nei is a territory of three commanderies. One's own life surpasses all else. Qin demands the lesser and Your Majesty refuses, yet if Qin demands the greater—your own life—and Your Majesty complies, I secretly consider this unacceptable," he said. The king said, "You are quite right." He then abandoned the journey. Although Qin achieved a great victory at Changping, it took three years before the outcome was decided, leaving both soldiers and civilians exhausted and running low on food supplies. At this time, the two Zhou states remained intact in the north. Wei seized Tao and reduced Wei (the state), possessing a territory of six hundred li. With such strategic advantage, it was already in a position to act decisively at an early stage—what need was there for the words of Wei Jing? Entering when it is not yet feasible brings dangers; similarly, refraining from entering when the opportunity is ripe also carries risks. The timing of whether to enter or not must be thoroughly deliberated.
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