文言文	现代汉语	English
董宣字少平，陈留圉人也。	董宣字少平，陈留郡圉县人。	Dong Xuan, styled Shaoping, was a native of Yu District in Chenliu Commandery.
初为司徒侯霸所辟，举高第，累迁北海相。	开始时被司徒侯霸所征用，保举他为高第，几次升迁后担任北海国相。	At the beginning of his official career, he was summoned by the Minister of Education Hou Ba, who recommended him as a man of outstanding ability. After several promotions, he was appointed as Chancellor of Beihai State.
到官，以大姓公孙丹为五官掾。	上任后，用地方豪族公孙丹担任五官掾。	Upon assuming office, he appointed a prominent local, Gongsun Dan, as a clerk.
丹新造居宅，而卜工以为当有死者。	公孙丹新建住宅，而卜工认为会死人。	While Gongsun Dan was building a new mansion, a diviner predicted that someone would die there.
丹乃令其子杀道行人，置尸舍内，以塞其咎。	公孙丹便派儿子杀了个路人，把尸体放在房间里，以抵消不祥之兆。	To avert the omen, Gongsun Dan ordered his son to kill a passerby and place the corpse in the house.
宣知，即收丹父子杀之。	董宣知道后，即刻抓了公孙丹父子并处死。	When Dong Xuan learned of this, he immediately arrested and executed Gongsun Dan and his son.
丹宗族亲党三十余人，操兵诣府，称冤叫号。	公孙丹宗族亲党三十多人，持兵器到官府喊冤。	More than thirty of Gongsun Dan’s relatives and allies, armed with weapons, went to the office crying for justice.
宣以丹前附王莽，虑交通海贼。	董宣因公孙丹曾附王莽，担心他们与海贼勾结。	Knowing that Gongsun Dan had once followed Wang Mang and suspecting he had dealings with pirates.
乃悉收系剧狱，使门下书佐水丘岑尽杀之。	便将他们全部逮捕囚禁于剧县监狱，命门下书佐水丘岑将其全部杀死。	Dong Xuan arrested them all and imprisoned them in Ju County, ordering his subordinate Shui Qiucen to execute them.
青州以其多滥，奏宣考岑。	青州刺史认为他滥杀无辜，上奏弹劾董宣并拷问水丘岑。	The Inspector of Qingzhou considered this a case of excessive killing, reported Dong Xuan, and interrogated Shui Qiucen.
宣坐征诣廷尉。	董宣因此被征召回京，关入廷尉狱中。	Consequently, Dong Xuan was summoned to the capital and imprisoned by the Chamberlain for Law Enforcement.
在狱晨夜讽诵，无忧色。	他在狱中早晚诵读经书，面无忧色。	In prison, he recited scriptures day and night, showing no trace of worry.
及当出刑，官属具馔送之，宣乃厉色曰：“董宣生平未曾食人之食，况死乎！”升车而去。	等到要出去行刑的时候，官属备了饭菜送给他吃，董宣严肃地说：“我生平从来不吃人家的饭，何况临死的时候！”于是上车而去。	When it was time for him to be executed, officials prepared a meal for him. Dong Xuan sternly said, “In my whole life, I have never eaten other people’s food, let alone before my death!” Then he got into the cart and left.
时同刑九人，次应及宣。	当时同时被行刑的有九人，按次序应该轮到董宣了。	At that time, nine people were to be executed together, and it was about to be Dong Xuan’s turn.
光武驰使驺骑特原宣刑，且令还狱。	光武帝派驿骑特赦董宣，并命令将他暂时收监。	Emperor Guangwu sent mounted envoys rushing in to pardon Dong Xuan and ordered that he be temporarily returned to prison.
遣使者诘宣多杀无辜，宣具以状对，言水丘岑受臣旨意，罪不由之，愿杀臣活岑。	派使者诘问董宣为何多杀无辜，董宣详细陈述经过，说水丘岑是奉臣命令行事，罪不在他身上，愿以己命换他性命。	The emperor sent an envoy to question Dong Xuan about killing so many innocent people. Dong Xuan gave a detailed written explanation, stating that Shui Qiucen had only obeyed his orders and was therefore not guilty, and he wished to die in Shui’s place.
使者以闻，有诏左转宣怀令，令青州勿案岑罪。	使者将此事上奏，皇帝下诏降董宣为怀县令，并命青州不得追究水丘岑之罪。	The envoy reported this to the emperor, who issued an edict demoting Dong Xuan to Magistrate of Huai District and ordering Qingzhou not to investigate Shui Qiucen’s case.
岑官至司隶校尉。	水丘岑后来官至司隶校尉。	Later, Shui Qiucen was promoted to the position of Metropolitan Commandant.
后江夏有剧贼夏喜等寇乱郡境。	后来江夏郡有强盗夏喜等人在郡境作乱。	Later, there were fierce bandits led by Xia Xi who caused turmoil in Jiangxia Commandery.
以宣为江夏太守。	朝廷任命董宣为江夏太守。	The court appointed Dong Xuan as Governor of Jiangxia.
到界，移书曰：“朝廷以太守能禽发奸贼，故辱斯任。今勒兵界首，檄到，幸思自安之宜。”	到达郡界时，他发布文告说：“朝廷因为太守能擒拿奸贼，所以委任此职。今率兵到界，檄书一到，还望汝等自求平安。”	Upon reaching the border of the commandery, he issued an announcement: “The court appointed me because a Governor must capture bandits and wrongdoers. Now that I have arrived with troops at the border, I urge you to think of your own safety.”
喜等闻，惧，即时降散。	夏喜等人听说后害怕，立刻投降解散。	When Xia Xi and his followers heard this, they were frightened and immediately surrendered and dispersed.
外戚阴氏为郡都尉，宣轻慢之，坐免。	外戚阴氏担任郡都尉，董宣轻视怠慢他，因此被免职。	A member of the imperial in-law Yin family served as Commandant of the commandery, but Dong Xuan treated him with disdain and disrespect, and thus was dismissed from office.
后特征为洛阳令。	后来朝廷专门征召董宣担任洛阳县令。	Later, he was specially summoned and appointed as the Magistrate of Luoyang.
时，湖阳公主苍头白日杀人，因匿主家，吏不能得。	当时光武帝的姐姐湖阳公主的家奴在白天杀了人，藏匿在公主家中，官吏不能捉到。	At that time, a servant of Princess Huyang, Emperor Guangwu’s elder sister, killed someone in broad daylight and hid in the Princess’s residence, so the officials could not arrest him.
及主出行，而以奴骖乘。	等到公主出行时，她让这个家奴驾车。	When the Princess went out, she ordered the same servant to drive her carriage.
宣于夏门亭候之，乃驻车叩马，以刀画地，大言数主之失，叱奴下车，因格杀之。	董宣在夏门亭等到他们，于是停车拦马，用刀划地，大声斥责公主的过错，命奴才下车，当场将其杀死。	Dong Xuan waited for her at Xiamen Pavilion, stopped her carriage, struck the horse, drew a line on the ground with his sword, loudly reproached the Princess for her misconduct, ordered the servant to get down, and then killed him on the spot.
主即还宫诉帝。	公主立刻回宫向皇帝哭诉。	The Princess immediately returned to the palace to complain to the Emperor.
帝大怒，召宣，欲篝杀之。	皇帝大怒，召见董宣，想当场鞭杀他。	The Emperor became furious, summoned Dong Xuan, and wanted to have him flogged to death.
宣叩头曰：“愿乞一言而死。”	董宣叩头说：“请让我说一句话再死。”	Dong Xuan kowtowed and said, “Please allow me to say one word before I die.”
帝曰：“欲何言？”	皇帝说：“你想说什么？”	The Emperor said, “What do you want to say?”
宣曰：“陛下圣德中兴，而纵奴杀良人，将何以理天下乎？臣不须篓，请得自杀。”	董宣说：“陛下以圣德使汉朝中兴，却放纵奴仆杀害百姓，将如何治理天下？我不需您鞭杀，请让我自尽。”	Dong Xuan replied, “Your Majesty has revived the Han dynasty with sagely virtue, yet you allow servants to murder good people. How will you govern the empire? I do not need to be beaten—please let me kill myself.”
即以头击楹，流血被面。	他立即用头撞击殿柱，鲜血流满面。	He immediately struck his head against a pillar, and blood streamed down his face.
帝令小黄门持之，使宣叩头谢主，宣不从。	皇帝命小黄门抱住他，逼他向公主叩头谢罪，董宣不肯。	The Emperor ordered an attendant to hold him and force him to kowtow in apology to the Princess, but Dong Xuan refused.
强使顿之，宣两手据地，终不肯俯。	人强按他头，他双手撑地，始终不肯低头。	When they tried to force him down, he braced himself with both hands and refused to bow.
主曰：“文叔为白衣时，臧亡匿死，吏不敢至门。今为天子，威不能行一令乎？”	公主说：“文叔你当年还是平民时，曾藏匿逃亡之人，官吏都不敢上门。如今为天子，威令竟不能使一个县令屈服吗？”	The Princess said, “When you, Wenshu, were still a commoner, you hid fugitives, and no official dared to enter your house. Now that you are the Son of Heaven, can your authority not make a mere county magistrate yield?”
帝笑曰：	皇帝笑着说：	The Emperor laughed and said,
天子不与白衣同。	“天子与老百姓不一样。”	"The Son of Heaven is different from common folk."
因敕强项令出。	于是命令硬脖子的县令出去。	He ordered the stubborn director out.
赐钱三十万，宣悉以班诸吏。	赏赐三十万钱，董宣全部分给各个下属官吏。	He rewarded him with three hundred thousand in coin, but Dong Xuan distributed the entire reward to his subordinates and officers.
由是搏击豪强，莫不震栗。	从此打击豪强，豪强无不畏惧他。	His action shocked the powerful; from that time on, they all feared him.
京师号为“卧虎”，歌之曰：“桴鼓不鸣董少平。”	京师称他为“卧虎”，歌颂他说：“董少平能够使老百姓没有冤屈。”	He was called “Crouching Tiger” in the capital, and the people praised him, saying, "Dong Shaoping is able to get justice for the common people."
在县五年，年七十四，卒于官。	董宣担任洛阳县令五年，七十四岁时，在任上去世。	He served as Director of Luoyang for five years and died at the age of seventy-four while still serving in that position.
诏遣使者临视，唯见布被覆尸，妻子对哭，有大麦数斛，敝车一乘。	光武帝下诏派遣使者吊唁，只见布被盖着尸体，妻子儿女对着哭泣，只有大麦几斛、破车一辆而已。	The emperor sent an envoy to offer condolences, who saw only a cloth covering the corpse, with Dong Xuan’s wife and children weeping before it, and only a few measures of barley and one broken cart in their possession.
帝伤之曰：“董宣廉絜，死乃知之！”	光武帝很感伤，说：“董宣的廉洁，到了死我才知道！”	Emperor Guangwu felt so sad and said, "I did not realize Dong Xuan was so honest and clean until he died!"
以宣尝为二千石，赐艾绶，葬以大夫礼。	因为董宣曾经担任过太守，赐予艾绶，以大夫的礼制安葬。	Because Dong Xuan had served as a governor, the emperor granted him the “Aishou” silver seal with green ribbon and a funeral befitting a Grand Master.
拜子并为郎中，后官至齐相。	任命他儿子董并为郎中，后来董并官至齐国相。	The emperor also appointed Dong Xuan’s son, Dong Bing, as Gentleman of the Interior, who later served as Counselor-delegate of Qi State.