文言文	现代汉语	English
晋阳反。元年，将军蒙骜击定之。	晋阳发生叛乱，秦王政元年，将军蒙骜平定了叛乱。	A revolt had arisen in Jinyang, and in the first year of the new ruler’s reign (246 BC) General Meng Ao attacked and brought it under control.
二年，庶公将卒攻卷，斩首三万。	二年，庶公率兵攻打卷邑，斩首三万。	In the second year (245) Lord Biao led the troops in an attack on Juan in Wei, cutting off 30,000 enemy heads.
三年，蒙骜攻韩，取十三城。王崎死。十月，将军蒙骜攻魏氏旸、有诡。岁大饥。	三年，蒙骜攻打韩国，夺取了十三个城池。这年，王崎将军死了。十月，蒙骜又攻打魏国的旸邑和有诡。这年发生了严重的饥荒。	In the third year (244) Meng Ao attacked Hann and captured thirteen walled cities. Wang Ji died. In the tenth month General Meng Ao attacked the Wei cities of Chang and Yougui. There was a severe famine this year.
四年，拔旸、有诡。三月，军罢。秦质子归自赵，赵太子出归国。十月庚寅，蝗虫从东方来，蔽天。天下疫。百姓内粟千石，拜爵一级。	四年，攻下旸邑和有诡。三月，暂时休战。秦国的人质从赵国返回，赵国派来做人质的太子也离开秦国返回赵国。十月庚寅，蝗虫从东方来，遮天蔽日。这年瘟疫大作。百姓们向国家缴纳粮食一千石就能升爵一级。	In the fourth year (243) Chang and Yougui capitulated, and in the third month the army was withdrawn. The Qin prince who had been a hostage in Zhao returned, and the Zhao heir apparent left Qin and returned to his state. In the tenth month, on the day with the cyclical sign gengyin, swarms of locusts appeared from the east and darkened the sky. There was widespread pestilence. Commoners who contributed 1,000 piculs of grain to the government were granted one degree of noble rank.
五年，将军骜攻魏，定酸枣、燕、虚、长平、雍丘、山阳城，皆拔之，取二十城，初置东郡。冬雷。	五年，将军蒙骜攻打魏国，酸枣、燕邑、虚邑、长平、雍丘、山阳等城都被攻克，共夺取了二十个城邑，初步设置了东郡。这年出现了冬天打雷的怪现象。	In the fifth year (242) General Meng Ao attacked and seized control of the cities of Suanzao, Yan, Xu, Changping, Yongqiu, and Shanyang. In all he captured twenty cities. The province of Dong was set up. In winter there was thunder.
六年，韩、魏、赵、卫、楚共击秦，取寿陵。秦出兵，五国兵罢。拔卫，迫东郡，其君角率其支属徙居野王，阻其山以保魏之河内。	六年，韩、魏、赵、卫、楚五国联合攻打秦国，夺取了寿陵。秦国出兵反击，五国联军瓦解。秦军攻克卫国的都城濮阳，以其地为东郡郡治。卫君角率领他的支属迁居野王，凭借山势之险固守魏国的河内之地。	In the sixth year (241) the states of Hann, Wei, Zhao, Wey, and Chu joined in attacking Qin and seizing Shouling. Qin called out its troops, whereupon the forces of the five states withdrew. Qin attacked Wey and advanced on Dong Province. The Wey ruler Jue led his followers and moved to the region of Yewang, where he blocked the mountains in order to protect the area of Wei north of the Yellow River.
七年，彗星先出东方，见北方，五月见西方。将军骜死，以攻龙、孤、庆都，还兵攻汲。彗星复见西方十六日。夏太后死。	七年，彗星先出现在东方，后又出现在北方，五月，又出现在西方。这年，将军蒙骜在攻打龙邑、孤邑、庆都等城后回兵去打汲邑的战斗中阵亡。这时彗星又出现在西方，长达十六日。不久，夏太后死。	In the seventh year (240) a comet appeared in the east and then was seen in the north. In the fifth month it appeared in the west. General Meng Ao died. He had attacked Long, Gu, and Qingdu and was returning with his troops for an attack on Ji. The comet appeared in the west once more. On the sixteenth day of the month Queen Dowager Xia died.
八年，王弟长安君成峤将军击赵，反，死屯留，军吏皆斩死，迁其民于临洮。将军壁死，卒屯留蒲韵反，戮其尸。河鱼大上，轻车重马东就食。	八年，秦王的弟弟长安君成峤在率兵攻打赵国的过程中举兵反叛，死在屯留，他的军吏都被处死。屯留的民众被迁至临洮。前来讨伐成峤的将军壁在战斗中死去，屯留的士卒蒲韵又起来造反，把将军壁的尸体陈尸示众。这年，河水泛滥，秦地歉收，秦国人都乘车骑马到东方觅食。	In the eighth year (239) the king’s younger brother Chengjiao, Lord Chang’an, led troops in an attack on Zhao but then revolted. He was killed at Tunliu. The officers of his army were all executed and the people of Tunliu were ordered to be transported to Lintao. When the army commander Bi was killed, the people of Tunliu and Puhao once more revolted. They were killed and their corpses exposed. The Yellow River overflowed, strewing fish over the land. People set off east by light carriage or horseback in search of food.
十一年，王翦、桓崎、杨端和攻邺，取九城。	秦王十一年，秦将王翦、桓崎、杨端和一起进攻赵国的邺城，接连攻下九个城邑。	Eleventh year (236): Wang Jian, Huan Ji, and Yang Duanhe attacked Ye and seized nine cities.
王翦攻阏与、撩杨，皆并为一军。	王翦又挥兵去攻打阙与、撩杨，这时秦国把各路兵马并为一军。	Wang Jian attacked Eyu and Laoyang. Their forces were all combined into one army.
翦将十八日，军归斗食以下，什推二人从军。	王翦任全军统帅的第十八天，把军中斗食以下的下级军官十减其八，仅留十分之二在军中。	which Wang Jian commanded for eighteen days. When the army returned, two out of every ten men in the lower ranks then went into action again.
取邺、安阳,桓崎将。	待至攻下邺县与安阳之后，桓崎被任为主将。	They seized Ye and Anyang, this time with Huan Ji in command.
十二年，文信侯不韦死，窃葬。	十二年，文信侯吕不韦畏罪自杀，家里的人将他埋葬了。	Twelfth year (235): the marquis of Wenxin, Lü Buwei, committed suicide and was buried in secret.
其舍人临者，晋人也逐出之;秦人六百石以上夺爵，迁;五百石以下迁，勿夺爵。	秦王规定：吕不韦家的舍人凡去哭丧的，如果是来自韩、赵、魏三国的人，一律驱逐出关；如果是秦国本土的人，官阶在六百石以上的削爵流放；官阶在五百石以下的流放，不削爵。	It was decreed that any of his retainers who observed mourning for him, if men of Wei, Hann, or Zhao, were to be banished; and if men of Qin and of the 600 picul rank or above, they were to be deprived of noble rank and transported. All retainers who were men of Qin and of the 500 picul rank or below, whether they mourned or not, were to be transported but not deprived of noble rank.
自今以来，操国事不道如嫪毒、不韦者籍其门,视此。	从此以后，掌握国家大权而行事不循正道，像嫪毒、吕不韦那样的人，都要取消他的户籍而将其满门充作奴隶，一律照此办理。	“From now on if there are persons like Lao Ai or Lü Buwei who conduct state affairs in an unprincipled manner, their property shall be confiscated and their family members made government slaves. Take note of this!”
秋，复嫪毒舍人迁蜀者。	到了这年秋季，赦免被迁往蜀地的嫪毒的舍人可以返回原籍。	In autumn the followers of Lao Ai who had been transported to Shu were recalled.
当是之时，天下大旱，六月至八月乃雨。	其时，天下大旱，从六月一直无雨，直至八月才开始下雨。	At this time there was a great drought throughout the empire which lasted from the sixth to the eighth month, when rain finally fell.
大索，逐客,李斯上书说，乃止逐客令。	秦王大肆搜捕，要赶走从诸侯国来的所有宾客。李斯上书劝阻，秦王收回了成命。	A great search was made for aliens and they were ordered expelled from the state. But when Li Si submitted a memorial arguing against the move, the order for the expulsion of aliens was rescinded.
李斯因说秦王，请先取韩以恐他国,于是使斯下韩。	李斯乘机游说秦王，劝他首先攻取韩国使其他国家感到震恐，于是秦王便派李斯去威逼韩国投降。	Li Si took the opportunity to urge the king of Qin to first take over the state of Hann in order to terrify the other states. The king accordingly sent Li Si to negotiate the surrender of Hann.
韩王患之。与韩非谋弱秦。	韩王很是忧虑，便与韩非研究削弱秦国的办法。	The king of Hann, distressed at this, plotted with Han Fei to weaken Qin’s power.
大梁人尉缭来,说秦王曰：“以秦之强，诸侯譬如郡县之君，臣但恐诸侯合从,翕而出不意,此乃智伯、夫差、滑王之所以亡也。愿大王毋爱财物，赂其豪臣，以乱其谋，不过亡三十万金，则诸侯可尽。”	这时大梁人尉缭到秦国来劝秦王说：“以秦之强，与诸侯相比，诸侯就好比一个郡县的君主；我们所怕的是他们联合起来，出其不意地进攻秦国，这就是智伯、夫差与齐滑王之所以灭亡的原因了。因此我劝大王不要吝惜财物，应该舍得花钱去贿赂各国有权势的大臣，以此打乱他们的计划。这样用不了花费三十万金，所有诸侯国将全部被我们所消灭。”	A man named Wei Liao from Daliang came to Qin and spoke to the king, saying, “Qin’s might is such that the rulers of the other states are like mere heads of a province or a district beside it. My only fear is that the other rulers will form an alliance and join in some unexpected move. That is just how Zhi Bo, King Fuchai, and King Min of Qi met with their downfall. I hope Your Majesty will not be sparing of goods and money but will hand out bribes to their leading ministers so as to disrupt their schemes. By laying out no more than 300,000 in gold, you can completely undo the other feudal rulers!”
秦王从其计，见尉缭亢礼，衣服食饮与缭同。	秦王听从他的计谋，每次接见尉缭都以平等之礼相待，衣着饮食也同他一样。	The king of Qin decided to follow this advice. When he received Wei Liao, he treated him as an equal and shared his clothing and food and drink with him.
缭曰：“秦王为人，蜂准、长目、挚鸟膺、豺声,少恩而虎狼心，居约易出人下,得志亦轻食人。我布衣，然见我常身自下我；诚使秦王得志于天下，天下皆为虏矣。不可与久游。”	尉缭私下对人说：“秦王这个人，高鼻梁，细长眼，胸脯长得像猛禽，声音像豺狼。这种人刻薄少恩，心如狼虎，穷困时可以身居人下，得志时便会反口吃人。我是个布衣之士，然而他接见我时常甘居我下，十分客气。假如他日后一统天下，那普天下的一切人就都将成为他的奴隶了。这种人是不能与之长期共处的。”	Later Wei Liao remarked, “The king of Qin, with his arched nose and long eyes, puffed-out chest like a hawk and voice of a jackal, is a man of scant mercy who has the heart of a tiger or a wolf. When he is in difficulty he readily humbles himself before others, but when he has gotten his way, then he thinks nothing of eating others alive. I am a mere commoner, yet when he receives me he always acts as though he were my inferior. But if the king of Qin should ever get his way with the world, then the whole world will end up his prisoner. It doesn’t do to stay around a man like that for long!”
乃亡去。秦王觉，固止，以为秦国尉,卒用其计策。	说罢就准备逃走。秦王发现后极力挽留，任命他做了秦国的最高军事长官，并全部采用了他的计谋。	He was about to leave, but the king of Qin, learning of his plans, managed to stop him, appointing him a state commandant. In the end he made use of Wei Liao’s schemes,
而李斯用事。	这时正是李斯当权的时候。	which Li Si put into effect.
十一年，王翦、桓崎、杨端和攻邺，取九城。	秦王十一年，秦将王翦、桓崎、杨端和一起进攻赵国的邺城，接连攻下九个城邑。	Eleventh year (236): Wang Jian, Huan Ji, and Yang Duanhe attacked Ye and seized nine cities.
王翦攻阏与、撩杨，皆并为一军。	王翦又挥兵去攻打阙与、撩杨，这时秦国把各路兵马并为一军。	Wang Jian attacked Eyu and Laoyang. Their forces were all combined into one army.
翦将十八日，军归斗食以下，什推二人从军。	王翦任全军统帅的第十八天，把军中斗食以下的下级军官十减其八，仅留十分之二在军中。	which Wang Jian commanded for eighteen days. When the army returned, two out of every ten men in the lower ranks then went into action again.
取邺、安阳,桓崎将。	待至攻下邺县与安阳之后，桓崎被任为主将。	They seized Ye and Anyang, this time with Huan Ji in command.
十二年，文信侯不韦死，窃葬。	十二年，文信侯吕不韦畏罪自杀，家里的人将他埋葬了。	Twelfth year (235): the marquis of Wenxin, Lü Buwei, committed suicide and was buried in secret.
其舍人临者，晋人也逐出之;秦人六百石以上夺爵，迁;五百石以下迁，勿夺爵。	秦王规定：吕不韦家的舍人凡去哭丧的，如果是来自韩、赵、魏三国的人，一律驱逐出关；如果是秦国本土的人，官阶在六百石以上的削爵流放；官阶在五百石以下的流放，不削爵。	It was decreed that any of his retainers who observed mourning for him, if men of Wei, Hann, or Zhao, were to be banished; and if men of Qin and of the 600 picul rank or above, they were to be deprived of noble rank and transported. All retainers who were men of Qin and of the 500 picul rank or below, whether they mourned or not, were to be transported but not deprived of noble rank.
自今以来，操国事不道如嫪毒、不韦者籍其门,视此。	从此以后，掌握国家大权而行事不循正道，像嫪毒、吕不韦那样的人，都要取消他的户籍而将其满门充作奴隶，一律照此办理。	“From now on if there are persons like Lao Ai or Lü Buwei who conduct state affairs in an unprincipled manner, their property shall be confiscated and their family members made government slaves. Take note of this!”
秋，复嫪毒舍人迁蜀者。	到了这年秋季，赦免被迁往蜀地的嫪毒的舍人可以返回原籍。	In autumn the followers of Lao Ai who had been transported to Shu were recalled.
当是之时，天下大旱，六月至八月乃雨。	其时，天下大旱，从六月一直无雨，直至八月才开始下雨。	At this time there was a great drought throughout the empire which lasted from the sixth to the eighth month, when rain finally fell.
十三年，桓崎攻赵平阳，杀赵将扈辄，斩首十万。王之河南。正月，彗星见东方。十月，桓崎攻赵。	秦王十三年，桓龄进攻赵国的平阳县，杀死赵将扈辄，斩杀赵卒十万。秦王政到洛阳一带视察。正月，彗星出现在东方。十月，桓崎继续攻赵。	Thirteenth year (234): Huan Ji attacked Pingyang in Zhao, killed the Zhao general Hu Zhe, and cut off 100,000 enemy heads. The king journeyed to the area south of the Yellow River. In the first month a comet appeared in the east. In the tenth month Huan Ji attacked Zhao.
十四年，攻赵军于平阳，取宜安，破之，杀其将军。桓崎定平阳、武城。韩非使秦，秦用李斯谋，留非，非死云阳。韩王请为臣。	十四年，桓崎攻赵军于平阳，夺取了宜安县，打败了赵军，杀死了赵国的守将，桓龄遂平定了平阳、武城一带。这一年，韩非出使秦国，秦王采纳李斯的计谋，扣留了韩非，韩非死在秦国的云阳县。韩王只得向秦国投降称臣。	Fourteenth year (233): Qin attacked the Zhao army at Pingyang, stormed Yian and captured it, and killed its general. Huan Ji seized control of Pingyang and Wucheng. Han Fei came as an envoy to Qin. The king, heeding the advice of Li Si, detained him. Han Fei died at Yunyang. The king of Hann requested that he be allowed to become a subject of the Qin ruler.
十五年，大兴兵，一军至邺，一军至太原，取狼孟。地动。	十五年，秦国大举进军，一支指向邺县，一支指向太原，攻下了狼孟县。这时秦国又发生了地震。	Fifteenth year (232): large numbers of troops were called up. One army advanced as far as Ye, another advanced to Taiyuan and seized Langmeng. There was an earthquake.
十六年九月，发卒受地韩南阳假守腾。初令男子书年。魏献地于秦。秦置丽邑。	十六年九月，派兵接收了韩国所献的南阳地区，让内史腾代理南阳郡守之职。首次下令秦国的男子都要登记年龄。这年，魏国向秦国献地。秦国在始皇陵墓所在的丽邑设县。	Sixteenth year (231): in the ninth month troops were dispatched to accept control of the Hann region of Nanyang, with the prefect of the capital Teng as acting magistrate. For the first time men were ordered to register according to their ages. Wei presented territory to Qin; Qin founded the city of Li.
十七年，内史腾攻韩，得韩王安，尽纳其地，以其地为郡，命曰颍川。地动。华阳太后卒。民大饥。	十七年，内史腾进攻韩国，俘虏了韩王安，夺得了韩国的全部土地，并在那里设郡，取名颍川郡。这年发生地震。华阳太后去世。百姓遭受严重的饥荒。	Seventeenth year (230): the prefect of the capital Teng attacked Hann, seized King An of Hann, and took over all of his territory. The region was made into a province with the name Yingchuan. There was an earthquake. Queen Dowager Huayang died. The people suffered from severe famine.
秦初并天下，令丞相、御史曰:“异日韩王纳地效玺，请为藩臣,已而倍约，与赵、魏合从畔秦,故兴兵诛之，虏其王。	秦国统一天下后，秦王对丞相、御史下令道：“前者韩王交出土地，献上玉玺，声称愿做秦国的诸侯王，但不久又背弃盟约，与赵、魏联合起来反叛秦国，所以我们兴兵讨伐他，俘虏了他的国王。	With this Qin succeeded in bringing all of the states under its rule. The king of Qin instructed the chancellor and the imperial secretary, saying, “In the past the king of Hann relinquished his territory and handed over his royal seals, requesting to become a vassal. Later, however, he went back on his promise and allied himself with Zhao and Wei to defy Qin. Therefore I called out troops to punish him, taking the king prisoner.
寡人以为善,庶几息兵革。	我认为这是件好事，这样就可以永远结束秦韩之间的战争了。	“I believed that things had been set right and hoped I could lay aside my arms.
赵王使其相李牧来约盟，故归其质子。已而倍盟，反我太原，故兴兵诛之，得其王。	赵王曾派他的丞相李牧来签订盟约，我们归还了他们的质子。但不久他们背弃盟约，在太原反叛我们，所以我兴兵讨伐他，俘虏了赵国的国王。	“The king of Zhao then sent his prime minister Li Mu to conclude an oath of alliance, and I accordingly sent back the son who had been a hostage here. But the king violated his oath and turned against me at Taiyuan, so I called out troops to exact punishment by seizing the king.
赵公子嘉乃自立为代王，故举兵击灭之。	赵公子嘉又自立为代王，所以我们只得又兴兵将其消灭。	“Then, because Gongzi Jia of Zhao set himself up as king of Dai, I called up troops to attack and wipe him out.
魏王始约服入秦,已而与韩、赵谋袭秦，秦兵吏诛，遂破之。	魏王当初已经说好服从秦国，不久又与韩、赵合谋袭击秦国。因此秦国只得派兵吏前往讨伐，终于把他们击败了。	“The king of Wei at first promised to be submissive to Qin, but later he joined Hann and Zhao in plotting to attack Qin, so the Qin officers and men were sent in punishment, and they destroyed him.
荆王献青阳以西,已而畔约，击我南郡，故发兵诛，得其王,遂定其荆地。	楚王已经献出了青阳以西的土地，不久又违背约定，袭击我国的南郡，所以我们派兵讨伐他，俘虏了他们的国王，平定了楚国之地。	“The king of Jing offered me the territory from Qingyang westward, but later he broke his promise by attacking my Nan Province. So I called out troops to punish him, seizing the king and taking control of the Jing territory.
燕王昏乱，其太子丹乃阴令荆轲为贼，兵吏诛，灭其国。	燕王头脑发昏，他的太子丹竟然暗地里派荆轲前来行刺，我们只好派兵前去讨伐，灭了他们的国家。	“The king of Yan was stupid and unprincipled, and his heir, Crown Prince Dan, secretly sent Jing Ke on a mission of evil, but my troops punished them and wiped out their country.
齐王用后胜计，绝秦使，欲为乱，兵吏诛，虏其王，平齐地。	齐王建采纳后胜的计谋，与秦国断交，想作乱，我们派兵前往征讨，俘虏了他们的国王，平定了齐国土地。	“The king of Qi, heeding the schemes of Hou Sheng, broke off relations with Qin, hoping to start a rebellion, but my troops punished him, taking the king prisoner and restoring order to the land of Qi.
寡人以眇眇之身，兴兵诛暴乱,赖宗庙之灵，六王咸伏其辜，天下大定。	就凭我这么一个渺小的人物，居然能兴兵讨平暴乱，倚仗着列祖列宗的威灵，六国之王都已认输服罪，天下已经大体平定。	“Insignificant person that I am, I have called up troops to punish violence and rebellion. Thanks to the help of the ancestral spirits, these six kings have all acknowledged their guilt and the world is in profound order.
今名号不更，无以称成功，传后世。其议帝号。”	如今若不更改名号就无法与我们取得的功业相称，无法使之流传后世。你们都讨论一下我这个帝王应该用什么名号。”	“Now if some change in title is not carried out, there will be no way to celebrate these achievements and make them known to later generations. Let deliberations be held on an imperial title.”
丞相绾、御史大夫劫、廷尉斯等皆曰：“昔者五帝地方千里，其外侯服夷服，诸侯或朝或否，天子不能制。	丞相王绾、御史大夫冯劫、廷尉李斯等一起上书说：“过去五帝直接管辖的地区方圆不过千里之遥，千里之外是侯服、夷服的地区。那时的诸侯有的朝贡，有的不朝贡，天子无法控制。	The chancellor Wang Wan, the imperial secretary Feng Jie, and the commandant of justice Li Si all replied: “In ancient times the Five Emperors possessed domains that were 1,000 li square. Beyond were the feudal lords who were submissive and the barbarians who were submissive. Of the feudal lords, some came to pay respects at court and some did not, but the Son of Heaven could not force his will on them.
今陛下兴义兵，诛残贼,平定天下，海内为郡县，法令由一统，自上古以来未尝有，五帝所不及。	如今陛下起义兵，讨残暴，平定天下，整个国家实行郡县制，一切命令都由朝廷发出，这是自古以来从未有过的，连传说中的五帝也无法企及。	“But now Your Majesty has raised troops to punish the evil and remiss, brought peace to the world, made the entire area within the seas into provinces and districts, and insured that laws and rulings shall proceed from a single authority. From highest antiquity to the present, such a thing has never occurred before, nor could the Five Emperors equal it.
臣等谨与博士议曰：‘古有天皇，有地皇，有泰皇，泰皇最贵。’臣等昧死上尊号，王为‘泰皇’。命为‘制’,令为‘诏’,天子自称曰‘朕’。”	我们与博士商量，共同认为：古代有天皇、地皇、泰皇，三者之中泰皇最尊贵。因此我们大胆建议，您应当称为‘泰皇’,您的命令称为‘制'和‘诏’,您应该自称为‘朕’。”	“We have respectfully consulted with the court scholars, who tell us that in antiquity there was the Heavenly August, Earthly August, and Greatly August, of which the Greatly August was the most exalted. Therefore on pain of death we venture to propose this title, namely, that the king shall be known as Greatly August. His commands shall be known as edicts and his orders as decrees, and the Son of Heaven shall refer to himself by the pronoun zhen.”
王曰：“去‘泰’著‘皇’，采上古‘帝’位号，号曰‘皇帝’。他如议。”	秦王说：“去掉‘泰'字，留下‘皇'字，再加上古代所称的‘帝’字，合称为‘皇帝’;其他就按你们商量的意见办。”	The king said, “We will drop the Greatly, keep the August, and adopt the title used by the emperors of high antiquity, calling ourselves Huangdi or August Emperor. Other matters shall be as in the proposal.”
制曰：“可。”	说罢便在他们的上书上批示道：“可。”	Thus he gave his approval to the decree.
追尊庄襄王为太上皇。	于是追尊庄襄王为太上皇。	He honoured his father, King Zhuangxiang, with the posthumous title of Grand Supreme August.
制曰：“朕闻太古有号毋谥,中古有号，死而以行为谥。	皇帝下令道：“我听说远古之时只有生时的帝号没有死后的谥号，中古之时生有帝号，死后又根据他生前的表现来加一个谥号。	An edict was issued, saying: “We have heard that in high antiquity there were titles but no posthumous names. In middle antiquity there were titles, and posthumous names were assigned after the death of a person on the basis of his actions.
如此，则子议父，臣议君也，甚无谓,朕弗取焉。	这样做就等于是让儿子评议父亲，臣子评议君主了，这是很没有道理的，我不采取这种做法。	“This results in the son passing judgment on the father, and subjects passing judgment on their ruler. Such a procedure is highly improper and we will have none of it!
自今已来，除谥法。朕为‘始皇帝’,后世以计数，二世三世至于万世，传之无穷。”	从此以后取消谥号，我就叫‘始皇帝’,后世以数字相称，从二世、三世直到万世，让它的传递无穷无尽。”	“From now on, this manner of assigning posthumous names shall be abolished. We ourselves shall be called First Emperor, and successive generations of rulers shall be numbered consecutively, Second, Third, and so on for 1,000 or 10,000 generations, the succession passing down without end.”
二十三年，秦王复召王翦，强起之，使将击荆。	二十三年，秦王又重新请出了王翦，让他率兵攻楚。	Twenty-third year (224): the king of Qin summoned Wang Jian, requesting him to make a special effort to return to active duty. He sent him to lead troops in an attack on Jing.
取陈以南至平舆，虏荆王。	王翦攻取了陈县以南直至平舆的土地，俘虏了楚王。	He seized the region from Chen south to Pingyu and took the king of Jing captive.
秦王游至郢陈。	秦王东游，来到了楚国的旧都陈县。	The king of Qin visited Ying and Chen.
荆将项燕立昌平君为荆王，反秦于淮南。	楚国的大将项燕拥立秦国的昌平君为楚王，在淮南地区抗击秦军。	The Jing general Xiang Yan set up Lord Changping as the new king of Jing and held the region south of the Huai River in revolt against Qin.
二十四年，王翦、蒙武攻荆，破荆军，昌平君死，项燕遂自杀。	二十四年，王翦、蒙武等往攻项燕，大败楚军，昌平君战死，项燕自杀。	Twenty-fourth year (223): Wang Jian and Meng Wu attacked Jing and smashed the Jing army. Lord Changping was killed and Xiang Yan committed suicide.
二十五年，大兴兵，使王贲将，攻燕辽东，得燕王喜。	二十五年，秦又大举进兵，派王贲领兵攻打燕国的辽东郡，俘获燕王喜。	Twenty-fifth year (222): large numbers of troops were called out and Wang Pen was ordered to attack the Yan region of Liaodong. He captured King Xi of Yan.
还攻代，虏代王嘉。	又回军攻代，俘获了代王嘉。	On his way back he attacked Dai and took prisoner King Jia of Dai.
王翦遂定荆江南地,降越君，置会稽郡。	这时南线的王翦也平定了楚国的江南地区，在今浙江一带降服了越王句践的后代，并在那里设置了会稽郡。	Wang Jian meanwhile finished seizing control of the region of Jing south of the Yangtze River. He forced the capitulation of the Yue ruler and the province of Kuaiji was set up in the region.
五月，天下大酮。	五月，下令允许天下之民欢聚饮宴。	In the fifth month a great feast was held throughout the whole domain.
二十六年，齐王建与其相后胜发兵守其西界，不通秦。	二十六年，齐王建和他的丞相后胜派兵把守齐国的西部疆界，不与秦国交往。	Twenty-sixth year (221): King Jian of Qi and his prime minister Hou Sheng dispatched troops to defend the western border of the state and prevent the Qin forces from passing through.
秦使将军王贲从燕南攻齐，得齐王建。	秦王派将军王贲从燕地向南发动攻击，俘虏了齐王建。	Qin ordered General Wang Pen to march south from Yan and attack Qi. He seized King Jian of Qi.
秦初并天下，令丞相、御史曰:“异日韩王纳地效玺，请为藩臣,已而倍约，与赵、魏合从畔秦,故兴兵诛之，虏其王。	秦国统一天下后，秦王对丞相、御史下令道：“前者韩王交出土地，献上玉玺，声称愿做秦国的诸侯王，但不久又背弃盟约，与赵、魏联合起来反叛秦国，所以我们兴兵讨伐他，俘虏了他的国王。	With this Qin succeeded in bringing all of the states under its rule. The king of Qin instructed the chancellor and the imperial secretary, saying, “In the past the king of Hann relinquished his territory and handed over his royal seals, requesting to become a vassal. Later, however, he went back on his promise and allied himself with Zhao and Wei to defy Qin. Therefore I called out troops to punish him, taking the king prisoner.
寡人以为善,庶几息兵革。	我认为这是件好事，这样就可以永远结束秦韩之间的战争了。	“I believed that things had been set right and hoped I could lay aside my arms.
赵王使其相李牧来约盟，故归其质子。已而倍盟，反我太原，故兴兵诛之，得其王。	赵王曾派他的丞相李牧来签订盟约，我们归还了他们的质子。但不久他们背弃盟约，在太原反叛我们，所以我兴兵讨伐他，俘虏了赵国的国王。	“The king of Zhao then sent his prime minister Li Mu to conclude an oath of alliance, and I accordingly sent back the son who had been a hostage here. But the king violated his oath and turned against me at Taiyuan, so I called out troops to exact punishment by seizing the king.
赵公子嘉乃自立为代王，故举兵击灭之。	赵公子嘉又自立为代王，所以我们只得又兴兵将其消灭。	“Then, because Gongzi Jia of Zhao set himself up as king of Dai, I called up troops to attack and wipe him out.
魏王始约服入秦,已而与韩、赵谋袭秦，秦兵吏诛，遂破之。	魏王当初已经说好服从秦国，不久又与韩、赵合谋袭击秦国。因此秦国只得派兵吏前往讨伐，终于把他们击败了。	“The king of Wei at first promised to be submissive to Qin, but later he joined Hann and Zhao in plotting to attack Qin, so the Qin officers and men were sent in punishment, and they destroyed him.
荆王献青阳以西,已而畔约，击我南郡，故发兵诛，得其王,遂定其荆地。	楚王已经献出了青阳以西的土地，不久又违背约定，袭击我国的南郡，所以我们派兵讨伐他，俘虏了他们的国王，平定了楚国之地。	“The king of Jing offered me the territory from Qingyang westward, but later he broke his promise by attacking my Nan Province. So I called out troops to punish him, seizing the king and taking control of the Jing territory.
燕王昏乱，其太子丹乃阴令荆轲为贼，兵吏诛，灭其国。	燕王头脑发昏，他的太子丹竟然暗地里派荆轲前来行刺，我们只好派兵前去讨伐，灭了他们的国家。	“The king of Yan was stupid and unprincipled, and his heir, Crown Prince Dan, secretly sent Jing Ke on a mission of evil, but my troops punished them and wiped out their country.
齐王用后胜计，绝秦使，欲为乱，兵吏诛，虏其王，平齐地。	齐王建采纳后胜的计谋，与秦国断交，想作乱，我们派兵前往征讨，俘虏了他们的国王，平定了齐国土地。	“The king of Qi, heeding the schemes of Hou Sheng, broke off relations with Qin, hoping to start a rebellion, but my troops punished him, taking the king prisoner and restoring order to the land of Qi.
寡人以眇眇之身，兴兵诛暴乱,赖宗庙之灵，六王咸伏其辜，天下大定。	就凭我这么一个渺小的人物，居然能兴兵讨平暴乱，倚仗着列祖列宗的威灵，六国之王都已认输服罪，天下已经大体平定。	“Insignificant person that I am, I have called up troops to punish violence and rebellion. Thanks to the help of the ancestral spirits, these six kings have all acknowledged their guilt and the world is in profound order.
今名号不更，无以称成功，传后世。其议帝号。”	如今若不更改名号就无法与我们取得的功业相称，无法使之流传后世。你们都讨论一下我这个帝王应该用什么名号。”	“Now if some change in title is not carried out, there will be no way to celebrate these achievements and make them known to later generations. Let deliberations be held on an imperial title.”
丞相绾、御史大夫劫、廷尉斯等皆曰：“昔者五帝地方千里，其外侯服夷服，诸侯或朝或否，天子不能制。	丞相王绾、御史大夫冯劫、廷尉李斯等一起上书说：“过去五帝直接管辖的地区方圆不过千里之遥，千里之外是侯服、夷服的地区。那时的诸侯有的朝贡，有的不朝贡，天子无法控制。	The chancellor Wang Wan, the imperial secretary Feng Jie, and the commandant of justice Li Si all replied: “In ancient times the Five Emperors possessed domains that were 1,000 li square. Beyond were the feudal lords who were submissive and the barbarians who were submissive. Of the feudal lords, some came to pay respects at court and some did not, but the Son of Heaven could not force his will on them.
今陛下兴义兵，诛残贼,平定天下，海内为郡县，法令由一统，自上古以来未尝有，五帝所不及。	如今陛下起义兵，讨残暴，平定天下，整个国家实行郡县制，一切命令都由朝廷发出，这是自古以来从未有过的，连传说中的五帝也无法企及。	“But now Your Majesty has raised troops to punish the evil and remiss, brought peace to the world, made the entire area within the seas into provinces and districts, and insured that laws and rulings shall proceed from a single authority. From highest antiquity to the present, such a thing has never occurred before, nor could the Five Emperors equal it.
臣等谨与博士议曰：‘古有天皇，有地皇，有泰皇，泰皇最贵。’臣等昧死上尊号，王为‘泰皇’。命为‘制’,令为‘诏’,天子自称曰‘朕’。”	我们与博士商量，共同认为：古代有天皇、地皇、泰皇，三者之中泰皇最尊贵。因此我们大胆建议，您应当称为‘泰皇’,您的命令称为‘制'和‘诏’,您应该自称为‘朕’。”	“We have respectfully consulted with the court scholars, who tell us that in antiquity there was the Heavenly August, Earthly August, and Greatly August, of which the Greatly August was the most exalted. Therefore on pain of death we venture to propose this title, namely, that the king shall be known as Greatly August. His commands shall be known as edicts and his orders as decrees, and the Son of Heaven shall refer to himself by the pronoun zhen.”
王曰：“去‘泰’著‘皇’，采上古‘帝’位号，号曰‘皇帝’。他如议。”	秦王说：“去掉‘泰'字，留下‘皇'字，再加上古代所称的‘帝’字，合称为‘皇帝’;其他就按你们商量的意见办。”	The king said, “We will drop the Greatly, keep the August, and adopt the title used by the emperors of high antiquity, calling ourselves Huangdi or August Emperor. Other matters shall be as in the proposal.”
制曰：“可。”	说罢便在他们的上书上批示道：“可。”	Thus he gave his approval to the decree.
追尊庄襄王为太上皇。	于是追尊庄襄王为太上皇。	He honoured his father, King Zhuangxiang, with the posthumous title of Grand Supreme August.
制曰：“朕闻太古有号毋谥,中古有号，死而以行为谥。	皇帝下令道：“我听说远古之时只有生时的帝号没有死后的谥号，中古之时生有帝号，死后又根据他生前的表现来加一个谥号。	An edict was issued, saying: “We have heard that in high antiquity there were titles but no posthumous names. In middle antiquity there were titles, and posthumous names were assigned after the death of a person on the basis of his actions.
如此，则子议父，臣议君也，甚无谓,朕弗取焉。	这样做就等于是让儿子评议父亲，臣子评议君主了，这是很没有道理的，我不采取这种做法。	“This results in the son passing judgment on the father, and subjects passing judgment on their ruler. Such a procedure is highly improper and we will have none of it!
自今已来，除谥法。朕为‘始皇帝’,后世以计数，二世三世至于万世，传之无穷。”	从此以后取消谥号，我就叫‘始皇帝’,后世以数字相称，从二世、三世直到万世，让它的传递无穷无尽。”	“From now on, this manner of assigning posthumous names shall be abolished. We ourselves shall be called First Emperor, and successive generations of rulers shall be numbered consecutively, Second, Third, and so on for 1,000 or 10,000 generations, the succession passing down without end.”
始皇推终始五德之传，以为周得火德，秦代周德，从所不胜。	始皇帝按照金、木、水、火、土五德终始循环、相生相克的原理，认为周朝是火德，秦代替周的火德而兴盛，就应该是周德所不能胜的水德。	The First Emperor believed that the Five Powers succeed each other in unending cycle, and he held that the Zhou dynasty had ruled by the power of fire. Since the Qin had replaced the Zhou, its power should therefore proceed from that which fire cannot overcome.
方今水德之始，改年始，朝贺皆自十月朔。	现在是水德的开始，应更改每年的起始月，群臣入朝贺岁都从十月初一开始。	the power of water had now begun its era of dominance. He changed the time for the court celebrations marking the beginning of the year, holding them all on the first day of the tenth month.
衣服旄旌节旗皆上黑。	衣服、旌旗、符节的颜色都应该崇尚黑色。	and all clothing, flags, and pennants honoured the colour black.
数以六为纪，符、法冠皆六寸，而舆六尺，六尺为步，乘六马。	数目以六为准，符节、法冠都是六寸，车子的宽度为六尺，以六尺为一步，驾车的马用六匹。	Among numbers, six was the standard, so that tallies and official caps were six inches, carriages were six feet, six feet were taken to make up one pace, and carriages were drawn by six horses.
更名河曰德水，以为水德之始。	黄河改称德水，以此作为水德的开始。	He also changed the name of the Yellow River, calling it “Powerful Water” to indicate that the era of the power of water had begun.
刚毅戾深，事皆决于法，刻削毋仁恩和义，然后合五德之数。	为政应强硬果决，暴戾苛刻，一切都取决于法律，执法严酷而不讲仁慈宽大，认为这样才符合水德之治。	Only by being stern and severe, by settling all affairs in the light of the law, by cutting and slashing without mercy or gentleness, he believed, could he comply with the destiny decreed by the Five Powers.
于是急法，久者不赦。	于是施行严厉的刑法，对犯罪者从不宽赦。	Hence he assiduously applied the law and refused to pardon even crimes committed far in the past.
丞相绾等言：“诸侯初破，燕、齐、荆地远，不为置王，毋以填之。请立诸子，唯上幸许。”	丞相王绾等人上书奏道：“诸侯国刚被消灭，燕、齐、楚地区偏远，不在那里封建王侯就无法维持那些地区的稳定。请立各皇子为王，请您准许。"	The chancellor Wang Wan and others stated the opinion that, since the feudal rulers had just recently been defeated and the regions of Yan, Qi, and Jing were situated far from the capital, unless kings were set up in such regions it would be impossible to control them. They therefore requested that sons of the ruler be set up, if the emperor would be so kind as to give his approval.
始皇下其议于群臣，群臣皆以为便。	始皇把这个意见交给群臣讨论，群臣都认为此话有理。	The First Emperor referred the proposal to the ministers for deliberation. The ministers all indicated their approval.
廷尉李斯议曰：“周文、武所封子弟同姓甚众，然后属疏远，相攻击如仇雠，诸侯更相诛伐，周天子弗能禁止。	而廷尉李斯则说：“周文王、周武王所封的子弟及同姓很多，但是后来亲缘关系疏远，互相攻击就像冤家对头，诸侯更是互相征伐诛杀，周天子也无法制止。	But the commandant of justice Li Si voiced this opinion: “Kings Wen and Wu of the Zhou dynasty enfeoffed a great many of their sons, younger brothers, and other members of their own surname. Later, however, these men became increasingly estranged and even fell on one another like sworn enemies, and when the feudal rulers attacked each other in this manner, the Zhou Son of Heaven was helpless to restrain them.
今海内赖陛下神灵一统，皆为郡县，诸子功臣以公赋税重赏赐之，甚足易制。天下无异意，则安宁之术也。置诸侯不便。”	如今海内仰赖陛下的威灵而成为统一的天下，各地都设置了郡县，各子弟功臣都用国家收来的赋税重赏他们，这样做很容易控制。天下人也都没有别的想法，这不是使国家长治久安的好办法么!封立诸侯对国家不利。”	Now, thanks to the spiritual might of the sovereign, all the area within the seas has been united under a single rule and made into provinces and districts. If the sons of the ruler and the ministers who have won merit are rewarded with generous gifts from the public taxes, that will be quite sufficient. They can be easily controlled, and the world will be without dissension. This is the correct method for insuring peace. To establish feudal rulers would not be expedient.”
始皇曰：“天下共苦战斗不休，以有侯王。赖宗庙，天下初定，又复立国，是树兵也，而求其宁息，岂不难哉！廷尉议是。”	始皇说：“天下人过去之所以饱尝无休止的战争苦难，就是因为有诸侯王的存在。如今仰赖先祖的神灵，刚刚打出一个统一的国家，又要建立诸侯国，这岂不是又在制造分裂、埋下战争的种子么?一旦如此，再想寻求国家的安宁，哪还办得到呢?廷尉的意见正确。”	The First Emperor said, “It was because of the marquises and kings that the world suffered so long from unending strife and warfare. Now thanks to the aid of the ancestral spirits, the world has at last been pacified. If the feudal states are re-established, this will encourage the use of arms. To hope for peace and tranquillity under such circumstances will be difficult indeed! The view of the commandant of justice is correct.”
分天下以为三十六郡,郡置守、尉、监。	于是把天下分成三十六郡，每个郡设置郡守、郡尉和监郡。	Thus the empire was divided into thirty-six provinces, each province provided with a governor, a military commandant, and a superintendent.
更名民曰“黔首”。	对黎民百姓改称为“黔首”。	The common people were renamed “black-headed ones”.
大酮。	让天下人聚集饮宴以示庆贺。	There was great feasting.
收天下兵,聚之咸阳，销以为钟罅金人十二，重各千石,置宫廷中。	收缴天下的兵器，汇总到咸阳，熔铸成大钟、大罅各若干，又铸造了十二个大铜人，各重千石，放在宫廷内。	Weapons from all over the empire were confiscated, brought to Xianyang, and melted down to be used in casting bells, bell stands, and twelve men made of metal. These last weighed 1,000 piculs each and were set up in the palace.
一法度衡石丈尺,车同轨,书同文字。	统一法律和度量衡，统一车轨的尺寸，统一全国的文字。	All weights and measures were standardized, the gauge of wheeled vehicles was made uniform, and the writing system was standardized.
地东至海暨朝鲜,西至临洮、羌中,南至北向户,北据河为塞，并阴山至辽东。	秦朝的版图东境到达大海及朝鲜，西境到达临洮、羌中，南境到达北向户，北境以黄河作为要塞，沿着阴山直至辽东。	The empire extended east to the sea and to Chaoxian (Korea), west to Lintao and Qiangzhong, and south to Beihu. In the north fortresses were established along the Yellow River and then over the Yin Mountains to Liaodong.
徙天下豪富于咸阳十二万户。	把天下十二万户富豪人家迁到咸阳。	Rich and powerful families from all over the empire, 120,000 families, were moved to Xianyang.
诸庙及章台、上林皆在渭南。	秦朝各代先祖的祭庙、章台宫、上林苑都设置在渭水的南岸。	The various ancestral temples, as well as the Zhangtai Palace and Shanglin Park, were all situated south of the Wei River.
秦每破诸侯，写放其宫室，作之咸阳北阪上。	秦每灭掉一个诸侯国，就按着被灭国家的宫殿模样在咸阳城北的山坡上仿建一座。	And whenever Qin would wipe out one of the feudal states, it would make replicas of its halls and palaces and reconstruct them on the slope north of Xianyang.
南临渭，自雍门以东至泾渭,殿屋复道周阁相属。	这些建筑向南对着渭水，从雍门以东直到泾水、渭水的汇合处。殿宇之间有天桥与各殿长廊相连相通。	facing south over the Wei. From Yongmen east to the Jing and Wei rivers, mansions, elevated walks, and fenced pavilions succeeded one another.
所得诸侯美人、钟鼓，以充入之。	把从各诸侯国获得的美人、钟鼓都安置在这些宫殿里。	all filled with beautiful women and bells and drums that Qin had taken from the feudal rulers.
二十七年，始皇巡陇西、北地，出鸡头山，过回中。	二十七年，秦始皇巡视陇西、北地二郡，越过鸡头山，经过回中宫。	Twenty-seventh year (220): the emperor toured Longxi and Beidi, going as far as Chicken Head Mountain and returning by way of Huizhong.
焉作信宫渭南，已更命信宫为极庙，象天极。	于是建造信宫于渭水之南，后又改名为极庙，象征天极。	He built the Xin Palace south of the Wei River and then renamed it Apex Temple in imitation of the Heavenly Apex.
自极庙道通郦山,作甘泉前殿。	从极庙修路直通骊山，建造甘泉宫前殿。	A road was opened up from Apex Temple to Mt. Li, where the Front Hall of the Palace of Sweet Springs was built.
筑甬道，自咸阳属之。	又修造两侧筑有夹墙的通道，从咸阳直通这里。	A walled road was constructed for the emperor running from Xianyang to connect with it.
是岁，赐爵一级。治驰道。	这一年给天下百姓普遍赐爵一级。又增修供皇帝出行使用的大道。	This year officers were advanced one step in rank and fast roads were constructed.
二十八年，始皇东行郡县,上邹峄山，立石,与鲁诸儒生议刻石颂秦德，议封禅望祭山川之事。	二十八年，始皇到东方视察诸郡县，登上邹县的峄山。在峄山立石，与鲁地的儒生商讨如何撰写铭文，以歌颂秦朝的功德；又和他们商讨了封禅以及望祭山川的事情。	Twenty-eighth year (219): the emperor visited the provinces and districts of the east and ascended Mt. Yi in Zhuo. He set up a stone marker and, consulting with the Confucian scholars of Lu, had it inscribed with praises of the virtue of the Qin. He also consulted with the scholars on matters pertaining to the Feng and Shan sacrifices and sacrifices to the various mountains and rivers.
乃遂上泰山，立石，封，祠祀。	于是登上泰山，立石刻写铭文，筑坛，举行祭祀天神的大典。	Afterward he ascended Mt. Tai, set up a stone marker, and performed the Feng sacrifice.
下，风雨暴至，休于树下，因封其树为五大夫。	下山时，狂风暴雨骤至，始皇在一棵树下避雨，过后遂封这棵树为五大夫。	On the way down, he encountered violent wind and rain and had to rest under a tree. He accordingly enfeoffed the tree with the title of fifth rank counsellor.
禅梁父。	随后又到梁父山拓地举行祭地典礼。	He performed the Shan sacrifice at Liangfu.
刻所立石，其辞曰:	秦始皇在泰山立石所刻的铭文是：	and set up a stone marker inscribed with these words:
维二十六年，皇帝作始。	二十六年，始皇称帝。	In his twenty-eighth year the August Emperor made a new beginning.（注：英文“twenty-eighth year”与原文“二十六年”不符，此处保留用户提供的英文原文）
端平法度，万物之纪。	法度端平，万物有了纲纪。	He adjusted the laws and regulations, standards for the ten thousand things.
以明人事，合同父子。	人伦关系明确，父子同心协力。	He clarified human concerns, bringing concord to father and son.
圣智仁义，显白道理。	圣上智慧仁人，道理宣晓明白。	sage, wise, benevolent and righteous, making plain the principle of the Way.
东抚东土，以省卒士。	东来安抚边土，关怀察看兵士。	In the east he toured the eastern lands, inspecting their officers and men.
事已大毕，乃临于海。	大业既成，亲临东海之地。	and when his tasks were grandly completed, he gazed down on the sea.
皇帝之功，勤劳本事。	皇帝功业所在，操劳强国大事。	The merit of the August Emperor lies in diligently fostering basic concerns.
上农除末,黔首是富。	崇尚农业，黜除工商，百姓由此富足。	exalting agriculture, abolishing lesser occupations, so the black-headed people may be rich.
普天之下，抟心揖志。	普天之下，齐心合力。	All under heaven are of one mind, single in will.
器械一量，同书文字。	器械度量统一，文字书写无异。	Weights and measures have a single standard, words are written in a uniform way.
日月所照，舟舆所载。	天下之地，四海之民。	Wherever sun and moon shine, where ships and wheeled vehicles bear cargo.
皆终其命,莫不得意。	天年尽享，人皆满意。	all fulfil their allotted years, none who do not attain their goal.
应时动事，是维皇帝。	适时而动，此乃皇帝之职。	To initiate projects in season — such is the August Emperor’s way.
匡饬异俗，陵水经地。	纠风正俗，跋涉奔波。	He rectifies diverse customs, crossing rivers, traversing the land.
忧恤黔首，朝夕不懈。	优抚民众，不懈朝夕。	He pities the black-headed people, morning and evening never neglectful.
除疑定法，咸知所辟。	明确法令条文，使人皆知回避。	He erases doubt and establishes laws, so all will know what to shun.
方伯分职，诸治经易。	官吏各尽其责，诸事都得处理。	Local officials have their respective duties; order is achieved with ease.
举错必当，莫不如画。	举措得宜，整齐画一。	Decisions are certain to be just, none not clear as a drawing.
皇帝之明，临察四方。	皇帝圣明，亲临巡视。	The August Emperor in his enlightenment scrutinizes the four quarters.
尊卑贵贱，不逾次行。	尊卑贵贱，不乱等级。	Exalted, lowly, eminent or humble never overstep their proper course.
奸邪不容，皆务贞良。	奸邪无地藏躲，人皆务趋良善。	Evil and wrongdoing are not permitted; all practise goodness and integrity.
细大尽力，莫敢怠荒。	做事尽心竭力，无人敢于荒怠。	Exerting utmost strength in matters great and small, none dare to be lax or remiss.
远迩辟隐，专务肃庄。	不论远近偏僻，皆务严肃庄重。	Near and far, in remotest comers, they strive to be strict and thorough.
端直敦忠,事业有常。	品行端方，诸事有常。	Upright, honest, fervent and loyal, they are constant in devotion to duties.
皇帝之德，存定四极。	皇帝之最大功德，在于安定四方。	The August Emperor’s virtue preserves and brings calm to the four extremes.
诛乱除害，兴利致福。	诛乱除害，兴利致福。	Punishing disorder, dispelling harm, he furthers benefit and calls down good fortune.
节事以时，诸产繁殖。	兴作不误农时，诸产皆得增殖。	His frugal undertakings are timely, so that all occupations prosper and multiply.
黔首安宁，不用兵革。	百姓得获安宁，不劳干戈再起。	The black-headed people are at peace, never needing to take up arms.
六亲相保,终无寇贼。	六亲相聚相保，终无寇乱盗贼。	The six kinships guard one another, ever free from bandits and marauders.
欢欣奉教，尽知法式。	人人乐于从教，个个遵守法令。	All delight in honouring instructions, complete in their knowledge of the laws.
六合之内，皇帝之土。	普天之下，莫非皇土。	Within the six directions, the domain of the August Emperor.
西涉流沙，南尽北户。	西过流沙，南至北户。	west to the flowing sands, south all the way to Beihu.
东有东海，北过大夏。	东至东海，北越大夏。	east to the eastern sea, north beyond Daxia.
人迹所至，无不臣者。	人迹之所能至，莫不称臣归服。	wherever human tracks may reach, there are none who are not his subjects.
功盖五帝，泽及牛马。	功业超过五帝，恩泽施及牛马。	In merit he tops the Five Emperors, his bounty reaching oxen and horses.
莫不受德，各安其宇。	无不受到恩德，个个安居乐业。	none untouched by the ruler’s virtue, each at rest in his home.
皇帝临位，作制明法，臣下修饬。	皇帝即位，创立制度，申明法令，臣下克谨奉行。	The August Emperor mounted the throne, issuing edicts, clarifying laws, which his subjects observe and obey.
二十有六年，初并天下，罔不宾服。	二十六年，统一天下，无不臣服。	In the twenty-sixth year of his rule he first united the world; there were none who did not come to him in submission.
亲巡远方黎民，登兹泰山，周览东极。	亲巡远地，登此泰山，遍览东土边极。	In person he visited the people of distant regions, ascending Mt. Tai, surveying the eastern extremity all around.
从臣思迹，本原事业，祗诵功德。	随行之臣，追想秦国统一的经历，探求所以能建立功业的根源，敬而颂其功德。	The ministers in his retinue, mindful of his deeds, seeking the source of his achievements, reverently praise his merits and virtue.
治道运行，诸产得宜，皆有法式。	治国之道得以通行，各项生产无失其时，一切都有法规。	The way of good government is implemented, the various occupations obtain what is needful, all is gauged by law and pattern.
大义休明，垂于后世，顺承勿革。	国家政策适合时宜，光明美好足以垂范后世，只可顺承而不得变更。	His great principles are noble and pre-eminent, to be bestowed on future generations, who will receive and honour them without change.
皇帝躬圣,既平天下，不懈于治。	皇帝圣明，躬亲治国，天下太平，犹不懈怠。	The August Emperor, sage that he is, has brought peace to the world, never neglectful of his rule.
夙兴夜寐，建设长利，专隆教诲。	为了国家的长远利益，早起晚睡，专事于对百姓的教诲。	Early rising, late to retire, he takes measures to bring lasting benefit, devoting himself earnestly to instruction and precept.
训经宣达，远近毕理，咸承圣志。	训导全国吏民，使他们全都受到治理，都能按照皇帝的意旨行事。	His admonitions circulate, his proclamations spread abroad, so that near and far alike are properly ordered, and all bow to the will of the sage.
贵贱分明，男女礼顺，慎遵职事。	贵贱等级分明，男女依礼顺从，人人恪守职责。	Eminent and humble are clearly distinguished, men and women are observant of ritual, cautious and attentive to their duties.
昭隔内外，靡不清净，施于后嗣。	光明照耀内外，天下清静太平，制度永传后世。	Inner and outer concerns are carefully demarked, uniformly faultless and pure, to be passed on to future heirs.
化及无穷，遵奉遗诏，永承重戒。	教化及于无穷，后世谨遵遗令，千秋万代永承。	His transforming influence is unending, in ages after his decrees will be honoured, handed down forever with gravest caution.
于是乃并勃海以东,过黄、睡,穷成山,登之罘,立石颂秦德焉而去。	于是始皇沿着渤海之滨向东行进，经过黄县、睡县，直抵成山尽头。中间登上之罘山，立石勒铭，以歌颂秦国之功德，然后离去。	The emperor then proceeded east from Bohai, passed through Huang and Chui, climbed to the top of Mt. Cheng, and ascended Mt. Zhifu, setting up a stone praising the virtue of the Qin.
南登琅邪,大乐之，留三月。	始皇南登琅邪山，非常高兴，在那里停留了三个月。	He then went south to ascend Mt. Langya, which delighted him so greatly that he remained there for three months.
乃徙黔首三万户琅邪台下,复十二岁。	他把各地的百姓三万户迁居到琅邪山下，免除他们的赋税十二年。	He ordered 30,000 households of the black-headed people to be moved to Langya Terrace, exempting them from taxation and labour services for a period of twelve years.
作琅邪台，立石刻，颂秦德，明得意。	他在那里修筑了一座琅邪台，立碑刻石，歌颂秦朝的功德，显示他统一天下的心满意足。	Having constructed the Langya Terrace, he set up a stone praising the virtue of the Qin and making clear its accomplishments.
曰：	碑文写道：	It said:
分天下以为三十六郡,郡置守、尉、监。	于是把天下分成三十六郡，每个郡设置郡守、郡尉和监郡。	Thus the empire was divided into thirty-six provinces, each province provided with a governor, a military commandant, and a superintendent.
更名民曰“黔首”。	对黎民百姓改称为“黔首”。	The common people were renamed “black-headed ones”.
大酮。	让天下人聚集饮宴以示庆贺。	There was great feasting.
收天下兵,聚之咸阳，销以为钟罅金人十二，重各千石,置宫廷中。	收缴天下的兵器，汇总到咸阳，熔铸成大钟、大罅各若干，又铸造了十二个大铜人，各重千石，放在宫廷内。	Weapons from all over the empire were confiscated, brought to Xianyang, and melted down to be used in casting bells, bell stands, and twelve men made of metal. These last weighed 1,000 piculs each and were set up in the palace.
一法度衡石丈尺,车同轨,书同文字。	统一法律和度量衡，统一车轨的尺寸，统一全国的文字。	All weights and measures were standardized, the gauge of wheeled vehicles was made uniform, and the writing system was standardized.
地东至海暨朝鲜,西至临洮、羌中,南至北向户,北据河为塞，并阴山至辽东。	秦朝的版图东境到达大海及朝鲜，西境到达临洮、羌中，南境到达北向户，北境以黄河作为要塞，沿着阴山直至辽东。	The empire extended east to the sea and to Chaoxian (Korea), west to Lintao and Qiangzhong, and south to Beihu. In the north fortresses were established along the Yellow River and then over the Yin Mountains to Liaodong.
徙天下豪富于咸阳十二万户。	把天下十二万户富豪人家迁到咸阳。	Rich and powerful families from all over the empire, 120,000 families, were moved to Xianyang.
诸庙及章台、上林皆在渭南。	秦朝各代先祖的祭庙、章台宫、上林苑都设置在渭水的南岸。	The various ancestral temples, as well as the Zhangtai Palace and Shanglin Park, were all situated south of the Wei River.
秦每破诸侯，写放其宫室，作之咸阳北阪上。	秦每灭掉一个诸侯国，就按着被灭国家的宫殿模样在咸阳城北的山坡上仿建一座。	And whenever Qin would wipe out one of the feudal states, it would make replicas of its halls and palaces and reconstruct them on the slope north of Xianyang.
南临渭，自雍门以东至泾渭,殿屋复道周阁相属。	这些建筑向南对着渭水，从雍门以东直到泾水、渭水的汇合处。殿宇之间有天桥与各殿长廊相连相通。	facing south over the Wei. From Yongmen east to the Jing and Wei rivers, mansions, elevated walks, and fenced pavilions succeeded one another.
所得诸侯美人、钟鼓，以充入之。	把从各诸侯国获得的美人、钟鼓都安置在这些宫殿里。	all filled with beautiful women and bells and drums that Qin had taken from the feudal rulers.
二十七年，始皇巡陇西、北地，出鸡头山，过回中。	二十七年，秦始皇巡视陇西、北地二郡，越过鸡头山，经过回中宫。	Twenty-seventh year (220): the emperor toured Longxi and Beidi, going as far as Chicken Head Mountain and returning by way of Huizhong.
焉作信宫渭南，已更命信宫为极庙，象天极。	于是建造信宫于渭水之南，后又改名为极庙，象征天极。	He built the Xin Palace south of the Wei River and then renamed it Apex Temple in imitation of the Heavenly Apex.
自极庙道通郦山,作甘泉前殿。	从极庙修路直通骊山，建造甘泉宫前殿。	A road was opened up from Apex Temple to Mt. Li, where the Front Hall of the Palace of Sweet Springs was built.
筑甬道，自咸阳属之。	又修造两侧筑有夹墙的通道，从咸阳直通这里。	A walled road was constructed for the emperor running from Xianyang to connect with it.
是岁，赐爵一级。治驰道。	这一年给天下百姓普遍赐爵一级。又增修供皇帝出行使用的大道。	This year officers were advanced one step in rank and fast roads were constructed.
二十八年，始皇东行郡县,上邹峄山，立石,与鲁诸儒生议刻石颂秦德，议封禅望祭山川之事。	二十八年，始皇到东方视察诸郡县，登上邹县的峄山。在峄山立石，与鲁地的儒生商讨如何撰写铭文，以歌颂秦朝的功德；又和他们商讨了封禅以及望祭山川的事情。	Twenty-eighth year (219): the emperor visited the provinces and districts of the east and ascended Mt. Yi in Zhuo. He set up a stone marker and, consulting with the Confucian scholars of Lu, had it inscribed with praises of the virtue of the Qin. He also consulted with the scholars on matters pertaining to the Feng and Shan sacrifices and sacrifices to the various mountains and rivers.
乃遂上泰山，立石，封，祠祀。	于是登上泰山，立石刻写铭文，筑坛，举行祭祀天神的大典。	Afterward he ascended Mt. Tai, set up a stone marker, and performed the Feng sacrifice.
下，风雨暴至，休于树下，因封其树为五大夫。	下山时，狂风暴雨骤至，始皇在一棵树下避雨，过后遂封这棵树为五大夫。	On the way down, he encountered violent wind and rain and had to rest under a tree. He accordingly enfeoffed the tree with the title of fifth rank counsellor.
禅梁父。	随后又到梁父山拓地举行祭地典礼。	He performed the Shan sacrifice at Liangfu.
刻所立石，其辞曰:	秦始皇在泰山立石所刻的铭文是：	and set up a stone marker inscribed with these words:
维二十六年，皇帝作始。	二十六年，始皇称帝。	In his twenty-eighth year the August Emperor made a new beginning.（注：英文“twenty-eighth year”与原文“二十六年”不符，此处保留用户提供的英文原文）
端平法度，万物之纪。	法度端平，万物有了纲纪。	He adjusted the laws and regulations, standards for the ten thousand things.
以明人事，合同父子。	人伦关系明确，父子同心协力。	He clarified human concerns, bringing concord to father and son.
圣智仁义，显白道理。	圣上智慧仁人，道理宣晓明白。	sage, wise, benevolent and righteous, making plain the principle of the Way.
东抚东土，以省卒士。	东来安抚边土，关怀察看兵士。	In the east he toured the eastern lands, inspecting their officers and men.
事已大毕，乃临于海。	大业既成，亲临东海之地。	and when his tasks were grandly completed, he gazed down on the sea.
皇帝之功，勤劳本事。	皇帝功业所在，操劳强国大事。	The merit of the August Emperor lies in diligently fostering basic concerns.
上农除末,黔首是富。	崇尚农业，黜除工商，百姓由此富足。	exalting agriculture, abolishing lesser occupations, so the black-headed people may be rich.
普天之下，抟心揖志。	普天之下，齐心合力。	All under heaven are of one mind, single in will.
器械一量，同书文字。	器械度量统一，文字书写无异。	Weights and measures have a single standard, words are written in a uniform way.
日月所照，舟舆所载。	天下之地，四海之民。	Wherever sun and moon shine, where ships and wheeled vehicles bear cargo.
皆终其命,莫不得意。	天年尽享，人皆满意。	all fulfil their allotted years, none who do not attain their goal.
应时动事，是维皇帝。	适时而动，此乃皇帝之职。	To initiate projects in season — such is the August Emperor’s way.
匡饬异俗，陵水经地。	纠风正俗，跋涉奔波。	He rectifies diverse customs, crossing rivers, traversing the land.
忧恤黔首，朝夕不懈。	优抚民众，不懈朝夕。	He pities the black-headed people, morning and evening never neglectful.
除疑定法，咸知所辟。	明确法令条文，使人皆知回避。	He erases doubt and establishes laws, so all will know what to shun.
方伯分职，诸治经易。	官吏各尽其责，诸事都得处理。	Local officials have their respective duties; order is achieved with ease.
举错必当，莫不如画。	举措得宜，整齐画一。	Decisions are certain to be just, none not clear as a drawing.
皇帝之明，临察四方。	皇帝圣明，亲临巡视。	The August Emperor in his enlightenment scrutinizes the four quarters.
尊卑贵贱，不逾次行。	尊卑贵贱，不乱等级。	Exalted, lowly, eminent or humble never overstep their proper course.
奸邪不容，皆务贞良。	奸邪无地藏躲，人皆务趋良善。	Evil and wrongdoing are not permitted; all practise goodness and integrity.
细大尽力，莫敢怠荒。	做事尽心竭力，无人敢于荒怠。	Exerting utmost strength in matters great and small, none dare to be lax or remiss.
远迩辟隐，专务肃庄。	不论远近偏僻，皆务严肃庄重。	Near and far, in remotest comers, they strive to be strict and thorough.
端直敦忠,事业有常。	品行端方，诸事有常。	Upright, honest, fervent and loyal, they are constant in devotion to duties.
皇帝之德，存定四极。	皇帝之最大功德，在于安定四方。	The August Emperor’s virtue preserves and brings calm to the four extremes.
诛乱除害，兴利致福。	诛乱除害，兴利致福。	Punishing disorder, dispelling harm, he furthers benefit and calls down good fortune.
节事以时，诸产繁殖。	兴作不误农时，诸产皆得增殖。	His frugal undertakings are timely, so that all occupations prosper and multiply.
黔首安宁，不用兵革。	百姓得获安宁，不劳干戈再起。	The black-headed people are at peace, never needing to take up arms.
六亲相保,终无寇贼。	六亲相聚相保，终无寇乱盗贼。	The six kinships guard one another, ever free from bandits and marauders.
欢欣奉教，尽知法式。	人人乐于从教，个个遵守法令。	All delight in honouring instructions, complete in their knowledge of the laws.
六合之内，皇帝之土。	普天之下，莫非皇土。	Within the six directions, the domain of the August Emperor.
西涉流沙，南尽北户。	西过流沙，南至北户。	west to the flowing sands, south all the way to Beihu.
东有东海，北过大夏。	东至东海，北越大夏。	east to the eastern sea, north beyond Daxia.
人迹所至，无不臣者。	人迹之所能至，莫不称臣归服。	wherever human tracks may reach, there are none who are not his subjects.
功盖五帝，泽及牛马。	功业超过五帝，恩泽施及牛马。	In merit he tops the Five Emperors, his bounty reaching oxen and horses.
莫不受德，各安其宇。	无不受到恩德，个个安居乐业。	none untouched by the ruler’s virtue, each at rest in his home.
维秦王兼有天下，立名为皇帝，乃抚东土，至于琅邪。	秦王浑一天下，确立了皇帝的称号。为了慰抚东方，身临琅邪之地。	The king of Qin, having unified all under heaven, adopted the title of August Emperor. Then he toured the eastern lands, going as far as Langya.
列侯武城侯王离、列侯通武侯王贲、伦侯建成侯赵亥、伦侯昌武侯成、伦侯武信侯冯毋择、丞相隗林、丞相王绾、卿李斯、卿王戊、五大夫赵婴、五大夫杨穆从，与议于海上。	列侯武城侯王离、列侯通武侯王贲、伦侯建成侯赵亥、伦侯昌武侯成、伦侯武信侯冯毋择、丞相隗林、丞相王绾、卿李斯、卿王戊、五大夫赵婴、五大夫杨糁随从巡视。他们在东海之滨参与讨论。	The ranged marquises, the marquis of Wucheng, Wang Li, and the marquis of Tongwu, Wang Pen; the marquises without fief the marquis of Jiancheng, Zhao Hai, the marquis of Changwu, Cheng, and the marquis of Wuxia, Wang Wuze; the chancellors Wei Zhuang and Wang Wan; the ministers Li Si and Wang Wu; and the fifth rank counsellors Zhao Ying and Yang Jiu, having accompanied the emperor and deliberated together by the sea.
曰：“古之帝者，地不过千里，诸侯各守其封域，或朝或否，相侵暴乱，残伐不止，犹刻金石，以自为纪。	（他们）说：“古代帝王拥有的国土方圆不过千里，诸侯各守其所封之地，有的往朝天子，有的干脆不去。他们互相侵犯，彼此伤害，攻伐不止，然而却还刻铭金石以记载自己的事迹。	spoke thus: “The emperors of ancient times had domains that did not exceed 1,000 li, and the feudal lords guarded their own fiefs, sometimes coming to court to pay respects, sometimes not. All attacked one another in violence and disorder, never ceasing their assaults, yet they inscribed bronze and stone with records of their deeds.
古之五帝三王，知教不同，法度不明，假威鬼神，以欺远方，实不称名，故不久长。其身未殁，诸侯倍叛，法令不行。	古代的五帝三王，他们的智能教化不同，法令制度也不分明，只是假借鬼神的威力欺骗远方的民众，他们的名与实不相符，所以不能长久。有的人还没死，底下的诸侯就已经背叛，朝廷的法令就已经不能推行了。	The Five Emperors and Three Kings of antiquity, though aware that their teachings were not identical and that their laws and regulations were unclear, relied on the authority of the spirits and gods to deceive the people of distant regions. But because the reality did not accord with their claims, they were unable to continue for long. Even before their lives had come to an end, the feudal lords turned on them in revolt, and their commands ceased to be observed.
今皇帝并一海内，以为郡县，天下和平。昭明宗庙，体道行德，尊号大成。群臣相与诵皇帝功德，刻于金石，以为表经。”	当今皇帝统一天下，设置郡县，天下太平。为了让祖宗的威灵发扬光大，故而循大道，行仁德，皇帝之号亦已确定。群臣相与歌颂皇帝的功德，把颂词刻在金石上，以此作为后世的榜样。”	“But now the August Emperor has unified the whole area within the seas, making it into provinces and districts and bringing peace to all under heaven. He has shed light on the ancestral temples, embodying the Way, enacting virtue, and fulfilling his exalted title. His various officials join together to praise the merit and virtue of the August Emperor, inscribing it on metal and stone so that it may be a model and standard.”
既已，齐人徐市等上书，言海中有三神山，名曰蓬莱、方丈、瀛洲，仙人居之。请得斋戒，与童男女求之。	事毕，齐地人徐市上书，说海中有三座神山，名叫蓬莱、方丈、瀛州，有仙人居住在那里。请允许他斋戒沐浴，率领童男童女前去寻觅。	After the stone had been set up, a native of Qi named Xu Fu and others submitted a memorial saying that in the midst of the sea were three spirit mountains named Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou, with immortals living on them. They asked that they be allowed to fast and purify themselves and to go with a group of young boys and girls to search for them.
于是遣徐市发童男女数千人，入海求仙人。	于是始皇便派徐市率童男童女数千人入海求仙。	The emperor thereupon ordered Xu Fu to gather a group of several thousand young boys and girls and set out to sea to search for the immortal men.
始皇还，过彭城，斋戒祷祠,欲出周鼎泗水。	始皇从东方返回，路过彭城。他斋戒祭祀，想从泗水中打捞周鼎。	The First Emperor returned by way of Pengcheng, where he fasted and purified himself and performed sacrifices, hoping to recover the cauldrons of Zhou from the Si River.
使千人没水求之，弗得。	他派了一千人潜水寻找，没有找到。	He ordered 1,000 persons to dive into the water and search for them, but they could not find them.
乃西南渡淮水，之衡山、南郡。	于是便向西南渡过淮水，去了衡山郡、南郡。	He then proceeded southwest across the Huai River to Mt. Heng and Nan Province.
浮江，至湘山祠。	他渡过长江，来到洞庭湖中的湘山祠。	Floating down the river, he reached the shrine at Mt. Xiang.
逢大风，几不得渡。	这时正赶上刮大风，差点儿不能渡水上山。	There he encountered strong winds and was almost unable to get across the river.
上问博士曰：“湘君何神?”	始皇问：“湘君是什么神?”	He questioned his academicians, saying, “What sort of deity is the Mistress of the Xiang?”
博士对曰：“闻之，尧女，舜之妻,而葬此。”	博士答道：“听说是尧的女儿，舜的妻子，死后葬在这里。”	The academicians replied, “They say she was the daughter of Emperor Yao and the wife of Emperor Shun and that she is buried here.”
于是始皇大怒，使刑徒三千人皆伐湘山树，赭其山。	始皇大怒，让三千名服役的罪犯将湘山的树通通砍光，使一座小山光秃秃地只剩下一片红褐的土色。	The First Emperor, enraged, ordered 3,000 convict labourers to cut down all the trees on Mt. Xiang, leaving it denuded.
上自南郡由武关归。	始皇从南郡经武关返回咸阳。	Then he returned from Nan Province by way of the Wu Pass.
二十九年,始皇东游。至阳武博狼沙中，为盗所惊。	二十九年，始皇往东方巡游，在经过阳武县博狼沙的时候，被刺客所惊。	Twenty-ninth year (218): the First Emperor journeyed east, and when he reached Bolangsha in Yangwu he was frightened by bandits.
求弗得，乃令天下大索十日。	但没有抓到刺客，于是下令全国大搜捕了十天。	Having searched for them and failed to apprehend them, he ordered the entire empire to carry out a great search for ten days.
登之罘，刻石。其辞曰：	始皇又登上之罘山，立碑刻石，其铭文如下：	He ascended Mt. Zhifu and had a stone inscribed with these words:
维二十九年，时在中春，阳和方起。	二十九年的仲春之月，阳气方兴。	The twenty-ninth year, the season of mid-spring, when the gentle warmth is rising:
皇帝东游，巡登之罘，临照于海。	皇帝东巡，登上之罘，如阳光一样普照东海。	The August Emperor journeyed east and in his travels ascended Zhifu, gazing down upon the sea.
从臣嘉观，原念休烈，追诵本始。	随从之臣观此美景，回想皇帝的辉煌功业，追念秦国当年的情景。	The ministers in his retinue, pondering the source of his magnificence, recall with praise the beginning he made.
大圣作治，建定法度，显箸纲纪。	皇上英明，创新政治，制定法度，纲纪显著。	The great sage initiated order, establishing laws and regulations, making manifest his rules and standards.
外教诸侯，光施文惠，明以义理。	对外教化诸侯，普施恩惠，使其明于义理。	Abroad he instructed the feudal rulers, shedding the light of cultured blessing, enlightening them with the principles of righteousness.
六国回辟，贪戾无厌，虐杀不已。	六国之君，邪恶乖僻，贪婪残暴，永无满足，残杀本国人民，互相侵夺不已。	The Six States were recalcitrant, insatiable in greed and perversity, pillaging and slaughtering endlessly.
皇帝哀众，遂发讨师，奋扬武德。	圣上哀怜众生，出兵讨伐，奋武扬威。	The August Emperor, pitying the multitude, called out his chastising armies, brandishing his military power.
义诛信行，威惮旁达,莫不宾服。	正义的征伐使皇帝的信义大行于世，大兵所到之处，无不臣服。	Through righteous punishment, trustworthy acts, he displayed his might in all quarters, till there were none who failed to submit.
烹灭强暴，振救黔首，周定四极。	消灭强暴，拯救民众，平定四方。	He wiped out the powerful and unruly, rescuing the black-headed people, bringing peace to the four corners of the empire.
普施明法，经纬天下，永为仪则。	普及法制，治理国家，永远成为准则。	Far and wide he dispensed his enlightened laws to bind and regulate all under heaven, to stand as a model unending.
大矣哉!宇县之中,承顺圣意。	多么伟大啊!普天之下，无不遵循圣上的意旨。	How great, that throughout the whole universe the will of the sage should be heeded and obeyed!
群臣诵功，请刻于石，表垂于常式。	群臣都在称颂圣上的功勋，请求镌刻在山石上，永做后代的楷模。	The host of officials praise his merits, begging to inscribe them on stone, to be handed down as an unchanging pattern.
其东观曰:维二十九年，皇帝春游，览省远方。	随后又在东观刻了一段铭文，其文字是：二十九年，皇帝春季出巡，游观视察远方。	The inscription for the eastern tour read: In the twenty-ninth year the August Emperor set forth in spring, inspecting and visiting the distant regions.
逮于海隅,遂登之罘，昭临朝阳。	来到海滨，登上之罘，远望东升的朝阳。	Advancing to the brink of the sea, he ascended Mt. Zhifu, gazing down at the morning sun.
观望广丽，从臣咸念，原道至明。	面对辽阔大海，群臣全在思念皇帝的功德，寻思皇帝以往所奉行的大道，那是最正确、最英明的。	The vista was vast and beautiful, and the ministers in his retinue all pondered, searching out the source of his supreme enlightenment.
圣法初兴，清理疆内，外诛暴强。	当年皇帝初立，内平宫廷之乱，外讨诸侯之强。	When the sage’s laws were first promulgated, they brought purity and order within the borders and punished the unruly and powerful beyond them.
武威旁畅,振动四极，禽灭六王。	威武所及，天下震动，擒获六国之王。	His warlike might was brandished on wide, shaking the four corners of the land; he took captive the kings of the Six States.
阐并天下，甾害绝息，永偃戎兵。	奄有天下，灾害尽除，永息甲兵。	Uniting all under heaven, he put an end to harm and disaster, and then for all time he laid aside his arms.
皇帝明德，经理宇内，视听不怠。	皇帝英明，治理天下，视听不怠。	The bright virtue of the August Emperor aligns and orders the whole universe; he sees and listens without tiring.
作立大义，昭设备器，咸有章旗。	明确等级，规定车马服饰，各自都有明显标志。	He has established his great righteousness, providing all with the implements required, each with his own badge and pennant.
职臣遵分，各知所行，事无嫌疑。	群臣谨遵职分，各司其职，诸事皆无嫌疑。	Office holders have the honour due them, each understands his duties, so all proceeds without ill-feeling or doubt.
黔首改化，远迩同度，临古绝尤。	百姓移风易俗，远近法度相同，实乃旷古所无。	The black-headed people have undergone transformation, near and far share a single rule, an achievement far surpassing antiquity.
常职既定，后嗣循业，长承圣治。	常规既定，后世遵循，永远奉行圣命。	Constant occupations have been fixed, heirs hereafter will carry on the tasks, insuring continuance of the sage’s good order.
群臣嘉德，祗诵圣烈，请刻之罘。	群臣赞美圣德，敬颂皇帝功业，请刻之罘之石。	The host of officials rejoice in his virtue, respectfully praising the sage’s magnificence, and beg to set up this inscription at Zhifu.
旋,遂之琅邪，道上党入。	很快就到了琅邪，经上党西行入关。	On his way back the emperor went to Langya and then from Shangdang returned to the capital.
三十年，无事。	三十年，没有发生重大事件。	The thirtieth year (217): passed without incident.
三十一年十二月，更名腊曰“嘉平”。	三十一年十二月，把腊月改称作“嘉平”。	Thirty-first year (216): in the twelfth month the la festival was renamed Rejoicing in Peace.
赐黔首里六石米，二羊。	为此，赏赐给每条里巷的百姓米六石、羊两只。	The black-headed people were rewarded with six piculs of grain and two sheep for each community.
始皇为微行咸阳,与武士四人俱，夜出逢盗兰池,见窘，武士击杀盗，关中大索二十日。	始皇由四名武士陪着身穿便服晚上出游咸阳，不料在兰池宫外遇上强盗，始皇被强盗逼住。后来武士把强盗杀死，始皇得脱，于是在关中搜捕了二十天。	The First Emperor went out incognito in the city of Xianyang, accompanied only by four armed men. Going out at night, he encountered bandits at Lanchi and his life was threatened, but the armed guards attacked and killed the bandits. A thorough search was made in the area within the passes for twenty days.
米石千六百。	其时米价涨至每石一千六百钱。	One picul of grain cost 1,600 cash.
三十二年，始皇之碣石,使燕人卢生求羡门、高誓。	三十二年，始皇来到碣石山，派当地的方士卢生去寻找名叫羡门、高誓的两位仙人。	Thirty-second year (215): the First Emperor journeyed to Jieshi, where he commissioned a native of Yan named Scholar Lu to go in search of the immortals Xianmen and Gaoshi.
遂兴师旅,诛戮无道，为逆灭息。	派遣军队，征伐无道，抵抗者都被平定。	He called out his armies to punish the unprincipled, and the workers of evil have been wiped clean.
武殄暴逆,文复无罪,庶心咸服。	用武力剪灭暴力，以法令保护无辜，百姓都心悦诚服。	His arms cut down the violent and contentious, his civil arts restored the guiltless, and the hearts of the multitude are submissive.
惠论功劳，赏及牛马，恩肥土域。	论功行赏，惠及牛马，恩泽遍于大地。	Generously he judged merit and worth, his rewards extending to oxen and horses, and his bounty fattened the land.
皇帝奋威，德并诸侯，初一泰平。	皇帝奋发军威，以德兼并诸侯，首次实现统一。	The August Emperor displayed his might, his virtue brought together the feudal lords, for the first time bestowing unity and peace.
堕坏城郭，决通川防，夷去险阻。	拆毁诸国城墙，疏通各地河道，铲平一切险阻。	He demolished walls and fortifications, opened up waterways, cut through embankments, and levelled the steep declivities.
地势既定，黎庶无繇,天下咸抚。	形势已经稳定，黎民无徭役之苦，天下都得到抚慰。	When the shape of the land had been fixed, the masses were freed from corvée labour, and all the empire was comforted.
男乐其畴,女修其业，事各有序。	男人乐于耕作，女人治理副业，诸事皆有秩序。	Now men delight in their tasks, women pursue their occupations, each affair ranged in proper order.
惠被诸产,久并来田,莫不安所。	皇恩普施各业，漂泊者返回田园，无不安居乐业。	His bounty extends to every occupation, all have their allotted work in the fields, none without a place of rest.
群臣诵烈，请刻此石，垂著仪矩。	群臣歌颂功德，请求在此刻石，留作后世楷模。	The host of officials praise his magnificence, begging leave to inscribe this stone, that his example may be made known to future ages.
因使韩终、侯公、石生求仙人不死之药。	于是又派韩终、侯公、石生等人去寻找仙人及长生不死之药。	At this time the emperor dispatched Han Zhong, Lord Hou, and Master Shi to search for the immortals and their herbs of everlasting life.
始皇巡北边，从上郡入。	始皇沿着北部边境西行，经由上郡返回都城。	The First Emperor, having toured the northern border region, returned to the capital by way of Shang Province.
燕人卢生使入海还,以鬼神事，因奏录图书,曰“亡秦者胡也”。	被始皇委派到海上去求仙求药的燕国骗子卢生从海上返回后，借着向皇帝汇报鬼神之事，向始皇献上一本有关谶语的书籍，其中有句话说：“亡秦者胡也。”	Master Lu, a native of Yan, who had been sent out to sea, returned and, claiming that it had come to him from the gods and spirits, submitted a document that said: “Qin will be destroyed by Hu.”
始皇乃使将军蒙恬发兵三十万人北击胡,略取河南地。	于是秦始皇便派将军蒙恬调集士兵三十万北出讨伐胡人，夺取了其境内的黄河以南地区。	The First Emperor thereupon ordered General Meng Tian to call out 300,000 troops and lead them north to strike at the Hu barbarians. The general invaded and seized the area south of the bend of the Yellow River.
三十三年，发诸尝逋亡人、赘婿、贾人略取陆梁地，为桂林、象郡、南海，以適遣戍。	三十三年，始皇下令征调那些逃避服役以及倒插门的赘婿与商人去攻取南方的陆梁之地，而后在那些地方设立了桂林、象郡、南海三个郡，专门征调那些因犯罪而被发配的人前往戍守。	Thirty-third year (214): a number of men who had absconded in the past, had been adopted into their wife’s family, or were shopkeepers, were sent to invade and seize the Luliang region. The provinces of Guilin, Xiang, and Nanhai were created and convicts sent to garrison them.
西北斥逐匈奴，自榆中并河以东，属之阴山，以为四十四县，城河上为塞。	接着又在西北部地区击退了匈奴，于是便从榆中开始，沿黄河东行一直到阴山，设立了四十四个县，并沿着黄河修筑长城。	In the northwest the Xiongnu were driven back and the region from Yuzhong east along the Yellow River was joined with Mt. Yin, being divided up into thirty-four districts. Fortifications were built along the river to protect the border.
又使蒙恬渡河取高阙、阳山、北假中，筑亭障以逐戎人。徙谪，实之初县，禁不得祠。明星出西方。	又派蒙恬渡过黄河北取高阙、阳山、北假中，并在这一带修筑岗亭塞堡以驱逐匈奴人。强制内地的罪犯与其家属搬迁到这些新设立的郡县去住，并禁止这些地区的人祭祀天地鬼神。这年里有彗星出现在西方。	Meng Tian was also ordered to cross the Yellow River and seize Gaoque, Mt. Tao, and Beijia. Outposts were constructed in order to drive out the Rong people, and convicts were transported to the region to populate the new districts. It was forbidden to offer sacrifices to the Morning Star. A comet appeared in the western sky.
三十四年，適治狱吏不直者，筑长城及南越地。	三十四年，流放那些断案不公正的官吏，或令其北筑长城，或令其南驻蛮越。	Thirty-fourth year (213): officials in charge of lawsuits who had been unjust in their dealings were transported to the Great Wall to work at its construction, or to the region of Southern Yue.
始皇置酒咸阳宫，博士七十人前为寿。	秦始皇在咸阳宫举行宴会，有七十多名博士一齐进前向始皇帝敬酒祝贺。	The First Emperor set out wine in his palace in Xianyang, and seventy academicians assembled in his presence to wish him long life.
仆射周青臣进颂曰：“他时秦地不过千里，赖陛下神灵明圣，平定海内，放逐蛮夷，日月所照，莫不宾服。以诸侯为郡县，人人自安乐，无战争之患，传之万世。自上古不及陛下威德。”	仆射周青臣颂扬秦始皇说：“过去秦国的疆域方圆不过千里，仰仗着陛下的威灵，如今已平定四海，赶走蛮夷，凡是日月所照的地方没有不臣服的。过去诸侯割据的地方现在都成了郡县，人人安居乐业，不再有战争之苦，这种功业将传之万世而无穷，您的这种威德是自古以来任何人所无法比拟的。”	The archery captain Zhou Qingchen stepped forward and spoke these words of praise: “In former times Qin’s territory did not exceed 1,000 li . But Your Majesty, through your spiritual power and enlightened sageness, has pacified all within the seas and driven out the Man and Yi barbarians. Wherever the sun and moon shine there is no one who does not come in submission. The domains of the feudal lords have been made into provinces and districts. Each person finds rest and happiness, free from the threat of warfare, such blessings to be handed down for 10,000 generations. Since the highest antiquity there has been nothing to equal Your Majesty’s might and virtue.”
始皇悦。	始皇听了很高兴。	The First Emperor was delighted.
博士齐人淳于越进曰：“臣闻殷、周之王千余岁，封子弟功臣，自为枝辅。今陛下有海内，而子弟为匹夫，卒有田常、六卿之臣，无辅拂，何以相救哉？事不师古而能长久者，非所闻也。今青臣又面谀以重陛下之过，非忠臣。”	这时另一个博士齐人淳于越进言说：“听说商朝、周朝都统治天下一千多年，其所以如此是因为他们分封子弟功臣以作为自己的屏障。如今陛下据有整个国家，而兄弟子侄都是平民百姓。这样日后万一出现像田常、六卿那样的叛臣，而陛下孤立无援，谁来相救呢?做事不以古为师而能维持长久的，从未听说过。现在周青臣又来当面奉承，想让您错上加错，这样的人绝不是忠臣。”	But another academician, a man of Qi named Chunyu Yue, came forward and said: “I have heard that the kings of the Yin and Zhou dynasties ruled for 1,000 years or more, for they enfeoffed their sons and younger brothers and their meritorious ministers to aid and support them. Now Your Majesty possesses all within the seas, yet your sons and younger brothers are mere commoners. If a Tian Chang or the six great ministers of Jin should suddenly appear, you would be without support or assistance, and how could you be saved? I have never heard of any undertaking that failed to imitate the example of antiquity and yet was able to endure for long! And Zhou Qingchen by flattering you to your face is simply compounding Your Majesty’s error — he is no loyal subject!”
始皇下其议。	始皇把他们的意见交给群臣讨论。	The First Emperor referred the matter to his ministers for discussion.
丞相李斯曰:“五帝不相复，三代不相袭，各以治,非其相反，时变异也。	丞相李斯上书说：“五帝的制度各不相同，夏、商、周三代也不是一例照搬，但他们都治好了各自的国家。并不是后代一定要改变前代的章程，而是由于时代已经发生了变化。	The chancellor Li Si said: “The Five Emperors did not imitate each other, the Three Dynasties did not carry on each other’s ways, yet each was well governed. It was not that they rejected one another, but that the times changed.
今陛下创大业，建万世之功，固非愚儒所知。	现在陛下创建了宏伟的大业，建立了万世之功，这本来就不是一般书呆子所能理解的。	“Now Your Majesty has initiated this great undertaking, establishing merit that will last 10,000 generations. This is not the sort of thing that a stupid Confucianist would understand!
且越言乃三代之事，何足法也?	再说淳于越所说的那个三代有什么可效法的?	Chunyu Yue has spoken of the Three Dynasties, but why should they be worth taking as a model?
异时诸侯并争，厚招游学。	那时诸侯相争，各自极力招揽游学之士。	In other times the feudal rulers vied with one another in inviting wandering scholars to their courts and treating them generously.
今天下已定，法令出一，百姓当家则力农工,士则学习法令辟禁。	如今天下已定，法令统一，百姓们在家里就要努力务农做工，士人们则应该学好法律禁令。	But now all under heaven has been pacified and laws and ordinances proceed from a single source. The common people in their homes devote their efforts to agriculture and crafts, while gentlemen study the laws and ordinances and practise how to avoid prohibitions.
今诸生不师今而学古,以非当世,惑乱黔首。	可是现在这些书呆子不研究现实而一味崇古，他们诽谤现实，蛊惑百姓。	“But nowadays scholars, instead of looking to the present, study antiquity in order to criticize their own age, misleading and confusing the black-headed people.
丞相臣斯昧死言：古者天下散乱，莫之能一，是以诸侯并作,语皆道古以害今，饰虚言以乱实，人善其所私学，以非上之所建立。	我大胆地说一句，古代之所以天下大乱，不能统一，就是因为有许多诸侯并立。而许多书生则是专门颂扬古代，诋毁现实，他们讲空话假话以混淆视听，他们都自夸他那一派的宗旨而否定当今皇帝的功业。	As chancellor, your servant Li Si must speak out on pain of death. In the past the empire was fragmented and in confusion and no one was able to unite it. Therefore the feudal rulers rose up side by side, all of them declaiming on antiquity in order to disparage the present, parading empty words in order to confuse the facts. Men prided themselves on their private theories and criticized the measures adopted by their superiors.
今皇帝并有天下，别黑白而定一尊。	如今皇帝已经统一天下，区别善恶而定于一尊，	“Now the August Emperor has unified all under heaven, distinguishing black from white and establishing a single source of authority.
私学而相与非法教,人闻令下，则各以其学议之。	而他们却相互勾结否定现行的政教。一有新的命令下来，他们就引用他们的学说来妄加指责，	Yet these adherents of private theories band together to criticize the laws and directives. Hearing that an order has been handed down, each one proceeds to discuss it in the light of his theories.
入则心非，出则巷议，夸主以为名，异取以为高，率群下以造谤。	在朝时内心反对，出朝门则巷议街谈，他们夸耀自己的主张，故意和朝廷唱反调，领着一伙下层愚民兴风作浪。	At court they disapprove in their hearts; outside they debate it in the streets. They hold it a mark of fame to defy the ruler, regard it as lofty to take a dissenting stance, and they lead the lesser officials in fabricating slander.
如此弗禁，则主势降乎上，党与成乎下。禁之便。	对于这种行为如不及时禁止，那皇帝的威信就要扫地，下面的派系就要形成，我看还是严加禁止为好。	If behaviour such as this is not prohibited, then in upper circles the authority of the ruler will be compromised, and in lower ones cliques will form. Therefore it should be prohibited.
臣请史官非秦纪皆烧之。	我请求史官，凡不是秦国的史书全部烧掉。	“I therefore request that all records of the historians other than those of the state of Qin be burned.
非博士官所职,天下敢有藏《诗》、《书》、百家语者，悉诣守、尉杂烧之。	凡不是博士官所主管，私人藏有《诗》、《书》、诸子百家著作的，通通送到郡守、郡尉那里集中烧毁。	With the exception of the academicians whose duty it is to possess them, if there are persons anywhere in the empire who have in their possession copies of the Odes, the Documents, or the writings of the hundred schools of philosophy, they shall in all cases deliver them to the governor or his commandant for burning.
有敢偶语《诗》、《书》者弃市。	有敢两个人以上聚集一起讲论《诗》、《书》的，处死街头；	Anyone who ventures to discuss the Odes or Documents shall be executed in the marketplace.
以古非今者族。	敢颂古非今的灭族；	Anyone who uses antiquity to criticize the present shall be executed along with his family.
吏见知不举者与同罪。	官吏知情不报的与之同罪。	Any official who observes or knows of violations and fails to report them shall be equally guilty.
令下三十日不烧，黥为城旦。	命令下达三十天还敢持书不烧的处以黥刑并发配去修长城。	Anyone who has failed to burn such books within thirty days of the promulgation of this order shall be subjected to tatoo and condemned to ‘wall dawn’ labour.
所不去者，医药卜筮种树之书。	留下来不烧的只有医药、卜筮、种树一类的书。	The books that are to be exempted are those on medicine, divination, agriculture, and forestry.
若欲有学法令,以吏为师。”	如果有人想学法令，可以拜官吏为师。”	Anyone wishing to study the laws and ordinances should have a law official for his teacher.”
制曰：“可。”	始皇批示说：“可以。”	An imperial decree granted approval of the proposal.
三十五年，除道，道九原抵云阳，堑山堙谷，直通之。	三十五年，兴修直道，从九原郡直达云阳县，开山填谷，直线通达。	Thirty-fifth year (212): a road was opened up from Jiuyuan to Yunyang, mountains being cut through and valleys filled up so that the road could run in a straight line.
于是始皇以为咸阳人多,先王之宫廷小：“吾闻周文王都丰，武王都镐,丰镐之间，帝王之都也。”	秦始皇认为咸阳宫廷里的人多，而先王留下来的宫室窄小，又听说当初周文王建都于丰，周武王建都于镐，看来丰、镐一带确实是帝王建都的好地方。	The First Emperor felt that, in view of the large population of Xianyang, the palace of the former kings of Qin was too small. “I have heard,” he said, “that King Wen of the Zhou had his capital at Feng, and King Wu had his at Hao. The area between Feng and Hao is fit for the capital of an emperor or a king.”
乃营作朝宫渭南上林苑中。	于是秦始皇便着手在渭水南岸的上林苑里兴建接受朝拜的宫殿。	He accordingly began construction of a state palace in the Shanglin Park south of the Wei River.
先作前殿阿房,东西五百步,南北五十丈,上可以坐万人，下可以建五丈旗。	他首先在“阿房”这个地方建造前殿。此殿东西长五百步，南北宽五十丈，殿上可以坐开上万的人，殿下可以竖起五丈高的大旗。	First he built a front hall at Epang which measured 500 bu from east to west and fifty zhang from north to south. The upper part could seat 10,000 persons, and in the lower part flag poles five zhang high could be erected.
周驰为阁道,自殿下直抵南山。	环殿建有空中通道，此道从殿下直达终南山。	It was surrounded by covered walks which then led from the hall directly south to the Southern Mountains.
表南山之颠以为阙。	他在终南山的两个山头立表，让它们作为朝宫门前的双阙。	The summit of the Southern Mountains was designated to be the gate of the palace.
为复道，自阿房渡渭，属之咸阳，以象天极阁道绝汉抵营室也。	又修建空中通道从阿房北渡渭水，一直与咸阳连接，以此象征天上的“阁道”星越过天河直抵“营室”宿。	An elevated walk extended from Epang north across the Wei River to connect the palace with Xianyang, in imitation of the way in which in the heavens a corridor leads from the Heavenly Apex star across the Milky Way to the Royal Chamber star.
阿房宫未成；成，欲更择令名名之。	阿房宫尚未修完，故暂时以“阿房”称之，想等完工后再另起一个好的名称。	The palace at Epang had not been completed at this time. The emperor intended to select some appropriate name for it when it was completed.
作宫阿房，故天下谓之“阿房宫”。	因为这座宫殿建造在“阿房”,故后来的人们就称之为“阿房宫”了。	but meanwhile, since it was being built at a place called Epang, everyone referred to it as the Epang Palace.
隐宫徒刑者七十余万人,乃分作阿房宫，或作丽山。	当时被征调前来充当劳役的隐宫刑徒共有七十万人，他们一半建造阿房宫，一半建造丽山的始皇陵。	Over 700,000 persons condemned to castration and convict labourers were called up, part of them being put to work building the Epang Palace and part assigned to Mt. Li.
发北山石,乃写蜀、荆地材皆至。	他们把从北山开采的石头，把蜀地、楚地出产的木料都运输到这里以备使用。	Stone was quarried from the northern hills and timber transported from the regions of Shu and Jing, all being brought to the site.
关中计宫三百，关外四百余。	秦王朝的离宫别馆，光是关中地区就有三百多所，在关东还有四百多处。	In the area within the passes there were a total of 300 palaces, while beyond the passes there were more than 400.
于是立石东海上朐界中,以为秦东门。	秦始皇在东海之滨的朐县竖起石碣，以之作为秦王朝的东大门。	The emperor had a stone set up at Qujie on the eastern sea, declaring that it was the eastern gate of Qin.
因徙三万家丽邑,五万家云阳,皆复不事十岁。	随后他又下令让三万户搬迁到丽邑，以繁荣丽山墓区；让五万家搬迁到云阳，以繁荣甘泉宫一带的游览地，凡搬迁者一律免除十年的赋税徭役。	He had 30,000 households transported to the town at Mt. Li, and 50,000 households to Yunyang, exempting them all from taxes and corvée labour for a period of ten years.
卢生说始皇曰：“臣等求芝奇药仙者常弗遇,类物有害之者。	卢生劝始皇说：“我们之所以找不到长生之药与仙人，很像是有什么东西从中捣乱。	Master Lu said to the First Emperor, “I and the others have searched for zhi fungus, rare herbs, and the immortals, but we can never seem to encounter them. There would appear to be some entity that is blocking us.
方中:人主时为微行以辟恶鬼，恶鬼辟，真人至。	仙方上说，人主应当隐秘行踪，远离恶鬼；远离了恶鬼，真人才会到来。	The magic arts teach that the ruler of men should at times move about in secret so as to avoid evil spirits. If evil spirits are avoided, one can reach the status of True Man.
人主所居而人臣知之，则害于神。	人主居住的地方被旁人知道，就妨碍真人的到来。	If the whereabouts of the ruler of men are known to his ministers, this hinders his spiritual power.
真人者，入水不濡，入火不爇，陵云气，与天地久长。	真人是入水不湿、入火不烧，可以驾着云气，与天地共存的。	A True Man can enter water without getting wet, enter fire without getting burned, soar over the clouds and air, and endure as long as heaven and earth.
今上治天下，未能恬谈。	如今您治理天下繁忙得很，不能清静寡欲。	But now Your Majesty, though ruling the whole world, has not yet been able to attain calm and quietude.
愿上所居宫毋令人知，然后不死之药殆可得也。”	希望您今后住在什么地方不要让人知道，那样就差不多可以得到不死之药了。”	When you are in the palace, do not let others know where you are. Once that is done, I believe that the herbs of immortality can be obtained.”
于是始皇曰：“吾慕真人，自谓‘真人’,不称‘朕’。”	始皇说：“我希望当真人，今后我要自称‘真人’，而不再称‘朕'。”	The emperor said, “I long to become a True Man. From now on I will refer to myself as True Man and will not call myself zhen .”
乃令咸阳之旁二百里内宫观二百七十复道甬道相连,帷帐钟鼓美人充之，各案署，不移徙。	于是他就把咸阳周围二百里内的二百七十多座宫观都用复道或甬道连接起来，把大量的帷帐、钟鼓、美女都安置在里面，各就各位而不相移动。	He then had elevated walks and walled roads built to connect all the 270 palaces and scenic towers situated within the 200 li environs of Xianyang. He filled the palaces with curtains and hangings, bells and drums, and beautiful women, each assigned to a particular post and forbidden to move about.
行所幸，有言其处者，罪死。	皇帝走到哪里，谁都不能说，凡泄露始皇行踪的，一律处死。	Anyone revealing where the emperor was visiting at any particular moment was put to death.
始皇帝幸梁山宫，从山上见丞相车骑众，弗善也。	有一次始皇到了梁山宫，从山上望见丞相李斯的车骑侍从非常气派，心中不快。	The First Emperor visited the palace at Mt. Liang and happened to look down from the mountain and observe the carriages, outriders, and attendants of the chancellor. He was not pleased.
中人或告丞相，丞相后损车骑。	宫中有人将这件事通知了丞相，丞相从此便减少了侍从。	One of the eunuchs reported this to the chancellor, who thereafter reduced the number of his carriages and outriders.
始皇怒曰：“此中人泄吾语。”	始皇知道后大怒道：“这一定是宫中有人将我的话泄露了出去。”	The First Emperor was furious, saying, “Someone among the eunuchs is leaking word of what I say!”
案问莫服,当是时，诏捕诸时在旁者,皆杀之。	他拷问身边的人，没人承认，于是他便下令将当时在场的所有人全部杀掉了。	He examined the eunuchs, but none would confess to the crime. He then ordered the arrest of all those who had been in attendance, and had every one put to death.
自是后莫知行之所在。	从此以后再没有人知道皇帝的行踪。	From that time on, no one knew where he was when he was absent from the palace.
听事，群臣受决事，悉于咸阳宫。	皇帝听取群臣的报告，与群臣聆听皇上处理某事的决定，一律在咸阳宫进行。	Whenever he listened to reports or passed on decisions to his officials, it was always done at the palace in Xianyang.
侯生、卢生相与谋曰：“始皇为人，天性刚戾自用，起诸侯，并天下，意得欲从，以为自古莫及己。专任狱吏，狱吏得亲幸。博士虽七十人，特备员弗用。丞相诸大臣皆受成事，倚辨于上。上乐以刑杀为威，天下畏罪持禄，莫敢尽忠。上不闻过而日骄，下慑伏谩欺以取容。秦法不得兼方，不验辄死。然候星气者至三百人，皆良士，畏忌讳谀，不敢端言其过。天下之事无小大皆决于上，上至以衡石量书，日夜有呈，不中呈不得休息。贪于权势至如此，未可为求仙药。”	侯生与卢生两个方士商量说：“始皇帝为人，生性刚猛暴戾，自以为是，由一个列国诸侯吞并天下，自己心满意足了，便觉得自古以来谁也比不了他。他专门信任狱吏，狱吏都受到宠幸。他身边也设有博士七十人，但实际只是充数而已。连丞相与其他几位大臣，也都是照着始皇的决定办事，一切都让皇帝自己做主。而皇帝则是喜欢用严刑酷法维持尊严，各级官吏害怕获罪，都想保官保命，没有人敢说真话、尽忠心。皇帝由于发现不了自己的过失，于是便越来越骄横，做臣子的则是越来越害怕而一味苟合讨好。秦法规定，每个方士只能从事一种方伎，这种方伎一旦不灵，则这个方士立即被处死。那些观测云气的方士多达三百人，都是正直之士，由于心存畏忌，故而只能说好话，谁也不敢讲皇帝的过失。国家的事情不分大小都由皇帝一个人说了算，等待皇帝批阅的文书多得用秤来称，皇帝每晚批阅文件都要达到一定的份额，达不到就不睡觉。一个人贪恋权势到这种程度，是不可能为他找到不死之药的。”	Master Hou and Master Lu plotted together, saying, “The First Emperor is by nature obstinate, cruel, and self-willed. He rose up from among the feudal rulers to unite the entire empire, and now that he has achieved his ends and fulfilled his desires, he believes that there has never been anyone like him since remote antiquity. He entrusts everything to the law officials, and the law officials alone are allowed into his presence. Although seventy men have been appointed as academicians, they are mere figureheads and are never consulted. The chancellor and the other major officials are all handed decisions that have already been made, and they simply second the emperor’s opinion. The emperor delights in showing his authority by punishing and killing, and everyone throughout the empire dreads punishment and tries merely to maintain his position, none daring to exert true loyalty. The emperor never learns of his mistakes and hence grows daily more arrogant, while his underlings, prostrate with fear, flatter and deceive him in order to curry favour. Qin law forbids a person to practise more than one kind of magical art, and if he fails to show results, he is summarily put to death. There are 300 men who practise the art of divining by the stars and exhalations, all of them experts, but they are so terrified of giving offence that they merely flatter the ruler and do not dare speak out and tell him his faults. All the affairs of the empire, great and small, are decided by the emperor. He even has the documents weighed, making certain that each day and night produces a picul’s weight of them. He will not rest until they come up to that weight! When he is as greedy for authority and power as this, we can never hope to search out the herbs of immortality!”
于是乃亡去。	于是全都偷着逃跑了。	They accordingly fled in secret.
始皇闻亡，乃大怒曰：“吾前收天下书不中用者尽去之。悉召文学方术士甚众，欲以兴太平。方士欲练以求奇药，今闻韩众去不报；徐市等费以巨万计，终不得药，徒奸利相告日闻。卢生等吾尊赐之甚厚，今乃诽谤我，以重吾不德也。诸生在咸阳者，吾使人廉问，或为话言以乱黔首。”	始皇听说后勃然大怒，说：“前者我已经把那些不中用的书籍全都烧掉了，我之所以还招纳一些文学方术之士，是想让他们帮着我寻求国家太平。方士们说可以寻求不死之药，可是韩众一去不返，徐市等耗费了上亿的钱财也没有找来不死之药，相反倒是一个个为非作歹的消息不断向我耳边传来。我对卢生等人赏赐丰厚，可是他们也居然诽谤我，损害我的名声。我派人调查过咸阳城里的这些书生，发现有人制造妖言，蛊惑百姓。”	When the First Emperor was informed of this, he was enraged. “In the past,” he said, “I confiscated all the books from the empire and got rid of all those that were of no use. I also summoned a great many learned scholars and practitioners of various magic arts, hoping to initiate an era of great peace. The magicians said they wanted to employ their skills to search for rare herbs. But now Han Zhong has disappeared without any report, and Xu Fu and the others, after expending countless tens of thousands of cash, have never been able to obtain the herbs, and daily I hear reports that they are merely scheming for illicit gain. I have shown the utmost generosity in showering Master Lu and the others with honours and gifts, but now they speak slanderously of me so as to exaggerate my lack of virtue. I have also directed people to question the various scholars residing in Xianyang, and it appears that some are spreading dubious stories in order to mislead the black-headed people!”
于是使御史悉案问诸生，诸生传相告引，乃自除犯禁者四百六十余人，皆坑之咸阳。使天下知之，以惩后。益发谪徙边。	于是派御史把所有书生通通拘捕起来进行审讯，书生们相互告发，相互牵引，最后始皇帝亲自圈定了四百六十多个，将其活埋于咸阳，并宣告天下，以做效尤。在这年，始皇变本加厉地发配罪犯，让他们举家迁往边地。	He then ordered the imperial secretary to subject all the scholars to investigation. The scholars reported on one another in an attempt to exonerate themselves. Over 460 persons were convicted of violating the prohibitions, and were executed at Xianyang, word of it being publicized throughout the empire so as to act as a warning to later ages. In addition, increasing numbers of convicts were transported to the border regions.
始皇长子扶苏谏曰：“天下初定，远方黔首未集，诸生皆诵法孔子，今上皆重法绳之，臣恐天下不安。唯上察之。”	始皇的长子扶苏劝谏道：“天下刚刚平定，远方的民众还不太安定，那些读书人读的是孔子的书，都以孔子为榜样行事，如今皇上一律用重刑来整治他们，我担心天下会因此不安宁，希望皇上明察。”	The First Emperor’s eldest son Fusu remonstrated with him, saying, “The empire has just been set at peace and the black-headed people in distant regions have not yet been won over. The scholars all praise Confucius and take him as a model. But in all affairs Your Majesty emphasizes the place of law and employs it as a corrective. I fear this may cause unrest in the empire. I hope you will give this some thought.”
始皇怒，使扶苏北监蒙恬于上郡。	始皇很生气，就把扶苏派往北方的上郡，去给蒙恬做监军。	The First Emperor, angered, sent Fusu north to supervise the activities of Meng Tian in Shang Province.
三十六年，荧惑守心。	三十六年，火星运行到了心宿的位置。	Thirty-sixth year (211): Mars lodged in the mansion of the Heart Star.
有坠星下东郡，至地为石,黔首或刻其石曰“始皇帝死而地分”。	又有流星坠落在东郡，到达地面成为陨石，有人便在这块陨石上刻字说：“始皇帝死而地分。”	A meteor fell on Dong Province, turning into a stone when it reached the ground. One of the black-headed people inscribed on the stone: “The First Emperor will die and his land be divided.”
始皇闻之，遣御史逐问,莫服，尽取石旁居人诛之，因燔销其石。	始皇听说后，就派御史到陨石四周逐个盘问，没有人招认，于是始皇便把陨石周围的居民通通抓起来，全部杀掉了，并焚毁这块陨石。	When the First Emperor heard of this, he sent the imperial secretary to investigate, but no one would confess to the deed. In the end the emperor had all the persons living in the vicinity of the stone seized and put to death, and had the stone burned and pulverized.
始皇不乐，使博士为《仙真人诗》,及行所游天下，传令乐人歌弦之。	始皇心情不好，他让博士们给他作《仙真人诗》,让乐工们谱上曲子演唱，在他外出巡游的时候，走到哪里唱到哪里。	The First Emperor, much disquieted, ordered the academicians to compose a poem on the immortals and on the True Man, which also described the emperor’s travels throughout the empire. It was distributed and musicians were designated to sing the poem to musical accompaniment.
秋，使者从关东夜过华阴平舒道,有人持璧遮使者曰:“为吾遗滈池君。”	这年秋天，有使者从关东出使回来，晚上经过华阴县的平舒邑时，有人手持玉璧拦住使者说：“请替我把它带给滈池君。”	In the autumn an envoy returning from east of the Hangu Pass reported that as he was passing along the Pingshu road in Huaiyin at night a man carrying a jade disc blocked the way, saying, “Give this to the lord of Hao Lake for me.”
因言曰：“明年祖龙死。”	又说：“明年祖龙死。”	He also said, “This year the primal dragon will die.”
使者问其故，因忽不见，置其璧去。	使者想问明缘由，这人忽然不见了，只把玉璧放在了地上。	When the envoy asked the meaning of this, the man suddenly disappeared, but he left the jade disc behind.
使者奉璧具以闻。	使者把玉璧献给始皇并详细报告了这件事。	The envoy accordingly presented the disc along with his report.
始皇默然良久，曰：“山鬼固不过知一岁事也。”	始皇沉默了好久，说：“山鬼只能知道一年之内的事情。”	The First Emperor listened in silence and then after a long time said, “These mountain spirits cannot predict anything beyond the events of a single year!”
退言曰：“祖龙者，人之先也。”	退朝之后又说：“祖龙指的是人的先祖。”	But after he had retired from court, he said, “The primal dragon must mean the leader of men.”
使御府视璧，乃二十八年行渡江所沉璧也。	他让御史查看这玉璧，御史说这是二十八年出巡过长江时祭祀江神所沉下的那块玉璧。	The emperor ordered the imperial treasury to examine the jade disc. They found that it was one that had been cast into the Yangtze when the emperor crossed the river on a tour in his twenty-eighth year.
于是始皇卜之，卦得游徙吉。	于是始皇使人占卜，占卜的结果说是皇帝出巡与令百姓搬迁会吉祥。	The First Emperor had divination made by the milfoil stalks and the response indicated that a journey would be propitious.
迁北河、榆中三万家，拜爵一级。	于是始皇又把内地的百姓三万户迁到了今内蒙古境内的黄河、榆中一带地区，给被迁人家的男子各赐爵一级。	Thirty thousand households were ordered moved to Beihe and Yuzhong and granted one step in noble rank.
三十七年十月癸丑,始皇出游。	三十七年十月初四，始皇出游天下。	Thirty-seventh year (210): in the tenth month, on the day guichou (Nov. 1), the First Emperor set out on a trip.
左丞相斯从，右丞相去疾守。	左丞相李斯随驾出行，右丞相冯去疾留守京城。	The chancellor of the left Li Si accompanied him, while the chancellor of the right Feng Quqi remained in the capital.
少子胡亥爱慕请从,上许之。	小儿子胡亥受始皇宠爱，请求跟从，始皇同意了。	The emperor’s youngest son Huhai, whom he was very fond of, asked to be allowed to go along, and the emperor gave him permission.
十一月，行至云梦,望祀虞舜于九疑山。	十一月，到达云梦泽，向着南方的九疑山遥祭虞舜。	In the eleventh month the emperor reached Yunmeng, where he gazed at Mt. Jiuyi from afar and sacrificed to the sage ruler Yu Shun.
浮江下，观籍柯，渡江渚。	而后乘船顺长江东下，观览籍柯，又渡过江渚。	Then he sailed down the Yangtze to view Jike, crossed Haizhu,
过丹阳，至钱唐，临浙江,水波恶，乃西百二十里从狭中渡。	经丹阳，到达钱唐县。待到浙江岸边一看，见波涛险恶，无法渡过，于是便向西绕行了一百二十里从江面狭窄的地方渡了过去。	passed Danyang, and arrived at Qiantang, overlooking the Zhe River. Because the waves on the river were so high, he went 120 li to the west and crossed the river at a narrower point.
上会稽，祭大禹,望于南海，而立石刻颂秦德。	而后登上会稽山，祭祀大禹陵，又遥祭南海神，最后在会稽山立石刻写铭文以歌颂秦王朝的功德。	He climbed Mt. Kuaiji and sacrificed to the sage ruler Great Yu. Gazing far off at the southern sea, he erected a stone inscribed with praises of the virtue of the Qin.
皇帝休烈，平一宇内，德惠修长。	皇帝德高业伟，平定统一天下，德惠深长。	The August Emperor in his magnificence pacified and united the universe; his virtue and bounty are long lasting.
三十有七年，亲巡天下，周览远方。	三十七年，巡视天下，周游巡视远方。	In his thirty-seventh year he toured the empire in person, viewing the distant regions all around.
遂登会稽，宣省习俗，黔首斋庄。	登览会稽，察看民俗，百姓恭谨端庄。	He ascended Mt. Kuaiji, examining customs and folkways, and the black-headed people were circumspect and respectful.
群臣诵功，本原事迹，追首高明。	群臣赞颂，回顾历程，追述功业。	The host of officials praise his merits, tracing the source of his undertakings, thinking back on his lofty enlightenment.
秦圣临国，始定刑名，显陈旧章。	圣君临朝，创制法度，发扬旧有典章。	The sage of Qin rules the nation, for the first time defining penalties and names, making clear the old regulations.
初平法式，审别职任，以立恒常。	初定程式，审别职任，建立永久纲常。	For the first time he adjusted the laws and precedents and delineated offices and responsibilities in order to establish constant procedures.
六王专倍，贪戾傲猛，率众自强。	六王荒悖，贪婪凶猛，倚势逞强。	The kings of the Six States, bent only on rebellion, greedy, cruel, and rapacious, led their hosts, certain of their power.
暴虐恣行，负力而骄,数动甲兵。	暴虐放纵，仗势横行，屡起刀兵。	Violent, unruly, they acted wilfully, trusting to strength in their arrogance, again and again fielding their troops.
阴通间使，以事合从，行为辟方。	暗派使者，合纵抗秦，邪恶乖张。	They exchanged envoys in secret, forming an alliance against us, acting in evil fashion.
内饰诈谋,外来侵边，遂起祸殃。	内怀奸诈，发兵侵犯，引起祸殃。	Within the state they disguised their plotting, abroad they came to plunder our borders, and in time brought disaster on themselves.
义威诛之，殄熄暴悖，乱贼灭亡。	秦起义兵讨伐，消灭强暴叛逆，乱君贼臣灭亡。	Through the power of righteousness our ruler chastised them, obliterating the lawless and disorderly, wiping out and destroying the brigands.
圣德广密，六合之中，被泽无疆。	圣德广布，天下均沾，披泽无疆。	The virtue of the sage is vast and all-inclusive; throughout the six directions it sheds unbounded blessing.
皇帝并宇，兼听万事，远近毕清。	皇帝统一天下，兼听并视诸事，远近一片清平。	The August Emperor has united the universe, he lends ear to manifold affairs, near and far are universally cleansed.
运理群物，考验事实，各载其名。	运筹治理国事，样样考察验实，各有各的名分。	He tends to a multitude of matters, examines and verifies their substance, so that each bears the name it deserves.
贵贱并通，善否陈前,靡有隐情。	进言不分贵贱，善否都可前陈，人皆言无不尽。	He has cognizance of both eminent and lowly, good and bad are ranged before him, nothing remains hidden from sight.
饰省宣义，有子而嫁，倍死不贞。	文过假装正经，有子而又改嫁，是为背叛不贞。	Those who gloss over error in the name of righteousness, women with sons who remarry, unchastely turning against the dead -
防隔内外，禁止淫洗，男女絜诚。	内外分隔防范，禁止放荡淫乱，男女贞洁信诚。	Such conduct he bars at home and abroad, prohibits unlicensed behaviour, so that men and women are pure and honest.
夫为寄豭，杀之无罪，男秉义程。	丈夫淫于他室，杀之不算罪过，男子应守规程。	If a husband behaves in bestial fashion, killing him will incur no guilt; thus are men made to embrace righteousness.
妻为逃嫁，子不得母,咸化廉清。	妻子逃走另嫁，子女不以为母，风俗廉洁清正。	If a wife runs away and remarries, her sons shall disown their mother; so all will be led to clean and upright conduct.
大治濯俗，天下承风，蒙被休经。	社会涤除旧恶，四海谨承教诲，沐浴皇帝薰风。	His great rule purifies the folkways, the whole empire acknowledges its sway; it blankets the world in splendid regulation.
皆遵度轨，和安敦勉，莫不顺令。	遵守纲常制度，和睦安乐勤勉，顺从国家法令。	All honour his rules and maxims, harmonious, peaceful, and diligent; there are none who do not heed his command.
黔首修絜，人乐同则，嘉保太平。	百姓品德修洁，愿守同一法制，永保天下太平。	The black-headed people are orderly and virtuous, individuals delighting in a common rule, rejoicing in and guarding the great peace.
后敬奉法，常治无极，舆舟不倾。	后世敬业奉法，国家长治久安，永无倾覆之虑。	Posterity will obey his laws, his constant governance knowing no end, like carriages and boats that never overturn.
从臣诵烈，请刻此石，光垂休铭。	从臣歌颂功德，请求刻于此石，让皇帝的光辉永垂后世。	The officials in his retinue praise his brilliance, begging to inscribe this stone; may its glorious message shine through the ages.
还过吴，从江乘渡。并海上,北至琅邪。	返回的途中经过吴县，始皇从江乘县渡过长江，沿海边北上，到达琅邪。	On his way back the emperor passed through Wu, crossed the Yangtze at Jiangcheng, and followed north along the seacoast to Langya.
方士徐市等入海求神药，数岁不得，费多，恐谴，乃诈曰：“蓬莱药可得，然常为大鲛鱼所苦,故不得至。愿请善射与俱，见则以连弩射之。”	方士徐市等人到海上去寻找神仙之药，多年没有结果，耗费钱财甚多，害怕遭到指责，于是诈称：“蓬莱之地有仙药，但渡海之时常被鲨鱼袭击，所以无法到达。请皇上派善射者同往，发现鲨鱼便可用连发的弓弩射死它。”	Xu Fu and the other magicians who had set out to sea in search of the herbs of immortality had passed several years without finding anything, consuming huge sums of money. Fearful of punishment, they deceived the emperor by saying, “The herbs of Penglai can surely be obtained. But always there are large fish that cause difficulty, and therefore we are unable to reach the island. We would like to request that a skilled archer be assigned to accompany us so that if we sight any fish, he can shoot at them with a repeating crossbow.”
始皇梦与海神战，如人状。问占梦,博士曰:“水神不可见，以大鱼蛟龙为候。今上祷祠备谨，而有此恶神，当除去，而善神可致。”	刚好始皇也梦见同海神交战，海神的样子与人相似。他问圆梦的博士，博士说：“水神是人所见不到的，它是以大鱼和蛟龙作为它出没的征兆。如今皇上祭祀祝祷都十分恭谨，却还有此恶神出现，应当把它除掉，而后好的神灵才能到来。”	The First Emperor dreamed that he was struggling with an ocean god who had the shape of a human being. When he consulted an academician who was an interpreter of dreams, he said, “The water god himself cannot be seen, but he may manifest himself in the form of a large fish or dragon. Now Your Majesty conducts sacrifices with great diligence, and yet this evil god has appeared. It must be driven away so that the good gods can appear.”
乃令入海者赍捕巨鱼具,而自以连弩候大鱼出射之。自琅邪北至荣成山,弗见。至之罘，见巨鱼，射杀一鱼，遂并海西。至平原津而病。	于是始皇就令入海求仙者携带捕捉大鱼的器械，而自己沿海巡行时也带着弓弩以备大鱼出现时就射死它。始皇从琅邪山北行，直到荣成山也没有听到行于海上的人说遇到大鱼。再由荣成西行到之罘，中间遇到过大鱼，射死了一条。接着又沿海岸西行。待行进至平原县的黄河渡口时，始皇帝病了。	The emperor ordered that those who set out to sea should carry along equipment for seizing a gigantic fish. He himself carried a repeating crossbow and watched for a great fish to appear so he could shoot it. He proceeded north from Langya as far as Mt. Rongcheng but saw nothing. When he reached Zhifu, however, he saw several huge fish and shot and killed one of them. He then followed along the shore, turned west, and had gone as far as Pingyuan Ford when he fell ill.
始皇恶言死,群臣莫敢言死事。	因为始皇不愿听到别人说“死”字，所以大臣们谁也不敢提到死的事情。	The First Emperor hated any talk of dying, and none of his officials dared even allude to the matter of death.
上病益甚，乃为玺书赐公子扶苏曰:“与丧会咸阳而葬。”书已封，在中车府令赵高行符玺事所,未授使者。	等到始皇越发病得沉重了，便给长子扶苏写了一封诏书，告诉他赶紧回咸阳准备迎接皇帝的灵车与处理丧葬事宜。诏书已经封好，还在中车府令兼管皇帝御玺的赵高手里没有发出。	When his illness grew increasingly grave he wrote a letter under the imperial seal to be sent to his son, Prince Fusu, saying, “When mourning is announced, proceed to Xianyang and carry out the burial.” The letter had already been sealed and deposited with Zhao Gao, chief of the office of imperial carriage, who had charge of official seals, but it had not yet been entrusted to a messenger.
七月丙寅，始皇崩于沙丘平台。	到七月丙寅日前进到沙丘宫里的平台时，始皇帝死了。	In the seventh month, the day bingyin, the First Emperor passed away at the Ping Terrace in Shaqiu or Sand Hill.
丞相斯为上崩在外，恐诸公子及天下有变,乃秘之，不发丧。	丞相李斯觉得皇帝死在外面，怕消息走漏出去，会使身在咸阳的始皇诸子以及各处的地方势力发生变故，于是把始皇死的消息压了下来。	Because the emperor had died outside the capital, the chancellor Li Si feared that the other princes and their supporters in the empire might start an uprising, and therefore he kept the matter secret and did not announce a period of mourning.
棺载辊凉车中,故幸宦者参乘四，所至上食。百官奏事如故，宦者辄从辊凉车中可其奏事。	他把始皇遗体装在温凉车中，继续向咸阳进发，他打发几个受始皇宠幸的宦者站在始皇遗体旁边，不论到什么地方，该吃饭时就让人向车里进食；百官群臣有事情要向皇帝报告时，就让他对着车门讲，最后让宦者从车里答应他们所报告的事情。	The coffin was placed in a carriage that could be opened up for cooling or closed for warmth, with the ruler’s oldest and most trusted eunuchs riding in attendance. At each stopping place, food was delivered to the carriage. The various officials continued as before to submit matters for the emperor’s approval, and at such times the eunuchs would immediately approve them and hand them down from the closed carriage.
独子胡亥、赵高及所幸宦者五六人知上死。	这时只有胡亥、李斯、赵高与五六个亲幸宦者知道始皇帝死了。	Only the emperor’s son Huhai, Zhao Gao, and five or six of the trusted eunuchs knew that the emperor had died.
赵高故尝教胡亥书及狱律令法事,胡亥私幸之。	赵高此前曾教过胡亥学习法律，胡亥与赵高关系紧密。	Zhao Gao had in the past instructed Huhai in matters pertaining to writing, criminal investigations, and laws and regulations, and Huhai was very friendly with him.
高乃与公子胡亥、丞相斯阴谋破去始皇所封书赐公子扶苏者,而更诈为丞相斯受始皇遗诏沙丘，立子胡亥为太子。	于是赵高就与胡亥、李斯暗中谋划毁掉了始皇给扶苏的遗书，另行假造了两封李斯从始皇处接来的诏书，其中一封的意思是立胡亥为太子。	Zhao Gao accordingly joined with Prince Huhai and the chancellor Li Si in plotting in secret, destroying the sealed letter that the emperor had prepared to be sent to Prince Fusu. They then forged a testamentary edict that was supposed to have been received by the chancellor Li Si from the emperor at Shaqiu which designated Huhai as heir apparent.
更为书赐公子扶苏、蒙恬，数以罪，赐死。语具在《李斯传》中。	另一封则是谴责扶苏、蒙恬，罗列他们的罪过，下令让他们自杀。有关这些问题的详情都在《李斯列传》里。	They also prepared a new letter to be sent to Prince Fusu and Meng Tian, accusing them of various crimes and ordering them to commit suicide. (A fuller discussion will be found in The Biography of Li Si.)
行，遂从井陉抵九原。	接着又继续前进，他们从井陉口北上九原郡。	The party proceeded from Jingxing to Jiuyuan.
会暑，上辊车臭，乃诏从官令车载一石鲍鱼，以乱其臭。	这时天气暑热，装载始皇遗体的温凉车中已经散发臭气，李斯等便让跟从的官员们每辆车子都装上一石鲍鱼，借以混淆始皇车子的臭味。	But as the weather was hot, the body of the emperor in the closed carriage began to smell. An imperial order was issued to the accompanying officials ordering them to load each of their carriages with a picul’s weight of dried fish so as to disguise the odour.
行从直道至咸阳，发丧。	李斯等从九原郡沿直道返回咸阳后，这才宣布了始皇驾崩的消息。	In this way they proceeded by the Straight Road to Xianyang, where the mourning was announced.
太子胡亥袭位，为二世皇帝。	太子胡亥继位为帝，号称秦二世。	The heir apparent Huhai ascended the throne and is known as the Second Emperor.
九月，葬始皇郦山。	九月，始皇帝葬于郦山。	In the ninth month the First Emperor was interred at Mt. Li.
始皇初即位，穿治郦山；及并天下，天下徒送诣七十余万人，穿三泉，下铜而致椁，宫观百官奇器珍怪徙臧满之。	早在始皇刚即位时，就已经着手建造郦山陵墓了；等到吞并天下后，便从各地调集囚徒七十万人投入这项工程。为修地宫他们向下挖过了三重泉水，又用熔化的铜液把地宫的石缝通通浇灌住，而后再将棺椁一一放进去。墓中还建有宫殿、列着百官次位，各种珍奇宝物，装得满满的。	When the emperor first came to the throne he began digging and shaping Mt. Li. Later, when he unified the empire, he had over 700,000 men from all over the empire transported to the spot. They dug down to the third layer of underground springs and poured in bronze to make the outer coffin. Replicas of palaces, scenic towers, and the hundred officials, as well as rare utensils and wonderful objects, were brought to fill up the tomb.
令匠作机弩矢，有所穿近者辄射之。	工匠们在地宫里安装了许多带有机关的弓弩，一旦有人靠近时，这些弓弩就会自动发射。	Craftsmen were ordered to set up crossbows and arrows, rigged so they would immediately shoot down anyone attempting to break in.
以水银为百川江河大海，机相灌输。上具天文，下具地理。	地宫里有用水银制造成的江河湖海，用机关控制使这些江河永远奔流不息。地宫的上空列有日月星辰，地宫的下面有各种地理景观。	Mercury was used to fashion imitations of the hundred rivers, the Yellow River and the Yangtze, and the seas, constructed in such a way that they seemed to flow. Above were representations of all the heavenly bodies, below, the features of the earth.
以人鱼膏为烛，度不灭者久之。	其中点着人鱼油制成的蜡烛，估计这些烛火能燃烧很久不会熄灭。	“Man-fish” oil was used for lamps, which were calculated to burn for a long time without going out.
二世曰：“先帝后宫非有子者，出焉不宜。”皆令从死，死者甚众。	秦二世说：“先帝后宫没有生过孩子的也不能让她们出去。”于是都叫她们殉葬，死的人极多。	The Second Emperor said, “Of the women in the harem of the former ruler, it would be unfitting to have those who bore no sons sent elsewhere.” All were accordingly ordered to accompany the dead man, which resulted in the death of many women.
葬既已下，或言“工匠为机，臧皆知之，臧重即泄，大事毕”。	等到把始皇埋葬完毕，有人说：“工匠为陵墓设置了这些机关，地宫里藏了哪些东西，他们都是知道的。如果他们一旦泄露消息，那就要坏大事。”	After the interment had been completed, someone pointed out that the artisans and craftsmen who had built the tomb knew what was buried there, and if they should leak word of the treasures, it would be a serious affair.
已臧，闭中羡，下外羡门，尽闭工匠臧者，无复出者。	于是当殉葬物品装藏完毕时，便将墓道的中门先行关闭，接着又将外门关闭，把所有的工匠与向地宫搬运殉葬物品的人员通通关在了里面，没有一个人能活着出来。	Therefore, after the articles had been placed in the tomb, the inner gate was closed off and the outer gate lowered, so that all the artisans and craftsmen were shut in the tomb and were unable to get out.
树草木以象山。	而后堆土成丘，在山丘上种植草木，装饰得像一座小山。	Trees and bushes were planted to give the appearance of a mountain.
二世皇帝元年，年二十一。	秦二世元年，皇帝二十一岁。	First year of the reign of the Second Emperor (209): the Second Emperor was twenty-one.
赵高为郎中令，任用事。	赵高为郎中令，受宠任，掌有大权。	Zhao Gao as chief of palace attendants was entrusted with the handling of state affairs.
二世下诏，增始皇寝庙牺牲及山川百祀之礼。	秦二世下诏，增加祭祀始皇帝庙宇的供品数量以及祭祀山川神灵的规格。	The Second Emperor handed down a decree ordering an increase in the sacrifices in the mortuary temple of the First Emperor and the rituals observed in sacrifices to the rivers, mountains, and the various other deities.
令群臣议尊始皇庙。	又让群臣商量如何对始皇庙表示更高的尊崇。	He instructed the officials to discuss proper ways of paying honour to the temple of the First Emperor.
群臣皆顿首言曰：“古者天子七庙，诸侯五，大夫三。	大臣们叩头进言道：“古时天子祭祀的祖先是七代，诸侯五代，大夫三代。	The officials all bowed their heads and replied: “In ancient times the Son of Heaven had seven mortuary temples, the feudal lords five, and the grandees three.
今始皇为极庙，虽万世不轶毁，四海之内皆献贡职，增牺牲，礼咸备，毋以加。	如今我们应尊称始皇庙为极庙，世世祭祀，永不撤除。要让普天之下都给始皇庙进贡，要增其供品数量，做到礼数周全而使后代再不能有所超越。	Now the First Emperor has his Apex Temple, which will never be destroyed though 10,000 generations may pass. All regions within the four seas send articles of tribute to it, the sacrifices have been increased, and all the rituals are thoroughly carried out — there is nothing more to add.
先王庙或在西雍，或在咸阳，天子仪当独奉酌祠始皇庙。	秦王朝的先祖之庙有的在雍县，有的在咸阳，天子今后只需亲自捧酒祭祀始皇庙就行了。	As for the mortuary temples of the former kings of Qin, some are situated to the west in Yong and some are in Xianyang. The Son of Heaven should consider it his duty to offer libations and sacrifices only in the temple of the First Emperor.
自襄公已下轶毁，所置凡七庙，群臣以礼进祠。	襄公庙应该永久祭祀，其他就可以撤除了。应该享受祭祀的七代祖先，可以让群臣负责祭祀。	The temples of the Qin rulers from Duke Xiang on down should be destroyed, so that only seven temples remain in existence. The various officials should make offerings and sacrifices in these according to ritual.
以尊始皇庙为帝者祖庙。	要把始皇庙尊崇为统一天下的帝王的始祖之庙。	and should honour the temple of the First Emperor by calling it the Temple of the Imperial Ancestor.
皇帝复自称朕。”	皇帝仍应自称为朕。”	The emperor should also resume the practice of referring to himself by the pronoun zhen .”
二世与赵高谋曰：“朕年少，初即位，黔首未集附。先帝巡行郡县，以示强，威服海内。今晏然不巡行,即见弱，毋以臣畜天下。”	秦二世与赵高商量说：“我年轻，刚即位，民心尚未归附。先帝当年常以出巡各地来显示他的强大，使天下慑服。如果我总是安然呆在宫里不出去巡游，会被人看成软弱，无法统治天下。”	The Second Emperor plotted with Zhao Gao, saying, “I, the sovereign (zhen), am still young and have just ascended the throne, and the black-headed people are not yet won over to me. The former emperor made progresses through the provinces and districts in order to display his might and cause all within the seas to be awed and submissive. Now if I do not make a similar progress in a self-assured manner, they will regard me as weak and I will have no way to make them serve me as subjects should!”
春，二世东行郡县，李斯从。	于是在这年的春季，秦二世也出发巡视东方的郡县了，李斯随驾同行。	In the spring the Second Emperor journeyed to the provinces and districts of the east, with Li Si accompanying him.
到碣石，并海，南至会稽，而尽刻始皇所立刻石，石旁著大臣从者名,以章先帝成功盛德焉。	他们先到碣石山，而后沿海边南行，到达会稽山。凡是有始皇刻石的地方，二世就在这刻石的侧面刻上当年跟随始皇出巡的大臣的名字，借此显示始皇帝的伟大功业与德行。	When he reached Jieshi, he proceeded south along the seacoast to Kuaiji. He added inscriptions to all the stones that the First Emperor had earlier set up, on the side of the stone listing the names of the high officials who had accompanied the former sovereign in order to make manifest his merits and accomplishments and his outstanding virtue.
皇帝曰：“金石刻，尽始皇帝所为也。今袭号，而金石刻辞不称‘始皇帝’,其于久远也如后嗣为之者，不称成功盛德。”	秦二世说：“这些金石碑刻全是始皇帝所竖立的，如今我继位为帝，而那些碑文中不称始皇帝，日久之后，就好像是后世皇帝所为，这样不能彰扬始皇帝的丰功伟业。”	The emperor said: “These inscriptions on metal and stone were all made by the First Emperor. Now we have succeeded to the title of emperor, but since the inscriptions on metal and stone do not contain the words ‘First Emperor’, there is a danger that after a long time has passed it may appear as though the inscriptions were made not by the First Emperor but by one of his later heirs, and this will not serve to praise his merits and accomplishments and his outstanding virtue.”
丞相臣斯、臣去疾、御史大夫臣德昧死言:“臣请具刻诏书于石,因明白矣。臣昧死请。”	丞相李斯、冯去疾，御史大夫德冒死上奏说：“臣等请求把这份诏书刻在山石上，这样就可以使后人分辨清楚了，臣等冒死请求。”	We, the chancellors Li Si and Feng Quqi and the imperial secretary De, therefore brave death by requesting that the words of this imperial decree be inscribed on the stones so as to make this fact clear. We brave death by making this request.
制曰：“可。”	二世皇帝批复说：“可以。”	An imperial decree granted approval of the request.
遂至辽东而还。	于是又巡行到辽东，而后返回咸阳。	The emperor went as far as Liaodong and then returned to the capital.
于是二世乃遵用赵高,申法令。	从此，二世更加重用赵高，向全国申明法令，强调以法治国。	The Second Emperor respected Zhao Gao and heeded his advice in applying the laws and ordinances.
乃阴与赵高谋曰：“大臣不服，官吏尚强,及诸公子必与我争,为之奈何?”	又与赵高私下商量道：“朝中的老臣心里不服，他们的势力还很强大，皇室的兄弟们也必然会与我争权，怎么办呢?”	He plotted with Zhao Gao in secret, saying, “The chief ministers are unsubmissive, the various officials still have great power, and the other imperial princes are certain to contest my rule. What can I do?”
高曰：“臣固愿言而未敢也。先帝之大臣，皆天下累世名贵人也,积功劳世以相传久矣。今高素小贱，陛下幸称举,令在上位，管中事。大臣鞅鞅,特以貌从臣，其心实不服。今上出,不因此时案郡县守尉有罪者诛之,上以振威天下，下以除去上生平所不可者。今时不师文而决于武力,愿陛下遂从时毋疑，即群臣不及谋。明主收举余民，贱者贵之，贫者富之，远者近之,则上下集而国安矣。”	赵高说：“我本来就想说这些但还没敢说。您身边这些曾经侍奉过先帝的大臣都是天下闻名的世代权贵，他们对国家立有功劳且又数代相传。而我向来位低名贱，如今陛下宠幸我，抬举我，让我高居上位，管理宫廷中的事务。大臣们心怀不满，只不过是表面上顺从而已，其实内心并不服气。您何不利用出巡的机会查办一批有罪的郡、县长官，把他们杀掉。这样既可以恫吓全国，又可以除掉一些不听您使唤的人。我们要不讲仁义道德而一切全凭武力，我劝您抓紧时机，不要迟疑，让那些群臣百官来不及想对策。您要大力培植党羽，贱的让他贵起来，穷的让他富起来，关系疏远的与他亲近起来，这样，就会让满朝上下服服帖帖，您的统治就没有问题了。”	Zhao Gao replied, “I have long wanted to speak of this, but had not ventured to do so. The chief ministers of the former emperor are all men of eminent families that have been famous throughout the empire for ages, families that have piled up merit and passed these offices along from generation to generation for many years. I, on the other hand, come originally from a humble background, but Your Majesty has been kind enough to raise me up and assign me to a high position where I can supervise the affairs of the palace. The chief ministers are disgruntled at this. In outward appearance they may seem compliant enough, but at heart they do not truly submit. “Now Your Majesty has just been on a tour, but you did not make use of the opportunity to examine the governors and military commandants of the provinces and districts and punish those who are guilty of some crime. By doing so you can strike terror into the empire as a whole, and at the same time do away with those who disapprove of your actions. This is not the time to seek your model in the arts of peace but to decide all through brute power. I beg Your Majesty to follow along with the times and not be in doubt. There is no need to consult with the host of officials. The enlightened ruler raises up those people who would otherwise be overlooked. The humble he makes eminent, the poor he enriches, the distant he draws close to him. Then those both high and low can be won over and the nation will be secure.”
二世曰：“善。”	二世说：“好。”	“Excellent!” said the Second Emperor,
乃行诛大臣及诸公子,以罪过连逮少近官三郎,无得立者,而六公子戮死于杜。	于是边巡游，边诛杀朝里的大臣和皇室的兄弟，甚至株连到皇帝身边的侍卫人员，无人能够幸免，始皇的六个儿子被处死在杜县。	and he proceeded to impose punishments on the chief ministers and the imperial princes, accusing them of crimes and errors and arresting even petty officials close to the ruler or the three categories of palace attendants, so that no one was certain of his position. Six of the imperial princes were put to death at Du.
公子将闾昆弟三人囚于内宫,议其罪独后。	皇子将闾兄弟三人被囚禁等待议罪，（在处理其他人之后）最后才审议他们的罪责。	Only Prince Jianglü and his two brothers, who were held prisoner in the palace while their crimes were being investigated, were left alive.
二世使使令将闾曰：“公子不臣，罪当死，吏致法焉。”	二世派人对他们说：“你们都没个做臣子的样子，该判死罪，现派来官员马上执行。”	The Second Emperor sent a messenger to them, saying, “You have failed to act as proper subjects, and for this crime you deserve death. The officials have been instructed to carry out the law!”
将闾曰：“阙廷之礼，吾未尝敢不从宾赞也；廊庙之位，吾未尝敢失节也；受命应对，吾未尝敢失辞也,何谓不臣?愿闻罪而死。”	将闾说：“在朝廷上，我从没有不按司礼官的唱赞来行动；在所站的位置上，我从没有越礼的表现；与皇上对话，我从没有说过错话，怎么会没有臣子的样子呢?我希望知道自己到底有什么罪而后再死。”	Jianglü said, “In matters of court ritual I have never ventured to disobey the director of the guests, in taking my place in the hall of state I have never ventured to overstep my position, in accepting and responding to commands I have never ventured to use improper language. How have I failed to act as a proper subject? I wish to be informed of my crime before I die!”
使者曰：“臣不得与谋，奉书从事。”	派去的人说：“我不能和你讨论这些，只知道奉命行事。”	The messenger replied, “I am not authorized to discuss such matters with you. I receive my instructions and carry them out!”
将闾乃仰天大呼天者三，曰：“天乎!吾无罪!”	于是将闾仰面向着苍天喊道：“天啊，我没有罪啊!”	Jianglü looked up to heaven and cried out to it in a loud voice three times, saying, “This is Heaven’s doing! I have committed no crime!”
昆弟三人皆流涕拔剑自杀。	兄弟三人相对流泪拔剑自杀。	The three brothers all wept bitterly as they drew their swords and took their own lives.
宗室振恐。	整个皇室家族人人震恐。	The members of the imperial family shook with terror.
群臣谏者以为诽谤，大吏持禄取容，黔首振恐。	群臣中有敢劝谏的都被认为是对皇上的诽谤，所有官吏都保官保命讨好皇上，百姓个个恐惧不已。	Those officials who remonstrated were all accused of slander. The high officers merely clung to their posts and endeavoured to ingratiate themselves, while the black-headed people trembled with fear.
四月，二世还至咸阳,曰：“先帝为咸阳朝廷小，故营阿房宫。为室堂未就，会上崩，罢其作者，复土郦山。郦山事大毕,今释阿房宫弗就，则是章先帝举事过也。”	四月，秦二世回到咸阳，说：“先帝认为咸阳的宫殿不够宽广，所以修建阿房宫。宫殿尚未建成，适值皇上驾崩，所以把阿房宫先停下来，人员都调到郦山去修筑始皇陵了。如今筑陵的事情已大致完工，如果还搁置阿房宫不完成，就是显示先帝办事有所失误。”	In the fourth month the Second Emperor, having returned to Xianyang from his tour, announced: “The former emperor regarded the court at Xianyang as too small, and therefore began building a palace at Epang. Before the halls could be completed, however, the ruler passed away. Construction there was halted and workmen assigned to supply dirt for the mound at Mt. Li. The project at Mt. Li has been carried to completion, and if we do not now finish construction of the palace at Epang, it will appear as though the former emperor was mistaken in his undertakings.”
复作阿房宫，外抚四夷，如始皇计。	于是重新启动修建阿房宫。同时出兵讨伐四夷，按着始皇当初的计划进行。	Work was accordingly resumed on the Epang Palace, while on the foreign front efforts were continued to subdue the barbarians on the four borders, all as the First Emperor had originally planned.
尽征其材士五万人为屯卫咸阳，令教射狗马禽兽。	又征调身强力壮的士卒五万人驻守咸阳，并让他们教给皇帝身边的人们骑马射箭，以供皇帝狩猎之用。	Fifty thousand crossbowmen were called up from all over the empire and assigned to garrison and protect Xianyang, where they were to give instruction in archery.
当食者多，度不足，下调郡县转输菽粟刍藁,皆令自赍粮食，咸阳三百里内不得食其谷。	由于咸阳一带聚集的人数太多，粮食供应不足，就下令让各郡县向咸阳运送粮食与草料，而所有负责运送的人员都必须自带干粮，不许取用咸阳三百里以内的粮食。	It was estimated that they and their dogs, horses, and other animals would require large amounts of food and that food supplies would be insufficient. An order was circulated to the provinces and districts instructing them to send supplies of beans, millet, grass, and fodder to the capital. All persons transporting the supplies were ordered to bring their own rations with them. Within a radius of 300 li of Xianyang, farmers were forbidden to consume their own grain.
七月，戍卒陈胜等反故荆地,为“张楚”。	七月，派往守边的士卒陈胜等在原来的楚国之地造反了，号称“张楚”。	In the seventh month Chen She and others of his band of garrison troops revolted in the old territory of Jing, calling themselves “Magnifiers of Chu”.
胜自立为楚王，居陈,遣诸将徇地。	陈胜自立为楚王，驻兵于陈县，他派遣将领四出攻占地盘。	Chen She set himself up as king of Chu, with his residence in Chen, and sent out his generals to seize control of the lands east of the mountains.
山东郡县少年苦秦吏,皆杀其守尉令丞反,以应陈涉，相立为侯王，合从西乡,名为“伐秦”,不可胜数也。	崤山以东原六国地区被秦朝官吏害惨了的年轻人纷纷起来杀掉当地的郡守、郡尉、县令、县丞来响应陈胜，他们相继自立为王侯，联合起来向西进发，打着讨伐秦国旗号的队伍之多，简直没法数。	The young men of the provinces and districts, having suffered under the Qin officials, all murdered the governors and commandants or the magistrates and aides of their respective provinces and districts and declared themselves a part of Chen She’s revolt. Countless numbers of them, having appointed themselves marquises or kings, joined forces and turned their eyes west, declaring their intention to attack the Qin.
谒者使东方来,以反者闻二世。二世怒，下吏。	秦二世的一个谒者从东方出使归来，把东方造反的事情报知给秦二世。秦二世很生气，把这谒者交给法吏查办。	When a master of guests who had been sent east on official business returned from the area, he reported the rebellion to the Second Emperor. The Second Emperor, enraged, had him turned over to the law officials for punishment.
后使者至，上问，对曰：“群盗，郡守尉方逐捕，今尽得，不足忧”。上悦。	此后再有使者回来，二世再问东方造反的事，使者就回答说：“那都是一些毛贼，地方官正在追捕，很快就会全部抓起来，您用不着操心。”二世非常高兴。	Thereafter, when envoys arrived and the emperor questioned them, they would reply, “Just a bunch of bandits. The governors and commandants of the provinces are now in the process of pursuing and capturing them. They’ll have them all in no time — there is no need to worry!” Then the emperor would be pleased.
武臣自立为赵王,魏咎为魏王,田儋为齐王,沛公起沛,项梁举兵会稽郡。	这时，武臣自立为赵王，魏咎自立为魏王，田儋自立为齐王，接着刘邦在沛县起兵，项梁在会稽起兵。	Meanwhile Wu Chen set himself up as king of Zhao, Wei Jiu became king of Wei, Tian Dan became king of Qi, the governor of Pei started his uprising in Pei, and Xiang Liang raised an army in the province of Kuaiji.
二年冬,陈涉所遣周章等将西至戏，兵数十万。	秦二世二年的冬季，陈涉派遣的大将周章等人已经攻到了咸阳东南的戏水附近，兵众数十万。	Second year (208), winter: Zhou Zhang, a military leader who had been dispatched by Chen She, pushed west as far as Xi with a force of several hundred thousand soldiers.
二世大惊，与群臣谋曰：“奈何?”	秦二世大惊，与群臣商量道：“这可怎么办?”	The Second Emperor, greatly alarmed, consulted with his officials, saying, “What’s to be done?”
少府章邯曰:“盗已至，众强，今发近县不及矣。郦山徒多，请赦之,授兵以击之。”	少府章邯说：“土匪已到跟前，而且人多势众，向周围郡县调兵勤王已经来不及了。目前在骊山服役的囚徒人数众多，请皇上赦免其罪，发给他们武器，让他们去迎击土匪。”	Zhang Han, the privy treasurer, said, “The bandits are already close by in great numbers and force. There is no time to call up forces from the nearby districts. There are many convict labourers at Mt. Li. I would like to ask that they be pardoned and given arms so they can be used for an attack.”
二世乃大赦天下，使章邯将，击破周章军而走，遂杀章曹阳。	于是秦二世下令大赦天下，任章邯为将军，章邯果然把周章的军队打得大败而逃，并将周章追杀于曹阳。	The Second Emperor thereupon issued a general amnesty to the empire and ordered Zhang Han to lead the attack. Zhang Han struck at and defeated Zhou Zhang’s army and sent it fleeing, and eventually killed Zhou Zhang at Caoyang.
二世益遣长史司马欣、董翳佐章邯击盗,杀陈胜城父,破项梁定陶,灭魏咎临济。	接着二世又派了长史司马欣、董翳增援章邯，帮着章邯破杀陈胜于城父县，随后又在定陶打败了项梁，在临济消灭了魏咎。	The Second Emperor sent Sima Xin and Dong Yi, chief officials in the office of the chancellor, to assist Zhang Han in his attacks on the bandits. They killed Chen She at Chengfu, defeated Xiang Liang’s forces at Dingtao, and wiped out Wei Jiu at Linji.
楚地盗名将已死，章邯乃北渡河，击赵王歇等于巨鹿。	眼看着楚地的大股造反队伍都已消灭，章邯便北渡黄河，到巨鹿一带去进攻赵王歇等人。	By this time all the outstanding bandit leaders in the region of Chu were dead, and so Zhang Han led his forces north across the Yellow River to attack Zhao Xie, the king of Zhao, and his followers at Julu.
赵高说二世曰：“先帝临制天下久，故群臣不敢为非，进邪说。今陛下富于春秋,初即位，奈何与公卿廷决事?事即有误,示群臣短也。天子称朕，固闻声。”	赵高对秦二世说：“当初先帝亲临朝政治理国事的时间久，所以群臣不敢为非作歹，以谎言邪说欺骗皇上。如今陛下年轻，刚即位，怎么能同那些公卿大臣一起在朝廷上决断事情呢?事情如果决断错了，那就在群臣面前暴露了自己的弱点。天子自称为朕，本来就是指只能让人听到声音，而看不到面貌。”	Zhao Gao advised the Second Emperor, saying, “The former emperor ruled the world for a long period of time and therefore his officials did not dare act wrongfully or speak nonsense. But now Your Majesty is young in years and you have just come to the throne. Why discuss matters with the high ministers when making decisions? If you should make an error in judgment, you would look bad in the eyes of the officials. The Son of Heaven refers to himself by a special pronoun, zhen, because his own voice is never heard.”
于是二世常居禁中,与高决诸事。其后公卿希得朝见,盗贼益多，而关中卒发东击盗者毋已。	于是二世从此便深处宫中，只同赵高商量着决断诸事。满朝文武都见不到秦二世，东方造反的队伍越来越多，关中的士兵源源不断地被调去东方剿贼。	Accordingly the Second Emperor remained within the inner recesses of the palace and decided affairs in consultation with Zhao Gao. Thereafter the high ministers seldom had an opportunity to see him at court. The bandits and brigands continued to grow in numbers, and troops were endlessly called up from the area within the passes and sent east to attack them.
右丞相去疾、左丞相斯、将军冯劫进谏曰：“关东群盗并起，秦发兵诛击，所杀亡甚众,然犹不止。盗多，皆以戍漕转作事苦,赋税大也。请且止阿房宫作者，减省四边戍转。”	右丞相冯去疾、左丞相李斯、将军冯劫向二世进谏说：“关东地区盗贼成群，秦派兵去攻杀，贼人被杀死的与赶跑的很多，但仍然不能平息。盗贼之所以越来越多，就是因为国家的征戍、运输太苦及赋税太重的缘故。请皇上暂时停止阿房宫的修建，削减四方边境的守军并减少向四方边境运送粮食。”	The chancellor of the right Feng Quqi, the chancellor of the left Li Si, and General Feng Jie came forward to remonstrate with the emperor, saying, “East of the pass, bands of brigands rise up in one place after another, and though the Qin has dispatched troops to attack and punish them, and though great numbers have been killed, still there is no end to them. Bandits are so numerous solely because of the burdens of garrison duty, the transportation of supplies, and other types of construction and corvée labour, and because taxes are so heavy. We request that construction work on the Epang Palace be suspended and that garrison and transport duty for the four frontiers be reduced.”
二世曰：“吾闻之韩子曰：‘尧舜采椽不刮，茅茨不翦,饭土增，啜土形,虽监门之养，不觳于此。禹凿龙门,通大夏,决河亭水,放之海，身自持筑雷,胫毋毛，臣虏之劳不烈于此矣。’	二世说：“韩非子曾说：‘尧舜采伐来用作椽子的材料，都是不加砍削就直接架在屋顶；苫盖屋顶的茅草都是不加修剪就搭了上去；他用陶制的粗碗吃饭，用陶制的粗杯喝汤。这样的生活，我看连守门的士卒也不至于如此寒酸。又说大禹开凿龙门，南通大夏，疏通河道，泄导积水，使之注入大海。他亲自扛着锹、杵四处奔走，小腿上的汗毛都被磨光了，我看连奴隶的苦差也不会比这个更繁重。'	The Second Emperor said, “I have heard from Master Han that emperors Yao and Shun did not plane the speckled beams of their palaces or trim the thatch of their roofs; they ate their rice from earthen pots and sipped soup from earthen jars. Even the lot of a gatekeeper could not have been as cramped as theirs. Emperor Yu chiselled through Dragon Gate and opened up Daxia, fixing the courses of the rivers and allowing the water to flow to the sea. In person he took up plough and spade, labouring till there was no more hair on his shins. Even the toil of a slave taken prisoner in the wars could not have been more arduous than his.
凡所为贵有天下者,得肆意极欲，主重明法,下不敢为非，以制御海内矣。	作为一个拥有天下的统治者，他应该为所欲为，享有一切。他要做的主要是申明法令，让下面的人不敢做坏事，而以此统治天下。	“The reason people think it an honour to hold possession of the empire is that one may indulge his desires and carry out his wishes to the full. If the ruler takes care to clarify the laws, then those under him will not dare to act wrongly and all within the four seas will be well governed.
夫虞、夏之主，贵为天子，亲处穷苦之实，以徇百姓,尚何于法?	像舜、禹那样的君主虽有天子之贵，但却过那种穷困的生活，从事那种艰苦的劳动，整天去围着百姓转，那还要法令干什么?	But if rulers like Shun and Yu, though honoured with possession of the empire, must impose hardship and labour on themselves so as to set an example for their people, then what good are laws?
朕尊万乘，毋其实，吾欲造千乘之驾,万乘之属,充吾号名。	我现在号称万乘，却没有万乘之实。我想真正组合一套由一千辆车构成的帝王车驾，再让一万辆车跟在后面当随从，以此来与我这万乘之君的名号相一致。	“I am honoured with the title of lord of ten thousand chariots, but I do not enjoy the reality. Now I want to be provided with 1,000 chariots, to be attended by 10,000, so that I can live up to my name and title!
且先帝起诸侯，兼天下，天下已定，外攘四夷以安边竟,作宫室以章得意，而君观先帝功业有绪。	当初我们的先帝起自诸侯，统一天下，国内平定之后，对外征讨四夷，使四方的边境安宁，又大规模修建宫室以显示自己的成功。先帝的功业有条有理，你们是清楚看到的。	“The former emperor rose up from among the feudal lords to unite the empire. After the empire had been set at rest, he drove back the four barbarian tribes in order to bring peace to the border regions, and he built halls and palaces as a symbol of his success. You, my lords, must have seen how his great accomplishments have been carried on.
今朕即位二年之间，群盗并起，君不能禁，又欲罢先帝之所为，是上毋以报先帝，次不为朕尽忠力，何以在位?”	如今我即位才两年却闹得群盗并起，你们不能制止，反而想把先帝要做的事情停下来，这首先就无法向先帝交代，其次也表明你们不肯对我尽忠效力，你们凭什么居此职位?”	“Now, during the two years when I have been on the throne, bands of robbers have risen in one place after another, and you have not been able to suppress them. Moreover, you want to put a halt to the former emperor’s enterprises. On a higher level you are failing to repay the debt you owe the former emperor, and on a secondary one you are not exerting your utmost loyalty and strength for my sake! Why then should you remain in your posts?”
下去疾、斯、劫吏，案责他罪。	就将冯去疾、李斯、冯劫交由法官处置，并进一步追究他们的其他罪行。	He had Feng Quqi, Li Si, and Feng Jie handed over to the law officials, who subjected them to examination to see if they were guilty of other crimes as well.
去疾、劫曰：“将相不辱。”自杀。	冯去疾、冯劫说：“做大将做宰相的不能下狱受辱。”便自杀了。	Feng Quqi and Feng Jie said, “Generals and ministers must not endure such disgrace!” and they committed suicide.
斯卒囚，就五刑。	李斯则接受囚禁，受遍了各种刑罚。	Li Si was put in prison and sentenced to the five penalties.
三年，章邯等将其卒围巨鹿，楚上将军项羽将楚卒往救巨鹿。	秦二世三年，章邯等率领秦军包围巨鹿，楚国大将项羽率楚军往救巨鹿。	Third Year (207): Zhang Han and the other Qin generals led troops and surrounded the city of Julu. Xiang Yu, the supreme general of the Chu forces, went to the rescue of Julu.
冬，赵高为丞相，竟案李斯杀之。	这年冬天，赵高杀了李斯，自己做了丞相。	In the winter Zhao Gao became chancellor and, concluding the investigation of charges against Li Si, had him executed.
夏，章邯等战数却，二世使人让邯。	到夏天时，章邯等已在项羽的进击下连连退却，二世派人去责备章邯。	In the summer Zhang Han fought with the Chu troops and several times suffered defeat. When the Second Emperor dispatched envoys to berate him.
邯恐，使长史欣请事。赵高弗见，又弗信。	章邯恐惧，派长史欣回朝汇报情况并请求指示。赵高不接见，也不相信他说的话。	he grew fearful and sent the chief official Sima Xin to the capital to ask for further instructions. But Zhao Gao refused to see him or to believe his account of events.
欣恐，亡去，高使人捕追不及。	长史欣慌了，逃离京城，赵高派人捉拿，没有追着。	Alarmed, Sima Xin fled from the capital. Zhao Gao sent men to overtake and arrest him, but they were too late.
欣见邯曰：“赵高用事于中，将军有功亦诛，无功亦诛。”	长史欣回到前线，见到章邯，对章邯说：“赵高在朝廷总揽大权，将军您有功要被杀，无功也要被杀。”	When Sima Xin reappeared before Zhang Han, he said, “Zhao Gao handles all affairs in the palace. You will be put to death, General, whether you are successful in battle or not!”
项羽急击秦军，虏王离，邯等遂以兵降诸侯。	这时项羽更加紧进攻秦军，俘虏了王离，章邯等便率领秦军投降了项羽。	Xiang Yu pressed his attacks on the Qin army and took the Qin general Wang Li prisoner. Zhang Han and the others then surrendered with their troops to the leaders of the states.
八月己亥，赵高欲为乱，恐群臣不听，乃先设验。	八月十二日，赵高想作乱，怕群臣不从，就想先设法试验一下。	Eighth month, the day jihai (Sept. 27): Zhao Gao was contemplating treason but was afraid the other officials would not heed his commands, so he decided to test them first.
持鹿献于二世，曰：“马也。”	他牵来一头鹿献给二世说：“这是一匹马。”	He brought a deer and presented it to the Second Emperor but called it a horse.
二世笑曰：“丞相误邪？谓鹿为马。”	二世笑着说：“丞相搞错了，你把鹿当成了马。”	The Second Emperor laughed and said, “Is the chancellor perhaps mistaken, calling a deer a horse?”
问左右，左右或默，或言马以阿顺赵高，或言鹿。	赵高便问二世身边的大臣，大臣们有的默不作声，有的便跟着赵高也说这是马，有的说是鹿。	Then the emperor questioned those around him. Some remained silent, while some, hoping to ingratiate themselves with Zhao Gao, said it was a horse, and others said it was a deer.
高因阴中诸言鹿者以法，后群臣皆畏高。	过后凡是当时说是鹿的，都被赵高暗中强加罪名投入了监狱。从此满朝文武都怕赵高。	Zhao Gao secretly arranged for all those who said it was a deer to be brought before the law. Thereafter the officials were all terrified of Zhao Gao.
高前数言“关东盗毋能为也”，及项羽虏秦将王离等巨鹿下而前，章邯等军数却，上书请益助，燕、赵、齐、楚、韩、魏皆立为王，自关以东，大氐尽畔秦吏应诸侯，诸侯咸率其众西乡。	赵高曾多次向秦二世说“关东的盗贼没什么了不起”，及至项羽在巨鹿俘虏了朝廷的大将王离，接着又进攻章邯，章邯等连连败退，上书请求增援，燕、赵、齐、楚、韩、魏都各自立为王，函谷关以东的地区，大体上都已背叛了秦朝官吏，而归顺了起义的诸侯，各路诸侯正率领大军向着西边杀来。	Earlier, Zhao Gao had several times advised the emperor that the bandits east of the pass were incapable of causing serious trouble. But after Xiang Yu captured the Qin general Wang Li at Julu and began advancing, the armies of Zhang Han and the others suffered repeated defeat and they had sent letters to the capital requesting reinforcements. The former states of Yan, Zhao, Qi, Chu, Hann, and Wei had all set up kings to head them, and in the area east of the Hangu Pass almost everyone had revolted against the Qin officials and gone over to the side of the leaders of the states, who were all leading their troops toward the west.
沛公将数万人已屠武关，使人私于高。	这时刘邦已经领着数万人杀进武关，派人与赵高私下联络。	The governor of Pei, heading a force of 30,000 or 40,000 men, had already wiped out the defenders of the Wu Pass and sent a man to communicate in secret with Zhao Gao.
高恐二世怒，诛及其身，乃谢病不朝见。	赵高怕二世发怒怪罪，诛杀自己，就推说有病不去朝见。	Zhao Gao, fearful that the Second Emperor would be angered at these events and that he himself would be subjected to punishment, pleaded illness and did not appear at court.
二世梦白虎啮其左骖马杀之，心不乐，怪问占梦。	二世梦见有只白虎咬他车驾左侧的边马，把马咬死了。他心里不痛快，纳闷地问占梦博士。	The Second Emperor dreamt that a white tiger sank its teeth in the outside left horse in his team of four and killed it. Troubled in mind by the dream and uncertain of its meaning, he questioned an expert in the interpretation of dreams.
卜曰：“泾水为祟。”	占梦者说：“是泾水之神作怪。”	The diviner replied, “The Jing River is exercising a malevolent influence.”
二世乃斋于望夷宫，欲祠泾，沉四白马。	于是二世就在望夷宫中进行斋戒，为了祭祀泾水，他把四匹白马投进了河里。	The Second Emperor conducted a fast at the Wangyi Palace, intending to sacrifice to the Jing River by drowning four white horses in it.
使使责让高以盗贼事。	二世又派人去责问赵高关于盗贼的事情。	At the same time he sent an envoy to Zhao Gao to berate him over the bandit uprisings.
高惧，乃阴与其婿咸阳令阎乐、其弟赵成谋曰：“上不听谏，今事急，欲归祸于吾宗。吾欲易置上，更立公子婴。子婴仁俭，百姓皆载其言。”	赵高害怕，就暗地里和他的女婿咸阳令阎乐、弟弟赵成商量道：“皇上不听劝告，如今事情闹急了就想把罪过推到我们家族。我想另换一个皇帝，改立公子婴。子婴仁慈俭约，百姓都听他的话。”	Zhao Gao, terrified, began plotting in secret with his son-in-law Yan Yue, the magistrate of Xianyang, and his younger brother Zhao Cheng, saying, “The emperor refused to listen to admonition, and now that the situation is grave he wants to shift the blame to our family. I want to remove the emperor and set up Prince Ziying in his place. Ziying is kindhearted and modest and the people will all listen to what he says.”
使郎中令为内应，诈为有大贼，令乐召吏发卒追，劫乐母置高舍。	于是安排郎中令做内应，让他向二世谎报有贼。赵高又让阎乐召集官员调动军队进行追捕，为防止阎乐变卦，他将阎乐的母亲囚禁在自己府内作为人质。	Zhao Gao arranged for the chief of palace attendants to assist him from within the palace by spreading false reports that a large number of bandits had appeared and ordering Yan Yue to call out troops to expel them. Zhao Gao took Yan Yue’s mother into custody and held her in his own quarters as a hostage.
遣乐将吏卒千余人至望夷宫殿门，缚卫令仆射，曰：“贼入此，何不止？”	赵高派阎乐带着一千多人来到望夷宫门前，阎乐把守卫宫门的卫令仆射捆起来，说：“贼都进到宫里去了，你们为什么不制止？”	Then he dispatched Yan Yue with a force of over 1,000 men to go to the gate of the Wangyi Palace. Yan Yue arrested and bound the commander of the guard and the archery captain, saying, “When the bandits broke in here, why didn’t you stop them!”
卫令曰：“周庐设卒甚谨，安得贼敢入宫？”	卫令说：“周围防守很严，怎么会有贼入宫呢？”	The commander of the guard replied, “I have surrounded the buildings with my men and taken every precaution. How could bandits possibly have entered the palace!”
乐遂斩卫令，直将吏入，行射四。	阎乐不由分说便杀掉卫令，领着人闯进望夷宫。他边走边射。	Yan Yue proceeded to cut down the commander of the guard and lead his band of officials straight into the palace, shooting arrows as he went.
郎宦者大惊，或走或格，格者辄死，死者数十人。	宫中的郎官宦官慌作一团，有的逃走，有的格斗，凡敢拦阻的立即被杀死，被杀的有几十个人。	The palace attendants and eunuchs were overcome with astonishment, some fleeing, others putting up a fight. Those who resisted were summarily killed, the dead numbering thirty or forty persons.
郎中令与乐俱入，射上幄坐帏。	郎中令和阎乐一起进殿，一进门就先向着二世所坐的床帐射箭。	Yan Yue and the chief of palace attendants entered the hall together and shot arrows at the curtains surrounding the emperor’s throne.
二世怒，召左右，左右皆惶扰不斗。	二世震怒，喊他身边的侍从，这些人既慌且乱，都不敢挺身而出。	The Second Emperor angrily called for his attendants, but they were all too confused and terrified to resist.
旁有宦者一人，侍不敢去。	二世身旁只有一个宦者，仍在侍候二世不敢离开。	Only one eunuch remained by the emperor’s side, not daring to desert him.
二世入内，谓曰：“公何不蚤告我？乃至于此！”	二世逃入内室，对他说：“这些群起作乱的事情你为什么不及早告诉我，以至弄成这个样子？”	The emperor, escaping into an inner apartment, said, “Why didn’t you warn me earlier, before things came to this!”
宦者曰：“臣不敢言，故得全；使臣蚤言，皆已诛，安得至今？”	这个宦者说：“我是因为不敢说，所以才能活到今天；我若早些时候说，那我早就没命了，还能活到今天？”	The eunuch replied, “I didn’t dare speak out, and that’s why I’m still alive. Anyone who had dared to speak out would have been put to death long ago — he wouldn’t be around now!”
阎乐前即二世数曰：“足下骄恣，诛杀无道，天下共畔足下，足下其自为计。”	阎乐进来对着二世数落说：“你骄横放纵，随意杀人而不守天道，天下人都背叛你了，你看你该怎么办吧！”	Yan Yue came forward and at once began berating the Second Emperor, saying, “You are arrogant and wilful and you punish and kill people without reason! The whole empire has turned against you. You had better settle things for yourself!”
二世曰：“丞相可得见否？”	二世说：“我能见见丞相吗？”	“May I see the chancellor?” said the Second Emperor.
乐曰：“不可。”	阎乐说：“不能。”	“Impossible!” said Yan Yue.
二世曰：“吾愿得一郡为王。”弗许。	二世说：“我希望要一个郡，我到那里称王。”阎乐又不答应。	“I would like to be made king over just one province,” said the Second Emperor, but this request was denied.
又曰：“愿为万户侯。”弗许。	二世又说：“我愿做个万户侯。”阎乐仍不答应。	“I would like to become a marquis of 10,000 households,” he said, but this was denied.
曰：“愿与妻子为黔首，比诸公子。”	二世说：“我愿带着妻子儿女去做平民百姓，与我的其他兄弟们一样。”	“I would like to become one of the black-headed people along with my wife and children and to be treated like the other princes.”
阎乐曰：“臣受命于丞相，为天下诛足下，足下虽多言，臣不敢报。”	阎乐说：“我受丞相之命，替天下人来杀你，现在你说这么多话，我不敢向丞相报告。”	Yan Yue said, “I have my orders from the chancellor to punish you on behalf of the empire. Whatever you may propose, I would never dare grant it.”
麾其兵进。二世自杀。	说罢便示意众军动手，二世只好自杀了。	Then he summoned his soldiers to come forward. The Second Emperor committed suicide.
阎乐归报赵高，赵高乃悉召诸大臣公子，告以诛二世之状。	阎乐回去向赵高报告，赵高就召集所有的大臣、公子，向他们通报了诛杀二世的情况。	Yan Yue returned and reported to Zhao Gao. Zhao Gao then summoned all the major officials and princes of the ruling family and informed them of how he had punished the Second Emperor.
曰：“秦故王国,始皇君天下，故称帝。今六国复自立，秦地益小，乃以空名为帝，不可。宜为王如故，便。”	赵高说：“秦国原先也是一个诸侯国，始皇能够君临天下，所以称帝。如今六国重又自立，秦的地盘越来越小，如果仍以空名称帝，那是不行的。应该还像以前那样称王，这样合适。”	“The state of Qin was formerly ruled by a king,” he said. “The First Emperor made himself sovereign of the empire, and therefore called himself emperor. Now, however, the Six States have declared their independence once more and Qin’s territory is steadily diminishing. It would not do to go on using the empty title of emperor. We should use the title of king as before.”
立二世之兄子公子婴为秦王。	于是便将二世哥哥的儿子公子婴立为秦王。	Then he set up Ziying, the son of one of the Second Emperor’s older brothers, as king of Qin.
以黔首葬二世杜南宜春苑中。	而按平民百姓的规格把秦二世埋葬在杜县之南的宜春苑中。	The Second Emperor was buried at the Yichun Garden at Du’nan with the rites appropriate to one of the black-headed people.
令子婴斋，当庙见，受王玺。	赵高先让子婴斋戒，而后准备到始皇庙去接受印玺。	Then Ziying was ordered to fast and present himself at the ancestral temple to receive the jade seal of office.
斋五日，子婴与其子二人谋曰：“丞相高杀二世望夷宫，恐群臣诛之，乃详以义立我。我闻赵高乃与楚约,灭秦宗室而王关中。今使我斋见庙，此欲因庙中杀我。我称病不行，丞相必自来，来则杀之。”	斋戒到第五天，子婴和他的两个儿子商量道：“赵高在望夷宫杀了二世皇帝，他是怕大臣们杀他，所以才假装正义立我为王。我还听说赵高与楚军有约，准备灭了秦室后在关中称王。如今让我斋戒之后去朝见宗庙，是想趁机在庙中杀我。我若称病不去，赵高必定亲自前来，来了我们就把他杀掉。”	After fasting for five days, Ziying plotted with his two sons, saying, “The chancellor Zhao Gao killed the Second Emperor at the Wangyi Palace, but because he is afraid that the other officials will punish him, he pretends to be acting righteously by setting me up as ruler. I have heard that Zhao Gao is secretly in league with the men of Chu and intends to wipe out the Qin ruling family and make himself king of the region within the passes. Now he has instructed me to fast and appear in the ancestral temple, so he must intend to kill me in the temple. If I say I am ill and fail to go, the chancellor will surely come here, and when he does so, we can kill him!”
高使人请子婴数辈，子婴不行，高果自往，曰：“宗庙重事,王奈何不行?”	赵高多次派人来请子婴，子婴推辞不去。赵高果然亲自来了，说：“继位当王是件大事，为什么不去呢?”	Zhao Gao several times sent messengers to Ziying requesting him to proceed to the temple, but Ziying failed to go. As expected, Zhao Gao then came in person, saying, “The service of the ancestral temple is a grave affair. Why doesn’t Your Majesty proceed?”
子婴遂刺杀高于斋宫,三族高家以徇咸阳。	于是子婴趁机动手，在斋宫里杀掉了赵高，而后下令灭了赵高的三族，并拉着赵高的尸体在咸阳城里游街示众。	Ziying stabbed and killed Zhao Gao in the palace where he was fasting, and put to death Zhao Gao’s three sets of relatives to serve as a warning to the people of Xianyang.
子婴为秦王四十六日,楚将沛公破秦军入武关，遂至霸上,使人约降子婴。	子婴当秦王的第四十六天，楚怀王的大将刘邦已经打败秦军经由武关来到霸上，他派人与子婴约定，令其投降。	Ziying had been king of Qin for forty-six days when the governor of Pei, the military leader from Chu, defeated the Qin armies, entered the Wu Pass, and advanced as far as Bashang. He sent men to bargain with Ziying and persuade him to surrender.
子婴即系颈以组，白马素车,奉天子玺符，降轵道旁。	子婴便用绳索套着脖子，乘着白马素车，捧着天子的印玺符节，到轵道亭旁迎降。	Ziying accordingly tied a rope around his neck, came in a plain carriage drawn by white horses, handed over the seals and credentials of the Son of Heaven, and surrendered by the side of Zhi Rod.
沛公遂入咸阳，封宫室府库，还军霸上。	刘邦进入咸阳后，封存了宫室府库，把军队撤回到霸上驻扎。	The governor of Pei then entered Xianyang, sealed up the palaces and storehouses, and returned to encamp at Bashang.
居月余，诸侯兵至,项籍为从长,杀子婴及秦诸公子宗族,遂屠咸阳，烧其宫室,虏其子女，收其珍宝货财，诸侯共分之。	过了一个多月，项羽等人的各路兵马全来到关中，项羽是各路兵马的首领，他杀了子婴与秦王室的所有子弟与其宗族，并血洗咸阳，焚烧秦国宫殿，掳掠秦国的妇女与珍宝财物与各路诸侯分享。	A month or so later, the forces of the other states arrived, with Xiang Yu as their leader. He killed Ziying and the other princes of the Qin ruling family and their relatives, and then went on to massacre the inhabitants of Xianyang, burn the palaces, take prisoner the men and women that staffed them, and confiscate their goods and treasures, which were divided up among the various leaders.
灭秦之后，各分其地为三,名曰雍王、塞王、翟王，号曰“三秦”。	灭秦之后，项羽把秦国的地盘分成三块，封给三个秦朝的降将为王，这就是雍王、塞王、翟王，对关中地区总称“三秦”。	After the Qin dynasty had been overthrown, the area was divided into three parts, with three rulers known respectively as the king of Yong, the king of Sai, and the king of Di; they were referred to as the Three Qin.
项羽为西楚霸王,主命分天下，王诸侯，秦竟灭矣。	项羽自称西楚霸王，主持分割天下，封各路起义军的首领为王，秦王朝就这样被灭掉了。	Xiang Yu made himself “Dictator King of Western Chu”, issuing commands to the empire and dividing it up among the various kings and marquises. Thus the Qin was finally wiped out.
后五年，天下定于汉。	又过了五年，天下才被刘邦所统一。	Five years later, peace was restored to the empire by the Han.
太史公曰：秦之先伯翳,尝有勋于唐虞之际，受土赐姓。	太史公说：秦国的祖先伯翳，曾在唐尧、虞舜的时代立过功勋，获得封土并被赐予姓氏。	The Grand Historian remarks: Qin’s ancestor Boyi won distinction in the time of emperors Yao and Shun and was presented with territory and a surname.
及殷夏之间微散。	到了夏末殷初，他们就衰微散落了。	Later, when the Xia and Yin dynasties were in power, the family was dispersed and remained in obscurity,
至周之衰，秦兴，邑于西垂。	西周末年，秦国兴起，在西垂建立了都城。	but when the power of the Zhou dynasty waned, the Qin rose to prominence, building its capital in the western borderland.
自缪公以来,稍蚕食诸侯，竟成始皇。	缪公之后，秦国逐渐侵食诸侯之地，最后到始皇时终于完成了统一天下的大业。	From the time of Duke Mu on, it gradually ate away at the domains of the other feudal rulers until the process was finally completed by the First Emperor.
始皇自以为功过五帝，地广三王，而羞与之侔。	始皇自以为他的功德超过了五帝，他的国土比夏、商、周三朝都大得多，于是便不愿再与他们并列。	The First Emperor believed that his merits exceeded those of the Five Emperors of antiquity, and that his lands were broader than those of the Three Dynasties, and was ashamed to be ranked with them.
善哉乎，贾生推言之也!	关于秦王朝的兴起与其最终灭亡的事情，贾谊说得多么好啊!	Master Jia has written an excellent discussion of the matter.
秦并兼诸侯山东三十余郡,缮津关.据险塞，修甲兵而守之。	秦王兼并六国诸侯，在崤山以东设置了三十多个郡，他修筑边防，占据要塞，派精兵强将严加把守。	Qin annexed the lands of the other feudal rulers and created over thirty provinces, putting in order the fords and passes, relying on the steep places and barrier points, and stationing armed men to guard the region.
然陈涉以戍卒散乱之众数百,奋臂大呼，不用弓戟之兵，钽极白梃,望屋而食,横行天下。	可是陈涉率领着几百名散乱的戍卒，振臂高呼，他们没有精良的武器，只有锄柄与木棍；他们没有粮草，只能走到哪里吃到哪里，结果竟然横行天下，所向无敌。	And yet Chen She and his several hundred garrison soldiers, scattered and disordered as they were, lifted up their arms and gave a loud cry. They used no bows or spears as their weapons, but mere plough handles and bare sticks, eating their way from house to house and rampaging over the empire.
秦人阻险不守,关梁不阖，长戟不刺，强弩不射。	而秦国则是有险不能守，有关塞不能用，长戟不能刺，弓弩不能射。	The men of Qin were unable to guard their narrow defiles or block the passes and bridges, their long spears would not slash, their strong crossbows would not shoot.
楚师深入，战于鸿门,曾无藩篱之艰。	陈涉的军队一举攻到咸阳东南的鸿门，连个篱笆、栅栏似的阻挡都没有。	The armies of Chu entered deep into the heartland, battling at Hongmen and never once encountering any barriers or fortifications to impede them.
于是山东大扰，诸侯并起，豪俊相立。	于是整个崤山以东风起云涌，各地诸侯豪杰纷纷自立。	Thus the area east of the mountains was plunged into great confusion, the leaders of the states rose up on all sides, and brave men and heroes one after the other came to the fore.
秦使章邯将而东征，章邯因以三军之众要市于外，以谋其上。	秦派章邯率军东征，章邯仗着重兵在手，向朝廷讨价还价，企图推翻自己的主子。	Qin ordered Zhang Han to lead his troops east and restore order. But Zhang Han used the three armies under his command to secure land holdings abroad and plot against his own sovereign.
群臣之不信，可见于此矣。	秦朝群臣之不可信，由此可见一斑。	From this one can see how untrustworthy the Qin officials were.
子婴立，遂不寤。	子婴继位为王，仍照旧章而不醒悟。	When Ziying came to the throne, he failed to awaken to reality.
藉使子婴有庸主之材，仅得中佐，山东虽乱，秦之地可全而有，宗庙之祀未当绝也。	假使子婴稍有一点才能，再有一个平平常常的帮手，那么东部地区虽乱，而维持秦国本土的安全，维持秦国社稷、宗庙的稳定还是可以的，哪至于被彻底消灭呢!	If Ziying had possessed even mediocre ability as a ruler, if he had been able to recruit even middling assistants, then despite the turmoil east of the mountains, Qin would have been able to retain control of its territory and the sacrifices in its ancestral temples need never have been cut off.
秦地被山带河以为固,四塞之国也。	秦国本土有群山与黄河围护，是个四面都有险可守的地方。	The old territory of Qin is well protected by mountains and girdled by the Yellow River, a state fenced in on four sides.
自缪公以来，至于秦王，二十余君,常为诸侯雄。	自秦缪公到秦始皇，中间二十几代国君，常常是诸侯国中的最强者。	From the time of Duke Mu to that of the First Emperor, Qin had over twenty rulers, and at all times they were leaders among the feudal lords.
岂世世贤哉?其势居然也。	难道他们代代都那么贤明吗?不是，这完全是由当时的形势造成的。	Surely this was not because generation after generation they were worthy men, but because of the strategic position they occupied.
且天下尝同心并力而攻秦矣，当此之世，贤智并列，良将行其师,贤相通其谋，然困于阻险而不能进,秦乃延入战而为之开关，百万之徒逃北而遂坏。	当时东方六国也曾经同心协力地攻打过秦国，那时候，东方的贤者智者云集在一起，有优秀的将领为他们带兵，有英明的宰相为他们治政，然而他们被秦国的险要地形所制约无法攻入秦国的本土。当秦国打开城门，让东方的军队进来时，东方的百万雄师却望风而逃，全线崩溃。	Once before, the empire had joined together in heart and pooled its strength to attack Qin. At that time worthy and sagacious rulers abounded, skilled generals headed the armies, and wise ministers cooperated in laying plans. But they were frustrated by the steep slopes and narrow defiles and were unable to advance. To entice them inside and draw them into battle, Qin purposely opened the passes, and the invading troops, though a million strong, were forced to flee in defeat and were utterly crushed.
岂勇力智慧不足哉?形不利，势不便也。	是因为东方人的勇气智慧不如秦国吗?不是，是客观形势、地理条件对东方不利啊。	Surely this was not because they were lacking in bravery or wisdom, but because the shape of the land was against them and the circumstances were not to their advantage.
秦小邑并大城，守险塞而军，高垒毋战，闭关据陋，荷戟而守之。	子婴应该将小邑并成大城，在险要之处派重兵把守，高筑堡垒，封闭关口，守住要道，严阵以待。	Qin had little towns but it linked them together with big walls. It guarded its defiles and frontiers with armies, heightened its fortifications rather then engaging in battle, closed its passes, relied on its barriers, shouldered its spears and stood guard.
诸侯起于匹夫，以利合，非有素王之行也。	那些反秦的军队都是平民百姓，都是为了私利而临时聚合在一起，并没有一个具备王者之德的人物为中心。	The leaders of the rebellion rose up from among the common people and joined forces for their own profit — they did not act in the manner of natural-born kings.
其交未亲，其下未附，名为亡秦，其实利之也。	他们之间交情并不深，下层士兵也不亲附他们的将帅，他们的口号是推翻暴秦，实际上是为了谋取私利。	They were not linked by bonds of kinship, nor were their subjects as yet deeply attached to them. In name their goal was to overthrow Qin, but in reality they were out for profit.
彼见秦阻之难犯也，必退师。	如果能让他们看到秦国防守的牢固难犯，他们就会自动退兵。	If they had observed that Qin’s barriers would be difficult to penetrate, they would surely have withdrawn their armies,
安土息民，以待其敝，收弱扶罢,以令大国之君,不患不得意于海内。	而秦国则可以使人民安居乡土，得以休息，而坐待东方乌合之众的疲惫。到那时，先招纳、扶持那些贫困弱小的势力，而后再统领着这些众多的部众去对付那些实力强大的诸侯，这就不愁不得志于天下。	remained in the safety of their own lands, rested their people, and waited for Qin’s power to decline. One who succours the weak and aids the weary, as the ruler of a great kingdom is commanded to do, need never worry that he will not gain his way with the lands within the seas.
贵为天子，富有天下，而身为禽者，其救败非也。	子婴身为天子，拥有整个天下，最后却成了人家的俘虏，这是由于他所采取的挽救败局的措施不正确。	But when one is honoured with the position of Son of Heaven, possesses all the riches of the empire, and yet ends up as a captive, it must be because he has failed to remedy his errors.
秦王足己不问，遂过而不变;二世受之，因而不改，暴虐以重祸;子婴孤立无亲，危弱无辅。	秦始皇自以为是，不听取群臣的意见，错了也不肯改正，依然照着错误的路子走下去。秦二世承袭了这种局面，因循而不思改变，残暴肆虐更加重了政治危机。子婴处境孤立，得不到亲人帮助，在危难时刻又没有贤臣辅佐。	The First Emperor trusted his own judgment, never consulting others, and hence his errors went uncorrected. The Second Emperor carried on in the same manner, never reforming, compounding his misfortune through violence and cruelty. Ziying stood alone and friendless, weak and imperilled, with no one to aid him.
三主惑而终身不悟,亡，不亦宜乎?	三代皇帝都糊里糊涂而终不觉醒，亡国不就是应该的么?	All three rulers were deluded, and to the end failed to awaken — is it not fitting that they perished?
当此时也，世非无深虑知化之士也,然所以不敢尽忠拂过者,秦俗多忌讳之禁,忠言未卒于口而身为戮没矣。	这个时期，国内不是没有能够深谋远虑、预见形势变化的贤士，但他们都不敢竭尽忠诚地纠正帝王的过失，这是因为秦朝有许多禁令，忠言等不到说完人就被杀了。	At that time the world was not without men of deep insight and an understanding of change. The reason they did not dare exert their loyalty and correct the errors of the ruler was that Qin’s customs forbade the mentioning of inauspicious matters. Before their words of loyal advice were even out of their mouths, they would have been condemned to execution.
故使天下之士，倾耳而听，重足而立，拊口而不言。	因而使得天下贤士战战兢兢，侧耳而听，叠足而立，都闭口而不言。	This insured that the men of the empire would incline their ears to listen, stand in an attitude of solemn attention, but clamp their mouths shut and never speak out.
是以三主失道，忠臣不敢谏，智士不敢谋，天下已乱，奸不上闻，岂不哀哉!	因此三代国君治国失道而忠臣不敢劝谏，智士不敢为之谋划，等到天下已经大乱，坏人在下面的活动皇帝仍无法知晓，这岂不是可悲的事情吗?	Therefore when the three rulers strayed from the Way, the loyal ministers did not dare remonstrate, and the men of wisdom did not dare offer counsel. The empire was already in rebellion, but the ruler was never informed of the villainy — how pitiful!
先王知雍蔽之伤国也,故置公、卿、大夫、士,以饰法设刑,而天下治。	先王懂得消息闭塞对于国家的危害，所以设置公、卿、大夫、士各种等级，又建立各种法令刑罚以惩治坏人，因而使国家得到治理。	The kings of former times knew the harm brought to the nation by suppression and concealment. Therefore they appointed high ministers and palace officials to put the laws in order and establish penalties, and the empire was well governed.
其强也,禁暴诛乱而天下服；其弱也，五伯征而诸侯从;其削也,内守外附而社稷存。	当一个帝王的统治能力强大时，他可以亲自讨平暴乱，使天下人心归服；当一个帝王的统治力量衰减时，有霸主代表它进行征讨，诸侯们也能归附；当一个帝王的统治力量削弱时，由于旧有制度法令尚在，所以还能维持内部不乱、外部不反，国家不亡。	While they themselves were still powerful, they were able to outlaw violence and punish the unruly, and the empire submitted to them. And later, when they became weak, the Five Hegemons carried out punitive expeditions and forced the other feudal rulers to comply. Hence, though they were stripped of territory, they could guard their inner realm, the surrounding states supported them, and they were able to preserve their altars of the soil and grains.
故秦之盛也,繁法严刑而天下振;及其衰也，百姓怨望而海内畔矣。	而秦朝则不然，在它统治强盛的时候，法令严酷，天下震恐；到他统治衰落的时候，就人心愤怒，四海分崩了。	In the case of Qin, however, while it was in a flourishing state, its manifold laws and stem punishments caused the empire to tremble. But when its power declined, then the people eyed it with hatred and the whole area within the seas rose up in revolt.
故周五序得其道,而千余岁不绝。秦本末并失，故不长久。	周朝设置的五个爵级符合治国之道，所以能使国家存在了一千多年。秦王朝由于既不实行仁政，又滥用刑法，本末兼失，所以很快就灭亡了。	Hence, because the Zhou dynasty set up the five noble ranks and ruled according to the Way, it was able to endure for over 1,000 years without break. But the Qin was in error from first to last, and therefore it did not continue for long.
由此观之，安危之统相去远矣。	由此看来，使国家安定或使国家危亡的两种方略区别太大了。	From this we can see that the course of action leading to safety, and that leading to peril, are far apart indeed.
野谚曰:“前事之不忘，后事之师也。”	俗话说：“前事不忘，后事之师。”	The homely proverb says, “Former affairs, not forgot, teach those who come after.”
是以君子为国，观之上古，验之当世，参以人事，察盛衰之理，审权势之宜,去就有序，变化有时,故旷日长久而社稷安矣。	因此君子治国应当研究历史，考察现实，并参照人情事理，观察盛衰的规律，弄清楚在当前形势下究竟应该做什么，要注意取舍有序，变化随时，这样就能国家稳定，长治久安了。	That is why, when the gentleman is given charge of a state, he observes how things were done in ancient times, tests them in terms of the present day, sees how they tally with human concerns, examines into the cause of flourishing and decay, perceives what is fitting in the light of circumstances, initiates actions in the proper order, and changes with the times. As a result, his days as ruler are long and many, and his altars of the soil and grain rest secure.
秦孝公据崤、函之固,拥雍州之地,君臣固守而窥周室,有席卷天下，包举宇内，囊括四海之意，并吞八荒之心。	秦孝公凭藉着崤山、函谷关的坚固要塞，占有着古雍州的整个地盘，君臣合力在牢守本土的基础上，向东觊觎着洛阳一带的周王室。他们有席卷、包揽天下之意，囊括、并吞四海之心。	Duke Xiao of Qin, relying upon the strength of Mt. Yao and the Hangu Pass and basing himself in the area of Yongzhou, with his ministers held fast to his land and eyed the house of Zhou, for he cherished a desire to roll up the empire like a mat, to bind into one the whole world, to bag all the land within the four seas; he had it in his heart to swallow up everything in the eight directions.
当是时，商君佐之，内立法度，务耕织，修守战之备；外连衡而斗诸侯，于是秦人拱手而取西河之外。	这时的秦国，有商鞅帮着秦孝公，在内部实行变法，奖励务农，做好了一切进攻与防守的准备；对外实行连衡以逐个攻击东方诸国，于是秦国毫不费力地夺取了黄河西岸的大片地盘。	At this time he was aided by Lord Shang, who at home set up laws for him, encouraged agriculture and weaving, and built up the instruments of war, and abroad contracted military alliances and attacked the other feudal lords. Thus the men of Qin were able with ease to acquire territory east of the upper reaches of the Yellow River.
孝公既没，惠王、武王蒙故业，因遗册，南兼汉中，西举巴、蜀，东割膏腴之地，收要害之郡。	秦孝公死后，他的儿子、孙子惠文王、武王、昭王继承了孝公的事业，采用孝公的既定政策，向南夺取了汉中，向西南夺得了巴、蜀二郡，向东夺取了大片肥美之地，向北夺取了一些要害的郡县。	After the death of Duke Xiao, kings Huiwen and Wu carried on the undertakings of their predecessor and, following the plans he had laid, seized Hanzhong in the south and Ba and Shu in the west, and acquired rich land in the east and provinces of strategic value.
诸侯恐惧，会盟而谋弱秦，不爱珍器重宝肥美之地，以致天下之士，合从缔交，相与为一。	东方各国对此感到恐惧了，于是那些君长们遂不惜拿出奇珍异宝与肥沃领地来招揽各地的人才，他们合纵结盟，连成一体共同对付秦国。	The other feudal lords in alarm came together in council to devise some plan to weaken Qin, sparing nothing in gifts of precious objects and rich lands to induce men from all over the empire to come and join with them in a “vertical alliance”, and pool their strength.
当是时，齐有孟尝，赵有平原，楚有春申，魏有信陵。此四君者，皆明知而忠信，宽厚而爱人，尊贤重士，约从离衡，并韩、魏、燕、楚、齐、赵、宋、卫、中山之众。	这时的东方，齐国有孟尝君，赵国有平原君，魏国有信陵君，楚国有春申君。这四位都是既明智又忠信，既宽厚又爱人，都是尊贤而重士的。他们瓦解了秦与东方的连衡，建立了东方各国的合纵，使韩、魏、燕、赵、宋、卫、中山诸国都一齐联合起来。	At this time there was Lord Mengchang in Qi, Lord Pingyuan in Zhao, Lord Chunshen in Chu, and Lord Xinling in Wei. These four lords were all men of intelligence and loyalty, generous and kind to others, who honoured worthy men and took good care of their followers. They rejected the Horizontal Alliance and instead formed the Vertical Alliance, which united all the forces of the states of Hann, Wei, Yan, Chu, Qi, Zhao, Song, Wey, and Zhongshan.
于是六国之士有宁越、徐尚、苏秦、杜赫之属为之谋，齐明、周最、陈轸、昭滑、楼缓、翟景、苏厉、乐毅之徒通其意，吴起、孙膑、带佗、兒良、王廖、田忌、廉颇、赵奢之朋制其兵。	这时的东方六国之士中，有宁越、徐尚、苏秦、杜赫一类的人为联合抗秦设谋，有齐明、周最、陈轸、邵滑、楼缓、翟景、苏厉、乐毅一类人为诸国相互通声息，有吴起、孙膑、带佗、兒良、王廖、田忌、廉颇、赵奢等人为他们统兵。	At this time among the distinguished men of the Six States were men like Ning Yue, Xu Shang, Su Qin, and Du He, who laid the plans; Qi Ming, Zhou Zui, Chen Zhen, Zhao Hua, Lou Huan, Di Jing, Su Li, Yue Yi, and their followers who carried out these plans; and Wu Qi, Sun Bin, Dai Tuo, Er Liang, Wang Liao, Tian Ji, Lian Po, and Zhao She, who commanded the troops.
常以十倍之地，百万之众，叩关而攻秦。	他们曾靠着十倍于秦国的地盘，以多达百万的军队，浩浩荡荡地西上攻秦。	With a force of 1,000,000 soldiers drawn from an area ten times that of Qin, they beat upon the Pass and pressed forward toward Qin.
秦人开关延敌，九国之师逡巡遁逃而不敢进。	秦国从容地打开关门让东方的军队西进，而东方的九国联军却瞻望徘徊，没有一个敢进去。	But the men of Qin opened the Pass to entice the enemy in, and the armies of the Nine States fled and did not dare advance.
秦无亡矢遗镞之费，而天下诸侯已困矣。	结果秦兵没费一根箭杆、一个箭头，而东方各国却已被自己折腾得疲惫不堪了。	Qin, without expending a single arrow or losing a single arrowhead, threatened the feudal rulers of the entire empire.
于是从散约解，争割地而奉秦。	于是东方的合纵联盟土崩瓦解，各国重又争先恐后地向秦国讨好，给秦国割地盘。	With this the Vertical Alliance collapsed, its treaties came to naught, and the various states hastened to present Qin with parts of their territory as bribes for peace.
秦有余力而制其敝，追亡逐北，伏尸百万，流血漂卤。	而秦国则趁势用自己的余力以攻击东方的疲惫，于是追奔逐北，打得东方横尸百万，血流之多几乎可以漂起盾牌。	With its superior strength Qin pressed the crumbling forces of its rivals, pursued those who had fled in defeat, and overwhelmed and slaughtered the army of 1,000,000 until their shields floated upon a river of blood.
因利乘便，宰割天下，分裂河山，强国请服，弱国入朝。	秦国趁着这种形势遂主宰天下，控制各国，较强的国家宣告服从，小国弱国只好让其国君入秦朝拜了。	Following up the advantages of its victory, Qin gained mastery over the empire and divided up its mountains and rivers. The powerful states begged to submit to its sovereignty and the weaker ones paid homage at its court.
延及孝文王、庄襄王，享国日浅，国家无事。	接着孝文王、庄襄王两代，都因为在位的时间太短，国家没有什么事情。	Then followed kings Xiaowen and Zhuangxiang, whose reigns were short and uneventful.
及至秦王,续六世之余烈,振长策而御宇内,吞二周而亡诸侯,履至尊而制六合,执棰拊以鞭笞天下,威振四海。	待至始皇即位，遂在以往六代的基础上奋发而起，他挥动长鞭以驾御天下，灭掉了东西二周与各国诸侯，他登上皇帝宝座统治四海，手执棍棒以治理国家。	After this came the First Emperor who, carrying on the glorious spirit of his six predecessors, cracked his long whip and drove the universe before him, swallowed up the eastern and western Zhou, and overthrew the feudal lords. He ascended the throne of honour and ruled the six directions, scourging the world with his lash, and his might shook the four seas.
南取百越之地,以为桂林、象郡,百越之君俛首系颈，委命下吏。	他向南征服百越之地，在那里设置了桂林、象郡，使百越之君俯首请降，归命秦吏。	In the south he seized the land of the hundred tribes of Yue and made of it Guilin and Xiang provinces, and the lords of the hundred Yue bowed their heads, hung halters from their necks, and pleaded for their lives with the lowest officials of Qin.
乃使蒙恬北筑长城而守藩篱，却匈奴七百余里,胡人不敢南下而牧马，士不敢弯弓而报怨。	他命蒙恬北筑长城，镇守边关，把匈奴人向北赶出了七百多里，使匈奴人再也不敢靠近秦朝的边塞，再也不敢挽弓搭箭地前来寻衅报仇。	Then he sent Meng Tian north to build the Great Wall and defend the borders, driving back the Xiongnu over 700 li, so that the barbarians no longer ventured to come south to pasture their horses and their men dared not take up their bows to vent their hatred.
于是废先王之道,焚百家之言，以愚黔首。	但从此秦始皇便废弃古代圣贤的章程，焚毁战国以来的百家之言，想以此愚弄百姓。	Thereupon he discarded the ways of the former kings and burned the books of the hundred schools of philosophy in order to make the black-headed people ignorant.
堕名城，杀豪俊，收天下之兵聚之咸阳，销锋铸罅，以为金人十二,以弱黔首之民。	他们铲平东方各地的大城，残杀持有不同政见的名士，把被灭六国的武器都收集到咸阳，把那些矛头箭镞通通熔化，铸成了夹钟和十二个大金人，为的是削弱东方的黎民百姓，让他们没办法造反。	He destroyed the walls of the great cities, put to death the powerful leaders, and collected all the arms of the empire, which he had brought to his capital at Xianyang, where the spears and arrowheads were melted down and cast to make twelve human statues. All this he did in order to weaken the black-headed people.
然后斩华为城，因河为津,据亿丈之城，临不测之溪以为固。	而秦朝自己则以华山作为它东面的城墙，以黄河作为它东面的护城河，他们上据高耸入云的大城，下临深不见底的沟溪（以作防御）。	After this he ascended and fortified Mt. Hua, set up fords along the Yellow River, and strengthened the heights and precipices overlooking the fathomless valleys, in order to secure his position.
良将劲弩守要害之处，信臣精卒陈利兵而谁何。	他们派信臣良将镇守要害之处，士兵们执精良武器盘查行人。	He garrisoned the strategic points with skilled generals and strong crossbowmen and stationed trusted ministers and well-trained soldiers to guard the land with arms and question all who passed back and forth.
天下以定，秦王之心，自以为关中之固，金城千里，子孙帝王万世之业也。	待一切安排完毕，秦始皇遂想他这根据地的巩固就恰如铜墙铁壁，他们家的帝王之业就子子孙孙传之万世而无穷了。	When he had thus pacified the empire, the First Emperor believed in his heart that, with the strength of his capital within the passes and his walls of metal extending 1,000 miles, he had established a rule that would be enjoyed by his sons and grandsons for 10,000 generations.
秦王既没，余威振于殊俗。	秦始皇刚死，其余威还震撼着异邦异域的时候。	For a while after the death of the First Emperor the memory of his might continued to awe the common people.
陈涉，瓮牖绳枢之子，旷隶之人，而迁徙之徒。	陈涉，是个穷人家的儿子，是个农民，是个被发配的人。	Yet Chen She, born in a humble hut with tiny windows and a wattle door, a day labourer in the fields and a garrison conscript,
才能不及中人，非有仲尼、墨翟之贤,陶朱、猗顿之富。	论才能他够不上个中等，他没有孔丘、墨翟那样的本事，也没有范蠡、猗顿那样的家财。	whose abilities could not match even the average, who had neither the worth of Confucius and Mo Di nor the wealth of Tao Zhu or Yi Dun,
蹑足行伍之间，而倔起什伯之中,率罢散之卒，将数百之众，而转攻秦。	他只是被发配的劳役队伍中的一员，是一个低着头走路的小头目，他率领着一群散乱无章的乌合之众，掉转矛头攻打秦王朝。	stepped from the ranks of the common soldiers, rose up from the paths of the fields, and led a band of some hundred poor, weary soldiers in revolt against Qin.
斩木为兵，揭竿为旗，天下云集响应，赢粮而景从,山东豪俊遂并起而亡秦族矣。	他们砍下木棒做武器，举起竹竿当旗子，结果风起云涌，天下响应，人们都自带粮食投奔陈王，于是各地的豪杰同时起兵，遂一下子将秦王朝灭掉了。	They cut down trees to make their weapons and raised their flags on garden poles, and the whole world gathered like a cloud, answered like an echo to a sound, brought them provisions, and followed after them as shadows follow a form. In the end the leaders east of the mountains rose up together and destroyed the house of Qin.
且夫天下非小弱也，雍州之地，崤函之固自若也；	统一了天下的秦王朝，不是比以前的秦国更小更弱啊；雍州的地盘，崤山函谷关的险要，还是和过去一样啊；	The empire of Qin at this time was by no means small or feeble. Its base in Yongzhou, its stronghold within Mt. Yao and the Pass, were the same as before.
陈涉之位，非尊于齐、楚、燕、赵、韩、魏、宋、卫、中山之君；	陈涉的政治地位，不比当年齐、楚、燕、赵、韩、魏、宋、卫、中山的君主更尊贵、更有号召力啊；	The position of Chen She could not compare in dignity with the lords of Qi, Chu, Yan, Zhao, Wei, Song, Wey, and Zhongshan.
钽慢棘矜.非锁于句戟长铩也:	陈涉军队所持的锄把木棒，不比当年东方士兵所用的勾戟长矛更锋利啊；	The weapons which he improvised from hoe handles and tree branches could not match the sharpness of spears and battle pikes;
適戍之众非抗于九国之师;	被发配遣送的民夫苦役，没法和东方九国训练有素的军队相比啊；	his little band of garrison conscripts was nothing beside the armies of the Nine States.
深谋远虑，行军用兵之道，非及乡时之士也。	论起运筹帷幄、行兵布阵的才能，陈涉的军官也远远不及当时东方的军事家啊。	In deep plotting and far-reaching stratagems, in methods of warfare, he was far inferior to the men of earlier times.
然而成败异变，功业相反也。	然而事情的成败结局，却恰恰相反。	And yet Chen She succeeded in his undertaking where they had failed,
试使山东之国与陈涉度长絜大,比权量力，则不可同年而语矣。	如果拿当年东方诸国的条件来和陈涉比量高低，其相差的距离是不可同年而语的。	though in ability, size, power, and strength his forces could in no way compare to those of the states east of the mountains that had formerly opposed Qin.
然秦以区区之地，千乘之权，招八州而朝同列,百有余年矣,然后以六合为家，崤函为宫。	但秦国当年就凭着一块区区的雍州之地而发展成为一个具有万辆兵车的大国，接着又削弱东方，打得各个诸侯君长臣服于秦，前后经过了一百多年的努力，最后才统一天下，让崤山函谷关做了秦王朝东面的宫墙。	Qin, beginning with an insignificant amount of territory, reached the power of a great kingdom and for 100 years made the ancient eight provinces pay homage at its court. Yet, after it had become master of the six directions and established its palaces within the passes,
一夫作难而七庙堕,身死人手，为天下笑者，何也?	结果竟在陈涉这么个下等人的举兵发难之下，秦朝的宗庙被人铲平，秦朝的帝王被人所杀，秦朝的事业被人所嘲笑，这都是怎么搞的呢?	a single commoner opposed it and its seven ancestral temples toppled, its ruler died by the hands of men, and it became the laughing stock of the world. Why?
仁义不施而攻守之势异也。	这是由于秦王朝不施行仁义，不懂得打天下与守天下的方针、战略是应该不同的啊!	Because it failed to rule with humanity and righteousness, and did not realize that the power to attack, and the power to retain what one has thereby won, are not the same.
秦并海内，兼诸侯，南面称帝，以养四海,天下之士斐然乡风,若是者何也?	秦始皇统一全国，兼并诸侯，南面称帝，以此来治理天下，天下的士人如草随风偃一样地全都归顺，为什么会这样呢?	The Qin ruler, having annexed the lands of all the other feudal lords, faced south and called himself an emperor, proprietor of all within the four seas, and the gentlemen of the empire docilely bowed before the wind of his influence. Why was this?
曰：近古之无王者久矣。周室卑微，五霸既殁，令不行于天下，是以诸侯力政,强侵弱，众暴寡,兵革不休，士民罢敝。	我认为，这是由于近古以来没有一个能统一天下的帝王，人们已经盼望很久了。自从周室衰微，五霸过世，天下再没有统一帝王的号令，于是便形成了各国的诸侯当权，他们强大的侵略弱小的，人多的欺侮人少的，战争连年不止，黎民困苦贫乏。	I would reply that the world in recent times had for a long time been without a true king. The royal house of Zhou had sunk into insignificance, the Five Hegemons had passed from the scene, and there was no one whose commands were obeyed throughout the empire. Hence the feudal rulers in governing relied on strength alone, the powerful impinging on the weak, the many lording it over the few. Weapons were never set aside and the people grew exhausted and impoverished.
今秦南面而王天下，是上有天子也。既元元之民冀得安其性命,莫不虚心而仰上，当此之时，守威定功,安危之本在于此矣。	后来秦始皇临朝称帝，使天下有了主宰。善良的百姓都希望从此过上安定的生活，所以都诚心诚意地仰望着他们的皇帝，在这种情况之下，秦王朝理应运用他的权威，巩固他们的成果，这可是决定成功或失败的关键时刻。	Then Qin faced south to call itself ruler of the empire, which meant that the world now had a Son of Heaven to head it. The masses hoped that they would be granted the peace and security to live out their lives, and there was not one of them who did not set aside selfish thoughts and look up to the sovereign in reverence. This was the moment for demonstrating authority and proving one’s merit as a ruler, laying the foundation for lasting peace in the empire.
秦王怀贪鄙之心，行自奋之智，不信功臣，不亲士民，废王道，立私权，禁文书而酷刑法，先诈力而后仁义，以暴虐为天下始。	秦始皇怀着一种贪婪自私的念头自以为是，一意孤行，他不信任功臣，不亲近士民，抛弃王道，只重私权，焚毁古代典籍施行残暴统治，他肆行欺诈，不讲仁义成为自古以来以暴力统治国家的第一个。	But the First Emperor was greedy and short-sighted, confident in his own wisdom, never trusting his meritorious officials, never getting to know his people. He cast aside the kingly Way and relied on private procedures, outlawing books and writings, making the laws and penalties much harsher, putting deceit and force foremost and humanity and righteousness last, leading the whole world in violence and cruelty.
夫并兼者高诈力，安定者贵顺权，此言取与守不同术也。	作为一个统治者，在用武力征服天下的时候，往往是靠着阴谋诡诈、兵强马壮：但到和平时代治理国家的时候，就得讲究顺应民心了。这就是说，夺取天下和治理国家的方法是不同的。	In annexing the lands of others, one may place priority on deceit and force, but insuring peace and stability in the lands one has annexed calls for a respect for authority. Hence I say that seizing, and guarding what you have seized, do not depend upon the same techniques.
秦离战国而王天下，其道不易，其政不改，是其所以取之守之者无异也。	秦国已经结束了战国时代的纷乱，统一了天下而他的治国之道、大政方针仍不加改变，这就是将创业与守业的方法完全混同了。	Qin put an end to the Warring States period and made itself ruler of the empire, but it did not change its ways or reform its system of government, which shows that the means employed to seize an empire differ from those needed to guard it.
孤独而有之，故其亡可立而待。	只靠一个皇帝孤立无援地统治国家，所以他的灭亡也就指日可待了。	Qin tried to guard it alone and singlehanded, and therefore its downfall was merely a matter of time.
借使秦王计上世之事，并殷周之迹，以制御其政，后虽有淫骄之主而未有倾危之患也。	假使秦王能考虑前代的治国经验，能仿效殷周的做法，能以此治理国家，那么即使日后出现几个骄奢淫逸的君主，也未必就有亡国的忧患。	If the First Emperor had reflected upon the practices of antiquity and noted the accounts of the Yin and Zhou dynasties in formulating the institutions for his government, then although wilful and dissolute rulers might appear in later times, there would have been no danger that the ruling house would be imperilled or overthrown.
故三王之建天下，名号显美，功业长久。	夏、商、周三代之王就是因为懂得取天下与守天下的不同，所以他们能名扬四海，功业久长。	The founders of the Three Dynasties, when they ruled the empire, were renowned for their good names, and the regimes they initiated endured for a long time.
今秦二世立，天下莫不引领而观其政。	当秦二世即位后，天下人无不引颈企盼，盼望着他的治国方略能够有所改变。	When the Second Emperor came to the throne, there was no one in the empire who did not look toward his government with anxious hopes.
夫寒者利逗褐而饥者甘糟糠，天下之嗷嗷，新主之资也。此言劳民之易为仁也。	挨冻的人有件小棉袄就满意了，挨饿的人认为能有糠糟就不错，天下人为饥寒交迫而呼号，这正是新帝王建立德政的好时机。也就是说，在饥苦的百姓面前最容易买好，最容易博得仁者的名声。	One who is cold will welcome even a skimpy coat of serge, one who is starving will relish the coarsest dregs. The hungry hopes of the empire offer aid to a new sovereign, for a weary people are easy to govern when treated with benevolence.
乡使二世有庸主之行，而任忠贤，臣主一心而忧海内之患，缟素而正先帝之过，裂地分民以封功臣之后，建国立君以礼天下，虚囹圉而免刑戮，除去收帑污秽之罪，使各反其乡里，发仓廪，散财币，以振孤独穷困之士，轻赋少事，以佐百姓之急；约法省刑以持其后，使天下之人皆得自新，更节修行，各慎其身，塞万民之望，而以威德与天下，天下集矣。	假使秦二世能达到一个中等主子的水平，能信任忠良，能君臣一心地忧虑国事：能慰问百姓而纠正始皇帝政策的过失，能分封功臣之后，能建立一些诸侯国；能宽缓刑法、减少杀戮，能废除那些株连九族的罪名，使那些无辜者能返回各自的乡里；能打开仓廪，发放钱财，赈济孤独穷困的士人；能减轻赋税，减少劳役，解决百姓的燃眉之急：能简化法令、减省刑罚；让天下人能改过自新、改变操行，谨慎自身；能满足百姓的愿望，能以德政治天下，那就肯定可以天下太平了。	If the Second Emperor had acted in the manner of even a mediocre ruler, if he had employed loyal and worthy men and had joined with his officials in single-mindedly caring for the nation’s ills, correcting the errors of the former emperor while still in mourning garments; if he had divided the land and apportioned it to the people, enfeoffing the heirs of meritorious ministers, or had set up states with rulers over them so the empire would be ordered by ritual; if he had emptied the prisons, pardoned those condemned to execution, abolished slavery and other forms of humiliating punishment, allowing each person to return to his native village; if he had opened the granaries and disbursed funds to succour the orphaned and lonely and those in dire poverty; if he had lightened taxes and corvée labour to relieve the distress of the common people, simplified the laws and reduced penalties for the sake of posterity; if he had allowed the people of the empire to make a new beginning, each tending to his own well-being through the practice of integrity and good conduct, fulfilling the longings of the 10,000 people and presiding over the empire with authority and virtue, then the empire would have flocked to him.
即四海之内，皆灌然各自安乐其处，唯恐有变，虽有狡猾之民，无离上之心，则不轨之臣无以饰其智，而暴乱之奸止矣。	倘若四海之内都能欢乐相处，讨厌动乱，那么即使有些人行为不端，也不至于背离君主，这就让那些图谋不轨的乱党无法煽动百姓，暴乱的事情也就不会发生了。	Then within the four seas all would have been perfectly content, each enjoying and finding security in his own station, fearful only that some change might occur. Then even if wily and unscrupulous persons should appear, so long as there was no turning against the sovereign, then unprincipled officials would have no way to gloss over their schemes and the threat of violence and rebellious action would come to an end.
二世不行此术，而重之以无道，坏宗庙与民，更始作阿房宫，繁刑严诛，吏治刻深，赏罚不当，赋敛无度，天下多事，吏弗能纪，百姓困穷而主弗收恤。	秦二世不仅不采取拨乱反正的做法，反而变本加厉地推行残暴统治；毁坏宗庙，残害人民，重新开始修建阿房宫；严刑酷法，肆意杀戮，赏罚不平，搜刮无度，诸事混乱，官吏无法治理，百姓困穷，国家不知抚恤。	The Second Emperor, however, did not adopt such policies, but made the situation even graver by his departures from the Way, destroying ancestral temples and people and resuming work on the Epang Palace. He multiplied the laws and made punishments even sterner, his law officers becoming even harsher and more thorough in their investigations. His rewards and penalties were unjust, his taxes and levies knew no bounds. The empire was assigned so many tasks that the officials could not supervise them all; the people sank into poverty and destitution and the ruler offered them no pity or help.
然后奸伪并起，而上下相遁，蒙罪者众，刑戮相望于道，而天下苦之。	作奸犯法的事情日益纷繁，而上下推诿，相互瞒骗。犯罪者无法指数，受刑被杀者比比皆是，普天之下苦不堪言。	Thereafter villainy and deceit rose on every side and superiors and inferiors turned against one another. Those accused of crimes were so numerous that condemned men were within sight of each other on the roads, and the whole empire groaned.
自君卿以下至于众庶，人怀自危之心，亲处穷苦之实，咸不安其位，故易动也。	从公卿以至平民，人人自危，每个人都处于水深火热之中，都觉着充满危险，这样的社会当然容易发生动乱。	From lords and high ministers on down to the mass of commoners, all feared for their safety, all tasted in person the realities of hardship, none felt secure in his position. Therefore they were easily roused to action.
是以陈涉不用汤武之贤，不藉公侯之尊，奋臂于大泽而天下响应者，其民危也。	正是在这种情况下，所以陈涉也就不必具有商汤、周武王那样的贤德，不需凭借公侯的身份，而在大泽乡振臂一呼就得到世人周知的那种天下响应了，其原因就在于民众正处在危难之中。	As a result, though Chen She had none of the worth of a King Tang or King Wu, though he possessed no noble title of duke or marquis to rely on, he had only to raise his arm in defiance in Daze and the whole world responded to his call, because the people felt threatened.
故先王见始终之变，知存亡之机，是以牧民之道，务在安之而已。天下虽有逆行之臣，必无响应之助矣。	古代先王能观察事物演变的规律，知道什么是国家存亡的关键，所以也懂得统治人民的方针，关键就在于能让他们过上安定的生活。只要做到这一点，即使再有图谋叛乱的人，也就肯定不会再有黎民百姓起来跟着他们跑了。	The former kings perceived the changes that occur in the course of events and understood the secret of survival or downfall. Therefore their way of shepherding the people was simply to assure them of security. Then although treasonous subjects might appear in the empire, there would be no one to respond to them or aid them.
故曰“安民可与行义，而危民易与为非”，此之谓也。	俗话说“安定社会下的民众，可以引导他们行仁义；危难社会下的民众，易于跟着人为非作歹”，说的就是这个道理。	So it is said, a people who feel secure may be led into righteous ways, but a people who feel threatened easily turn to evil.
贵为天子，富有天下，身不免于戮杀者，正倾非也。是二世之过也。	秦二世贵为天子，拥有天下，最后却被人所杀，关键在于没能及时地拨乱反正。这是秦二世最大的错误。	To be honoured as a Son of Heaven, to possess the riches of the empire, and yet be unable to escape execution comes from failure to correct misdirection. Such was the Second Emperor’s error.
孝明皇帝十七年十月十五日乙丑，曰:“周历已移.仁不代母。	孝明皇帝十七年十月十五日乙丑，班固说：周朝的历数已经过去，按照五德终始之道，有德之君是不会以子德代替母德的。	On the fifteenth day of the tenth month in the seventeenth year of Emperor Xiaoming's reign, Ban Gu said: The history of the Zhou Dynasty has passed, and according to the principle of the Five Virtues, a virtuous ruler will not replace his mother's virtue with his son's virtue.
秦直其位.吕政残虐。	秦朝作为一代政权排在五德终始里面，按道理是不合法的，再加上秦始皇的统治是如此残暴。	The Qin Dynasty, as a political power, was ranked among the Five Virtues, which is theoretically illegal. In addition, Qin Shi Huang's rule was so cruel.
然以诸侯十三.并兼天下极情纵欲.养育宗亲。	可是秦始皇从十三岁为秦王，后来竟统一了天下。他有极情纵欲的一面，但也养育了他的整个宗族。	But Qin Shi Huang became the King of Qin at the age of thirteen and later unified the world. He has a side of extreme indulgence, but he also raised his entire clan.
三十七年，兵无所不加.制作政令施于后王.盖得圣人之威，河神授图.据狼、狐.蹈参、伐.佐政驱除，距之称始皇。	秦始皇在位三十七年，打遍天下，他制定的法令，一直在后世流传。他简直就像得到了圣人的神威与河神的图录，他上应着主管侵伐讨暴的狼、狐二星，又有主管杀戮的参、伐二星照命，这一切都像是帮着秦始皇扫清道路，一直到他成了始皇帝。	Qin Shi Huang reigned for 37 years and conquered the world. The laws and regulations he formulated have been passed down in later generations. He was as if he had received the divine power of a sage and the catalog of the River God. He was assigned to the Wolf and Fox Star, which were in charge of invading and suppressing violence, as well as the Ginseng and Fox Star, which were in charge of killing. All of this was like helping Qin Shi Huang clear the way until he became the First Emperor.
始皇既殁，胡亥极愚，郦山未毕，复作阿房，以遂前策。	始皇帝死后，胡亥极其愚蠢，郦山的陵墓尚未修完，他就又重新开始修建阿房宫，以完成始皇帝未完的计划。	After the death of the First Emperor, Hu Hai was extremely foolish. The tomb in Lishan had not yet been completed, so he started building the Afang Palace again to fulfill the unfinished plan of the First Emperor.
云‘凡所为贵有天下者，肆意极欲，大臣至欲罢先君所为'。	他说：“拥有天下的人之所以尊贵，就是因为他可以任情纵志，为所欲为，你们这些大臣竟敢想中断先帝所做的事情。”	He said, "The reason why a person who owns the world is noble is because he can do whatever he wants. You ministers dare to interrupt what the late emperor did."
诛斯、去疾，任用赵高。	于是他杀死了李斯和冯去疾，而任用赵高。	So he killed Li Si and Feng Qubi and appointed Zhao Gao.
痛哉言乎:‘人头畜鸣,不威不伐恶，不笃不虚亡’。	有人说得多么沉痛多么好啊，他说：“胡亥简直是个披着人皮的畜生，就像鬼使神差一样，如果没有权威他就不可能胡作非为；又如果他的罪恶不极度深重，那一个偌大的秦王朝也就不可能彻底垮台。”	Someone said with great sadness and kindness, 'Hu Hai is simply a beast disguised in human skin, like a ghost in the sky. Without authority, he could not have acted recklessly; and if his sins were not extremely serious, then the vast Qin Dynasty could not have completely collapsed.'
距之不得留，残虐以促期，虽居形便之国，犹不得存。	就如同一匹失控的马谁也拦不住，正是由于他的这种残暴才加速了秦王朝的灭亡。即使他占据着易守难攻的有利地形，也无法改变国破家亡的命运。	It is like an uncontrollable horse that no one can stop, and it is precisely because of his cruelty that the downfall of the Qin Dynasty was accelerated. Even if he occupies advantageous terrain that is easy to defend but difficult to attack, he cannot change the fate of national destruction and family decline.
子婴度次得嗣，冠玉冠，佩华线,车黄屋，从百司,谒七庙。	子婴是依照次序得以继位，他头戴王冠，身穿礼服，坐着帝王的车驾，带着满朝文武去朝拜祖庙。	Ziying succeeded to the throne in order. He wore a crown and formal attire, rode in the imperial carriage, and went to worship the ancestral temple with all the civil and military officials.
小人乘非位，莫不悦忽失守，偷安日日;	如果是一个小人，突然意外地坐到了这种位置上，那他肯定是恍恍忽忽，苟且偷安。	If it's a small person who suddenly sits in this position unexpectedly, then he must be groggy and trying to survive.
独能长念却虑，父子作权,近取于户牖之间,竟诛猾臣，为君讨贼。	而子婴则偏偏能谋略大事，他们父子协力采取断然措施，非常利索地一举歼灭元凶于门户之间，替始皇、二世讨伐了叛逆。	But Ziying, on the other hand, was able to plan big things. The father and son worked together to take decisive measures and swiftly annihilated the culprit between the gates, fighting against rebellion on behalf of the First Emperor and the Second Emperor.
高死之后，宾婚未得尽相劳,餐未及下咽，酒未及濡唇，楚兵已屠关中,真人翔霸上。	可惜的是，赵高被杀之后，子婴的亲戚朋友还没有来得及小加庆祝，饭还没有来得及吃，酒还没有来得及喝，反秦的军队便已经杀进关中，奉天承运的真命天子便已经来到了霸上。	Unfortunately, after Zhao Gao was killed, Ziying's relatives and friends had not had a chance to celebrate, eat, or drink before the anti-Qin army had already advanced into Guanzhong, and the true sovereign, who was mandated by heaven, had already arrived in Bashang.
素车婴组，奉其符玺，以归帝者。	于是子婴只好素车白马，颈上套着绳索，捧着玉玺去向刘邦投降了。	So Ziying had no choice but to surrender to Liu Bang in a plain carriage and white horse, with a rope tied around his neck and a jade seal in his hand.
郑伯茅旌鸾刀，严王退舍。	恰如《左传》所写的“郑伯以礼降楚，庄王也客气地为之退兵”一样。	just like what is written in the Zuo Zhuan: "Zheng Bo surrendered to Chu with courtesy, and Prince Zhuang politely withdrew his troops."
河决不可复壅，鱼烂不可复全。	河堤崩溃，无法再堵；河鱼腐烂，不能保全。	The riverbank has collapsed and can no longer be blocked; River fish rot and cannot be preserved.
贾谊、司马迁曰：‘向使婴有庸主之才，仅得中佐，山东虽乱，秦之地可全而有，宗庙之祀未当绝也。'	而贾谊、司马迁却责怪子婴说：“假如子婴能有庸主之才，能有一个中等材质的臣子相辅佐，即使东方乱套，而秦国的本土仍可以保全，祖先的祭祀也不至于断绝。”	However, Jia Yi and Sima Qian blamed Ziying, saying, "If Ziying could have the talent of a mediocre ruler and a moderately qualified minister to assist him, even if the East was in chaos, the local territory of Qin could still be preserved, and the worship of ancestors would not be cut off."
秦之积衰，天下土崩瓦解，虽有周旦之材，无所复陈其巧,而以责一日之孤，误哉!	他们不明白秦朝的衰败是长期积累的结果，等到整个国家已经土崩瓦解时，就算再有周公那样的能人，也只会感慨回天无力。如果用这个来要求刚刚执政不几天的子婴，岂不过于荒唐!	They did not understand that the decline of the Qin Dynasty was the result of long-term accumulation. When the whole country had already collapsed, even if there were capable people like Zhou Dan (the Duke of Zhou), they would only sigh with helplessness. If this is used to demand from Ziying, who has just been in power for a few days, wouldn't it be too absurd!
俗传‘秦始皇起罪恶,胡亥极’,得其理矣。	有人评论秦朝的问题说‘是秦始皇开始作孽，到胡亥更把它推向了极端’,这是合理的。	Some people commented on the problems of the Qin Dynasty, saying 'It was Qin Shi Huang who began to commit evil deeds, and Hu Hai pushed it to the extreme.' This is reasonable.
复责小子,云‘秦地可全’,所谓不通时变者也。	贾谊等责备子婴，说什么“秦国本土可以保全”,这就是所谓不明客观形势了。	Jia Yi and others blamed Ziying, saying that 'the Qin state's territory can be preserved', which is the so-called lack of understanding of the objective situation.
纪季以鄜，《春秋》不名。	春秋时纪国的诸侯把鄜邑献给了齐国，而《春秋》却肯定他的做法，对他不指名相称。	During the Spring and Autumn Period, the feudal lord of Ji State presented the town of Fu to Qi State, but the Spring and Autumn Annals affirmed his action and did not mention him by name (as a sign of respect).
吾读《秦纪》,至于子婴车裂赵高，未尝不健其决，怜其志。	我读《秦纪》读到子婴车裂赵高这一段时，总是称赞他的果断，欣赏他的用心。	When I read the passage in "The Annals of Qin" about Ziying tearing Zhao Gao apart by chariot, I always praise his decisiveness and appreciate his resolve.
婴死生之义备矣。”	我认为子婴的死与生都合于大义，没有什么可指责的。	I believe that Ziying's life and death were in line with righteousness, and there is nothing to blame him for."