文言文	现代汉语	English
太史公读秦楚之际，曰：初作难，发于陈涉；虐戾灭秦，自项氏；拨乱诛暴，平定海内，卒践帝祚，成于汉家。	太史公探究关于秦楚之际的记载，称：最先举义反秦的是陈涉；凭凶暴手段覆灭秦朝的是项羽；整顿乱世、铲除凶徒、安定天下，最终登上帝位、成就功业的是汉室。	On reading the accounts of the struggle between Ch'in and Ch'u, the Grand Historian remarks: It was Ch'en She who first began the uprising, the Hsiang family who with cruelty and treason destroyed the Ch'in, and the founder of the house of Han who dispersed the rebellion, punished the evildoers, brought peace to all within the seas, and in the end ascended the imperial throne.
五年之间，号令三嬗。自生民以来，未始有受命若斯之亟也。	五年之间，发号施令者便换了三回，自有人类以来，帝王受天命的更迭，从未有过这般迅速。	Within the space of five years the command of the empire changed hands three times. Since the birth of mankind there have never before been such rapid changes of rulership!
昔虞、夏之兴，积善累功数十年，德洽百姓，摄行政事，考之于天，然后在位。	往昔虞、夏的兴起，开创帝业的君王们都是积累善德与功业数十年，他们的恩德惠及万民，在处理政务时还接受了上天的检验，之后才正式登上帝位。	In ancient times, when Shun and Yü became rulers, they had first to accumulate goodness and merit for twenty or thirty years, impress the people with their virtue, prove that they could in practice handle the affairs of government, and meet the approval of Heaven before they were able to ascend the throne.
汤、武之王，乃由契、后稷修仁行义十余世。	商汤与周武王能称王，是因从其先祖契和后稷起，践行仁义历经十几代。	Again, when King T'ang and King Wu founded the Shang and Chou dynasties, they had behind them over ten generations of ancestors, stretching back to Hsieh and Hou Chi respectively, who had been distinguished for their just and virtuous conduct.
不期而会孟津八百诸侯，犹以为未可。	周武王讨伐商纣时，八百诸侯未曾邀约便在孟津会集，可周武王仍觉得推翻商纣的时机尚未成熟。	Yet, though eight hundred nobles appeared unsummoned to aid King Wu at the Meng Ford, he still did not venture to move.
其后乃放弑。	待到时机适宜，商汤才流放夏桀，周武王才诛杀商纣。	It was only later that he assassinated the tyrant Chou, and only after similar cautious delay that King T'ang banished the tyrant Chieh.
秦起襄公，章于文、缪，献、孝之后，稍以蚕食六国，百有余载，至始皇乃能并冠带之伦。	秦国兴起于襄公，文公、穆公时渐渐显露，至献公、孝公之后，逐步吞并关东六国，历经百余年，到秦始皇时才兼并六国。	Ch'in first rose to prominence under Duke Hsiang and achieved eminence under Dukes Wen and Mu. From the reigns of Dukes Hsien and Hsiao on, it gradually swallowed up the Six States until, after a hundred years or so, the First Emperor was able to bring all the noblemen under his power.
以德若彼，用力如此，盖一统若斯之难也。	像虞、夏、商、周那般以恩德滋养百姓，像秦国这样用强力吞并诸侯，都经长久经营才成功，原来统一天下竟是如此艰难啊！	Thus, even with the virtue of Shun, Yü, T'ang, and Wu, or the might of the First Emperor, it is, as one can see, an extremely difficult task to unite the empire in one rule!
秦既称帝，患兵革不休，以有诸侯也，于是无尺土之封，堕坏名城，销锋镝，锄豪桀，维万世之安。	秦始皇称帝后，忧虑战乱不会停歇，缘由是诸侯存在，因此他连一寸土地都没分封。拆毁了著名的城邑，销毁了天下的兵器，铲除了天下的豪强势力，他希望靠这些手段维持万世安定。	After the Ch'in ruler had assumed the title of emperor, he was fearful lest warfare should continue because of the presence of feudal lords. Therefore he refused to grant so much as a foot of land in fief, but instead destroyed the fortifications of the principal cities, melted down the lance and arrow points, and ruthlessly wiped out the brave and powerful men of the world, hoping thus to ensure the safety of his dynasty for countless generations to come.
然王迹之兴，起于闾巷，合从讨伐，轶于三代。	然而帝王基业的兴起竟始于民间，各地豪杰联合攻秦，其盛大的声势超过了夏、商、周三代。	Yet from the lanes of the common people there arose a man with the deeds of a king whose alliances and campaigns of attack surpassed those of the three dynasties of Hsia, Shang, and Chou.
乡秦之禁，适足以资贤者为驱除难耳。	往昔秦朝不分封诸侯、拆毁名城、销毁兵器等制度措施，反倒帮贤者扫除了推翻秦朝的障碍。	Ch'in's earlier prohibitions against feudalism and the possession of arms, as it turned out, served only to aid worthy men and remove from their path obstacles they would otherwise have encountered.
故愤发其所为天下雄，安在“无土不王”？	所以，高祖以平民身份愤然而起，成了天下的雄才君主，怎能说 “没有封土就不能称王呢”？	Therefore Kao-tsu had but to roar forth his indignation to become a leader of the world. Why should people say that one cannot become a king unless he possesses land?
此乃传之所谓大圣乎？岂非天哉，岂非天哉！	这不正是典籍中称颂的大圣人吗？这难道不是天意吗？难道不是天意吗！	Was this man not what the old books term a "great sage"? Surely this was the work of Heaven! Surely this was the work of Heaven!
非大圣孰能当此受命而帝者乎？	若不是大圣人，怎能在豪杰并起之时承接天命而称帝呢？	Who but a great sage would be worthy to receive the mandate of Heaven and become emperor?