文言文	现代汉语	English
优旃者，秦倡侏儒也。善为笑言，然合于大道。	优旃是秦国的歌舞艺人，身材矮小。他擅长说笑话，但所说的话往往符合大道理。	Actor Zhan was a dwarf entertainer of Qin. He was clever at making pronouncements that were amusing and at the same time in complete accord with the Way.
秦始皇尝宴，天雨，陛楯者皆沾寒。优旃见而哀之，曰：“汝欲休乎？”	有一次，秦始皇举行宴会，天下起了雨。站在宫殿台阶下拿着盾牌的侍卫们都被雨水淋湿，冻得难受。优旃看到后，同情他们，问道：“你们想休息一下吗？”	One time the First Emperor of the Qin was holding a banquet when it started to rain. All the guards stationed with their shields on the palace steps were drenched and freezing. Actor Zhan noticed them and, feeling sorry for them, said, “Would you like a rest?”
陛楯者皆曰：“幸甚！”	台阶下的侍卫们都说：“非常希望！”	“We certainly would!” the guards on the steps all replied.
优旃曰：“我即呼汝，汝疾应曰‘诺’。”	优旃说：“等我喊你们的时候，你们要立刻答应‘诺’。”	Actor Zhan said, “When you hear me call you, you answer ‘Yes sir!’ as quick as you can.”
居有顷，殿上上寿呼万岁。优旃临槛大呼曰：“陛楯郎！”	过了一会儿，宫殿上众人向秦始皇祝寿，高呼万岁。优旃靠近栏杆大声喊道：“侍卫们！”	After a while in the upper part of the hall the toasts and cries of “Long Life!” began. Actor Zhan leaned over the railing and called out in a loud voice, “Guardsmen!”
郎曰：“诺。”	侍卫们回答：“诺。”	The guardsmen answered, “Yes sir!”
优旃曰：“汝虽长，何益，幸雨立。我虽短也，幸休居。”	优旃说：“你们虽然长得高大，有什么用呢，只能在雨中站着。我虽然长得矮小，却能幸运地在屋里休息。”	Actor Zhan said, “Tall as you are, it’s no good — you get to stand in the rain. But short as I am, I get to take things easy in here!”
于是始皇使陛楯者半相代。	于是秦始皇就让侍卫们一半人轮换休息。	With this the First Emperor gave orders for half of the guards to be relieved, and then to take their turn relieving the other half.
始皇尝议欲大苑囿，东至函谷关，西至雍、陈仓。	秦始皇曾经商议想扩大猎场，东边到函谷关，西边到雍县和陈仓。	The First Emperor once called for discussions on a plan to enlarge his hunting park so it would extend east to the Hangu Pass and west as far as Yong and Chen Granary.
优旃曰：“善。多纵禽兽于其中，寇从东方来，令麋鹿触之足矣。”	优旃说：“好啊。多在里面放养些飞禽走兽，如果有敌人从东方来侵犯，让麋鹿用角去抵触他们就足够了。”	Actor Zhan said, “Splendid! Then we can turn a lot of wild birds and beasts loose in here, and if any rebels try to come in from the east, we’ll get the deer and elk to butt them. That’ll stop ‘em!”
始皇以故辍止。	秦始皇因此放弃了这个打算。	The First Emperor decided to drop the idea.
二世立，又欲漆其城。	秦二世即位后，又想把城墙漆一遍。	When the Second Emperor came to the throne, he wanted to have the city walls lacquered.
优旃曰：“善。主上虽无言，臣固将请之。漆城虽于百姓愁费，然佳哉！漆城荡荡，寇来不能上。即欲就之，易为漆耳，顾难为荫室。”	优旃说：“好啊。即使陛下没有说，我本来也要请求这样做。漆城墙虽然会让百姓们愁苦耗费，但多好啊！漆过的城墙光滑无比，敌人来了也爬不上来。要是想做这件事，漆城墙倒容易，只是搭建一个让城墙阴干的棚子恐怕就难了。”	“Splendid!” said Actor Zhan. “Even if Your Majesty hadn’t mentioned it, I fully intended to make such a proposal. True, lacquering the walls may be some worry and expense for the people, but how nice they’ll look! Lacquer walls all slick and shining — when the rebels come, they’ll never climb ’em! But now about the work. The lacquering is easy enough. Only rigging a drying shed might be something of a problem.”