《史记》名句选读

《史shǐ记jì》是shì司sī马mǎ迁qiān写xiě的de中国zhōng guó第dì一yī部bù纪jì传zhuàn体tǐ通tōng史shǐ，一共yī gòng一yī百bǎi三sān十shí篇piān，里面lǐ miàn的de很hěn多duō句子jù zi，到dào今天jīn tiān还是hái shi成语chéng yǔ。

The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, is China's first biographical general history, one hundred thirty chapters. Many of its lines are still idioms today.

项xiàng庄zhuāng舞wǔ剑jiàn，意yì在zài沛pèi公gōng。鸿hóng门mén宴yàn上shàng，项xiàng庄zhuāng舞wǔ剑jiàn助zhù兴xīng，其实qí shí每měi一yī剑jiàn都dōu对duì着zhuó刘liú邦bāng。

Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance; his aim is on the Duke of Pei. At the Hongmen Banquet his dance was entertainment, but every thrust pointed at Liu Bang.

释shì读dú：这zhè句jù话huà说shuō的de是shì，表面biǎo miàn做zuò一yī件jiàn事shì，心里xīn li想xiǎng着zhuó的de是shì另lìng一yī件jiàn事shì。两liǎng千qiān多年duō nián前qián的de那nà个gè饭fàn局jú，成chéng了liǎo中国zhōng guó历史lì shǐ上shàng有名yǒu míng的de暗àn藏cáng杀shā机jī。

Gloss: doing one thing on the surface while meaning another. That dinner two thousand years ago became China's famous hidden murder.

桃táo李lǐ不bù言yán，下xià自zì成chéng蹊qī。桃树táo shù李lǐ树shù不bù会huì说话shuō huà，可是kě shì人们rén men来lái摘zhāi果guǒ子zi，树shù下xià自然zì rán走zǒu出chū了liǎo一yī条tiáo路lù。

Peach and plum trees do not speak, yet a path forms beneath them. People come for the fruit and tread a trail on their own.

释shì读dú：司sī马mǎ迁qiān用yòng这zhè句jù话huà赞美zàn měi飞fēi将军jiāng jūn李lǐ广guǎng：真正zhēn zhèng有yǒu本事běn shi的de人rén不用bù yòng自我zì wǒ宣传xuān chuán，人们rén men自己zì jǐ会huì来lái。

Gloss: Sima Qian used it to praise General Li Guang: truly capable people need no self-promotion; people come by themselves.

人rén固有gù yǒu一yī死sǐ，或huò重chóng于yú泰tài山shān，或huò轻qīng于yú鸿hóng毛máo。

Everyone must die; some deaths weigh like Mount Tai, others are light as a goose feather.

释shì读dú：这zhè是shì司sī马mǎ迁qiān受shòu宫gōng刑xíng以后yǐ hòu写xiě给gěi朋友péng you的de信xìn里lǐ的话de huà。他tā选择xuǎn zé了liǎo屈qū辱rǔ地dì活huó着zhuó，就是jìu shì为了wèi le把bǎ《史shǐ记jì》写xiě完wán，让ràng自己zì jǐ的de死sǐ有yǒu重量zhòng liàng。

Gloss: from the letter he wrote a friend after his castration. He chose a life of humiliation to finish the Records, so that his death would have weight.

王wáng侯hóu将jiāng相xiāng宁níng有yǒu种zhòng乎hū！陈chén胜shèng起qǐ义yì的de时候shí hou喊hǎn出chū的de这zhè句jù话huà，意思yì si是shì：当dàng王wáng侯hóu将jiāng相xiāng的de人rén，难道nán dào天生tiān shēng就是jìu shì贵guì种zhòng吗ma？

Are kings, lords, generals, and ministers a breed apart? So shouted Chen Sheng when he rose in rebellion: are the great born to it?

释shì读dú：这zhè是shì中国zhōng guó历史lì shǐ上shàng第dì一yī次cì农民nóng mín起qǐ义yì的de口号kǒu hào。司sī马mǎ迁qiān把bǎ它tā写xiě进jìn史shǐ书shū，就是jìu shì承认chéng rèn了liǎo普通人pǔ tōng rén也yě能néng改gǎi写xiě历史lì shǐ。

Gloss: the slogan of China's first peasant uprising. By writing it into history, Sima Qian admitted that ordinary people can rewrite history.

燕yàn雀què安ān知zhī鸿hóng鹄gǔ之zhī志zhì哉zāi！还是hái shi小xiǎo雇gù工gōng的de陈chén胜shèng说shuō：小xiǎo麻雀má què哪里nǎ lǐ懂dǒng大雁dà yàn的de志向zhì xiàng？

How can swallows and sparrows know the ambition of the great swan? Chen Sheng said it while still a hired hand: small birds cannot fathom a great one's aim.

释shì读dú：别人bié ren笑xiào他tā一yī个gè种zhòng田tián的de还huán想xiǎng什么shén me大dà志zhì，他tā这zhè句jù话huà，就是jìu shì后来hòu lái起qǐ义yì的de伏fú笔bǐ。

Gloss: others laughed at a farmhand dreaming of greatness; the line foreshadows his later rebellion.

运yùn筹chóu帷wéi幄wò之中zhī zhōng，决jué胜shèng千qiān里lǐ之外zhī wài。刘liú邦bāng说shuō，这zhè个gè本事běn shi我wǒ不如bù rú张zhāng良liáng。

Planning within the tent of strategy, deciding victory a thousand li away. Liu Bang said: in this I am not Zhang Liang's equal.

释shì读dú：打dǎ天下tiān xià的de刘liú邦bāng公开gōng kāi承认chéng rèn自己zì jǐ不如bù rú手shǒu下xià。会huì用人yòng rén，比bǐ有yǒu本事běn shi更gèng重要zhòng yào，这zhè是shì刘liú邦bāng成功chéng gōng的de秘密mì mì。

Gloss: the man who won the empire openly admitted his inferiors were better. Employing people beats being able; that was his secret.

廉lián颇pō老lǎo矣yǐ，尚shàng能néng饭fàn否fǒu？老lǎo将jiāng廉lián颇pō年纪nián jì大dà了liǎo，别人bié ren问wèn他tā还huán能不能néng bù néng吃饭chī fàn，意思yì si是shì他tā还huán能不能néng bù néng打仗dǎ zhàng。

Lian Po is old; can he still eat? When the aged general was asked about, the question of his appetite meant: can he still fight?

释shì读dú：一代yī dài名míng将jiāng到dào了liǎo晚年wǎn nián，人们rén men只zhī关心guān xīn他tā还huán能néng吃chī几jǐ碗wǎn饭fàn。英雄yīng xióng也yě会huì老lǎo，这zhè句jù话huà里lǐ全quán是shì时间shí jiān的de味道wèi dao。

Gloss: a great general in old age is measured by bowls of rice. Heroes grow old; the line tastes of time.

项xiàng羽yǔ乃nǎi悉xī引yǐn兵bīng渡dù河hé，皆jiē沉chén船chuán，破pò釜fǔ甑zèng，烧shāo庐lú舍shě，持chí三sān日rì粮liáng，以yǐ示shì士shì卒zú必bì死sǐ，无wú一yī还huán心xīn。

Xiang Yu led his whole army across the river, sank the boats, smashed the cooking pots, burned the shelters, and carried three days of grain, to show his soldiers there was no way back.

释shì读dú：这zhè就是jìu shì破pò釜fǔ沉chén舟zhōu。项xiàng羽yǔ把bǎ锅guō砸zá了liǎo、船chuán沉chén了liǎo，士兵shì bīng们men知道zhī dào没有méi yǒu退tuì路lù，只能zhǐ néng拼命pīn mìng向前xiàng qián。巨jù鹿lù之zhī战zhàn，楚chǔ军jūn大dà胜shèng。

Gloss: this is breaking the cauldrons and sinking the boats. With no retreat, the soldiers fought desperately and won at Julu.

越yuè王wáng勾gōu践jiàn反fǎn国guó，乃nǎi苦kǔ身shēn焦jiāo思sī，置zhì胆dǎn于yú坐zuò，坐zuò卧wò即jí仰yǎng胆dǎn，饮食yǐn shí亦yì尝cháng胆dǎn也yě，曰yuē：女nǚ忘wàng会huì稽jī之zhī耻chǐ邪xié？

King Goujian of Yue, back in his state, lived hard and thought hard; he hung a gall bladder where he sat and lay, tasting it at every rest and meal, saying: have you forgotten the shame of Kuaiji?

释shì读dú：卧wò薪xīn尝cháng胆dǎn。勾gōu践jiàn战zhàn败bài以后yǐ hòu睡shuì柴chái堆duī、尝cháng苦kǔ胆dǎn，天天tiān tiān提醒tí xǐng自己zì jǐ记住jì zhu耻辱chǐ rǔ。二èr十shí年nián以后yǐ hòu，越yuè国guó灭miè了liǎo吴wú国guó。

Gloss: sleeping on brushwood and tasting gall. After defeat Goujian reminded himself daily of the shame; twenty years later Yue destroyed Wu.

廉lián颇pō闻wén之zhī，肉ròu袒tǎn负fù荆jīng，因yīn宾bīn客kè至zhì蔺lìn相xiāng如rú门mén谢xiè罪zuì，曰yuē：鄙bǐ贱jiàn之zhī人rén，不知bù zhī将军jiāng jūn宽kuān之zhī至此zhì cǐ也yě！

When Lian Po heard, he bared his back, tied on thorn branches, and came with retainers to Lin Xiangru's door to apologize, saying: a coarse petty man like me did not know the general forgave me so far.

释shì读dú：负fù荆jīng请qǐng罪zuì。老lǎo将军jiāng jūn廉lián颇pō背着bèi zhe荆jīng条tiáo上门shàng mén认错rèn cuò，两liǎng个人gè rén从此cóng cǐ成chéng了liǎo生死shēng sǐ之zhī交jiāo。这zhè叫jiào刎wěn颈jǐng之zhī交jiāo，也yě成chéng了liǎo一yī段duàn佳jiā话huà。

Gloss: carrying thorns to ask punishment. Old General Lian Po apologized at the door, and the two became sworn friends for life.

赵zhào括kuò自zì少shǎo时shí学xué兵bīng法fǎ，言yán兵bīng事shì，以yǐ天下tiān xià莫mò能néng当dàng。尝cháng与其yǔ qí父fù奢shē言yán兵bīng事shì，奢shē不bù能néng难nán，然rán不bù谓wèi善shàn。

Zhao Kuo studied the art of war from youth and spoke of battles as if no one could match him. He debated his father Zhao She, who could not best him, yet never praised him.

括kuò母mǔ问wèn奢shē其qí故gù，奢shē曰yuē：兵bīng，死sǐ地dì也yě，而ér括kuò易yì言yán之zhī。使shǐ赵zhào不bù将jiāng括kuò即jí已yǐ；若ruò必将bì jiāng之zhī，破pò赵zhào军jūn者zhě必bì括kuò也yě。

His mother asked why; Zhao She said: war is a place of death, yet Kuo speaks of it lightly. If Zhao does not make him general, fine; if it does, the one who ruins Zhao's army will be Kuo.

释shì读dú：纸zhǐ上shàng谈tán兵bīng。赵zhào括kuò书shū读dú得děi多duō，仗zhàng打dǎ得děi糟zāo。长zhǎng平píng之zhī战zhàn，四sì十shí万wàn赵zhào军jūn全quán军jūn覆fù没méi，赵zhào括kuò的话de huà成chéng了liǎo空谈kōng tán。

Gloss: discussing war on paper. Zhao Kuo read much and fought badly; at Changping four hundred thousand Zhao soldiers were destroyed and his words proved empty.

赵zhào高gāo欲yù为wéi乱luàn，恐kǒng群qún臣chén不bù听tīng，乃nǎi先xiān设shè验yàn，持chí鹿lù献xiàn于yú二èr世shì，曰yuē：马mǎ也yě。二èr世shì笑xiào曰yuē：丞chéng相xiāng误wù邪xié？谓wèi鹿lù为wéi马mǎ。问wèn左右zuǒ yòu，左右zuǒ yòu或huò默mò，或huò言yán马mǎ以yǐ阿ā顺shùn赵zhào高gāo。

Zhao Gao wished to rebel but feared the officials would not obey, so first he tested them: he presented a deer to the Second Emperor, calling it a horse. The emperor laughed: minister, you err, calling a deer a horse. He asked the court; some stayed silent, some said horse to please Zhao Gao.

释shì读dú：指zhǐ鹿lù为wéi马mǎ。赵zhào高gāo故意gù yì把bǎ鹿lù说shuō成chéng马mǎ，看kān谁shéi敢gǎn说实话shuō shí huà。不bù敢gǎn说话shuō huà的de人rén都dōu活huó了liǎo下来xià lai，说实话shuō shí huà的de后来hòu lái都dōu被bèi他tā害hài死sǐ了liǎo。

Gloss: calling a deer a horse. Zhao Gao deliberately mislabeled it to see who dared speak truth; the silent lived, the truthful were later killed.

蜚fēi鸟niǎo尽jǐn，良liáng弓gōng藏cáng；狡jiǎo兔tù死sǐ，走zǒu狗gǒu烹pēng。

When the flying birds are gone, the good bow is put away; when the cunning hares are dead, the hunting dog is cooked.

释shì读dú：鸟niǎo尽jǐn弓gōng藏cáng，兔tù死sǐ狗gǒu烹pēng。越yuè王wáng勾gōu践jiàn灭miè了liǎo吴wú国guó以后yǐ hòu，帮bāng他tā打dǎ天下tiān xià的de大臣dà chén文wén种zhòng就jìu被bèi逼bī死sǐ了liǎo。功臣gōng chén的de下场xià chǎng，常常cháng cháng就是jìu shì这样zhè yàng。

Gloss: bow stored when birds are gone, dog cooked when hares are dead. After destroying Wu, Goujian forced his minister Wen Zhong to death; that is so often the reward of great service.

天下tiān xià熙xī熙xī，皆jiē为wéi利lì来lái；天下tiān xià攘rǎng攘rǎng，皆jiē为wéi利lì往wǎng。

All under heaven bustle for profit; all under heaven hustle for profit.

释shì读dú：司sī马mǎ迁qiān说shuō，天下tiān xià人rén忙máng忙碌máng lù碌lù，都dōu是shì为了wèi le利益lì yì而ér来lái来lái去qù去qù。一句话yī jù huà说shuō透tòu了liǎo人间rén jiān的de热闹rè nao。

Gloss: the world's coming and going is all for gain, says Sima Qian. One line explains its bustle.

大dà风fēng起qǐ兮xī云yún飞fēi扬yáng，威wēi加jiā海hǎi内nèi兮xī归guī故乡gù xiāng，安ān得děi猛měng士shì兮xī守shǒu四方sì fāng！

A great wind rises, clouds fly on; my power now covers the land, I return home; where shall I find brave men to guard the four quarters?

释shì读dú：刘liú邦bāng当dàng了liǎo皇帝huáng dì以后yǐ hòu回到huí dào老家lǎo jiā，和hé乡亲xiāng qīn们men喝hē酒jǐu的de时候shí hou唱chàng了liǎo这zhè首shǒu《大dà风fēng歌gē》。打败dǎ bài项xiàng羽yǔ的de人rén，心里xīn li想xiǎng的de还是hái shi怎么zěn me守shǒu住zhù天下tiān xià。

Gloss: Emperor Liu Bang, back home victorious, sang this Song of the Great Wind while drinking with his neighbors. Even the man who beat Xiang Yu worried how to hold the realm.

桃táo李lǐ不bù言yán，下xià自zì成chéng蹊qī。

Peach and plum trees say nothing, yet a path forms beneath them.

释shì读dú：桃树táo shù李lǐ树shù不bù会huì说话shuō huà，可是kě shì人们rén men都dōu来lái摘zhāi果guǒ子zi，树shù下xià自然zì rán踩cǎi出chū了liǎo一yī条tiáo小路xiǎo lù。一yī个人gè rén做zuò得děi好hào，不用bù yòng自己zì jǐ宣传xuān chuán，大家dà jiā自然zì rán会huì来lái找zhǎo他tā。

Gloss: the trees say nothing, yet fruit-pickers tread a path below them. A person who does well needs no advertisement; people find their own way.

读dú《史shǐ记jì》读dú的de虽然suī rán是shì两liǎng千qiān年前nián qián的de事shì，可是kě shì一yī个gè个人gè rén物wù的de选择xuǎn zé、得失dé shī、遗憾yí hàn，跟gēn今天jīn tiān的de人rén并bìng没有méi yǒu两liǎng样yàng。

Reading the Records is reading about two thousand years ago, yet the choices, gains, and regrets of its people are no different from ours today.