犀武败
Xi Wu Was Defeated
【原文】
犀武败,周使周足之秦。或谓周足曰何不谓周君曰广臣之秦， 秦、周之交必恶。主君之臣，乂秦重而欲相者且恶臣于秦，而臣为不能 使矣。臣愿免而行，君因相之。彼得相，不恶周于秦矣。’君重秦，故使 相往。行而免，且轻秦也，公必不免9公言是而行，交善于秦，是公之成 事也；交恶于秦，不善于公[者]，且诛矣。”
【今译】
魏国将军犀武被秦国军队打敗后，西周派周足出使秦国。有人对 周足说您何不对西周国君说"我到了秦国，秦国跟西周的邦交一定 会恶化，您的臣子中，有一个人跟秦国关系密切而JL想做相国，他将会 在秦国那里说我的坏话，因而我不能出使秦国啊，我愿意免去相国的 职位再前往秦国，您随之任用那人为相国。他得到相国职位后，就不会 在秦国那里敗坏西周了。’国君看重与秦国的关系，所以派相国前往。 相国临行前却被免职，那就是轻视秦国了，所以您一定不会被罢免的。 您说了这番话再去秦国，如果能跟秦国建立良好的关系，这就是您促成 的了 ；如果跟秦国关系恶化，国内那个与您为敌的人就会被杀头了。”
Xi Wu，a general of the state of Wei，was badly defeated by the troops of the state of Qin. After that, the state of West Zhou was about to send Zhou Zu to Qin on a diplomatic mission. Someone suggested to Zhou Zu, “Why not have a talk with the sovereign and tell him, ‘If I go to the state of Qin，I am afraid that the relationship between Qin and West Zhou will deteriorate. One of Your Majesty? s high-ranking court officials is very elose to Qin and covets the position of prime minister of our state. He is going to speak ill of me to Qin. So 1 cannot perform this ta^sk of going to Qin on a diplomatic mission. I wish to be dismissed from office before I leave for Qin. Then you can appoint that official to be the new prime minister. If he obtains this position. he won’t speak ill of me to Qin, ’ His Majesty attaches much importance to the state of Qin, That’s why he would send you, the current prime minister，to Qin, If you are dismissed from office before you leave, Qin will feel insulted. Certainly you won’t be dismissed. After expressing this point to His Majestyi you can leave for Qin. Thus, if West Zhou can build a good relationship with Qin, it will be considered as a great contribution of you. If the relationship between Qin and our state deteriorates, the one who is antagonistic towards you will be sentenced to death, ”