司马错与张仪争论于秦惠王前
Sima Cuo and Zhang Yi Argued with Each Other Before King Hui of Qin
【原文】
司马错与张仪争论于秦惠王前。荀马错欲伐蜀，张仪曰:“不如伐 韩。”王曰请闻其说
【今译】
司马错跟张仪在秦惠王面前争论。司马错打算进攻蜀国，张仪说: “不如进攻韩国秦惠王说请你们陈述一下各自的理由给我听听
Sima Cuo and Zhang Yi argued with each other before King Hui of the state of Qin. Sima Cuo was going to attack the state of Shu,but Zhang Yi said:“We’d better attack the state of Han. ^ The king said, Please explain your viewpoints to me. ”
【原文】
对曰:“亲魏善楚，下兵三川，塞辍辕、缑氏之口，肖屯留之道，魏绝南阳，楚临南郑，秦攻新城、宜阳，以临二周之郊，诛周主之罪，侵楚、魏 之地。周肖知不救，九鼎宝器必出。据九鼎，按图籍，挟天子以令天下， 天下莫敢不听，此王业也。今夫蜀，西辟之国，而戎狄之长也。弊兵劳 众，不足以成名；得其地，不足以为利。臣闻：‘争名者于朝，争利者于 市.'今三川、周室，天下之市朝也。而王不争焉，顾争于戎狄，去王业远 矣
【今译】
张仪回答说我们亲近魏国，对楚国表示友好，派军队进驻三川，堵住糫辕和缑氏的要塞，截断通往屯留的道路，魏国阻断南阳，楚国逼 近南郑，秦国就可以进攻新城、宜阳，一直兵临东、西周城郊，声讨周国 君主的罪行，侵占楚国和魏国的土地。周国的君主心中清楚没救了，一 定会献出九鼎等宝物&我们占有了九鼎，掌握了地图和户籍册等记录， 胁迫周天子向各国诸侯发号施令，天下就没有敢不听从命令的。这是 一统天下的大北啊。至于蜀，不过是个地处偏远的西边的小国，是戎、 狄部落的首领。使我们的士兵疲惫、百姓劳顿去攻打它，既不足以扬名 天下，得到了那块土地，也不能带来很实惠的利益。我听说：‘争名要到 朝廷里去争，夺利要到市场上去夺。’如今三川和周王室是普夭之下的 朝廷和市场，而大王却不去争夺，反而争夺戎、狄这样的地方，这离成就 帝王大业相差太远了。”
Zhang Yi replied，u Wc can establish good relationship with the states of Wei and Chu. Then we can send our troops to Sanchuan to block the paths to Huanyuan and Goushi, and cut off the road's to Tunliu. Thus Wei will cut off the roads to Nanyang and the troops of Chu will approach Nanzheng. Then our troops can be sent to attack Xincheng and Yiyang， approach the suburbs of West Zhou and Ea,st Zhou, condemn the misdeeds of their sovereigns，and occupy some land of Chu and Wei. East Zhou's sovereign will realize that there is no hope for survival，so he will present us with the Nine Cauldrons and other treasures. If we possess the Nine Cauldrons, take control over the maps, household registers and other important documents, wc can force the Son of Heaven to i.s.suc orders to other sovereigns according to our will. No one will dare to act against us. This is the right action for unifying the whole world. As for Shu, it is nothing but a distant state located in the west. And it is also the leader of the Rong and Di peoples. If we attack Shu, we cannot make ourselves famous even though our officers and men might become exhausted. We will barely obtain any substantial advantages even though we might occupy its territory. As far as I know, ‘whoever wants to gain fame should serve in the government. Whoever wants to obtain profits should do some business in the market,，As for Sanchuan and the royal family of Zhou, they can be regarded as the ‘government’ and ‘market’ of the world. But Your Majesty doesn’t want to scramble for them. On the contrary, you pay much attention to the Rong and Di areas. If you want to unify the world, there will be a long way to go, ”
【原文】
司马错曰不然！臣闻之广欲富同者，务广其地；欲强兵者，务富 其民；欲王者，务博其德。三资者备，而王随之矣。’今王之地小民贫，故 臣愿从事于易。夫蜀，西辟之国也，而戎狄之也，而有桀、纣之乱。以 秦攻之，譬如使豺狼逐群羊也。取其地，足以广国也；得其财，足以富 民；缮兵不伤众，而彼已服矣。故拔一国，而天下不以为暴；利尽西海， 诸侯不以为贪。是我举而名艾两附，而乂有禁暴正乱之名,今攻韩 劫天子，劫天子，恶名也，而未必利也。又有不义之名，而攻天下之所不 欲，危！臣请谒其故：周，天下之宗室也；齐，韩、周之与闰也。周内知失九鼎，韩自知亡二川，则必将二国并力合谋，以因于齐、赵，而求解乎楚、 魏，以鼎与楚，以地与魏，王:不能禁。此臣所谓‘危’，不如伐蜀之完 也。"
【今译】
司马错说：“不是这样的。我听说：‘想要使自己的国家富足的，务必要扩大自己的领土；想要使自己的兵力强大的，务必要使百姓富裕起 来；想要成就一统天下的大业的，务必要具备博大的德行。这三点具备 了，就自然能随之成就一统天下的大血了/如今大王您的领土狭小，百 姓贫困，所以我愿意做一些更易于见到成效的事情。就说那蜀国，是个 偏僻的西方国家，是戎、狄这两个少教民族部落的首领，却有桀、纣时期 一样的祸乱。凭我们秦国的力量攻打它，如同驱赶豺狼去追逐羊群一 样。夺得它的土地，足以扩大我们的疆域；夺得它的财富，足以使我们 的百姓富裕起来；治理好军队，无需伤及百姓，蜀国就会降服了。所以， 攻克了这样一个国家，天下人也不会认为我们残暴；占有西蜀全部的财 富，诸侯们也不会认为我们贪婪。这样一来，我们一次动兵就可以名实 双收，而且又有制止暴虐、拨乱反正的美名。如今如果进攻韩国、胁迫 天子，就会背上恶名，而且未必有什么实惠。又有不义的恶名，去攻打 天下人不愿攻打的国家，太危险了 ！请让我陈述一下原委：周室是天下的宗室，齐国是韩国和周室的友好联邦,周室知道自己将要失去九鼎，韩国知道自己将失去三川，这两个国家一定会同心协力地对付我们，它 们会依靠齐国和赵国，并且向楚国和魏国求救。即使它们把鼎献给楚 国，把土地献給魏国，大王您也不能阻止。这就是我所谓的‘危险’。不 如进攻蜀国稳妥呀惠王说广好！我听您的了。“
Sima Cuo said, “I don’t agree with you. I have heard that if one wants to enrich his state，he should focus on enlarging his territory; if one wanl^ lo strengthen his military force，he should focu.s on enriching the people; if one wants to unify the world, he should focus on cultivating and improving his virtue. If one attains all these three qualifications, he can consequently unify the world. However，the territory of Your Majesty is small and your people are poor, so I want to start with something ca'sy. As for Shu, it is a state located in the west and is aUso the leader of the Rong and Di peoples. Nevertheless^ it \s in a great disorder as serious as that of Jie and Zhou J s times. Backed by the power of Qin, if we sent troops to attack Shu，it is the same as driving wolves to chase a flock of sheep. If wc occupy its land，our territory will be enlarged ；if we seize its wealth, our people will be enriched; if our troops are well trained, the people of Shu will submit to our authority without a casualty on our side. Therefore, even though we occupy this stale, people all over the world will not consider us as aggressive； even though we take advantage of it，sovereigns of other states will not regard us covetous. Thus we can both gain fame and obtain huge profits with only one military action. Moreover- we can gain a high reputation by overthrowing a tyrannical regime and putting the state in good order again. If we attack the state of Han and force the Son of Heaven to issue orders according to our own will, we will become notorious. And profits cannot be ensured that way. In addition, it is not righteous to do so. Attacking a state which is supported by all other states is dangerous! Let me tell you the reason please. Zhou is the imperial clan of the world. Qi is an ally of Han and Zhou. If Zhou realizes that the Nine Cauldrons will be deprived anyway，and if Han realizes that it will lose control over Sanchuan, these two states will take concerted action again,si us. Thus they will resort to Qi and Zhao, and ask Chu and Wei for help. Even if they present the cauldrons to Chu and cede their territory to Wei, Your Majesty cannot stop them from.doing so. That’s what I mean by ‘dangerous’，So it is safer to attack Shu, ” King Hui said， “Very good! I agree with you,”
【原文】
惠王曰;“善！寡人听子。’卒起兵伐蜀，十月取之，遂定蜀。蜀主更 号为侯，而使陈庄相蜀。蜀既属，秦益强富厚，轻诸侯。
【今译】
于是派出军队进攻蜀国，用了十个月的时间攻克了它，接着平定了 蜀国口蜀国的君主改称作“侯”，秦国还派陈庄做了蜀国的相国。蜀国 归服以后，秦国日益强大而且富庶，看不起其他诸候国了。
Finally the state of Qin dispatched its troops to attack Shu and occupied it ten months later. Then Shu was put in order. The ruler of Shu was re-entitled “Marquis”，and Chen Zhuang was appointed to be prime minister of Shu, After Shu submitted to Qin’s authority, Qin becamc more powerful and wealthy and looked down upon other states.