Wei Wen Had a Talk with Wei Ran
魏[文]谓魏冉
Wei Wen had a talk with Wei Ran and said,“ Have you ever heard about the statement of those states located east of Mount Xiao?” Wei Ran said，“No, haven’t heard about it. ” Wei Wen said, “Xin Zhang and Yang Wuze went to advise the king of the state of Wei，Lord Mengchang and Gongshu，and said, " We have carried the shrine of the Element of Wood on our carriages here to sign the agreement with the Majesties of your states. Thus there won’t be any problems caused by us at all. If we breach the agreementt please kill us. However, we arc still worried. The king of the state of Chu has entrusted his state to Wei Ran, and thus Chu and Qin are conspiring to attack our state together. This poses a severe threat to us, and we worry about it very much. ’ Now you are going to travel eastward lo the state of Chu to discuss launching an attack on our state together with it. Thus the words of Xin Zhang will prove to be true. By doing so, you will threaten your own undertakings. It would be better if you return to your own state，provide some benefit to Chu and observe Lord Mengchang's attitude towards you. If Qin rejects some wishes set by the states of Han, Wei and Qi, you can suggest that Qin grant their wishes, then you will win over these three states. If Lord Mengchang cannot meet the requirements of Xin Zhang and Yang Wuze, you can plead for them. Thus you will gain more power.
【原文】
魏[文]谓魏冉曰公闻东方之语乎？”曰广弗闻也。”曰辛张、阳 毋泽说魏王、薛公、公叔也，曰：'臣战，载主，契国，以与王约，必无患矣? 若有败之者，臣请挈领。然而臣有患也：（夫楚王之以X:臣请挈领然而 臣有患也J夫楚王之以其国依冉也，而事臣之主，此臣之甚患也。’今公 东而因言于楚，是令张之言为禹，而务败公之事也。公不如反公国，德 楚，而观薛公之为公也，观三国之所求于秦而不能得者，请以号三国以自信也；观张仪与泽之所不能得于薛公者也，而公请之以自重也.”
【今译】
魏文对魏冉说:"广您听说山东各国的议论了吗？”魏冉说：“没听说 过。”魏文说辛张、阳毋泽游说魏王、孟尝君和公叔说：‘我们已经用车 子装栽了木主来代表我们的国家与贵国大王订立盟约，一定不会有什 么变故的。如果破坏了盟约，请把我们杀了。然而我们却还有忧虑：楚 王把他的国家交付给魏冉，而跟秦国联合，图谋对我们的君主发动进 攻，这是我们非常担心的。’如今您要向东到楚国去跟楚人会谈，这就证 明了辛张等人的话是对的，并且一定会敗坏您的大事。您不如返回自 己的国家，对楚国施加恩惠，并且观察孟尝君对您的态度；观察韩国、魏 国与齐国对秦国有什么要求不能得到满足的，您就为它们提出来以取信于它们；观察辛张跟阳毋泽对孟尝君有什么要求不能得到满足的，您就替他们提出来以抬高自己的地位。”