Su Qin Had a Talk with Qi's King
苏秦谓齐王
Su Qin asked King Min of the state of Qi，“If both you and the king of the state of Qin address yourselves as Di，do you think other states in the world will attach more importance to Qin or to Qi?” King Min said, “They will attach more importance to Qin. ” “If you give up addressing yourself as Di，do you think other states in the world will love you or love the king of Qin?" King Min said，“They will love me and hate Qin in the meantime,，’ “If you both become Dis and unite with each other to attack other states, do you think it is more profitable for us to attack the state of Zhao，or the state of Song?” King Min said，“It’s more profitable to attack the state of Song," “If you unite with the king of Qin to address yourselves as Dis，other states in the world will attach importance to Qin but look down upon Qi. If you give up addressing yourself as Di，they will support you and hate Qin, If we attack the state of Zhao, it will not be so profitable as we attack the state of Song. So I hope that you openly give up the title of Di to comply with the wishes of other states in the world. Simply breach your agreement with Qin and don’t vie with it for power. Then you can take occasion to attack the state of Song. If you occupy Song, Yangcheng of the state of Wei will be in danger. If you occupy the area of Huaibei，the eastern areas of the state of Chu will be in danger. If you occupy the area west of the Jishui River，the area of Hedong of the state of Zhao will be in danger. If you occupy Tao and Pingling,the capital of Liang of the state of Wei will not dare open the gate. Hence, if you give up addressing yourself as Di，break your agreement with Qin and invade the state of Song at the same time, your state will gain more power and a higher reputation- Moreover, the states of Yan and Chu will submit to you，and other states in the world won' t dare act against your will. Thus your contributions can match those of Tang of the Shang Dynasty and King Wu of the Zhou Dynasty! Just respect the state of Qin on the surface, then make other states in the world hate it. This is the so-called ‘ trading a humble status for a powerful and honourable one ' I hope Your Majesty thinks about it carefully. ”
【原文】
苏秦谓齐王曰齐、秦立为两帝，王以天下为尊秦乎？且尊齐乎？” 王曰尊秦。”“释帝，则天下爱齐乎？且爱秦乎？”王曰：“爱齐而憎秦。” “两帝立，约伐赵，孰与伐宋之利也？” [“伐宋利。”]对曰广夫约（然）与秦 为帝，而天下独尊秦而轻齐；齐释帝，则天下爱齐而憎秦；伐赵，不如伐 宋之利。故臣愿王明释帝以就天下，倍约傧秦，勿使争重，而王以其间 举宋.夫有宋，则卫之阳城危；有淮北，则楚之东国危；有济西，则赵之河东危；有（阴）[陶]、平（陆）[陵]，则梁门不启。故释帝而贰之以伐宋 之事，则国重而名尊，燕、楚以形服，夭下不敢不听，此汤、武之举也！敬 秦以为名，而后使天下憎之，此所谓‘以卑易尊’者也。愿王之熟虑之 也!”
【今译】
苏秦对齐闵王说齐国和秦国的两个王都称帝，大王认为天下各 国会尊崇秦国，还是会尊崇齐国？”齐闵王说广尊崇秦国。”“如果放弃称 帝，那天下各国是热爱齐国，还是热爱秦国？”齐闵王说热爱齐国而憎 恶秦国。”“您和秦王都称帝了，相约一起进攻赵国，跟攻打宋国相比，怎 么做对齐国更加有利？”齐闵王回答说：“攻打宋国更有利^’“相约跟秦 王一同称帝，天下各国就会只尊崇秦国而轻视我们齐国；齐国放弃称 帝，天下各国就会热爱齐国并且憎恨秦国；攻打赵国不如攻打宋国对我 们更有利。所以我希望大王明确地放弃称帝来顺应天下各国的心意， 背弃跟秦国的约定，不要跟它争夺权势，而是利用这个时机进攻宋国。 占领了宋国，卫国的阳城就危险了 ；占有了淮北，楚国的东部地区就危 险了；占有了济水以西，赵国的河东就危险了；占有了珣与平陵，梁都的大门就不敢开启了 ^所以放弃称帝并且背弃与秦国的约定来进攻宋 国，国家就会威重而且能赢得美名，燕国和楚国就会迫于形势而服从， 天下各国没有敢不听从命令的，这就是如同汤和武王一般的壮举啊！ 名义上尊敬秦国，然后让天下各国憎恨它，这就是所谓的‘用卑微换取 尊贵\希望大王仔细谋划这件事！”