魏文侯借道于赵攻中山
Marquis Wen of Wei Wanted to March Through Zhao to Attack Zhongshan
【原文】
魏文侯借道于赵攻中山，赵侯将不许。赵利曰过矣。魏攻中山 而不能取，则魏必罢，罢则赵重；魏拔中山，必不能越赵而有中山矣。是用兵者魏也，而得地者赵也。君不如许之，许之大劝，彼将知（矣）[赵] 利之也，必辍。君不如借之道而示之不得已。”
【今译】
魏文侯向赵国借道进攻中山国，赵侯不答应。赵利说：“错了啊。如果魏国进攻中山而不能战胜它，魏国一定会疲弊。魏国疲弊了，赵国的地位就会变得重要。如果魏国攻克了中山，它一定不能越过赵国而 拥有中山。这样一来，采取军事行动的就是魏国，而得到土地的却是起 国。您不如答应他。答应得太痛快，他将意识到这么做对赵国有利，必 定放弃进攻中山。您不如借道给他并且表现出迫不得已的样子。”
Marquis Wen of the state of Wei wanted the state of Zhao to permit his troops to march through its territory to attack the state of Zhongshan. The marquis of Zhao wouldn’t agree, Zhao Li told the marquis, “You are wrong. If the troops of Wei cannot defeat Zhongshan, the state of Wei will definitely become exhausted. If this is the case，our state will become more powerful and influential. If they defeat Zhongshan，they won’t be able to maintain the territory of Zhongshan because our state is located between these two states. Therefore? although Wei will launch an attack against Zhongshan, our state will obtain Zhongshan' s territory. You’d better permit them to cross our state to take military action. However，if you agree too willingly，they will realize that Zhao will benefit eventually. Thus they will give up the idea. It would be better if you give them the permission to cross our state to attack Zhongshan, but pretend that you have been forced to do so. ” .