建信君贵于赵
Lord Jianxin Was Very Powerful in Zhao
【原文】
建信君贵于赵。公子魏牟过赵，赵王迎之，顾反至坐，前有尺帛，且令工以为冠。工见客来也，因辟。赵王曰广公子乃驱后车，幸以临寡 人，愿闻所以为天下。”魏牟曰王能重王之国若此尺帛，则王之国大治 矣。”赵王不说，形于颜色，曰先（生）[王]不知寡人不肖，使奉社稷，岂 敢轻国若此？”魏牟曰王无怒，请为王说之。”曰广王有此尺帛，何不令 前郎中以为冠？”王曰 “郎中不知为冠。”魏牟曰为冠而败之，奚亏于 王之国？而王必待工而后乃使之。今为天下之工，或非也，社稷为虚 戾，先王不血食，而王不以予工，乃与幼艾.且王之先帝驾犀首而骖马 服，以与秦角逐。秦当时适其锋。今王憧憧，乃辇建信以与强秦角逐，臣恐秦折王之椅也.’
【今译】
建信君在赵国的地位很尊贵。魏国的公子牟路过赵国，赵王去迎接他，回宫后走到自己的座位旁，看见面前有一块一尺长的丝绸，就命令工匠用它制作一顶帽子。工匠看见有客人来了，就避开了。赵王说： “公子屈尊光临我这里，希望听听您关于治理天下的见解。”公子牟说: “大王如果能像重视这一尺丝绸这样重视自己的国家，那大王的国家就 会治理得很好了赵王不高兴了，并且在脸上表现出来，说先王不知 道我很无能，让我接管国家，我哪敢如此轻视我的国家呢？”公子牟说： “大王不要恼火，请让我解释给大王听听。”他说大王有这一尺丝绸， 为什么不让贴身郎中用它做帽子呢？”赵王说郎中不知道怎么做帽 子.’公子牟说广一顶帽子做坏了，对于大王的国家又有什么损害呢？ 然而大王一定要吩咐一个工匠去做。如今作为统治天下的工匠，如果 用错了人，国家就会化为废墟，先王得不到祭祀。然而大王不把这事交 给善于治理国家的人，却将国家交付给了宫内年轻英俊的男人。大王 的先王任用犀首治理国家并且让马服君赵奢辅佐他，来跟秦国抗衡。秦国当时不敢跟赵国交锋。如今大王速迷糊糊地任用建信君来跟秦国角逐，我担心秦国会毀掉大王乘坐的车子。”
Lord Jianxin was very powerful in the state of Zhao. When Childe Mou of the state of Wei passed through the state of Zhao，the king of Zhao went to welcome him in person. After they returned to the palace，the king approached his seat and saw a piece of silk about one chi long in front of the seat. He was about to order a craftsman to make a hat with it. But when the craftsman saw the guest arriving，he left. The king said, “You have condescended to come to my palace. Please tell me how to govern the world. ” Childe Mou said, “If Your Majesty attach as much importance to your state as you do to the silk, your state can be put in perfect order, ” The king of Zhao was not happy，which could be seen from his face. He said, “Our deceased sovereign knew that I am unworthy. But he still devolved the state to me. How dare I treat the state like that?” Childe Mou said, “Your Majesty，please don’t feel angry towards me. Let me explain it to you.” He then continued, “Now you have this small piece of silk, why not ask the Langzhong C referring to the title of a kind of court official) to make a hat for you with it?” The king said，“The Langzhong doesn’t know how to make a hat." Childe Mou said, “Although the Langzhong might make a mess of a hat，does that really cause any damage to your state? No. You can still appoint a craftsman to make the hat. But if the wrong person is appointed to govern the state, the state will be ruined, and the deceased sovereigns can no longer be sacrificed to with freshly killed animals. Nonetheless instead of appointing the right people to govern you state, you have devolved it to some handsome young men. Previously? in order to confront the state of Qin? your deceased sovereign appointed Xi Shou to govern the state and also asked Lord Mafu to assist him. At that time，Qin didn’t dare engage your troops. Now you are so muddle-headed that you have appointed Lord Jianxin to confront the powerful Qin for you. I am afraid that Qin will break your carriage,,，