华（军）[阳]之战
The War in Huayang
【原文】
华（军）[阳]之战、魏不胜秦。明年，将使段干崇割地而讲。孙臣谓魏王曰魏不以败之上割，可谓善用不胜矣；而秦不以胜之 上割，可谓不能用胜矣D今处期年乃欲割，是群臣之私而王不知也。且 夫欲玺者，段干子也，王因使之割地；欲地者，秦也，而王因使之受玺。 夫欲玺者制地，而欲地者制玺，其势必无魏矣。且夫奸臣固皆欲以地事 秦。以地事秦，譬犹抱薪而救火也，薪不尽，则火不止。今王之地有尽，而秦之求无穷，是薪火之说也。”魏王曰广善。虽然，吾已许秦矣，不可 以革也。”对曰：“王独不见夫博者之用枭邪？欲食则食，欲握则握^今 君劫于群臣而许秦，因曰‘不可革、何用智之不若枭也？”魏王曰善。” 乃按其行。
【今译】
秦军和魏军在华阳交战的时候，魏国的军队没有战胜秦国的军队。 第二年，魏王准备派段干崇割让土地给秦国并同它讲和。孙臣对魏王 说魏国没有因为战敗而马上割让土地，可以称得上是善于对付战敗 的局势了；秦国没有因为战胜而马上就索要土地，可以称得上是不能利 用战胜的局脊了。如今过了一年了还想割让土地，这是群臣的私心而 且大王也不够英明啊。再说想得到官印的是段干崇，大王便派他割让 土地；想得到土地的是秦国，而大王便让秦授予段干崇官印。想得到官 印的控制着土地，想得到土地的控制着官印，这样一来，魏国势必要灭 亡了。再说，奸&本来都想拿我们的土地来侍奉秦国^拿土地来待本秦国，如同抱着柴禾去救火，柴禾不烧完，火就不会熄灭。如今大王的土 地是有限的，然而秦国的贪欲是无穷的，这就是抱着柴禾去救火。”魏王 说说得好。即使如此，我已经答应给秦国土地了，不可以更改的。”孙 臣回答说大王难道没有看见賭博的人使用枭子吗？想吃子就吃子， 想握在手里就握在手里。如今您受到群臣的胁迫而答应了秦国，就说 不可以更改，怎么您运用智谋还不如赌博的人运用枭子呢？”魏王说: “说得好。”于是放弃让段干崇出使秦国。
During the war in Huayang, the troops of the state of Wei could not defeat those of the state of Qin, The next year， Wei，s king was going to send Duangan Chong as an emissary to cede some land to Qin and make peace with it. Sun Chen told the king of Wei, “Wei didnJ t cede any land to Qin immediately after our troops were defeated. That means we could make good use of our loss, Qin didn91 asked for land immediately after its troops won the war* That means it could not make good use of its victory. Now you are going to cede some land to Qin after a year. That’s nothing but the selfish wish of the court officials and the rashness of Your Majesty, The one who wants an official stamp (referring to longing for a high position) is Duangan Chong. And you are sending him to cede the land. The state which wants the land is Qin, and you are letting it present the official stamp to Duangan Chong. Therefore，the one who wants the official stamp will take control of the land，and the state which wants the land will take control of the official stamp. As a result, the state of Wei will definitely be ruined. In addition，it's natural that evil court officials want to establish good relationship with Qin by ceding some land to it. Ceding land to establish good relationship with Qin is somewhat the same as carrying firewood to fight a fire. The fire cannot be put out untill all the firewood is burnt up. The territory of Your Majesty is limited，but the rapacity of Qin is endless. It will keep on asking for land from us. ” The king of Wei said，“Very good. Although I agree with what you said，I have already promised Qin that I would give it the land, so we cannot change our minds now. ” Sun Chen replied，“Haven’t you seen gamblers using Xiao? If they want to knock over a chessman，they will knock it over with the Xiao, If they want to take it in their hands，they will take it in the hands. Now you were coerced by the court officials and therefore promised to give some land to Qin, and you also don’t want to change your mind. Why are you not as wise as those gamblers!” The king said，“Very good.，，He then stopped Duangan Chong going to Qin.