周肖谓宫他
Zhou Xiao Had a Talk with Gong Tuo
【原文】
周肖谓宫他曰子为肖谓齐王曰肖愿为外臣，令齐资我于魏。”宫 他曰不可，是示齐轻也,夫齐不以无魏者以害有魏者，故公不如示有 魏。公曰：‘王之所求于魏者，臣请以魏听。’齐必资公矣。是公有齐，以 齐有魏也。”
【今译】
周肖对宫他说广您替我对齐王说我愿意到别的国家任职去为他做 事，让齐国帮助我谋求魏国的官职.”官他说不可以。这就是向齐国 表示您的卑微。齐国不会为了跟魏国没有交情的人而伤害跟魏国有交 情的人，所以您不如表现出跟魏国有交情。您说：”大王想让魏国替您 做什么事，我让魏国听从命令。’齐国一定会帮助您了,这样一来，您就 能赢得齐国，并通过齐国赢得魏国了
Zhou Xiao had a talk with Gong Tuo and said，“Please tell the king of the state of Qi that I want to serve in another state to work for him and have the state of Qi help me gain a position in the government of the state of Wei. ” Gong Tuo said, “That’s not possible. By so doing，you are showing Qi that you are powerless and indeed of no influence. The state of Qi will not pose a threat to those close to the state of Wei on behalf of those not close to Wei. Hence，you’d better pretend that you are close to the state of Wei. If you tell the king of Qi，‘If you want the state of Wei to do something for you，just tell me, and I will persuade it to carry out all your orders” the state of Qi will definitely support you. Then you will win over Qi, and also win over Wei because of your close relations to Qi. ”