或谓韩公仲
Someone Had a Talk with Gongzhong of Han
【原文】
或谓韩公仲曰广夫孪子之相似_者，唯其母知之而已；利害之相似 者，唯智者知之而已。今公国，其利害之相似，正如孪子之相似也。得 以其道为之，则主尊而身安；不得其道，则主卑而身危。今秦、魏之和 成，而非公适束之，则韩必谋矣。若韩随魏以善秦，是为魏从也，则韩轻 矣，主卑矣。秦已善韩，必将欲置其所爱信者，令用事于韩以完之，是公 危矣。今公与安成君为秦、魏之和，成固为福，不成亦为福。秦、魏之和成而公适束之，是韩为秦、魏之门户也，是韩重而主尊矣。安成君东重 于魏，而西贵于秦，操右契而为公责德于秦、魏之主，裂地而为诸侯，公 之事也。若夫安韩、魏而终身相，公之下服，此主尊而身安矣。秦、魏不 终相听者也。齐怒于不得魏，必欲善韩以塞魏.魏不听秦，必务善韩以 备秦，是公择布而割也。秦、魏和，则两国德公；不和，则两国争事公。 所谓成为福，不成亦为福者也,愿公之无疑也。”
【今译】
有人对韩国的公仲说：“孪生兄弟之间很相似，只有他们的母亲能 够分辨出他们而已；利与害之间很相似，只有智者知道两者之间的区别 而已。如今您的国家的利与害的相似，正如.孪生兄弟的相似一般。能 用正确的方式治理国家，君主就会尊责而且平安；不用正确的方式来治 理它，君主就会卑微而且会有生命危险。如今秦国和魏国之间的讲和 如果成功了，而且并非您亲自主持的，它们就一定会图谋韩国。假如韩 国追随魏国来亲善秦国，就是做了魏国的附庸，韩国的地位就降低了， 君主也会卑微。秦国跟韩国友善以后，一定想安置自己的亲信，让他们 执掌韩国政事来完成秦国的心愿，这样一来，您就危险了。现在假如您跟安成君一起促成秦国和魏国的结盟，成了固然是件好事，不成也是件好事。秦国和魏国结盟成功而且又是您亲自主持的，这样韩国就能够 左右秦国和魏国了，这样一来，韩国的地位就会显赫而且君主会尊贵。 安成君在东方掌握魏国的大权，在西方受到秦国的尊崇，拿着债券要求 秦国和魏国的君主报答您，赏踢给您土地并且封侯，这是您的事啊。至 于安定韩国和魏国并且终身做这两个国家的相国，您的地位处于一人 之下，这样一来，您的君主尊责而且您自己也会平安。秦国和魏国不能 一直互相亲善，齐国恼怒于魏国不跟自己亲善，一定想争取韩国来遏制 魏国；魏国不听从秦国的，一定会致力于争取韩国来防备秦国，那您就 可以像任意割裂布匹般选择自己的盟国了。秦国和魏国能够联合起 来，这两个国家就都会感激您；它们不能联合起来，两个国家就会争相 侍奉您。所以说秦国和魏国之间联合成功是福分，不成功也是福分啊。希望您不要怀疑。”
Somone had a talk with Gongzhong of the state of Han and said, “Twins look so much alike that only the mother can differentiate between the two of them. Advantages and disadvantages appear so similar to each other that only wise people can differentiate between them. Now the advantages and disadvantages to your state appear very similar, just like twins extremely similar to each other. If you govern the state correctly，your sovereign will become honourable and safe. If you govern the state wrongly，your state will become powerless and find itself in danger. Now if the state of Qin and the state of Wei can build an alliance with each other, but you are not the one presiding over the making of the alliance， they will scheme against your state. If your state follow the state of Wei to hobnob with the state of Qin, it will become nothing but a dependency of Wei，and therefore, your sovereign will become less powerful. After establishing good relations with the state of Han, the king of the state of Qin will definitely force you to employ his beloved ones to manage your government affairs and thus fulfil his own wishes. As a result, you will be in danger. Now if you unite with Lord Ancheng to arrange for the state of Qin and the state of Wei to build an alliance with each other, it will be good for you whether or not the alliance succeeds. If you can successfully arrange for Qin and Wei to build an alliance with each other, you can easily manipulate Qin and Wei. As a result, your state will become more influential and your sovereign will become more powerful and honoured. Lord Ancheng will hold powerful positions in the state of Wei in the east and be respected by the state of Qin in the west. Then he can demand that the sovereigns of Qin and Wei pay back the favours you have done them. As a result，they will confer some land on you and might invest you as lord, That’s good for you if this is the case. If you can safeguard both the state of Han and the state of Wei and be prime minister of these two states during your lifetime, you will only be inferior to the sovereigns of these two states. So your sovereigns will become both honoured and secure. If Qin and Wei don’t maintain good relations with each other, Qin will become angry towards Wei due to its defection. Therefore, it will win over the state of Han to dominate the state of Wei, If Wei refuses to yield to Qin, it will definitely try to establish good relations with Han to confront the state of Qin. In this case, you can choose your ally according to your own will just like selecting your favourite clothes. If Qin and Wei build an alliance with each other，they will both be grateful to you. If not, they will vie with each other in winning you over. That’s why I said it is good for you whether these two states build an alliance with each other or not. I hope that you don’ t have any doubts over this.”