奉阳君李兑甚不取于苏秦
Li Dui，or Lord Fengyang Thought Nothing of Su Qin
【原文】
奉阳君李兑甚不取于苏秦。苏秦在燕，李兑因为苏秦谓奉阳君曰: “齐、燕离则赵重，齐、燕合则赵轻。今君之齐，非赵之利也。臣窃为君 不取也！”
【今译】
奉阳君李兑对苏秦非常不屑。苏秦在燕国，有人趁机为苏秦游说 奉阳君说齐国和燕国互相疏远，赵国的地位就变得重要了 ；齐国和燕国互相联合，赵国的地位就会降低了。如今您主张燕国跟赵国结交，对 赵国是不利的。我私下认为您这么做是不可取的
Li Dui，also known as Lord Fengyang，thought nothing of Su Qin. When Su Qin was in the state of Yan，on his behalf, someone had a talk with Lord Fengyang and said，“If the state of Qi and the state of Yan remain estranged from each other, the state of Zhao will become more powerful and influential. If the state of Qi and the state of Yan build an alliance with each other, the state of Zhao will become less powerful and influential. Now you are facilitating the state of Yan in allying with the state of Qi. This is not advantageous to your slate. I personally don’t think it is wise of you to do that. ”
【原文】
奉阳君曰何吾合燕于齐？”对曰夫制（于）燕者，苏子也。而燕， 弱国也，东不如齐，西不如赵，岂能东无齐、西无赵哉？而君甚不善苏秦，苏秦能抱弱燕而孤于天下哉？是驱燕而使合于齐也。且燕，亡国之 余也，其以权立，以重外，以事贵。故为君计，善苏秦则取[之]，不善亦 取之，以疑燕、齐。燕、齐疑，则赵重矣。齐王疑苏秦，则君多资
【今译】
奉阳君说我怎么让燕国跟齐国联合了？ ”那人回答说控制燕国 的是苏秦。然而燕国是个弱小的国家，向东比不上齐国，向西比不上赵国，怎能同时在东方失去齐国、在西方失去赵国呢？然而您对苏秦非常不友好，苏秦哪能守着弱小的燕国而让天下各国把自己孤立起来呢? 这样一来，就是驱赶着燕国跟齐国联合啊。再说燕国，是被摧毁后残存 下来的国家，采用权宜之计拥立君主，注重跟其他国家的结交，侍奉掌 握重权的人。所以为您考虑，跟苏秦关系好也跟他结交，关系不好也跟 他结交，来让燕国和齐国之间亙相猜疑。燕国和齐国互相猜疑，赵国的 地位就会变得重要了。齐王怀疑苏秦，对您的好处就太多了。”
Lord Fengyang said，“Why do you say that I am facilitating the state of Yan in allying with the state of Qi?” The man replied, “Su Qin is taking control of the state of Yan. And Yan is a weak state. It is not as strong as the state of Qi in the east, nor is it as strong as the state of Zhao in the west. How can it survive without being backed by Qi from the east and Zhao from the west? Now you are very unfriendly to Su Qin, How can Su Qin safeguard the weak Yan alone when it is isolated by other states of the world? This is driving the state of Yan to ally with the state of Qi. Moreover，Yan survived after a failure. Its people enthroned the current king of Yan out of expediency. Hence，Yan must attach importance to allying with other states as well as winning over powerful and influential people. So, for your sake, you should befriend Su Qin whether you like him or not. Thus you can make the state of Yan and the state of Qi suspicious of each other. As a result, your state will become more powerful and influential. If the king of the state of Qi is distrustful towards Su Qin, it is very good for you, ”
【原文】
奉阳君曰善。”乃使使与苏秦结交。
【今译】
奉阳君说广好。”于是派出使者跟苏秦结交。
Lord Fengyang said, “Very good.” Then he sent someone to see Su Qin to express his wish to befriend him.