齐魏争燕
Qi and Wei Vied with Each Other in Winning Over Yan
【原文】
齐、魏争燕。齐谓燕王曰吾得赵矣。”魏亦谓燕王吾得赵矣。”燕无以决之，而未有适予也。苏子谓燕相曰臣闻辞卑而币重者， 失天下者也;辞倨而币薄者，得天下者也。今魏之辞倨而币薄。”燕因合 于魏，得赵，齐遂北矣。
【今译】
齐国和魏国争相跟燕国结盟。齐国派人对燕王说我们争取到赵国了。”魏国也派人对燕王说广我们争取到赵国了。”燕王无从决断，不知道该怎么办。苏子对燕国的相国说我听说言辞谦虚而且礼金丰厚 的，是失掉夭下的；言辞傲慢而且礼金少的，是得到天下的。现在魏国 的言辞傲慢而且礼金少。”于是燕国就和魏国结盟，争取到赵国，于是齐军败北。
The state of Qi and the state of Wei vied with each other in winning over the state of Yan. Qin sent a messenger to inform the king of Yan，“We have already won over the state of Zhao.” Wei also sent a messenger to inform the king of Yan /'We have already won over the state of Zhao. ” The king of Yan could not make a decision on which state he should choose as his ally. Suzi had a talk with the prime minister of the state of Yan and said，“I heard that a state begging to ally with another state with humble words and generous monetary gifts is the one that has lost the support of other states of the world. On the other hand, a state begging to ally with another state with arrogant words and a small amount of monetary gift is the one that has already won over the support of other states in the world, I found that Wei’s messenger was more arrogant and he presented less monetary gift. ” Yan then allied with the state of Wei and won over the state of Zhao, After that, they defeated the troops of the state of Qi.