陈牧:今合肥之役,破虏将军刘斌,九战九败,寡人甚忧之,先生何以教我?
萧凡:臣以为,合肥之役,守而勿失即可,不求胜但求拖住楚军,且臣已遗计刘斌,决肥水以灌之,大王勿忧也。
陈牧:先生之策甚善,然有伤天和,恐累及先生,寡人宁失合肥,不愿先生有损也。
chenmu:sirtaughtme。inthehefeiwar,thegeneralliubinlostmanytimes,iwasveryworried,sirtaughtmewhattodo?
xiaofan:ithinkthatinthebattleofhefei,itisenoughtoholdthecity,itwasmoreimportantthanvictorydraggingthechuarmy,andihavegiventhegeneralliubinaplan,finally,hewillopenthewaterwayandattackthechuarmywithwater。
chenmu:sir‘sschemesareverypowerful,butit‘ssosinisterthati‘mafraiditwillhurtyou,i‘dratherlosethetownofhefeithangethurtsir。
陈牧:谋必得,事必成,有术乎?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,谋度于义者必得,事因于民者必成,反义而谋,背民而动,未闻存者也,昔三代之兴也,谋必度于义,事必因于民,及其衰也,谋者反义,兴事伤民,故度义因民,谋事之术也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:planningwillsucceedandthingswillbedone,isthereanywaytodothis?sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithink,planningwillbebasedonmorality,ifthingsconformtopublicopinion,theywillbedone,againstmoralityandpublicopinion,thenplansandthingswillfail,thisiswhycountriesroseandfellinthepast,observingmoralityandconformingtothewillofthepeopleistheessenceofplanning。
chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人闻,圣人之为法度,不可使向背,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,以道治天下,非易民性也,因其有而条畅之,故渎水者,因水之流,产稼者,因地之宜,征伐者,因民之欲,能因即无敌于天下矣,故先王之制法,因民之性而为之节文,无其性,无其养,不可使遵道也,因其所恶以禁奸,故刑罚不用,威行如神矣,因其性,即天下听从,咈其性,即法度张而不用。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:iheard,thesagescreatedthesystem,butcouldnotviolatethebasicrules,what‘sgoingon,sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithink,governingacountryisnotaboutchangingthenatureofthepeople,rather,itistoadjustpoliciesaccordingtothenatureofthepeople,therefore,waterconservancyprojectsshouldbebasedonthedirectionofwaterflow,agriculturalproductionshouldbebasedonthesituationoftheland,warshouldbefoughtaccordingtothewillofthepeople,therefore,inlinewiththetimesandthewillofthepeople,talentisalwaysintheprocessofsuccess。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人欲备法驾,诣道坛受符箓,以接天神,可乎?先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为,天人道殊,卑高定分,不可相接,理在必然,今虚耗府库,疲弊百姓,为无益之事,将安用之,秦始皇欲求长生,今安在哉?
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人知过矣。
chenmu:iwanttobuildthedharmaplatforminordertoreceivetherevelationfromheaven,doesthatwork,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:ithinkthereisadifferencebetweenheavenandman,it‘sunrealisticforyoutowanttoconnecttogod,thereisnobenefitinspendingsomuchmoneyandusingsomuchmanpower,sowhatgoodisitforyoutobuildit?qinshihuangalsowantedeternallifebutwherehewasnow?
chenmu:sirisright,iwaswrong。