出师表英译

THE FIRST MEMORIAL TO THE KING BEFORE SETTING OFF FOR WAR

ZHUGE LIANG

Your humble servant Liang begs to say:
Our late king passed away before the great undertaking founded by him was half accomplicated.Now China is divided into three kingdoms.Yizhou is drained of its manpower and resources.This is a critical juncture of life or death for our country.Bearing the late king's special fovor in hearts,hte officials at court who guard Your Majesty dare not slacken in their vigilance and the devoted officers and soldiers at the front are fighting bravely disregarding their personal safety.They are now repaying to Your Majesty what they have received form the late king.It is advisable that Your Majesty should listen extensively to the counsels of officals in order to carry on the late king's lofty virtues,and heighten the morale of people with high aspiration.It is injudicious that Your Majesty should unduly humble yourself,and use metaphors with distorted meanings,lest you should block the way of sincere admonition.The imperial court and the Prime Ministe's Office are an integral whole.There should be impartiality in meting out rewards and punishments to officals from either administration.For both those who are treacherous and violate the law and those who are loyal and do some good deed,the same legally appointed officials should pass dicision on how to punish or reward. This will make plain the equality and sagaciousness of Your Majesty's rule.There should be neither prejudice nor partiality in Your Majesty's attitude towardes the officials inside and outside the court for fear that different laws be put into practice.
Shizhong GouYouzhi and Fei Wei as well as Shilang Dond Yun are kind and honest men with a strond sense of loyalty.The late king appointed them of your sake,and I respectfully opine that all political affairs at court,regardless of magnitude,be first subjicted to their inquiry before actions are taken.In this way can errors be amended,negligence avoided,and greater results attained.
General Xiang Chong is well versed in military affairs and is kind and just by nature.After evaluatiing his performance of a trial basis,the late king priased his talent ability.That is why officials have elected him to be commander-in-chief.I humbly suggest that military concerns,regardless of weight,be first met with his consideration.In this way will there be harmony among the troops,and men both capable and icapbale will each find his proper place in the camp.To be close to the virtuous and able officials and keep away from the vile and mean persons.That was the reason that the Wwstern Han Dynasty was prosperous.To be close to the vile and mean persons and keep away form the virtuous and able officials.That was the reason that the East Han Dynasty was collapsed.When the late king was alive and talked with me about these historical lessons,he used to hame a sigh in edtestation for Emperor Hun and Emeror Ling.
Shizhong,shilan

g,zhangshi and canjun are faithful,upright,and ready to lay down their lves for honor and fidelity.As your humble servant,I hope that Your Majesty will retain close ties to them and trust them.Then can the prosperity of the Han Dynasty be soon realized.
I was originally a commoner who had to wear clothes made of hemp,and tilled land in Nanyang.I merely managed to survive in times of turbulence and had no intention of seeking fame and possition from princes.With and utter disregard of my low social status and meager fund of knowlegde,the late king condescended to visit me at my thatched cottage three times to consult me about the current events of the country.I felt so grateful that I promitted to serve him.Soom afterwards since I received my assignment at the time of the setback and was dispatched as an evvoy at the moment of crisis.The late king knew my prudence,and entrusted me on his death bed with the duty of assisting Your Majesty in governing the country.Since then I have been worrying and sighing night and day lest I should do harm to the late king 's illustrious fame if I fail to be effective.I was thus umpelled to lead an army across the Lu River in May and went deep into the barren district.Now the whole south is under our rule and we have plenty of fighters and armaments.It is time to reward our army men and lead them nothward to conquer the Central Plains.Although I am inferior in ability like a worn out horse or a blunt knife,I would do my utmost to root out treacherous evildoers,rejuvenate the Han Dynasty,and move the capital back to the old city.I owe this to the late king and wish th demonstrate my loyalty to Your Majisty.
As for government affairs such as the augmentation or repeal of certain measures,or the broadening of the way to receive exhortations,they are the duties of Gou Youzhi,Fei Wei,and Dong Yun.
I hope Your Majesty would delegate to me the task of punishing the traitors and rejuvenating the Han Dynasty,If I should fail to achieve this,please punish me as to console the soul of the departed king.If Youzhi,Wei,and Yun fail to gather exhortations for the fostering of virtues,they should be held responsible for their negligence.Your Majesty should also make the most of your resources to solicit opinions on governing a countriy,to judge judiciously and accept good advices,and always bear in mind the imperial edict issued by the late king prior th his death.I this can be achieved,you will have my extreme gratitude.
I will be journeying far,and my eyes ar full of tears in writing this memorial upon my departure.I can hardly express what else I should say.