邹忌讽齐王纳谏 Zou Ji and the king of Qi

邹忌修八尺有余，而形貌昳丽。 zōu jì xiū bā chǐ yǒu yú, ér xíng mào yì lì.
Zou Ji stood more than eight chi tall and was strikingly handsome.

朝服衣冠，窥镜，谓其妻曰：“我孰与城北徐公美？” zhāo fú yī guān, kuī jìng, wèi qí qī yuē: “wǒ shú yǔ chéng běi xú gōng měi?”
One morning he put on his robes and cap, looked in a mirror and asked his wife, “How do I compare in looks with Master Xu from the north of the city?”

其妻曰：“君美甚，徐公何能及君也？” qí qī yuē: “jūn měi shèn, xú gōng hé néng jí jūn yě?”
His wife said, “You are very handsome. How could Master Xu match you?”

城北徐公，齐国之美丽者也。 chéng běi xú gōng, qí guó zhī měi lì zhě yě.
Master Xu from the north of the city was a handsome man of Qi.

忌不自信，而复问其妾曰：“吾孰与徐公美？” jì bù zì xìn, ér fù wèn qí qiè yuē: “wú shú yǔ xú gōng měi?”
Zou Ji did not trust his own judgement, so he asked his concubine as well, “How do I compare in looks with Master Xu?”

妾曰：“徐公何能及君也？” qiè yuē: “xú gōng hé néng jí jūn yě?”
His concubine said, “How could Master Xu match you?”

旦日，客从外来，与坐谈，问之客曰：“吾与徐公孰美？” dàn rì, kè cóng wài lái, yǔ zuò tán, wèn zhī kè yuē: “wú yǔ xú gōng shú měi?”
The next day a guest came from outside. Zou Ji sat talking with him and asked, “Who is better looking, Master Xu or I?”

客曰：“徐公不若君之美也。” kè yuē: “xú gōng bù ruò jūn zhī měi yě.”
The guest said, “Master Xu is not as handsome as you.”

明日徐公来，孰视之，自以为不如；窥镜而自视，又弗如远甚。 míng rì xú gōng lái, shú shì zhī, zì yǐ wéi bù rú; kuī jìng ér zì shì, yòu fú rú yuǎn shèn.
The following day Master Xu came. Zou Ji looked at him closely and judged himself less handsome; he looked at himself in the mirror and found himself far less handsome still.

暮寝而思之，曰：“吾妻之美我者，私我也；妾之美我者，畏我也；客之美我者，欲有求于我也。” mù qǐn ér sī zhī, yuē: “wú qī zhī měi wǒ zhě, sī wǒ yě; qiè zhī měi wǒ zhě, wèi wǒ yě; kè zhī měi wǒ zhě, yù yǒu qiú yú wǒ yě.”
That night, lying down and thinking it over, he said, “My wife calls me handsome because she is partial to me; my concubine does so because she fears me; my guest does so because he wants something from me.”

于是入朝见威王，曰：“臣诚知不如徐公美。 yú shì rù cháo jiàn wēi wáng, yuē: “chén chéng zhī bù rú xú gōng měi.
He then went to court to see King Wei and said, “I truly know that I am less handsome than Master Xu.

臣之妻私臣，臣之妾畏臣，臣之客欲有求于臣，皆以美于徐公。 chén zhī qī sī chén, chén zhī qiè wèi chén, chén zhī kè yù yǒu qiú yú chén, jiē yǐ měi yú xú gōng.
My wife is partial to me, my concubine fears me and my guest wants something from me; they all think I am more handsome than Xu.

今齐地方千里，百二十城，宫妇左右莫不私王，朝廷之臣莫不畏王，四境之内莫不有求于王。 jīn qí dì fāng qiān lǐ, bǎi èr shí chéng, gōng fù zuǒ yòu mò bù sī wáng, cháo tíng zhī chén mò bù wèi wáng, sì jìng zhī nèi mò bù yǒu qiú yú wáng.
Now Qi extends a thousand li and has a hundred and twenty cities. Every woman in the palace and every attendant favours you, every minister at court fears you, and everyone within the borders wants something from you.

由此观之，王之蔽甚矣！” yóu cǐ guān zhī, wáng zhī bì shèn yǐ!”
Judging from this, Your Majesty is very badly shielded from the truth!”

王曰：“善。” wáng yuē: “shàn.”
The king said, “Good.”

乃下令：“群臣吏民，能面刺寡人之过者，受上赏；上书谏寡人者，受中赏；能谤讥于市朝，闻寡人之耳者，受下赏。” nǎi xià lìng: “qún chén lì mín, néng miàn cì guǎ rén zhī guò zhě, shòu shàng shǎng; shàng shū jiàn guǎ rén zhě, shòu zhōng shǎng; néng bàng jī yú shì cháo, wén guǎ rén zhī ěr zhě, shòu xià shǎng.”
He issued an order: “Any minister, official or subject who can point out my faults to my face shall receive the highest reward; those who remonstrate in writing shall receive the middle reward; those who criticize in public and make it reach my ears shall receive the lower reward.”

令初下，群臣进谏，门庭若市。 lìng chū xià, qún chén jìn jiàn, mén tíng ruò shì.
When the order first went out, the ministers came forward with advice, and the gate and courtyard were crowded like a market.

数月之后，时时而间进。 shù yuè zhī hòu, shí shí ér jiàn jìn.
After several months, advice came in from time to time.

期年之后，虽欲言，无可进者。 jī nián zhī hòu, suī yù yán, wú kě jìn zhě.
After a full year, even those who wished to speak had nothing further to present.

燕、赵、韩、魏闻之，皆朝于齐。 yān, zhào, hán, wèi wén zhī, jiē cháo yú qí.
Yan, Zhao, Han and Wei heard of it and all came to pay court to Qi.

此所谓战胜于朝廷。 cǐ suǒ wèi zhàn shèng yú cháo tíng.
This is what is called winning a battle within the court.