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| 1. | The prime minister WángWǎn 王绾, the chief counsellor Féng Jié 冯劫 and the chief justice Lǐ Sī 李斯 returned this reply: | 丞相绾、御史大夫劫、廷尉斯等皆曰: Chéngxiàng Wǎn、yùshǐ dàifu Jié、tíng wèi Sī děng jiē yuē: 丞相綰、御史大夫劫、廷尉斯等皆曰: |
| 2. | “In the past the Five Emperors ruled over a thousand square li of territory, beyond which were the barons and barbarians. The barons were free to pay homage or not as they pleased, for the emperor had no control over them. | “昔者五帝地方千里，其外侯服夷服诸侯或朝或否，天子不能制。 “Xīzhě Wǔdì dìfang qiān lǐ, qíwài hóu fú yí fú zhūhóu huò cháo huò fǒu, tiānzǐ bù néng zhì. “昔者五帝地方千里，其外侯服夷服諸侯或朝或否，天子不能制。 |
| 3. | Now Your Majesty has raised an army of justice to punish tyrants, subjugating the whole empire so that all lands within the seas have become our provinces and counties and all the law-codes have been unified. This is something never before achieved, which not even the Five Emperors could match. | 今陛下兴义兵，诛残贼，平定天下，海内为郡县，法令由一统，自上古以来未尝有，五帝所不及。 Jīn bìxià xīngyì bīng, zhū cánzéi, píngdìng tiānxià, hǎinèi wéi jùn-xiàn, fǎlìng yóu yītǒng, zì Shànggǔ yǐlái wèicháng yǒu, Wǔdì suǒ bùjí. 今陛下興義兵，誅殘賊，平定天下，海內為郡縣，法令由一統，自上古以來未嘗有，五帝所不及。 |
| 4. | We have consulted learnèd men: in ancient times there were the Heavenly Sovereign (Tiānhuáng 天地泰皇), Earthly Sovereign (Dìhuáng 天地泰皇), and Supreme Sovereign (Tàihuáng 泰皇), of whom the last named was paramount. | 臣等谨与博士议曰: ‘古有天皇，有地皇，有泰皇，泰皇最贵。 ’ Chén děng jǐn yǔ bóshì yì yuē: ‘Gǔ yǒu tiānhuáng, yǒu dì huáng, yǒu tài huáng, tài huáng zuì guì. ’ 臣等謹與博士議曰: ‘古有天皇，有地皇，有泰皇，泰皇最貴。 ’ |
| 5. | And so we presume to suggest the exalted title Tàihuáng 泰皇 or Supreme Sovereign. Your Majesty’s commands should be known as ‘edicts’ (zhì 制), your orders as ‘decrees’ (zhào 诏), and you should refer to yourself as ‘our royal self’ (zhèn 朕).” | 臣等昧死上尊号，王为’泰皇’。 命为 ‘制’，令为’诏’，天子自称曰 ‘朕’。” Chén děng mèisǐ shàng zūnhào, wáng wéi’Tài huáng’. Mìng wéi ‘Zhì’, lìng wéi’Zhào’, tiānzǐ zìchēng yuē ‘Zhèn’.” 臣等昧死上尊號，王為’泰皇’。 命為 ‘制’，令為’詔’，天子自稱曰 ‘朕’。” |
| 6. | The king replied, “‘Supreme’ may be omitted and ‘Sovereign’ adopted with the title of ‘Emperor’ (dì 帝) used since ancient times. Let my appellation be Huángdì 皇帝, Sovereign Emperor. I approve your other proposals.” | 王曰: “去‘泰’，着 ‘皇’，采上古 ‘帝’位号，号曰 ‘皇帝’。 他如议。” 制曰: “可。” Wáng yuē: “Qù ‘Tài’, zhù ‘Huáng’, cǎi shànggǔ ‘Dì’ wèihào, hào yuē ‘Huángdì’. Tā rú yì.” Zhì yuē: “Kě.” 王曰: “去‘泰’，著 ‘皇’，采上古 ‘帝’位號，號曰 ‘皇帝’。 他如議。” 制曰: “可。” |
| 7. | An edict was issued and [the emperor’s father] King Zhuāngxiāng 庄襄 was retitled the Exalted Sovereign (Tàishàng Huáng 太上皇). The edict read: | 追尊庄襄王为太上皇。 制曰: Zhuīzūn Zhuāngxiāng wáng wéi tàishàng huáng. Zhì yuē: 追尊莊襄王為太上皇。 制曰: |
| 8. | “We [our royal self] have heard that in remote antiquity kings had titles but no posthumous appellations. The kings of later days not only had titles but after their death were given appellations based on their conduct. In other words, sons passed judgement on their fathers, subjects on their sovereigns. This is improper and we will not countenance it. Posthumous titles are herewith abolished. | “朕闻太古有号毋谥，中古有号，死而以行为谧。 如此，则子议父，臣议君也，甚无谓，朕弗取焉。 自今已来，除谥法。 “Zhèn wén tàigǔ yǒu hào wú shì, zhōnggǔ yǒu hào, sǐ ér yǐ xíngwéi mì. Rúcǐ, zé zi yì fù, chén yì jūn yě, shén wúwèi, zhèn fú qǔ yān. Zìjīn yǐ lái, chú shì fǎ. “朕聞太古有號毋謚，中古有號，死而以行為謐。 如此，則子議父，臣議君也，甚無謂，朕弗取焉。 自今已來，除謚法。 |
| 9. | We are Shǐ Huángdì 始皇帝, First Sovereign Emperor, and our successors shall be known as the Second Emperor (Èr Huángdì 二皇帝), Third Emperor (Sān Huángdì 三皇帝) and so on for generations without end.” | 朕为始皇帝。 后世以计数，二世三世至于万世，传之无穷。” Zhèn wéi Shǐhuáng dì. Hòushì yǐ jìshù, èrshì sānshì zhìyú wànshì, chuán zhī-wú qióng.” 朕為始皇帝。 後世以計數，二世三世至于萬世，傳之無窮。” |
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