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| 1. | Starting back, the emperor crossed the river at Jiāngchéng 江乘 and proceeded north along the coast to Liángxié 琅邪. | 还过吴，从江乘渡。 并海上，北至琅邪。 Huánguò wú, cóng Jiāngchéng dù. Bìng hǎishàng, běizhì Lángxié. 還過吳，從江乘渡。 并海上，北至瑯邪。 |
| 2. | Xú Shì 徐市 and the other alchemists who had gone sea to find magic herbs but failed after many years and much expense, told a lie to escape being punished. “The herbs are to be had on Pénglái 蓬莱,” they said. “But we were so harassed by monstrous whales that we could not reach the fairy isles. We would like to take some good archers with us so that when next we see the whales they can shoot them with repeating crossbows.” | 方士徐市等入海求神药，数岁不得，费多，恐谴，乃诈曰: “蓬莱药可得，然常为大鲛鱼所苦，故不得至，愿请善射与俱，见则以连弩射之。” Fāngshì Xú Shì děng rùhǎi qiúshén yào, shù suì bude, fèi duō, kǒng qiǎn, nǎi zhà yuē: “Pénglái yào kě dé, rán cháng wéi dà jiāo yú suǒ kǔ, gù bude zhì, yuàn qǐng shàn shè yǔ jù, jiàn zé yǐ lián nǔ shè zhī.” 方士徐市等入海求神藥，數歲不得，費多，恐譴，乃詐曰: “蓬萊藥可得，然常為大鮫魚所苦，故不得至，願請善射與俱，見則以連弩射之。” |
| 3. | The emperor dreamed that he had a fight with a sea god which had assumed human form. He consulted his scholars about this dream and they said, “The gods of the sea are invisible, but they may take the form of giant fish, sea-serpents or dragons. Though you have taken such care to offer prayers and sacrifice, this evil spirit has appeared. It must be driven away so that good spirits will come in its place.” |
始皇梦与海神战，如人状。 问占梦，博士曰: “水神不可见，以大鱼蛟龙为候。 今上祷祠备谨，而有此恶神，当除去，而善神可致。” Shǐhuáng mèng yǔ hǎi shén zhàn, rú rén zhuàng. Wèn zhānmèng, bóshì yuē: “Shuǐshén bùkějiàn, yǐ dà yú jiāolóng wéi hòu. Jīnshàng dǎo cí bèi jǐn, ér yǒu cǐ Èshén, dāng chúqù, ér shàn shén kě zhì.” 始皇夢與海神戰，如人狀。 問占夢，博士曰: “水神不可見，以大魚蛟龍為候。 今上禱祠備謹，而有此惡神，當除去，而善神可致。” |
| 4. | Then the emperor ordered sailors to prepare implements to catch a great fish, and he waited with a repeating crossbow for the monster to appear so that he might shoot it himself. He went north from Liángxié 琅邪 to Mount Róngchéng 荣成 but found nothing. Upon reaching Zhīfú 之罘, however, he saw some great fish and shot and killed one of them. Then he went westward, inland. | 乃令入海者赍捕巨鱼具，而自以连弩候大鱼出射之。 自琅邪北至荣成山，弗见。 至之罘，见巨鱼，射杀一鱼。 遂并海西。 Nǎi lìng rùhǎi zhě jī bǔ jù yújù, ér zì yǐ lián nǔ hòu dà yú chūshè zhī. Zì Lángxié běizhì Róngchéng shān, fú jiàn. Zhì Zhīfú, jiàn jù yú, shèshā yī yú. Suì bìng hǎi xī. 乃令入海者齎捕巨魚具，而自以連弩候大魚出射之。 自瑯邪北至榮成山，弗見。 至之罘，見巨魚，射殺一魚。 遂并海西。 |
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