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| 1. | In the twenty-ninth year the emperor, travelling east to Bólángshā 博狼沙 in the county of Yángwǔ 阳武, was threatened by an assassin. A search was made for the man but he could not be found. Thereupon a ten days’ search was ordered throughout the empire. | 二十九年，始皇东游。 至阳武博狼沙中，为盗所惊。 求弗得，乃令天下大索十日。 Èrshí jiǔ nián, Shǐhuáng dōng yóu. Zhì Yángwǔ Bólángshā zhōng, wéi dào suǒ jīng. Qiú fú dé, nǎi lìng tiānxià dà suǒ shí rì. 二十九年，始皇東游。 至陽武博狼沙中，為盜所驚。 求弗得，乃令天下大索十日。 |
| 2. | The. emperor ascended Mount Zhīfú 之罘 and had the following [poetic] inscription carved on stone [near the top]: | 登之罘，刻石。 其辞曰: Dēng Zhīfú, kèshí. Qí cí yuē: 登之罘，刻石。 其辭曰: |
| 3. | BEGINNING OF THE POEM | |
| 4. | In the twenty-ninth year in mid-spring, the start of the sunny season, | 维廿九年，时在中春，阳和方起。 Wéi Niàn Jiǔ nián, shí zài zhōngchūn, yánghé fāng qǐ. 維廿九年，時在中春，陽和方起。 |
| 5. | The Emperor made a tour of inspection in the east, ascended Mount Zhīfú 之罘 and reached the ocean. | 皇帝东游，巡登之罘，临照于海。 Huángdì dōng yóu, xún dēng Zhīfú, lín Zhào yú hǎi. 皇帝東游，巡登之罘，臨照于海。 |
| 6. | His subjects, following in his train, think of his illustrious virtue and recall the beginning. | 从臣嘉观，原念休烈，追诵本始。 Cóng chén jiā guān, yuán niàn xiūliè, zhuī sòng běn shǐ. 從臣嘉觀，原念休烈，追誦本始。 |
| 7. | Under the Great’ Sage’s rule, laws were set down, principles made manifest. | 大圣作治，建定法度，显箸纲纪。 Dà shèng zuò zhì, jiàn dìng fǎdù, xiǎn zhù gāngjì. 大聖作治，建定法度，顯箸綱紀。 |
| 8. | He taught other states, shed the light of his kindness abroad to illumine the right. | 外教诸侯，光施文惠，明以义理。 Wàijiào zhūhóu, guāng shī wén huì, míng yǐ yìlǐ. 外教諸侯，光施文惠，明以義理。 |
| 9. | The six states, insatiable and perverse, would not make an end of slaughter, | 六国回辟，贪戾无厌，虐杀不已。 Liù guó huí bì, tān lì wú Yān, nüèshā bùyǐ. 六國回辟，貪戾無厭，虐殺不已。 |
| 10. | Until, pitying the people, the Emperor sent troops to punish the wicked and to display his might. | 皇帝哀众，遂发讨师，奋扬武德。 Huángdì āi zhòng, suì fā tǎo shī, fènyáng wǔ dé. 皇帝哀眾，遂發討師，奮揚武德。 |
| 11. | His penalties were just, his actions true, his power spread far, all submitted to his rule. | 义诛信行，威燀旁达，莫不宾服。 Yì zhū xìnxíng, wēi chǎn páng dá, mòbù bīnfú. 義誅信行，威燀旁達，莫不賓服。 |
| 12. | He wiped out tyrants, rescued the black-headed people, brought peace to the four corners of the earth; | 烹灭强暴，振救黔首，周定四极。 Pēngmiè qiángbào, zhènjiù qiánshǒu, zhōu dìng sì jí. 烹滅彊暴，振救黔首，周定四極。 |
| 13. | His enlightened laws spread far and wide as examples to all under heaven till the end of time. | 普施明法，经纬天下，永为仪则。 Pǔ shī míng fǎ, jīngwěi tiānxià, yǒng wéi yízé. 普施明法，經緯天下，永為儀則。 |
| 14. | Great is he, indeed! The whole universe obeys his sagacious will; | 大矣哉！宇县之中，承顺圣意。 Dà yǐ zāi! Yǔ xiàn zhīzhōng, chéngshùn shèngyì. 大矣哉！宇縣之中，承順聖意。 |
| 15. | His subjects praise his achievements and have asked to inscribe them on stone for posterity. | 群臣诵功，请刻于石，表垂于常式。 Qúnchén sòng gōng, qǐng kè yú shí, biǎo chuí yú chángshì. 群臣誦功，請刻于石，表垂于常式。 |
| 16. | END OF THE POEM | |
| 17. | The [other] inscription, on the eastern monument, was as follows: | 其东观曰: Qí dōng guān yuē: 其東觀曰: |
| 18. | BEGINNING OF THE POEM | |
| 19. | In the spring of the twenty-ninth year, the Emperor inspected distant parts. | 二十九年，皇帝春游，览省远方。 Èrshí jiǔ nián, huángdì chūnyóu, lǎn shěng yuǎnfāng. 二十九年，皇帝春游，覽省遠方。 |
| 20. | As far as the coast he went, and ascended Zhīfú to face the bright morning sun. | 逮于海隅，遂登之罘，昭临朝阳。 Dài yú hǎiyú, suì dēng Zhīfú, zhāo líncháo yáng. 逮于海隅，遂登之罘，昭臨朝陽。 |
| 21. | Gazing at that splendid view, his retinue recalled his illustrious ways: | 观望广丽，从臣咸念，原道至明。 Guānwàng guǎng lì, cóng chén xián niàn, yuán dào zhì míng. 觀望廣麗，從臣咸念，原道至明。 |
| 22. | At the beginning of his sagacious rule, he cleansed the state, punished tyrants beyond the border. | 圣法初兴，清理疆内，外诛暴强。 Shèng fǎ chū xīng, qīnglǐ jiāng nèi, wài zhūbào qiáng. 聖法初興，清理疆內，外誅暴彊。 |
| 23. | His growing might made earth’s four corners shake, destroyed the six princes. | 武威旁畅，振动四极，禽灭六王。 Wǔ wēi páng chàng, zhèndòng sì jí, Qín miè liù wáng. 武威旁暢，振動四極，禽滅六王。 |
| 24. | Then he unified all under heaven, uprooted evil, put an end to war. | 阐并天下，甾害绝息，永偃戎兵。 Chǎn bìng tiānxià, zāi hài jué xī, yǒng yǎn róng bīng. 闡并天下，甾害絕息，永偃戎兵。 |
| 25. | Great is the Emperor’s virtue! He rules the earth, tireless in his exertions, | 皇帝明德，经理宇内，视听不怠。 Huángdì míngdé, jīnglǐ yǔnèi, shìtīng bù dài. 皇帝明德，經理宇內，視聽不怠。 |
| 26. | And sets a standard of proper bearings and signs for all things; | 作立大义，昭设备器，咸有章旗。 Zuò lì dàyì, zhāo shèbèi qì, xián yǒu zhāng qí. 作立大義，昭設備器，咸有章旗。 |
| 27. | His subjects follow their respective callings, knowing their duties, acting without hesitation. | 职臣遵分，各知所行，事无嫌疑。 Zhí chén zūn fēn, gè zhī suǒ xíng, shì wú xiányí. 職臣遵分，各知所行，事無嫌疑。 |
| 28. | The black-headed [= ordinary] people are reformed; he surpasses the ancients and is free from errors. | 黔首改化，远迩同度，临古绝尤。 Qiánshǒu gǎihuà, yuǎn ěr tóng dù, lín gǔ jué yóu. 黔首改化，遠邇同度，臨古絕尤。 |
| 29. | All tasks are assigned, and later generations will follow his sagacious rule. | 常职既定，后嗣循业，长承圣治。 Cháng zhí jìdìng, hòusì xún yè, cháng chéng shèng zhì. 常職既定，後嗣循業，長承聖治。 |
| 30. | His subjects, delighting in his virtue and noble deeds, have asked that they be inscribed at Zhīfú . | 群臣嘉德，祗诵圣烈，请刻之罘。 Qúnchén jiā dé, zhī sòng shèng liè, qǐng kè Zhīfú. 群臣嘉德，祗誦聖烈，請刻之罘。 |
| 31. | END OF THE POEM | |
| 32. | Then the emperor returned to Liángxié, thence back to his capital by way of Shàngdǎng. | 旋，遂之琅邪，道上党入。 Xuán, suì zhī Lángxié, dào Shàngdǎng rù. 旋，遂之瑯邪，道上黨入。 |
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