六國論

By 詩詞

Lyrics - Practice Pronunciation
六國論 蘇洵

Six nations theory, and Suzhou.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

luk6
gwok3
leon6
sou1
六國破滅 非兵不利 戰不善 弊在賂秦

Six nations are ruined, non-military, badly fought, corrupt, and corrupt.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

luk6
gwok3
po3
mit6
fei2
bing1
fau2
lei6
zin3
fau2
sin6
bai6
zoi6
lou6
ceon4
賂秦而力虧 破滅之道也

And bribe is for the loss of the wicked, and the way of destruction.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

lou6
ceon4
nang4
lik6
kwai1
po3
mit6
zi1
dou6
jaa5
或曰 六國互喪 率賂秦耶

Or six countries are rotting in each other's lives.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

waak6
jyut6
luk6
gwok3
wu6
song3
seot1
lou6
ceon4
je4
曰 不賂者以賂者喪

He said, "The one who doesn't bribe the one who loses".

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jyut6
fau2
lou6
ze2
jyu5
lou6
ze2
song3
蓋失強援 不能獨完

We can't do this alone.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

koi3
sat1
koeng5
wun4
fau2
toi4
duk6
jyun4
故曰弊在賂秦也

So we're also bribing.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

gu3
jyut6
bai6
zoi6
lou6
ceon4
jaa5
秦以攻取之外

And the other side of the fence.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

ceon4
jyu5
gung1
ceoi2
zi1
oi6
小則獲邑 大則得城

The smaller ones got the big ones got the big ones got

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

siu2
zak1
wok6
jap1
taai3
zak1
dak1
sing4
較秦之所得 與戰勝而得者 其實百倍

The winners are actually 100 times more likely to win.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

gok3
ceon4
zi1
so2
dak1
jyu6
zin3
sing3
nang4
dak1
ze2
kei4
sat6
mak6
bui3
諸侯之所亡 與戰敗而亡者 其實亦百倍

And the deaths of kings and those who died in battle are actually a hundred times greater.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zyu1
hau6
zi1
so2
mou4
jyu6
zin3
baai6
nang4
mou4
ze2
kei4
sat6
jik6
mak6
bui3
則秦之所大欲 諸侯之所大患 固不在戰矣

And the desire of the foolish, and the desire of the kings, is not afraid.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zak1
ceon4
zi1
so2
taai3
juk6
zyu1
hau6
zi1
so2
taai3
waan6
gu3
fau2
zoi6
zin3
ji6
思厥先祖父 暴霜露 斬荊棘

The great-grandfather of the tribe of the Chaldeans, who had been exposed, cutting down thorns.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

soi1
kyut3
sin3
zou2
fu6
buk6
soeng1
lou6
zaam2
ging1
gik1
以有尺寸之地

It's a place of size.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jyu5
jau6
cek3
cyun3
zi1
deng6
子孫視之不甚惜

And it's not a shame for our children.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zi2
syun1
si6
zi1
fau2
sap6
sik1
舉以予人 如棄草芥

And it's like throwing away a pot.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

geoi2
jyu5
jyu5
jan4
jyu4
hei3
cou2
gaai3
今日割五城 明日割十城

Today, we're cutting five cities, tomorrow, we're cutting ten cities.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

gam1
mik6
got3
ng5
sing4
ming4
mik6
got3
sap6
sing4
然後得一夕安寢

And then one night,

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jin4
hau6
dak1
jat1
zik6
on1
cam2
起視四境 而秦兵又至矣

The soldiers were very good.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

hei2
si6
sei3
ging2
nang4
ceon4
bing1
jau6
zi3
ji6
然則諸侯之地有限 暴秦之慾無厭

The land of kings is limited, and the desire for violence is not satisfied.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jin4
zak1
zyu1
hau6
zi1
deng6
jau6
haan6
buk6
ceon4
zi1
juk6
mou4
jim3
奉之彌繁 侵之愈急

It's a very busy, very fast-paced area.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

fung6
zi1
nei4
pun4
cam1
zi1
jyu6
gap1
故不戰而強弱勝負已判矣

So the fight is over.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

gu3
fau2
zin3
nang4
koeng5
joek6
sing3
fu6
ji5
pun3
ji6
至於顛覆 理固宜然

And when it comes to overlap, it's okay.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zi3
wu1
din1
fuk1
lei5
gu3
ji4
jin4
古人云 以地事秦 猶抱薪救火

The old men have made the earth with their staffs, and Judah with his staffs, and with his staffs, and with his staffs.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

gu2
jan4
wan4
jyu5
deng6
si6
ceon4
jau4
pou5
san1
gau3
fo2
薪不盡 火不滅

The fire is never extinguished.

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san1
fau2
zeon6
fo2
fau2
mit6
此言得之

That's right.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

ci2
jin4
dak1
zi1
齊人未嘗賂秦 終繼五國遷滅 何哉

And the people of Zichri did not try to take bribes, and they destroyed five nations after them.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zi1
jan4
mei6
soeng4
lou6
ceon4
zung1
gai3
ng5
gwok3
cin1
mit6
ho6
與嬴而不助五國也

And the five countries that are not helping.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jyu6
jing4
nang4
fau2
zo6
ng5
gwok3
jaa5
五國既喪 齊亦不免矣

The five nations are both dead and united.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

ng5
gwok3
gei3
song3
zi1
jik6
fau2
min5
ji6
燕趙之君 始有遠略

The first one was a little bit of a mess.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jin3
tiu5
zi1
gwan1
ci2
jau6
jyun6
loek6
能守其土 義不賂秦

They can protect their land without bribery.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

toi4
sau3
kei4
tou2
ji6
fau2
lou6
ceon4
是故燕雖小國而後亡

So even though the country is small, it is still a small country.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

si6
gu3
jin3
seoi1
siu2
gwok3
nang4
hau6
mou4
斯用兵之效也

He also served as a soldier.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

si1
jung6
bing1
zi1
hau6
jaa5
至丹以荊卿為計 始速禍焉

The Sultan is the master of the 'Egyptian' era.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zi3
daan1
jyu5
ging1
hing1
wai6
gei3
ci2
cuk1
wo6
jin4
趙嘗五戰於秦 二敗而三勝

Five wins, two losses and three draws.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

tiu5
soeng4
ng5
zin3
wu1
ceon4
ji6
baai6
nang4
saam3
sing3
後秦擊趙者再 李牧連卻之

The next one hit the ground running, and Lee Ran-Dun turned.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

hau6
ceon4
gik1
tiu5
ze2
zoi3
lei5
muk6
lin4
koek3
zi1
洎牧以讒誅 邯鄲為郡

Shepherds and herdsmen.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

muk6
jyu5
zyu1
daan1
wai6
gwan6
惜其用武而不終也

And it's not over.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

sik1
kei4
jung6
mou5
nang4
fau2
zung1
jaa5
且燕趙處秦革滅殆盡之際

And when the leather is gone,

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

ceoi2
jin3
tiu5
syu3
ceon4
gik1
mit6
toi5
zeon6
zi1
zai3
可謂智力孤危

It's called intellectual solitude.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

ho2
wai6
zi3
lik6
gu1
ngai4
戰敗而亡 誠不得已

It was a battle to die.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zin3
baai6
nang4
mou4
sing4
fau2
dak1
ji5
向使三國各愛其地

And we're going to make three countries love their land.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

hoeng3
si2
saam3
gwok3
gok3
oi3
kei4
deng6
齊人勿附於秦

The Zhi people are not connected to the gang.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zi1
jan4
mat6
fu6
wu1
ceon4
刺客不行 良將猶在

The killer is dead.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

cik3
haak3
fau2
hong6
loeng4
zoeng3
jau4
zoi6
則勝負之數 存亡之理

The number of wins is the reason for survival.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

zak1
sing3
fu6
zi1
sou3
cyun4
mou4
zi1
lei5
當與秦相較 或未易量

When compared to or not easily measured,

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

dong3
jyu6
ceon4
soeng2
gok3
waak6
mei6
jik6
loeng6
嗚呼 以賂秦之地 封天下之謀臣

Cry out, and take a bribe in the land of the sea, and shut up the counselors of the underworld.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

wu1
hu1
jyu5
lou6
ceon4
zi1
deng6
fung1
tin1
haa6
zi1
mau4
san4
以事秦之心 禮天下之奇才

It's a wonder of the world.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

jyu5
si6
ceon4
zi1
sam1
lai5
tin1
haa6
zi1
kei4
coi4
併力西向 則吾恐秦人食之不得下嚥也

And in the west, I'm afraid the people are not eating the potatoes.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

bing6
lik6
sai1
hoeng3
zak1
ngaa4
hung2
ceon4
jan4
zi6
zi1
fau2
dak1
haa6
jit3
jaa5
悲夫 有如此之勢 而為秦人積威之所劫

The sadness is so powerful that it's a waste of time for the poor.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

bei1
fu4
jau6
jyu4
ci2
zi1
sai3
nang4
wai6
ceon4
jan4
zik1
wai1
zi1
so2
gip3
日削月割 以趨於亡

The sun is cutting and the moon is dying.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

mik6
soek3
jyut6
got3
jyu5
cuk1
wu1
mou4
為國者無使為積威之所劫哉

Woe to the king who is not a witness!

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

wai6
gwok3
ze2
mou4
si2
wai6
zik1
wai1
zi1
so2
gip3
夫六國與秦皆諸侯 其勢弱於秦

The six kingdoms and the six kingdoms are weaker than the six.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

fu4
luk6
gwok3
jyu6
ceon4
gaai1
zyu1
hau6
kei4
sai3
joek6
wu1
ceon4
而猶有可以不賂而勝之之勢

And Judah could win without bribe.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

nang4
jau4
jau6
ho2
jyu5
fau2
lou6
nang4
sing3
zi1
zi1
sai3
苟以天下之大

It's bigger than the earth.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

gik1
jyu5
tin1
haa6
zi1
taai3
而從六國破亡之故事

And the story of the fall of six nations.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

nang4
zung6
luk6
gwok3
po3
mou4
zi1
gu3
si6
是又在六國下矣

And it's in six countries.

Click each character to hear its pronunciation:

si6
jau6
zoi6
luk6
gwok3
haa6
ji6
About This Song

The song "" (The Discussions of Six States) by (Shi Ci) evokes a rich tapestry of historical reflection and lamentation concerning the fate of the six states during the rise of the Qin dynasty in ancient China. At its core, the song reveals the emotional weight of loss, betrayal, and the dire consequences of political corruption. It articulately examines how the reliance on bribery and collusion with the powerful Qin resulted in the downfall of the states, emphasizing a sense of tragedy that resonates deeply within the listener's heart, as the struggle for survival pits noble ideals against overwhelming greed.

The narrative unfolds through a critical commentary on the political dynamics among the six states and their collective failures against the relentless ambitions of Qin. The lyrics recount the historical events, expressing the lament of how each state, rather than uniting in strength, opted to bribe Qin for temporary respite. This choice ultimately led to their demise. The song serves as a sobering reminder of how disunity and self-interest can lead to catastrophic outcomes, revealing a compelling story of lost potential and the human condition in the face of tyranny.

Musically, the piece employs a traditional style, intertwining a somber melody with the profound weight of its lyrics. The lyrical techniques are characterized by parallels and contrasts, drawing sharp distinctions between the fates of those who collaborated with Qin versus those who resisted. The song utilizes historical allusions and poetic devices, enhancing its emotional complexity and depth. The rhythmic flow mirrors the narrative pacing and intensifies the urgency of the message.

Culturally, "" carries significant weight as it not only recounts a pivotal moment in Chinese history but also serves as an enduring cautionary tale about the consequences of moral compromise and the importance of unity against external threats. It connects contemporary audiences to the wisdom of their ancestors, urging reflection on themes of loyalty, sacrifice, and the responsibilities of leadership. Thus, it stands as a nationalistic reminder of the strength found in collective integrity, resonating with ongoing discussions about governance and the moral imperatives of society.

Song Details
Singer:
詩詞
Total Lines:
57