海大魚
The Sea-monster.
[^the] sea-big-fish (^sea\-monster).
靖郭君爲齊相。
Ching Kuo-chün was a minister of the Ch'i state.
a_name (Ching) a_name-a_name (Kuo\-chun) be[:was] 2[of] Ch'i_state 1[a] minister_of_state[:minister].
封於薛。
He was appointed to the fief of Hsüeh.
[^he] [was_]appoint[ed] to [the fief of] Hs\üeh.
將城而居之。
There he intended to build walls and to live in that place.
[^he] intend[ed] [to] build_a_city_wall[:build_walls] and [to] live[_in] that[_place].
客諫日。
(One of his) advisers said, admonishing him,
[^one of his] adviser[s] admonish[ed] [him], speak[:saying],
君不聞海大魚乎。
"Have you not heard about the sea-monster (lit. sea huge fish), sir?
[^have] you not hear[d] [about the] sea-big-fish (sea\-monster) [~\, sir] interrogative_particle[:~\?]
網不能止。鈎不能牽。
A net cannot stop it, and it is impossible to haul it with a hook.
[^a] net 2[~]not 1can stop [it], [and] hook 2[~]not 1can haul [it].
不幸失水。則螻蟻制焉。
(But if) unfortunately it is out of the water (lit. loses water), mole-crickets and ants would then (easily) master (it).
[^but if] not[:un] [~]fortunate[ly] [it] lose-water (be[--is]_out_of[_the]_water), then mole\-cricket[s] [and] ant[s] [would] govern (master) [it] final_particle[:~].
君之在齊。猶魚之在水也。
Your presence in Ch'i is similar to the abode of the sea-monster in water.
`you-~'s (^your) be (present[-ce_in]) Ch'i_state[:Ch'i] [is] similar [to] [the] fish[:sea-monster] 's be (present[-ce_in]) [the] water final_particle[:].
君若善治齊。齊强。君又何憂焉。
If you govern Ch'i in the proper way, Ch'i will become strong, and what sorrow could you have?
2you 1^if 2good ([in_the_]proper[_way]) govern 1Ch'i_state[:Ch'i], Ch'i_state[:Ch'i] [will_become_]strong, [and] 2you [have] then what 1sad (sorrow) [could] final_particle[:~]?
若一旦齊亡。雖築薛之城。使高於天。猶之無益也。
(But) if one day Ch'i perishes, (then) even if you should build (lit. cause) the walls of Hsüeh higher than the sky, still it would not be of any use to you."
[^but] if one day Ch'i_state[:Ch'i] perish[es], [then] even_if [you] [should_]build[_up] Hs\üeh ~'s wall[s] [and] make [them] high[er] than [the] sky, still expletive[:~] [it would be] [to] without[:no] advantage (avail).
靖郭君曰。善。乃不城薛。 "Good" said Ching Kuo-chün, and he did not build the walls in Hsüeh. a_name (Ching) a_name-a_name (Kuo-chun) speak[:said], "^good," and [he did] not build[_the_walls] [in] Hs\üeh.