1. 捭之者，开也，言也，阳也。阖之者，闭也，默也，阴也。阴阳其和，终始其义。

1. The "Opening" refers to opening, speaking, and the yang. The "Closing" refers to closing, silence, and the yin. The harmony of yin and yang, the significance of beginning and end.

2. 摩而恐之，高而动之，微而证之，符而应之，拥而塞之，乱而惑之，是谓计谋。

2. To instill fear through modesty, to stir action through elevation, to prove through subtlety, to respond through conformity, to block through embrace, to confuse through chaos; this is called strategy.

3. 审定有无与其实虚，随其嗜欲以见其志意。

3. Investigate whether there is reality or emptiness in it, and discern its intentions and desires based on its inclinations and desires.

4. 为之枢机以迎之、随之，以钳和之，以意宜之；此飞钳之缀也。

4. To embrace it as a pivot to welcome it, follow it, integrate it with harmony, and adapt it according to one's intention; this is the technique of attaching with the flying chopsticks.

5. 故谋莫难于周密，说莫难于悉听，事莫难于必成。

5. Therefore, the most difficult thing in planning is to be thorough, the most difficult thing in persuasion is to listen to all sides, and the most difficult thing in undertaking is to ensure success.

6. 智者事易，而不智者事难。以此观之，亡不可以为存，而危不可以为安，然而无为而贵智矣以天下之目视者，则无不见。

6. The wise find things easy, while the unwise find them difficult. From this perspective, it is impossible to consider the fallen as still standing, nor the dangerous as safe. However, being unobtrusive and valuing wisdom is precious. When viewed by the eyes of the world, nothing remains unseen.

7. 这个世上，只有两种人心无妄念，一是死人，二是神人。你两者都不是，有此妄念，为何要控制它呢？

7. In this world, there are only two kinds of people whose hearts are free from false desires: the dead and the divine. You are neither of them, and yet you have such false desires. Why should you try to control them?

8. 审其意，知其所好恶，乃就说其所重，以飞钳之辞钩其所好，以钳求之。

8. Analyze its meaning, understand its likes and dislikes, and then talk about what it values. Use persuasive words to lure out its likes, and use the technique of entrapment to seek it out.

9. 情心与道心其实并不冲撞。道既存在于万物之中，自也存在于世俗之情中。天地有阴阳，禽兽有雌雄，世人有男女。阳阴相合，雄雌相匹，男女相配，此乃道之常理。情心即道心，道心亦即情心。生情与修道，二者并无相碍。不悟情心，难通道理。缘到情到，缘止情止；情到心到，情止心止。

9. The heart of affection and the heart of the Tao are not in conflict. Since the Tao exists in all things, it naturally also exists in the secular emotions. The heavens and the earth have yin and yang, animals have male and female, and people have men and women. The union of yin and yang, the matching of male and female, and the pairing of men and women are the common principles of the Tao. The heart of affection is the heart of the Tao, and the heart of the Tao is also the heart of affection. The arising of affection and the cultivation of the Tao do not hinder each other. It is difficult to understand the principles of the Tao without understanding the heart of affection. When the cause arises, affection arises; when the cause stops, affection stops. When affection arises, the heart arrives; when affection stops, the heart stops.

10. 这个世上，胜者生，而败者亡，在世事的胜负面前，生与死不过是必然的因果。

10. In this world, the winners live while the losers perish. In the face of the vicissitudes of life and the ups and downs of events, life and death are but inevitable causes and effects.

11. 弈棋离不开棋子，你们各人掌握的一百八十块棋子，置于盒中永远都是死棋，只有置于局中，才会生动，才会我中有你，你中有我。若是一子落错，轻则失地损兵，重则全局皆输，是以任何落子，必谋定而后动。

11. Playing the game of Go cannot be separated from the pieces. Each of you holds one hundred and eighty pieces, and when they are kept in the box, they are lifeless. Only when placed on the board do they come to life, and there is a blend of 'me in you' and 'you in me'. If a single piece is placed incorrectly, it may result in the loss of territory and soldiers, or even the whole game being lost. Therefore, before any move is made, one must plan it carefully.

12. 所谓合纵，就是保持力量均衡。秦人若是无力，纵亲反而不成。秦人只有张势蓄力，保持强大，三晋才有危机感，才乐意合纵。三晋只有合纵，秦人才会产生惧怕，才会努力使自己更强。秦人越强，三晋越合；三晋越合，秦人越强，天下因此而保持均势，方能制衡。

12. The so-called "aligning the south" refers to maintaining a balance of power. If the Qin people are weak, then even their alliances would not be effective. The Qin people must only expand their strength and maintain their power, so that the three states of Jin will feel a sense of crisis and be willing to align. Only when the three states of Jin align, will the Qin people feel afraid and strive to become stronger themselves. The stronger the Qin people become, the more the three states of Jin will align; and the more the three states of Jin align, the stronger the Qin people will become. This is how the balance of power is maintained in the world, and only then can it be kept in check.

13. 去除心障，在于自觉，自觉之至，在于觉他。自觉不易，觉他也就更难了。也就是说，他障易除，心障却是难除。人无自信，他人怎么能使他自信呢？无自信者需要悟道，修心；自负者也需要悟道，修心。山不在高，在仙；水不在深，在龙；读书不在多，在精，在领悟，故此能修得其道。

13. Removing the barriers of the heart lies in self-awareness, and the ultimate self-awareness is to be aware of others. Self-awareness is not easy, and being aware of others is even more difficult. In other words, external barriers are easier to remove, but the barriers of the heart are hard to overcome. If a person lacks self-confidence, how can others help them gain confidence? Those without self-confidence need to seek enlightenment and cultivate their minds; those who are self-conceited also need to seek enlightenment and cultivate their minds. The mountain is not about its height, but about the immortals; the water is not about its depth, but about the dragons; reading is not about the quantity, but about the precision and the understanding. Therefore, one can cultivate the path by these means.

14. 圣人谋之于阴，故曰神；成之于阳，故曰明。

14. The sage plans in the shadows, hence it is said to be divine; completes it in the light, hence it is said to be wise.

15. 天下分合，可有两种，一是名分实合，二是名合实分。武王分封，当属名分实合。西周初年，天下大势是，周天子威服四方。周公制礼，诸侯皆受王命，礼乐有序，西周四百年因而大治。然而，平王东迁之后，情势有所变化，周室式微，诸侯坐大，天下大势开始走向名合实分，终成今日不治乱局。

15. The division and unity of the world can be categorized into two types: one is the combination of name and reality, and the other is the separation of name and reality. The division of states by King Wu is an example of the combination of name and reality. In the early years of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the overall trend of the world was that the Son of Heaven of the Zhou Dynasty subjugated all quarters. Marquis Zhou established rituals, and all the feudal lords received the king's orders, with rituals and music in order, and the Western Zhou Dynasty was thus able to achieve great prosperity for four centuries. However, after King Ping moved the capital to the east, the situation changed. The power of the Zhou Dynasty weakened, the feudal lords grew in strength, and the overall trend of the world began to move towards the separation of name and reality, eventually leading to the current chaotic situation.

16. 知之始已，自知而后知人也。

16. The beginning of knowledge is self-knowledge, and knowing oneself is the key to understanding others.

17. 其钓语合事，得人实也。其张网而取兽也，多张其会而司之。道合其事，彼自出之，此钓人之网也。

17. The words he uses are钓语, and they are in harmony with the matter, leading to the acquisition of people's true intentions. As for setting traps to catch animals, he spreads out many traps and supervises them. When the way is in harmony with the matter, they will naturally emerge. This is the trap that catches people.

18. 人之有好也，学而顺之；人之有恶也，避而讳之，故**而阳取之也。

18. When people have good qualities, learn from them; when people have bad qualities, avoid them and keep silent about them, thus** positively adopting the good qualities.

19. 机心是术，若无道心统御，术越高，行越偏，到头来不仅难成大器，只怕想保自身，也是难能。世上多少人沉迷于此，祸及自身，殃及他人。

19. Craftiness is a skill, but without the guidance of moral integrity, the higher the skill, the more extreme the behavior becomes. In the end, not only is it difficult to achieve great things, but it is also challenging to even preserve one's own safety. How many people in the world are沉迷于其中， bringing misfortune upon themselves and others.

20. 圣人守司其门户，审察其所先后，度权量能，校其伎巧短长。

20. The sage guards the gate of his mind, carefully examining the sequence of his thoughts, measuring his abilities, and weighing the strengths and weaknesses of his skills.

21. 捭阖者，天地之道。捭阖者，以变动阴阳，四时开闭以化万物。

21. The art of opening and closing is the way of heaven and earth. The art of opening and closing involves the movement of yin and yang, and the opening and closing of the four seasons to transform all things.

22. 世无可抵，则深隐而待时；时有可抵，则为之谋。

22. If there is no suitable moment, one should deeply retreat and wait for the right time; if there is a suitable moment, one should devise a plan for it.

23. 其用，或称财货、琦玮珠玉、璧白、采色以事之，或量能立势以钩之，或伺候见涧而钳之，其事用抵巇。

23. Its use, sometimes referred to as wealth, precious stones, pearls, jade, and white jade, or colored objects, involves serving them, or leveraging one's ability to establish a situation to entice them, or waiting for an opportunity and then luring them with traps. This approach is akin to addressing hidden dangers.

24. 观天下就如观这远山，不能单靠眼睛，要用直觉，要用心。观远山，不必上远山，看深谷，也不必下深谷。反过来说，若是真的上了远山，你只会观不见远山，看不到深谷。就好比钻进林中，但见树木，不见林莽。要想看到林莽，唯有站在此处绝顶，用眼望下去，用直觉望下去，再用心望下去。

24. To observe the world is like observing these distant mountains; it cannot be done solely with the eyes, but requires intuition and the heart. To observe distant mountains, one does not need to ascend the mountains; to see deep valleys, one does not need to descend into them. Conversely, if one truly does ascend the distant mountains, one will only be unable to see the distant mountains, and unable to see the deep valleys. It's like diving into the forest, seeing only trees, but not the dense thicket. To see the thicket, one must stand at the peak of this place, look down with the eyes, look down with intuition, and then look down with the heart.

25. 捭阖之术，捭即开，即言；阖即闭，即不言。捭阖之术，就是张口闭口之术，习口舌之学，知捭知阖，最是难得。难于何处？难于你必须知道何时应该张口，何时应该闭口；你必须知道应该张口时如何张口，应该闭口时如何闭口。常言道，福从口入，祸从口出，讲的就是这个理。

25. The art of opening and closing involves opening, which means speaking; closing, which means not speaking. The art of opening and closing is essentially the art of speaking and not speaking, the study of the tongue. Knowing when to open and when to close is the most difficult. Where is it difficult? It is difficult because you must know when to open your mouth and when to close it; you must know how to open your mouth when you should, and how to close it when you should. As the saying goes, "Blessings come from the mouth, and disasters come from the mouth," which is exactly what this is about.

26. 用于人，则空往而实来，缀而不失，以究其辞。

26. When used for people, it goes empty and comes full, it is attached without being lost, and it is used to explore its words.

27. 所谓摩意，就是投其所好，诱其心情。譬如说，对方廉洁，若说以刚正，此人必喜，喜，必泄其情；对方贪婪，若结以财物，此人必喜，喜，必泄其情；对方好色，若诱以美色，此人必喜，喜，必泄其情。是以善摩之人，如临渊钓鱼，只要用饵得当，鱼必上钩。

27. The so-called 'Moyi' refers to catering to one's likes and诱ing their emotions. For instance, if the person is honest, praising their uprightness will make them happy, and happiness will make them reveal their true feelings; if the person is greedy, offering them wealth will make them happy, and happiness will make them reveal their true feelings; if the person is fond of beauty, tempting them with beautiful women will make them happy, and happiness will make them reveal their true feelings. Therefore, a person skilled in 'Moyi' is like fishing by the deep pool, as long as the bait is used properly, the fish will definitely bite the hook.

28. 小人谋身，君子谋国，大丈夫谋天下。

28. The mean-spirited plot for themselves, the gentleman plots for the country, and the great man plots for the world.

29. 捭阖道术，皆有循依。如果揣摩已成，利弊已权，则可决定如何出言。一般说来，当因人而言。与智者言，依博；与博者言，依辨；与辨者言，依要；与贵者言，依势；与富者言，依高；与贫者言，依利；与贱者言，依谦；与勇者言，依敢。

29. The techniques of opening and closing, all have their respective principles to follow. If you have thoroughly considered and weighed the pros and cons, then you can decide how to express yourself. Generally speaking, you should tailor your words according to the person you are speaking with. When speaking with a wise person, rely on breadth; when speaking with an erudite person, rely on discernment; when speaking with a discerning person, rely on the essentials; when speaking with a noble person, rely on the power of your position; when speaking with a wealthy person, rely on elevated language; when speaking with a poor person, rely on profit; when speaking with a humble person, rely on modesty; when speaking with a brave person, rely on boldness.

30. 故言多类，事多变。故终日言，不失其类，故事不乱。终日变，而不失其主，故智贵不妄。

30. Therefore, there are many types of words and many changes in matters. Hence, if one speaks all day long without losing the classification of words, the story will not be chaotic. If one changes continuously all day long without losing the main theme, then wisdom is valued for not being arbitrary.

31. 古之善摩者，如操钓而临深渊，饵而投之，必得鱼焉。

31. The ancient masters of manipulation, like one who holds a fishing rod by a deep abyss, bait and cast, are sure to catch fish.

32. 古之善用天下者，必量天下之权，而揣诸侯之情。量权不审，不少强弱轻重之称；揣情不审，不知隐匿变化之动静。

32. Those who were good at governing the world in ancient times would necessarily measure the power of the world and understand the sentiments of the feudal lords. If the measurement of power is not accurate, one cannot distinguish between strengths and weaknesses, lightness and weight; if the understanding of sentiments is not accurate, one cannot know the hidden changes and movements.

33. 引钩钳之辞，飞而钳之。钩钳之语，其说辞也，乍同乍异。

33. Employ the tactics of using hooks and clamps, and then fly and clamp them. The language of hooks and clamps is a form of argument, which can be either similar or different.

34. 人所以能成其事者有五：有以阳德之者，有以阴贼之者，有以信诚之者，有以蔽匿之者，有以平素之者。

34. There are five ways for a person to achieve success: one is through the use of positive virtues, another through the use of negative sabotage, a third through trust and sincerity, a fourth through concealment, and a fifth through the use of normal methods.

35. 常有事于人，人莫能先。先事而至，此最难为。

35. It often happens that one is busy serving others, and no one can precede him. To arrive before others is the most difficult thing of all.