1 却说陈宫欲下手杀曹操，忽转念曰：“我为国家跟他到此，杀之不义，不若弃而他往。”插剑上马，不等天明，自投东郡去了 01 却说陈宫欲下手杀曹操，忽转念曰：“我为国家跟他到此，杀之不义，不若弃而他往。”插剑上马，不等天明，自投东郡去了。

Translation 1:

His arms raised to strike, Chen Gong reflected, “I followed Cao Cao for the good of the Emperor. But killing him only adds another wrong. Better simply to leave.” Having come to that decision, he put away his sword and, without waiting for daybreak, rode toward Dongjun, his family’s home district.

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，但将国家译成了the Emperor，将东郡译成了Dongjun, his family’s home district。）

Translation 2:

Having raised his sword at Cao Cao, but on the second thought, Chen Gong believed: “For the sake of the empire, I followed him here. Killing him would be an unfriendly act. Better to spare him and leave for another place.” Then he put the sword away and left for Dongjun when it was not daybreak yet.

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句多有别于前译。）

2 却说张飞拍马赶到关下，关上矢石如雨，不得进而回。八路诸侯，同请玄德、关、张贺功，使人去袁绍帐中报捷。袁绍移檄孙坚，令其进兵。

Translation 1:

Zhang Fei raced ahead to the pass, but volleys of stones and arrows forced him back. The eight lords hailed the victory of the three brothers and reported it to the war-ruler. Yuan Shao called Sun Jian to renew the attack.

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，但将袁绍译成了the war-ruler。）

Translation 2:

When Zhang Fei spurred his horse to the pass, volleys of stones and arrows forced him back. The eight lords hailed the victory of the three brothers and sent to report it to Yuan Shao, commander in general of the allied forces. Yuan Shao then sent his summon to Sun Jian, ordering him to attack again.

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句有别于前译，将袁绍译成了commander in general of the allied forces。）

3 却说孙坚被刘表围住，亏得程普、黄盖、韩当三将死救得脱，折兵大半，夺路引兵回东吴，自此孙坚与刘表结怨。

Translation 1:

By dint of the heroic efforts of his three commanders, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and Han Dang, Sun Jian broke out of the trap. Half of his men were lost, however, as they struggled to get back to the land south of the Great River. Liu Biao and Sun Jian became mortal enemies.

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，但将东吴译成了the land south of the Great River。）

Translation 2:

As Sun Jian was surrounded by Liu Biao, three of his generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and Han Dang, fought desperately to bring him out. However, more than half of the men were killed. Then Sun Jian led his army back to Dongwu, a dead enemy of Liu Biao’s ever since.

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句多处有别于前译。）

4 貂蝉跟允到阁中，允尽叱出妻妾，纳貂蝉于座，叩头便拜。貂蝉惊伏于地曰：“适间贱妾曾言，但有使令，万死不辞。”

Translation 1:

Diaochan followed Wang Yun to the room. Impatiently he dismissed the waiting maids and servants and conducted Diaochan to a seat. Then he touched his head and hands to the floor in front of her. At once Diaochan prostrated herself in astonishment. “My lord,” she said, “what is the meaning of this?”

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，但将阁中译成了the room，将妻妾译成了the waiting maids and servants，最后一句的翻译有别于作者的原意。）

Translation 2:

Showing Diaochan to the inner hall, Wang Yun yelled away his wife and concubines, seated Diaochan on the seat for the lord of the family and prostrated himself in front of the girl. Shocked, Diaochan lost no time in prostrating herself on the floor, vowing: “As I have just promised, if I can do anything for you, my lord, I certainly will, even at the risk of my life.”

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句多有别于前译。）

5 却说那撞倒董卓的人正是李儒。当下李儒扶起董卓，至书院中坐定。卓曰：“汝为何来此？”儒曰：“儒适至府门，知太师怒入后园，询问吕布。因急走来，正遇吕布奔走，云：‘太师杀我！’儒慌赶入园中劝解，不意误撞恩相。死罪！死罪！”

Translation 1:

The man who plowed into Dong Zhuo was none other than his most trusted adviser, Li Ru. Horrified, Li Ru scrambled to help Dong Zhuo into the library, where the preceptor sat down and composed himself. “Whatever brought you here?” gasped Dong Zhuo. “I came in through the main gate,” Li Ru replied. “They told me you’d charged off into the rear garden looking for Lü Bu. I rushed over, too, and saw him bounding away, crying, ‘The preceptor’s after me!’ So I headed into the garden to try and smooth things over, but I have only offended Your Worship and made things worse. I deserve to die.”

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，行文流畅，近乎写作。但原文本来的意思是，李儒得知董卓生气，就去询问吕布。换言之，他原本不知道董卓是为吕布戏貂蝉的事生气的。）

Translation 2:

Who bumped into Dong Zhuo but Li Ru. Having helped Dong Zhuo on him feet, Li Ru accompanied him to his library. Having sat, Dong Zhuo asked: “What has brought you here?” “Passing by the gate of your mansion, I was informed that greatly vexed, Your Lord had rushed to the backyard. I was looking for Lü Bu to see what had happened when Lü Bu was running away, shouting ‘The Lord is killing me!’ I hurried to the yard to do my part but only to have bumped into Your Lordship unexpectedly. I deserve death punishment! I deserve death punishment!”

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句多有别于前译。）

6 却说李、郭二贼欲弑献帝，张济、樊稠谏曰：“不可。今日若便杀之。恐众人不服。不如仍旧奉之为主，赚诸侯入关，先除其羽翼然后杀之，天下可图也。”

Translation 1:

Li Jue and Guo Si would have taken the sovereign’s life, but the other two generals Zhang Ji and Fan Chou, demurred: “The people will never accept the authority of regicides. Rather, uphold the Emperor and lure the lords of the realm into the region Chang’an controls. That way we can pare down the Emperor’s support and prepare to take over at the proper time.”

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，行文注意了英语规范。）

Translation 2:

When Li Jue and Guo Si were going to commit regicide by killing Emperor Xian, Zhang Ji and Fan Chou offered their advice: “It is not the right time for that, for the country would not accept the regicide. On the contrary, we’d better employ him as a figurehead and lure the armed lords into the capital. By paring down the lords before killing the emperor, we can then rule the realm.”

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句有别于前译。）

7 却说献计之人，乃东海朐县人，姓糜，名竺，字子仲。此人家世富豪，尝往洛阳买卖，乘车而回，路遇一美妇人来求同载，竺乃下车步行，让车与妇人坐。妇人请竺同载，竺上车端坐，目不邪视。行及数里，妇人辞去。临别，对竺曰：“我乃南方火德星君也。奉上帝敕，往烧汝家。感君相待以礼，故明告君。君可速回，搬出财物。吾当夜来。”

Translation 1:

The man who proposed to resist Cao Cao’s siege was Mi Zhu (Zizhong), from an old and wealthy family in the county of Qu in the district of Donghai. Mi Zhu had once had an extraordinary experience. On the way home after doing business in Luoyang, he met a beautiful woman who requested a ride. Mi Zhu offered the woman his seat and proceeded on foot, but the woman insisted that they share the carriage. So Zhu climbed back up, but he sat stiffly, holding his gaze away from the passenger. Several li farther on the woman said good-bye, adding, “I am the deity of solar fire, sent by the Supreme God to destroy your household. Your commendable gentility has moved me to give you this warning: rush home and remove your valuables. I am due tonight.”

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，将糜竺的字置于括号中翻译。）

Translation 2:

Who offered the advice but Mi Zhu, styled Zizhong, a native of Quxian of Donghai District. He was born into a wealthy family with traditions. Once on returning from his business trip in Luoyang, he met a pretty lady, asking for a lift. Then Mi Zhu got off the cart to let the lady on, who, however, asked him to share the seat with her. Then Mi Zhu got on the cart and seated himself beside her uprightly, without shooting a glace from the corner of his eye at the lady. Having covered several miles, the lady thanked him for the lift. On her departure, she told him: “I am Goddess of Fire of the South, summoned by the Emperor of the Heaven to set fire on your residence. Moved by your polite manners, I would like to tell you the truth. You’d better hurry home and move out all the valuables before I ignite your house tonight.”

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句有别于前译。）

8 曹操正慌走间，正南上一彪军到，乃夏侯惇引军来救援，截住吕布大战，斗到黄昏时分大雨如注，各自引军分散。操回寨，重赏典韦，加为领军都尉。

Translation 1:

The panicked Cao Cao was saved by Xiahou Dun, who had rushed to the southern front, intercepted Lü Bu, and engaged him. As night fell, a rainstorm finally forced them apart. Later, at camp, Cao Cao rewarded Dian Wei amply and gave him a command.

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文。）

Translation 2:

Panicked, Cao Cao escaped in a hurry when he found an army coming from south led by Xiahou Dun on his rescue, who intercepted Lü Bu and engaged him in a fierce struggle. At dusk, a downpour separated them apart. On reaching his camp, Cao Cao lavished awards on Dian Wei and appointed him commander of an army.

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句有别于前译。）

9 却说曹操大破吕布于定陶，布乃收集残败军马于海滨，众将皆来会集，欲再与曹操决战。陈宫曰：“今曹兵势大，未可与争。先夺取安身之地，那时再来未迟。”布曰：“吾欲再投袁绍，何如？”宫曰：“先使人往冀州探听消息，然后可去。”布从之。

Translation 1:

Badly beaten at Dingtao by Cao Cao, Lü Bu collected his battered units at points near the coast; his commanders rallied, eager for a showdown with Cao Cao. “Cao Cao has the upper hand now,” objected Chen Gong. “This is no time to take him on. Once we have a base of our own, there will be time enough for another battle.” “What about turning to Yuan Shao as we did before?” Lü Bu suggested. “Send someone to Jizhou to sound him out,” replied Chen Gong, and Lü Bu did so.

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文。）

Translation 2:

Impaired severely by Cao Cao at Dingtao, Lü Bu collected his battered forces near the coast. At the conference, his generals wished to fight a showdown battle with Cao Cao when Chen Gong said: “At present, Cao Cao is so powerful that we are no match for him. We’d better seize a place as our base and it will not be too late to seek revenge when we are strong enough.” Then Lü Bu asked: “How about turning to Yuan Shao again?” “Send someone to Jizhou to find Yuan Shao’s attitude before leading our troops to him,” replied Chen Gong and Lü Bu agreed.

（译文紧扣原文，注意了自身的衔接与连贯，遣词造句多有别于前译。）

10 却说李乐引军诈称李傕、郭汜，来追车驾。杨奉曰：“此李乐也。”遂令徐晃出迎之。李乐亲自出战，只一合被徐晃一斧砍于马下，杀散余党，保护车驾过箕关。

Translation 1:

Tear overcame the Emperor at the thought that Li Yue now had Li Jue and Guo Si’s backing. But Yang Feng said, “It’s only Li Yue!” and sent out Xu Huang, who cut the rebel down in a single exchange. The White Wave gang dispersed, and Yang Feng guided the Emperor safely through Winnow Basket Pass.

(Translated by Moss Roberts)

（译文紧扣原文，交代了献帝流泪的情节，将箕关译成了the Winnow Basket Pass。）

Translation 2:

Disguised as Li Jue and Gao Si, Li Yue led his forces after the Emperor. Judging that it must be Li Yue in disguise, Yang Feng said, “It’s only Li Yue,” and ordered Xu Huang to charge. Li Yue accepted the charge but was killed by Xu Huang in a single exchange. With the gang of rebels dispersed, Yang Feng guarded the Emperor through the Jiguan Pass.

（译文紧扣原文，遣词造句有别于前译，将箕关译成了the Jiguan Pass。）