1
黄帝問曰：余聞古之治病，惟其移精變氣，可祝由而已。今世治病，毒藥治其内，鍼石治其外，或愈或不愈，何也？
黄帝问曰：余闻古之治病，惟其移精变气，可祝由而已。今世治病，毒药治其内，针石治其外，或愈或不愈，何也？
huáng dì wèn yuē: yú wén gǔ zhī zhì bìng, wéi qí yí jīng biàn qì, kě zhù yóu ér yǐ. jīn shì zhì bìng, dú yào zhì qí nèi, zhēn shí zhì qí wài, huò yù huò bù yù, hé yě?
黄帝问道：我听说上古之人治病，只是转移病人的精神、改变其气的运行，用「祝由」一法就可以好了。如今治病，用药物治其内，用针石治其外，却有的痊愈、有的不愈，这是什么缘故？
The Yellow Emperor asks: I have heard that in antiquity they treated illness by nothing more than shifting the essence and changing the qi, and it could be settled with invocation. In the present age we treat illness with potent drugs on the inside and the needle and stone on the outside, and yet some are cured and some are not. Why is that?
2
歧伯對曰：徃古人居禽獸之閒，動作以避寒，陰居以避暑，内無眷慕之累，外無伸官之形。
歧伯对曰：往古人居禽兽之间，动作以避寒，阴居以避暑，内无眷慕之累，外无伸官之形。
qí bó duì yuē: wǎng gǔ rén jū qín shòu zhī jiān, dòng zuò yǐ bì hán, yīn jū yǐ bì shǔ, nèi wú juàn mù zhī lěi, wài wú shēn guān zhī xíng.
岐伯回答说：往古之人栖息于禽兽之间，靠活动身体以御寒，居阴凉之处以避暑；内无眷恋思慕的牵累，外无谋求官职的形役。
Qibo answers: people of distant antiquity dwelt among the birds and beasts; they moved about in order to escape the cold and lodged in the shade in order to escape the heat. Within, they had no burden of clinging and longing; without, no posture of reaching after office.
3
此恬憺之世，邪不能深入也。故毒藥不能治其内，鍼石不能治其外，故可移精，祝由而已。
此恬憺之世，邪不能深入也。故毒药不能治其内，针石不能治其外，故可移精，祝由而已。
cǐ tián dàn zhī shì, xié bù néng shēn rù yě. gù dú yào bù néng zhì qí nèi, zhēn shí bù néng zhì qí wài, gù kě yí jīng, zhù yóu ér yǐ.
这是一个安静淡泊的时代，邪气无从深入。所以既不必用药物治其内，也不必用针石治其外——只需移易其精神，祝说病由，病就好了。
This was an age of quiet and contentment, and evil could not penetrate deeply. So there was no need for potent drugs to treat the inside, no need for needle and stone to treat the outside: one could simply shift the essence and settle it with invocation.
4
當今之世不然，憂患緣其内，苦形傷其外。
当今之世不然，忧患缘其内，苦形伤其外。
dāng jīn zhī shì bù rán, yōu huàn yuán qí nèi, kǔ xíng shāng qí wài.
当今之世就不是这样了：忧愁患难缠绕于内，劳苦形役损伤于外。
The present age is not like that: worry and trouble coil about them within, and bitter labour injures them without.
5
又失四時之從，逆寒暑之宜，賊風數至，虚邪朝夕，内至五藏骨髓，外傷空竅肌膚，所以小病必甚，大病必死，故祝由不能已也。
又失四时之从，逆寒暑之宜，贼风数至，虚邪朝夕，内至五藏骨髓，外伤空窍肌肤，所以小病必甚，大病必死，故祝由不能已也。
yòu shī sì shí zhī cóng, nì hán shǔ zhī yí, zéi fēng shuò zhì, xū xié zhāo xī, nèi zhì wǔ zàng gǔ suǐ, wài shāng kǒng qiào jī fū, suǒ yǐ xiǎo bìng bì shèn, dà bìng bì sǐ, gù zhù yóu bù néng yǐ yě.
又违失四时之气的顺从，悖逆寒暑的宜忌；贼风屡屡来袭，虚邪朝夕不离，向内深入五脏骨髓，向外损伤孔窍肌肤。所以小病必定加重，大病必定致死，此时祝由之法便无能为力了。
They have also lost the following of the four seasons and go against what cold and heat require. The thieving wind arrives again and again, empty evil is there morning and evening: inward it reaches the five storing organs and the marrow, outward it injures the openings and the skin. Therefore a small illness is sure to worsen and a great one is sure to kill — and invocation can no longer settle it.
6
帝曰：善。余欲臨病人，觀死生，決嫌疑，欲知其要，如日月光，可得聞乎？
帝曰：善。余欲临病人，观死生，决嫌疑，欲知其要，如日月光，可得闻乎？
dì yuē: shàn. yú yù lín bìng rén, guān sǐ shēng, jué xián yí, yù zhī qí yào, rú rì yuè guāng, kě dé wén hū?
黄帝说：讲得好。我要临诊病人，观察生死，决断疑似，想掌握其中的要领，使心中明朗如日月之光，可以讲给我听吗？
The Emperor says: good. I wish to attend the sick, to observe dying and living, to settle what is doubtful, and to know the essential point as clearly as the light of sun and moon. May I hear it?
7
歧伯曰：色脉者，上帝之所貴也，先師之所傳也。
歧伯曰：色脉者，上帝之所贵也，先师之所传也。
qí bó yuē: sè mài zhě, shàng dì zhī suǒ guì yě, xiān shī zhī suǒ chuán yě.
岐伯说：色与脉的诊法，是上古之帝所珍视的，是先师所传授的。
Qibo says: colour and pulse are what the emperors of high antiquity prized and what the former teacher handed down.
8
上古使僦貸季，理色脉而通神明，合之金木水火土，四時、八風、六合，不離其常，變化相移，以觀其妙，以知其要。
上古使僦贷季，理色脉而通神明，合之金木水火土，四时、八风、六合，不离其常，变化相移，以观其妙，以知其要。
shàng gǔ shǐ jiù dài jì, lǐ sè mài ér tōng shén míng, hé zhī jīn mù shuǐ huǒ tǔ, sì shí, bā fēng, liù hé, bù lí qí cháng, biàn huà xiāng yí, yǐ guān qí miào, yǐ zhī qí yào.
上古之时曾命僦贷季研理色脉之学而通达神明，把色脉与金木水火土、四时、八风、六合相配，不离开常法；从变化的推移中观察其奥妙，从而得知要领。
In high antiquity they commissioned Jiu daiji to order colour and pulse and thereby reach through to spirit brightness: binding them to metal, wood, water, fire and earth, to the four seasons, the eight winds and the six conjunctions, never leaving what is constant. As change shifts one into another, he observed the subtlety thereby and knew the essential point.
9
欲知其要，則色脉是矣。色以應日，脉以應月，常求其要，則其要也。
欲知其要，则色脉是矣。色以应日，脉以应月，常求其要，则其要也。
yù zhī qí yào, zé sè mài shì yǐ. sè yǐ yìng rì, mài yǐ yìng yuè, cháng qiú qí yào, zé qí yào yě.
要知道要领，那便是色与脉。色应于日，脉应于月；能常在色脉中推求其要领，那就是要领所在了。
If you wish to know the essential point, it is colour and pulse. Colour answers to the sun, pulse to the moon. Constantly seek the essential point there, and that is the essential point.
10
夫色之變化，以應四時之脉。此上帝之所貴，以合於神明也。
夫色之变化，以应四时之脉。此上帝之所贵，以合于神明也。
fú sè zhī biàn huà, yǐ yìng sì shí zhī mài. cǐ shàng dì zhī suǒ guì, yǐ hé yú shén míng yě.
气色的变化，与四时的脉象相应——色青脉弦应春、色赤脉洪应夏、色黄脉代应长夏、色白脉毛应秋、色黑脉石应冬。这正是上古之帝所珍视的，因为它能与神明相合。
Now the changes of colour answer to the pulses of the four seasons. This is what the emperors of high antiquity prized, because it joins one to spirit brightness.
11
所以遠死而近生，生道以長，命曰聖王。
所以远死而近生，生道以长，命曰圣王。
suǒ yǐ yuǎn sǐ ér jìn shēng, shēng dào yǐ cháng, mìng yuē shèng wáng.
所以能远离死亡而接近生机，长生之道由此而久长，这样的人就叫做「圣王」。
It is by this that one keeps far from death and near to life, and the way of living is lengthened thereby. Such a one is called a sage king.
zhōng gǔ zhī zhì bìng, zhì ér zhì zhī. tāng yè shí rì, yǐ qù bā fēng wǔ bì zhī bìng.
中古之时治病，病一发作就治，先用汤液十天，以祛除八风五痺之病。
In middle antiquity, when they treated illness they treated it as soon as it arrived: ten days of decoction, to drive out the illnesses of the eight winds and the five obstructions.
13
十日不已。治以草蘇草荄之枝。
十日不已。治以草苏草荄之枝。
shí rì bù yǐ. zhì yǐ cǎo sū cǎo gāi zhī zhī.
十天还不好，就用草苏、草荄的枝茎来治。
If after ten days it has not stopped, one treats with the stems of herb leaves and herb roots.
14
本末爲助，標本已得，邪氣乃服。
本末为助，标本已得，邪气乃服。
běn mò wéi zhù, biāo běn yǐ dé, xié qì nǎi fú.
用药的根与苗相互佐助，标与本相得——病为本、工为标，医者与病情相应，邪气便顺服了。
Root and tip assist one another, the tip and the root are matched, and the evil qi then submits.
15
暮世之治病也則不然。治不本四時，不知日月，不審逆從，病形已成，乃欲微鍼治其外，湯液治其内，粗工兇兇，以爲可攻，故病未已，新病復起。
暮世之治病也则不然。治不本四时，不知日月，不审逆从，病形已成，乃欲微针治其外，汤液治其内，粗工凶凶，以为可攻，故病未已，新病复起。
mù shì zhī zhì bìng yě zé bù rán. zhì bù běn sì shí, bù zhī rì yuè, bù shěn nì cóng, bìng xíng yǐ chéng, nǎi yù wēi zhēn zhì qí wài, tāng yè zhì qí nèi, cū gōng xiōng xiōng, yǐ wéi kě gōng, gù bìng wèi yǐ, xīn bìng fù qǐ.
末世治病就不是这样了：治病不以四时为本，不知日月的盈亏，不审察顺逆；等到病形已经铸成，才想用微针治其外、汤液治其内。医术粗疏的人鲁莽从事，以为还可以攻伐，于是旧病未愈，新病又起。
The physicians of the late age are not like that. Their treatment is not rooted in the four seasons; they do not know sun and moon; they do not examine what follows and what goes against. Only when the disease has already taken shape do they want to treat the outside with the fine needle and the inside with decoctions. The coarse workman blusters and thinks it can still be attacked — so the old illness has not ended before a new one starts.
dì yuē: yuàn wén yào dào.
黄帝说：我想听听临证的要道。
The Emperor says: I wish to hear the essential way.
17
歧伯曰：治之要極，無失色脉。用之不惑，治之大則。
歧伯曰：治之要极，无失色脉。用之不惑，治之大则。
qí bó yuē: zhì zhī yào jí, wú shī sè mài. yòng zhī bù huò, zhì zhī dà zé.
岐伯说：治病的最高准绳，是不失色脉。用之而不疑惑，这是治病的大法则。
Qibo says: the ultimate essential of treatment is never to lose colour and pulse. To use them without confusion is the great rule of practice.
nì cóng dào xíng, biāo běn bù dé, wáng shén shī guó.
把逆当作顺、颠倒而行，标与本不相得，就会亡失精神、丧失国家。
To walk counter and following upside down, so that tip and root do not meet, is to lose the spirit and lose the state.
qù gù jiù xīn, nǎi dé zhēn rén.
弃去旧日的陋习，趋就新明的色脉之学，才能达到真人的境地。
Leave the old and turn to the new, and then one attains to a true person.
20
帝曰：余聞其要於夫子矣。夫子言不離色脉，此余之所知也。
帝曰：余闻其要于夫子矣。夫子言不离色脉，此余之所知也。
dì yuē: yú wén qí yào yú fū zǐ yǐ. fū zǐ yán bù lí sè mài, cǐ yú zhī suǒ zhī yě.
黄帝说：要领我已经从夫子这里听到了。夫子所说的不离色脉，这一层我已经明白了。
The Emperor says: I have heard the essential point from you, master. That what you say never leaves colour and pulse — this I already know.
21
歧伯曰：治之極於一。帝曰：何謂一？歧伯曰：一者因得之。帝曰：奈何？
歧伯曰：治之极于一。帝曰：何谓一？歧伯曰：一者因得之。帝曰：奈何？
qí bó yuē: zhì zhī jí yú yī. dì yuē: hé wèi yī? qí bó yuē: yī zhě yīn dé zhī. dì yuē: nài hé?
岐伯说：治道的最高处归于「一」。黄帝问：什么叫做一？岐伯说：这个一是靠问诊得来的。黄帝问：怎样问？
Qibo says: treatment reaches its ultimate in one thing. The Emperor asks: what is that one? Qibo says: the one is got by asking. The Emperor asks: how?
22
歧伯曰：閉户塞牖，繫之病者，數問其情，以從其意。
歧伯曰：闭户塞牖，系之病者，数问其情，以从其意。
qí bó yuē: bì hù sè yǒu, xì zhī bìng zhě, shuò wèn qí qíng, yǐ cóng qí yì.
岐伯说：关上门、堵住窗，与病人相处不离，反复询问他的情实，顺从他的心意让他尽言。
Qibo says: shut the door, stop up the window, stay close to the sick person, ask after his circumstances again and again, and follow where his mind goes.
23
得神者昌，失神者亡。帝曰：善。
得神者昌，失神者亡。帝曰：善。
dé shén zhě chāng, shī shén zhě wáng. dì yuē: shàn.
有神的就昌盛，失神的就死亡。黄帝说：讲得好。
Whoever keeps the spirit prospers; whoever loses it perishes. The Emperor says: good.