huáng dì wèn yuē: wéi wǔ gǔ tāng yè jí láo lǐ nài hé?
黄帝问道：怎样用五谷来制作汤液和醪醴呢？
The Yellow Emperor asks: how does one make decoctions and fermented wines from the five grains?
2
歧伯對曰：必以稻米，炊之稻薪。稻米者完，稻薪者堅。
岐伯对曰：必以稻米，炊之稻薪。稻米者完，稻薪者坚。
qí bó duì yuē: bì yǐ dào mǐ, chuī zhī dào xīn. dào mǐ zhě wán, dào xīn zhě jiān.
岐伯回答说：必须用稻米作原料，用稻秆作燃料。稻米之性完备，稻薪之质坚实。
Qibo replies: it must be done with rice, and cooked over rice straw. The rice grain is complete; the rice straw is firm.
3
帝曰：何以然？
帝曰：何以然？
dì yuē: hé yǐ rán?
黄帝问：为什么这样说？
“Why is that so?” asks the Emperor.
4
歧伯曰：此得天地之和，高下之宜，故能至完，伐取得時，故能至堅也。
岐伯曰：此得天地之和，高下之宜，故能至完，伐取得时，故能至坚也。
qí bó yuē: cǐ dé tiān dì zhī hé, gāo xià zhī yí, gù néng zhì wán, fá qǔ dé shí, gù néng zhì jiān yě.
岐伯说：这是因为稻得天地之和气，又得地势高下之宜，所以质性最为完备；砍伐收获又得其时令，所以稻薪最为坚实。
Qibo says: rice receives the harmony of heaven and earth and suits both high ground and low, and so it is able to be wholly complete; the straw is cut at its proper season, and so it is able to be wholly firm.
dì yuē: shàng gǔ shèng rén, zuò tāng yè láo lǐ, wéi ér bù yòng, hé yě?
黄帝问：上古的圣人制作汤液醪醴，制成了却不使用，这是什么缘故？
The Emperor asks: the sages of high antiquity made decoctions and wines and then did not use them. Why?
6
歧伯曰：自古聖人之作湯液醪醴者，以爲備耳。夫上古作湯液，故爲而弗服也。中古之世，道德稍衰，邪氣時至，服之萬全。
岐伯曰：自古圣人之作汤液醪醴者，以为备耳。夫上古作汤液，故为而弗服也。中古之世，道德稍衰，邪气时至，服之万全。
qí bó yuē: zì gǔ shèng rén zhī zuò tāng yè láo lǐ zhě, yǐ wéi bèi ěr. fú shàng gǔ zuò tāng yè, gù wéi ér fú fú yě. zhōng gǔ zhī shì, dào dé shāo shuāi, xié qì shí zhì, fú zhī wàn quán.
岐伯说：自古圣人制作汤液醪醴，不过是作为防备罢了。上古之人恬淡少欲，邪不能深入，所以虽作汤液而不须服用。到了中古之世，养生之德稍衰，邪气时时侵袭，服之则万全无失。
Qibo says: from of old the sages who made decoctions and wines made them simply as a provision. In high antiquity decoctions were made and therefore not taken. By middle antiquity the virtue of the age had somewhat declined and evil qi arrived from time to time, and taking them brought complete safety.
7
帝曰：今之世不必已，何也？
帝曰：今之世不必已，何也？
dì yuē: jīn zhī shì bù bì yǐ, hé yě?
黄帝问：当今之世，服之却不一定能痊愈，这是什么缘故？
The Emperor asks: in the present age they do not necessarily bring recovery. Why?
8
歧伯曰：當今之世，必齊毒藥攻其中，鑱石鍼艾治其外也。
岐伯曰：当今之世，必齐毒药攻其中，镵石针艾治其外也。
qí bó yuē: dāng jīn zhī shì, bì jì dú yào gōng qí zhōng, chán shí zhēn ài zhì qí wài yě.
岐伯说：当今之世，必须调配药物攻治其内，用鑱石、针、艾灸治其外。
Qibo says: in the present age one must compound potent drugs to attack within, and use the chán stone, the needle and moxa to treat without.
dì yuē: xíng bì xuè jìn, ér gōng bù lì zhě hé?
黄帝问：有的病人形体败坏、气血耗尽，而治疗之功却不能建立，这是为什么？
The Emperor asks: when the frame is ruined and the blood spent, and yet no result is achieved — why is that?
qí bó yuē: shén bù shǐ yě.
岐伯说：这是因为病人的神不能为针药所役使。
Qibo says: because the spirit no longer serves.
dì yuē: hé wèi shén bù shǐ?
黄帝问：什么叫「神不使」？
“What does it mean that the spirit no longer serves?”
12
歧伯曰：鍼石，道也。精神不進，志意不治，故病不可愈。今精壞神去，榮衛不可復收。何者？嗜欲無窮，而憂患不止，精氣弛壞，榮泣衛除，故神去之而病不愈也。
岐伯曰：针石，道也。精神不进，志意不治，故病不可愈。今精坏神去，荣卫不可复收。何者？嗜欲无穷，而忧患不止，精气弛坏，荣泣卫除，故神去之而病不愈也。
qí bó yuē: zhēn shí, dào yě. jīng shén bù jìn, zhì yì bù zhì, gù bìng bù kě yù. jīn jīng huài shén qù, yíng wèi bù kě fù shōu. hé zhě? shì yù wú qióng, ér yōu huàn bù zhǐ, jīng qì chí huài, yíng sè wèi chú, gù shén qù zhī ér bìng bù yù yě.
岐伯说：针石不过是治病的方法与工具而已。若病人的精神不能振作、志意不能自持，病就不能痊愈。如今精气败坏、神气离去，营卫再也不能收复。为什么？因为嗜欲无穷无尽，忧患接连不止，精气弛缓败坏，营血凝涩、卫气消亡，所以神离去而病不愈。
Qibo says: the needle and the stone are only a method. If essence and spirit do not advance and purpose and intention are not governed, the illness cannot be cured. Now the essence is ruined and the spirit has departed, and the construction and defence can no longer be gathered back. Why? Because appetites are endless and cares never stop: the essence-qi slackens and decays, the construction stagnates and the defence is dispelled, and so the spirit leaves and the illness is not cured.
13
帝曰：夫病之始生也，極微極精，必先入結於皮膚。今良工皆稱曰，病成，名曰逆，則鍼石不能治，良藥不能及也。今良工皆得其法，守其數，親戚兄弟遠近，音聲日聞於耳，五色日見於目，而病不愈者，亦何暇不早乎？
帝曰：夫病之始生也，极微极精，必先入结于皮肤。今良工皆称曰，病成，名曰逆，则针石不能治，良药不能及也。今良工皆得其法，守其数，亲戚兄弟远近，音声日闻于耳，五色日见于目，而病不愈者，亦何暇不早乎？
dì yuē: fú bìng zhī shǐ shēng yě, jí wēi jí jīng, bì xiān rù jié yú pí fū. jīn liáng gōng jiē chēng yuē, bìng chéng, míng yuē nì, zé zhēn shí bù néng zhì, liáng yào bù néng jí yě. jīn liáng gōng jiē dé qí fǎ, shǒu qí shù, qīn qī xiōng dì yuǎn jìn, yīn shēng rì wén yú ěr, wǔ sè rì jiàn yú mù, ér bìng bù yù zhě, yì hé xiá bù zǎo hū?
黄帝说：大凡病初起之时，极其微细、极其精微，必先结聚于皮肤。如今的良医都说：病已成形，名为「逆」，那么针石不能治，良药也不能及了。而今这些良医都掌握了治法、遵守着针刺的法度，与病人亲如兄弟、不论远近，病人的声音每日闻于耳，五色每日见于目，病却不愈——难道是治疗不够早吗？
The Emperor says: when an illness first arises it is exceedingly minute and fine, and it must first bind in the skin. Yet now the good practitioners all say that once the disease is formed and named rebellion, the needle and stone cannot treat it and good drugs cannot reach it. These same practitioners have the methods and keep the numbers; they are close to the patient as brothers, near or far; the sound of his voice is daily in their ears and the five colours daily before their eyes — and still the illness is not cured. Can it be that they were not early enough?
14
歧伯曰：病爲本，工爲標，標本不得，邪氣不服。此之謂也。
岐伯曰：病为本，工为标，标本不得，邪气不服。此之谓也。
qí bó yuē: bìng wéi běn, gōng wéi biāo, biāo běn bù dé, xié qì bù fú. cǐ zhī wèi yě.
岐伯说：病是根本，医生及其治法是枝末；标与本不相得，邪气就不能被制服。说的就是这个道理。
Qibo says: the illness is the root and the practitioner the branch; when root and branch do not meet, the evil qi does not submit. This is what is meant.
15
帝曰：其有不從毫毛而生，五藏陽以竭也。津液充郭，其魄獨居，孤精於内，氣耗於外，形不可與衣相保，此四極急而動中。是氣拒於内，而形施於外。治之柰何？
帝曰：其有不从毫毛而生，五藏阳以竭也。津液充郭，其魄独居，孤精于内，气耗于外，形不可与衣相保，此四极急而动中。是气拒于内，而形施于外。治之奈何？
dì yuē: qí yǒu bù cóng háo máo ér shēng, wǔ zàng yáng yǐ jié yě. jīn yè chōng guō, qí pò dú jū, gū jīng yú nèi, qì hào yú wài, xíng bù kě yǔ yī xiāng bǎo, cǐ sì jí jí ér dòng zhōng. shì qì jù yú nèi, ér xíng shī yú wài. zhì zhī nài hé?
黄帝问：又有一种病不是从毫毛而生，而是五脏阳气阻竭所致。水液充斥于形体胸腹，阴魄独居，精孤处于内而气耗散于外，形体浮肿以致衣服不能相称，这是四肢紧急肿胀而扰动于中。这是气机格拒于内，而形病变易于外。
The Emperor asks: there is also illness that does not arise from the body hair — the yang of the five storing organs has been exhausted. Fluids fill the frame, the corporeal soul dwells alone, the essence is orphaned within and the qi spent without, the body can no longer keep company with its clothes, and the four extremities are tight and stir the centre. The qi is refused within and the body altered without. How is this treated?
qí bó yuē: píng zhì yú quán héng. qù wǎn chén cuò, wēi dòng sì jí, wēn yī miù cì qí chù, yǐ fù qí xíng. kāi guǐ mén, jié jìng fǔ, jīng yǐ shí fú. wǔ yáng yǐ bù, shū dí wǔ zàng, gù jīng zì shēng, xíng zì shèng, gǔ ròu xiāng bǎo, jù qì nǎi píng.
岐伯说：治疗当如称量权衡一般，平调阴阳、去有余而补不足。去除郁积、刈除陈腐之积，使四肢微微活动以运阳气，加厚衣被以温复阳气，再用缪刺法刺其处，以恢复形体。开鬼门以发汗，洁净府以利小便，则精气能按时运行敷布。五脏之阳既已布达、涤除郁滞，精自然生成，形体自然充盛，骨肉相保，大经之正气于是平复。
Qibo says: level it by weighing. Remove the stasis and cut away the old, stir the four extremities gently, warm the clothing, and needle the place by contralateral puncture, so as to restore the frame. Open the ghost gate, clean the pure storehouse, and the essence will be taken up in season. Once the five yang have been distributed and the five storing organs flushed, the essence generates itself, the frame fills itself, bone and flesh keep one another, and the great qi is at last level.
17
帝曰：善。
帝曰：善。
dì yuē: shàn.
黄帝说：讲得好。
The Emperor says: good.