1
黄帝問曰：天覆地載，萬物悉備，莫貴於人。
黄帝问曰：天覆地载，万物悉备，莫贵于人。
Huáng dì wèn yuē: tiān fù dì zài, wàn wù xī bèi, mò guì yú rén.
黄帝问道：天在上覆盖，地在下承载，万物俱备于天地之间，而没有比人更宝贵的了。
The Yellow Emperor asks: Heaven covers, earth bears up, and the myriad things are all complete — but nothing is more precious than the human being.
2
人以天地之氣生，四時之法成，君王衆庶，盡欲全形，形之疾病，莫知其情，留淫日深，著於骨髓，心私慮之，余欲鍼除其疾病，爲之奈何？
人以天地之气生，四时之法成，君王众庶，尽欲全形，形之疾病，莫知其情，留淫日深，著于骨髓，心私虑之，余欲针除其疾病，为之奈何？
Rén yǐ tiān dì zhī qì shēng, sì shí zhī fǎ chéng, jūn wáng zhòng shù, jìn yù quán xíng, xíng zhī jí bìng, mò zhī qí qíng, liú yín rì shēn, zhuó yú gǔ suǐ, xīn sī lǜ zhī, yú yù zhēn chú qí jí bìng, wèi zhī nài hé?
人禀天地之气而生，依四时变化的法则而成长。君王与百姓，都愿意保全自己的形体；但形体发生了疾病，却不知其情由，病邪留滞淫泆日渐深入，附着于骨髓，我心中暗自忧虑。我想用针法祛除他们的疾病，应当怎么办呢？
The human being is born of the qi of heaven and earth and is completed by the order of the four seasons. Ruler and commoner alike all want to keep the form whole, yet when the form falls sick no one knows what is happening in it: the lodging grows more licentious day by day and fixes itself in the bone and marrow. I have worried over this privately. I wish to remove their disease with the needle — how should I go about it?
3
歧伯對曰：夫鹽之味鹹者，其氣令器津泄；絃絶者，其音嘶敗；木敷者，其葉發；病深者，其聲噦。
歧伯对曰：夫盐之味咸者，其气令器津泄；弦绝者，其音嘶败；木敷者，其叶发；病深者，其声哕。
Qí bó duì yuē: fú yán zhī wèi xián zhě, qí qì lìng qì jīn xiè; xián jué zhě, qí yīn sī bài; mù fū zhě, qí yè fā; bìng shēn zhě, qí shēng yuě.
歧伯回答说：盐味咸，它的气能使器皿渗出水液；琴弦将要断绝时，发出的声音嘶哑败坏；树木枝叶敷布过甚，它的叶子就会脱落；病邪深入时，病人的声音就会呃逆。
Qibo replies: The flavour of salt is salty, and its qi makes the vessel leak its fluid; when a string is about to snap, its note is hoarse and broken; when a tree is spent, its leaves go; when a disease is deep, the voice is retching.
4
人有此三者，是謂壞府，毒藥無治，短鍼無取，此皆絶皮傷肉，血氣爭黑。
人有此三者，是谓坏府，毒药无治，短针无取，此皆绝皮伤肉，血气争黑。
Rén yǒu cǐ sān zhě, shì wèi huài fǔ, dú yào wú zhì, duǎn zhēn wú qǔ, cǐ jiē jué pí shāng ròu, xuè qì zhēng hēi.
人若有这三种败坏之象，叫做府藏败坏，峻烈的药物不能治疗，短针也不能取效，这都是皮肉败绝损伤、血气交争而色见晦黑的缘故。
When a person has these three, it is called the ruined depot: potent drugs do not treat it and the short needle has nothing to take hold of. In all such cases the skin is broken and the flesh wounded, and blood and qi contend until they turn black.
5
帝曰：余念其痛，心爲之亂惑，反甚其病，不可更代，百姓聞之，以爲殘賊，爲之柰何？
帝曰：余念其痛，心为之乱惑，反甚其病，不可更代，百姓闻之，以为残贼，为之奈何？
Dì yuē: yú niàn qí tòng, xīn wèi zhī luàn huò, fǎn shèn qí bìng, bù kě gēng dài, bǎi xìng wén zhī, yǐ wéi cán zéi, wèi zhī nài hé?
黄帝说：我怜念病人的痛苦，心中因此昏乱疑惑，治疗反而加重了他的病，而病又不能替代。百姓听说我施针，会以为我残暴害人，该怎么办呢？
The Emperor says: I dwell on their suffering, and my mind is confounded and confused by it; treating them makes the disease worse instead, and I cannot take their place. When the common people hear of it they will think me cruel and destructive. What is to be done?
6
歧伯曰：夫人生於地，懸命於天，天地合氣，命之曰人。
歧伯曰：夫人生于地，悬命于天，天地合气，命之曰人。
Qí bó yuē: fú rén shēng yú dì, xuán mìng yú tiān, tiān dì hé qì, mìng zhī yuē rén.
歧伯说：人的形体生成于地，性命却悬系于天；天地之气相合，才叫作人。
Qibo says: The human being is born from earth, but hangs its allotted life from heaven. When the qi of heaven and earth conjoin, that is what is called a human being.
7
人能應四時者，天地爲之父母。知萬物者，謂之天子。
人能应四时者，天地为之父母。知万物者，谓之天子。
Rén néng yìng sì shí zhě, tiān dì wèi zhī fù mǔ. Zhī wàn wù zhě, wèi zhī tiān zǐ.
人若能顺应四时的变化，天地就是他的父母。能通晓万物之理的人，可以称为天子。
One who can answer to the four seasons has heaven and earth as father and mother. One who knows the myriad things is called the son of heaven.
Tiān yǒu yīn yáng, rén yǒu shí èr jié. Tiān yǒu hán shǔ, rén yǒu xū shí.
天有阴阳，人有十二关节，即十二经脉之大节；天有寒暑，人有虚实。
Heaven has yin and yang; the human being has twelve joints. Heaven has cold and heat; the human being has emptiness and repletion.
Néng jīng tiān dì yīn yáng zhī huà zhě, bù shī sì shí. Zhī shí èr jié zhī lǐ zhě, shèng zhì bù néng qī yě.
能经历并把握天地阴阳变化的人，就不会违背四时。能通晓十二节道理的人，即使圣明睿智之人也不能欺骗他。
One who can traverse the transformations of the yin and yang of heaven and earth does not lose the four seasons. One who knows the principle of the twelve joints cannot be deceived even by sagely wisdom.
10
能存八動之變，五勝更立。能逹虚實之數者，獨出獨入。
能存八动之变，五胜更立。能达虚实之数者，独出独入。
Néng cún bā dòng zhī biàn, wǔ shèng gēng lì. Néng dá xū shí zhī shù zhě, dú chū dú rù.
能存心体察八风之变动、五行相胜之更代而立。能通达虚实之数的人，就能独往独来，无所滞碍。
One who can hold the changes of the eight movements and the alternation by which the five conquests set each other up, and one who can reach through the numbers of emptiness and repletion, goes out alone and comes in alone.
Qū yín zhì wēi, qiū háo zài mù.
病人张口呿气、呻吟之声极为细微，也要像秋天的毫毛那样分明地在眼前看清。
The yawn and the moan are exceedingly faint, yet the autumn down is before the eye.
Dì yuē: rén shēng yǒu xíng, bù lí yīn yáng. Tiān dì hé qì, bié wéi jiǔ yě, fēn wéi sì shí.
黄帝说：人生而有形体，不离阴阳的法则。天地之气相合，分别成为九野，划分为四时。
The Emperor says: A person is born with a form and never leaves yin and yang. The qi of heaven and earth conjoins, is divided into the nine regions, and is apportioned into the four seasons.
13
月有小大，日有短長。萬物並至，不可勝量。
月有小大，日有短长。万物并至，不可胜量。
Yuè yǒu xiǎo dà, rì yǒu duǎn cháng. Wàn wù bìng zhì, bù kě shèng liàng.
月亮有小有大，日子有短有长。万物一齐到来，不可能尽数衡量。
The moon has its small and its great, the day has its short and its long. The myriad things arrive together and cannot all be measured.
Xū shí qū yín, gǎn wèn qí fāng?
对于虚实与呿吟的诊察，请问有什么方法呢？
As for emptiness and repletion, the yawn and the moan — may I venture to ask the method?
15
歧伯曰：木得金而伐，火得水而滅，土得木而達，金得火而缺，水得土而絶。萬物盡然，不可勝竭。
歧伯曰：木得金而伐，火得水而灭，土得木而达，金得火而缺，水得土而绝。万物尽然，不可胜竭。
Qí bó yuē: mù dé jīn ér fá, huǒ dé shuǐ ér miè, tǔ dé mù ér dá, jīn dé huǒ ér quē, shuǐ dé tǔ ér jué. Wàn wù jìn rán, bù kě shèng jié.
歧伯说：木遇到金就被砍伐，火遇到水就被熄灭，土遇到木就被疏达，金遇到火就被缺损，水遇到土就被断绝。万物都是这样，不可能尽举。
Qibo says: Wood meets metal and is felled; fire meets water and is quenched; earth meets wood and is opened through; metal meets fire and is flawed; water meets earth and is cut off. All the myriad things are like this and cannot be exhaustively enumerated.
16
故鍼有懸布天下者五，黔首共餘食，莫知之也。
故针有悬布天下者五，黔首共余食，莫知之也。
Gù zhēn yǒu xuán bù tiān xià zhě wǔ, qián shǒu gòng yú shí, mò zhī zhī yě.
所以针法有五项，可以悬挂公示于天下；而百姓只知共享余食，没有谁知道它。
Therefore there are five things about the needle that hang proclaimed beneath heaven, and yet the black-haired people share their leftover food and none of them know them.
Yī yuē zhì shén, èr yuē zhī yǎng shēn, sān yuē zhī dú yào wéi zhēn, sì yuē zhì biān shí xiǎo dà, wǔ yuē zhī fǔ zàng xuè qì zhī zhěn. Wǔ fǎ jù lì. Gè yǒu suǒ xiān.
一是调治医生自己的心神，二是懂得养身之道，三是懂得药物的真伪，四是能制御砭石的大小，五是懂得府藏血气的诊察。这五项法则都已确立，而施行时各有先后轻重。
First, to govern the spirit. Second, to know how to nourish the body. Third, to know the true from the false among potent drugs. Fourth, to regulate the size of the stone needle. Fifth, to know the examination of the depots, the viscera, the blood and the qi. The five methods are established all together, and each has what comes before it.
18
今末世之剌也，虚者實之，滿者泄之，此皆衆工所共知也。
今末世之刺也，虚者实之，满者泄之，此皆众工所共知也。
Jīn mò shì zhī cì yě, xū zhě shí zhī, mǎn zhě xiè zhī, cǐ jiē zhòng gōng suǒ gòng zhī yě.
如今末世的针刺之法，不过是虚证用补法使之充实、满证用泻法使之疏泄，这些都是一般医工所共同知道的。
The puncturing of this latter age is simply: fill what is empty, drain what is full. These are things that all the common workmen know together.
19
若夫法天則地，隨應而動，和之者若響，隨之者若影，道無鬼神，獨來獨往。
若夫法天则地，随应而动，和之者若响，随之者若影，道无鬼神，独来独往。
Ruò fú fǎ tiān zé dì, suí yìng ér dòng, hè zhī zhě ruò xiǎng, suí zhī zhě ruò yǐng, dào wú guǐ shén, dú lái dú wǎng.
至于取法于天、则象于地，随其感应而施治，应和它就像回声应和音响，追随它就像影子追随形体。道中并没有鬼神，只是独来独往而已。
But to take heaven as law and earth as rule, to move in answer and response — what answers it is like an echo, what follows it is like a shadow. There are no ghosts or spirits in the way; it comes alone and goes alone.
Dì yuē: yuàn wén qí dào.
黄帝说：我希望听听其中的道理。
The Emperor says: I wish to hear the way of it.
21
歧伯曰：凡剌之真，必先治神。五藏已定，九候已備，後乃存鍼。
歧伯曰：凡刺之真，必先治神。五藏已定，九候已备，后乃存针。
Qí bó yuē: fán cì zhī zhēn, bì xiān zhì shén. Wǔ zàng yǐ dìng, jiǔ hòu yǐ bèi, hòu nǎi cún zhēn.
歧伯说：凡针刺的要领，必先调治自己的心神。待五脏的虚实已经判定、九候的脉象已经齐备，然后才能存意用针。
Qibo says: The truth of puncturing, in every case, is that the spirit must be governed first. Only when the five viscera are settled and the nine probes are complete does one go on to hold the needle.
22
衆脉不見，衆凶弗聞。外内相得，無以形先。
众脉不见，众凶弗闻。外内相得，无以形先。
Zhòng mài bù xiàn, zhòng xiōng fú wén. Wài nèi xiāng dé, wú yǐ xíng xiān.
众人之脉不显现于外，众人之凶不闻于外。外在的脉象与内在的病情相得相合，不要把形迹放在前面。
The many vessels do not show and the many ill omens are not heard. When outer and inner correspond, do not put the form first.
23
可玩往來，乃施於人。人有虚實，五虚勿近，五實勿遠。
可玩往来，乃施于人。人有虚实，五虚勿近，五实勿远。
Kě wán wǎng lái, nǎi shī yú rén. Rén yǒu xū shí, wǔ xū wù jìn, wǔ shí wù yuǎn.
要能玩味经气的往来，才可施治于人。人有虚实之别，五虚之证不可轻率近针，五实之证不可迟疑远离。
One must be able to play over the comings and goings before applying it to a person. People have emptiness and repletion: do not go near the five emptinesses, do not keep far from the five repletions.
24
至其當發，間不容𪱄。手動若務，鍼耀而匀。
至其当发，间不容瞬。手动若务，针耀而匀。
Zhì qí dāng fā, jiān bù róng shùn. Shǒu dòng ruò wù, zhēn yào ér yún.
到了应当进针的时刻，其间容不了一瞬。手上的动作要专一不懈，针体明亮而匀净。
When the moment for it arrives, there is not the space of a blink between. The hand moves as if bound to its task; the needle is bright and even.
25
靜意視義，觀適之變，是謂𡨋𡨋，莫知其形。
静意视义，观适之变，是谓冥冥，莫知其形。
Jìng yì shì yì, guān shì zhī biàn, shì wèi míng míng, mò zhī qí xíng.
要静下心神体察其中的义理，观察气之所至的变化，这叫做冥冥，没有人能知道它的形迹。
Still the intention and look to the meaning; watch the change as it arrives. This is called the dark and the dark — no one knows its shape.
26
見其烏烏，見其稷稷，從見其飛，不知其誰。伏如横弩，起如發機。
见其乌乌，见其稷稷，从见其飞，不知其谁。伏如横弩，起如发机。
Jiàn qí wū wū, jiàn qí jì jì, cóng jiàn qí fēi, bù zhī qí shuí. Fú rú héng nǔ, qǐ rú fā jī.
只看见气之来如乌鸟之聚集，看它如稷稷之繁盛，随又见它飞去，不知它究竟是什么。留针时如横置的弩弓，起针时如扣发弩机。
One sees the cawing crowd of it, one sees the thick crowding of it, then one sees it take flight and does not know what it was. It lies like a crossbow laid level; it rises like the release of a trigger.
27
帝曰：何如而虚，何如而實？
帝曰：何如而虚，何如而实？
Dì yuē: hé rú ér xū, hé rú ér shí?
黄帝说：怎样才算虚？怎样才算实？
The Emperor says: What makes it empty, and what makes it replete?
28
歧伯曰：剌虚者須其實，剌實者須其虚。經氣已至，慎守勿失。
歧伯曰：刺虚者须其实，刺实者须其虚。经气已至，慎守勿失。
Qí bó yuē: cì xū zhě xū qí shí, cì shí zhě xū qí xū. Jīng qì yǐ zhì, shèn shǒu wù shī.
歧伯说：刺虚证要等待正气充实，刺实证要等待邪气虚衰。经气已经到来，要谨慎守住，不可失去。
Qibo says: To puncture emptiness, wait for its repletion; to puncture repletion, wait for its emptiness. Once the channel qi has arrived, guard it carefully and do not lose it.
29
深淺在志，遠近若一。如臨深淵，手如握虎，神無營於衆物。
深浅在志，远近若一。如临深渊，手如握虎，神无营于众物。
Shēn qiǎn zài zhì, yuǎn jìn ruò yī. Rú lín shēn yuān, shǒu rú wò hǔ, shén wú yíng yú zhòng wù.
针刺的深浅在于心志的把握，取穴的远近如一。要像面临深渊那样谨慎，手像握着老虎那样牢稳，心神不被外物所牵扰。
Depth and shallowness lie in the will; far and near are as one. It is like approaching an abyss, the hand like gripping a tiger, the spirit not entangled in the many things.