1
黄帝問曰：余聞九鍼九篇，夫子乃因而九之，九九八十一篇，余盡通其意矣。
黄帝问曰：余闻九针九篇，夫子乃因而九之，九九八十一篇，余尽通其意矣。
Huáng dì wèn yuē: yú wén jiǔ zhēn jiǔ piān, fū zǐ nǎi yīn ér jiǔ zhī, jiǔ jiǔ bā shí yī piān, yú jìn tōng qí yì yǐ.
黄帝问道：我听说关于九针有九篇文章，夫子又依此推衍为九倍，于是成为九九八十一篇，我已经完全通晓其中的意义了。
The Yellow Emperor asks: I have heard that there are nine treatises on the nine needles, and that you, my master, multiplied them by nine — nine nines, eighty-one treatises. I have thoroughly grasped their meaning.
2
經言氣之盛衰，左右傾移，以上調下，以左調右，有餘不足，補冩於榮輸，余知之矣。
经言气之盛衰，左右倾移，以上调下，以左调右，有余不足，补写于荣输，余知之矣。
Jīng yán qì zhī shèng shuāi, zuǒ yòu qīng yí, yǐ shàng tiáo xià, yǐ zuǒ tiáo yòu, yǒu yú bù zú, bǔ xiè yú róng shù, yú zhī zhī yǐ.
医经上说气有盛衰，又有左右的偏倾移易，治上以调下、治左以调右，有余则泻、不足则补，都在荥穴与输穴上施治，这些我也已经知道了。
The classic speaks of the waxing and waning of qi, of its tipping and shifting to left and right, of treating the lower by means of the upper and the right by means of the left, of surplus and insufficiency, and of supplementing and draining at the bloom and transport points. All this I know.
3
此皆榮衛之傾移，虚實之所生，非邪氣從外入於經也。
此皆荣卫之倾移，虚实之所生，非邪气从外入于经也。
Cǐ jiē róng wèi zhī qīng yí, xū shí zhī suǒ shēng, fēi xié qì cóng wài rù yú jīng yě.
这些都只是营卫之气的偏倾移易、虚实由此而生的病变，并不是邪气从外部侵入经脉所致。
But all of these are merely the tipping and shifting of the bloom and defence, and the vacuity and repletion that arise from it. They are not cases of an evil qi entering the channels from outside.
4
余願聞邪氣之在經也，其病人何如？
余愿闻邪气之在经也，其病人何如？
Yú yuàn wén xié qì zhī zài jīng yě, qí bìng rén hé rú?
我想听一听：邪气留于经脉之中时，它使人生病的情况是怎样的？
What I wish to hear about is this: when an evil qi is in the channels, how does it make a person ill?
5
取之奈何？
取之奈何？
Qǔ zhī nài hé?
又应当怎样取治呢？
And how is it to be taken out?
6
歧伯對曰：夫聖人之起度數，必應於天地，故天有宿度，地有經水，人有經脉。
歧伯对曰：夫圣人之起度数，必应于天地，故天有宿度，地有经水，人有经脉。
Qí bó duì yuē: fú shèng rén zhī qǐ dù shù, bì yìng yú tiān dì, gù tiān yǒu xiù dù, dì yǒu jīng shuǐ, rén yǒu jīng mài.
歧伯回答说：圣人创制度量与数理，必定与天地相应，所以天上有星宿的分度，地上有流行的河水，人体则有经脉。
Qibo replies: When the sages set up measures and numbers they necessarily made them answer to heaven and earth. Thus heaven has its mansions and degrees, earth has its rivers, and the human being has the channels.
7
天地温和，則經水安靜；
天地温和，则经水安静；
Tiān dì wēn hé, zé jīng shuǐ ān jìng;
天地之气温和，则河水安静平流；
When heaven and earth are mild and harmonious, the rivers are calm and still;
8
天寒地凍，則經水凝泣；
天寒地冻，则经水凝泣；
Tiān hán dì dòng, zé jīng shuǐ níng sè;
天气寒冷、大地冻结，则河水凝滞涩行；
When heaven is cold and earth frozen, the rivers congeal and drag;
9
天暑地熱，則經水沸溢；
天暑地热，则经水沸溢；
Tiān shǔ dì rè, zé jīng shuǐ fèi yì;
天气暑热、大地蒸腾，则河水沸腾外溢；
When heaven is hot and earth baking, the rivers boil and overflow;
Cù fēng bào qǐ, zé jīng shuǐ bō yǒng ér lǒng qǐ.
猝然暴风骤起，则河水波浪涌起、如山陇般隆起。
When a sudden wind rises in a gust, the rivers heave in waves and swell into ridges.
Fú xié zhī rù yú mài yě, hán zé xuè níng sè, shǔ zé qì nào zé, xū xié yīn ér rù kè, yì rú jīng shuǐ zhī dé fēng yě.
邪气侵入脉中时，遇寒则血液凝滞涩行，遇暑则气濡润流利，虚邪便乘此而客居其中，也正像河水遇到了风一样。
Now when an evil enters the pulse: cold makes the blood congeal and drag, heat makes the qi thin and glossy, and the empty evil takes advantage of this to enter and lodge — exactly as a river meets the wind.
12
經之動脉，其至也亦時隴起。
经之动脉，其至也亦时陇起。
Jīng zhī dòng mài, qí zhì yě yì shí lǒng qǐ.
经脉搏动之处，其脉气到来时也时常如波陇般隆起。
In the beating pulse of the channel, its arrival too sometimes swells up like a ridge.
13
其行於脉中，循循然，其至寸口中手也，時大時小，大則邪至，小則平，其行無常處，在陰與陽，不可爲度。
其行于脉中，循循然，其至寸口中手也，时大时小，大则邪至，小则平，其行无常处，在阴与阳，不可为度。
Qí xíng yú mài zhōng, xún xún rán, qí zhì cùn kǒu zhòng shǒu yě, shí dà shí xiǎo, dà zé xié zhì, xiǎo zé píng, qí xíng wú cháng chù, zài yīn yǔ yáng, bù kě wéi dù.
它在脉中运行，循循然依次而行，到达寸口而应于指下，忽大忽小；大则邪气到来，小则邪气平顺。它的运行没有固定处所，或在阴、或在阳，不可预先测度。
It moves along inside the pulse in an orderly sequence; when it reaches the wrist it strikes the finger, now large, now small. Large means the evil has arrived, small means all is level. Its movement has no fixed place — it may be in yin or in yang — and it cannot be measured in advance.
14
從而察之，三部九𠉀，卒然逢之，早遏其路，吸則内鍼，無令氣忤，靜以久留，無令邪布，吸則轉鍼，以得氣爲故，𠉀呼引鍼，呼盡乃去，大氣皆出，故命曰冩。
从而察之，三部九候，卒然逢之，早遏其路，吸则内针，无令气忤，静以久留，无令邪布，吸则转针，以得气为故，候呼引针，呼尽乃去，大气皆出，故命曰写。
Cóng ér chá zhī, sān bù jiǔ hòu, cù rán féng zhī, zǎo è qí lù, xī zé nà zhēn, wú lìng qì wǔ, jìng yǐ jiǔ liú, wú lìng xié bù, xī zé zhuǎn zhēn, yǐ dé qì wéi gù, hòu hū yǐn zhēn, hū jìn nǎi qù, dà qì jiē chū, gù mìng yuē xiè.
循此而诊察，用三部九候之法，猝然遇到邪气，就及早阻断它的去路：趁病人吸气时进针，不要让气与针相逆忤；静守其气而久留针，不要让邪气散布；再趁吸气时捻转其针，以获得气感为度；然后候其呼气而出针，待呼气尽时方才退出，使大邪之气尽出，所以叫做泻。
Following it and examining by the three regions and nine indicators, when one suddenly meets it one must block its road early: insert the needle as the patient inhales, and do not let the qi be opposed; rest quietly and hold the needle long, and do not let the evil spread; turn the needle again on an inhalation, the aim being to obtain the qi; then wait for the exhalation to withdraw it, withdrawing only when the breath is fully spent, so that the great qi all comes out. This is what is called draining.
15
帝曰：不足者補之，柰何？
帝曰：不足者补之，奈何？
Dì yuē: bù zú zhě bǔ zhī, nài hé?
黄帝说：不足之证用补法，又当怎样？
The Emperor says: And for insufficiency, which is supplemented — how is that done?
16
歧伯曰：必先捫而循之，切而散之，推而按之，彈而怒之，抓而下之，通而取之，外引其門，以閉其神。
歧伯曰：必先扪而循之，切而散之，推而按之，弹而怒之，抓而下之，通而取之，外引其门，以闭其神。
Qí bó yuē: bì xiān mén ér xún zhī, qiè ér sàn zhī, tuī ér àn zhī, tán ér nǔ zhī, zhuā ér xià zhī, tōng ér qǔ zhī, wài yǐn qí mén, yǐ bì qí shén.
歧伯说：必定先以手扪摸而循按其处，切按而疏散其气，推挤而按压其部，弹动而使其气振起，抓捏而引气下行，疏通之后再取穴施针，向外引其针孔之门，以闭合其神气。
Qibo says: First one must palpate and follow it, press and disperse it, push and press it, flick it to rouse it, grasp it to bring it down, open the way and then take it. One draws the gate outward so as to close the spirit in.
17
呼盡内鍼，靜以久留，以氣至爲故，如待所貴，不知日暮。
呼尽内针，静以久留，以气至为故，如待所贵，不知日暮。
Hū jìn nà zhēn, jìng yǐ jiǔ liú, yǐ qì zhì wéi gù, rú dài suǒ guì, bù zhī rì mù.
趁呼气尽时进针，静守而久留其针，以气至为准，如同等待贵客一般专一，以至于不知日已西暮。
Insert the needle at the end of an exhalation; rest quietly and hold it long, the aim being that the qi arrive. Wait as one waits for someone honoured, unaware that the day is ending.
18
其氣以至，適而自䕶，𠉀吸引鍼，氣不得出，各在其處，推闔其門，令神氣存，大氣留止，故命曰補。
其气以至，适而自护，候吸引针，气不得出，各在其处，推阖其门，令神气存，大气留止，故命曰补。
Qí qì yǐ zhì, shì ér zì hù, hòu xī yǐn zhēn, qì bù dé chū, gè zài qí chù, tuī hé qí mén, lìng shén qì cún, dà qì liú zhǐ, gù mìng yuē bǔ.
气已到来，就要安适地自加守护；候其吸气而出针，使气不得外泄，各安其所；随即推合针孔之门，使神气内存、大气留止其中，所以叫做补。
Once the qi has arrived, settle and guard it yourself; wait for an inhalation to withdraw the needle, so that the qi cannot get out and each part stays where it belongs. Then push the gate shut, letting the spirit qi be kept in and the great qi rest and remain. This is what is called supplementing.
Dì yuē: hòu qì nài hé?
黄帝说：候察邪气，又当怎样？
The Emperor says: How does one watch for the qi?
20
歧伯曰：夫邪去絡入於經也，舍於血脉之中，其寒温未相得，如涌波之起也，時來時去，故不常在。
歧伯曰：夫邪去络入于经也，舍于血脉之中，其寒温未相得，如涌波之起也，时来时去，故不常在。
Qí bó yuē: fú xié qù luò rù yú jīng yě, shè yú xuè mài zhī zhōng, qí hán wēn wèi xiāng dé, rú yǒng bō zhī qǐ yě, shí lái shí qù, gù bù cháng zài.
歧伯说：邪气离开络脉而入于经脉，留舍于血脉之中，其寒与温尚未相合，如同水波涌起一般，时来时去，所以并不常在一处。
Qibo says: When an evil leaves the network vessels and enters the channels, it lodges in the midst of the blood and vessels. Its cold and its warmth have not yet come to accord, and it rises like a surging wave — now coming, now going, so it does not stay constantly in one place.
21
故曰方其來也，必按而止之，止而取之，無逢其衝而冩之。
故曰方其来也，必按而止之，止而取之，无逢其冲而写之。
Gù yuē fāng qí lái yě, bì àn ér zhǐ zhī, zhǐ ér qǔ zhī, wú féng qí chōng ér xiè zhī.
所以说当他正来之时，必定按压而止住它，止住之后再取而泻之，切不可逢其气冲而来时便用泻法。
Hence it is said: at the very moment it comes, one must press and halt it, halt it and then take it. Do not drain into its onrush.
Zhēn qì zhě, jīng qì yě.
所谓真气，就是经脉之气。
True qi is channel qi.
23
經氣太虚，故曰其來不可逢，此之謂也。
经气太虚，故曰其来不可逢，此之谓也。
Jīng qì tài xū, gù yuē qí lái bù kě féng, cǐ zhī wèi yě.
经气已经太虚，所以说邪气来时不可逢迎而泻，说的就是这个道理。
The channel qi is greatly vacuous; therefore it is said that its coming cannot be met head-on. This is what that means.
24
故曰𠉀邪不審，大氣已過，冩之則真氣脱，脱則不復，邪氣復至，而病益蓄。
故曰候邪不审，大气已过，写之则真气脱，脱则不复，邪气复至，而病益蓄。
Gù yuē hòu xié bù shěn, dà qì yǐ guò, xiè zhī zé zhēn qì tuō, tuō zé bù fù, xié qì fù zhì, ér bìng yì xù.
所以说候察邪气不够审慎，待大邪之气已经过去，再用泻法就会使真气脱失；真气一脱便不能恢复，邪气再来，病就更加蓄积。
Hence it is said: if one watches for the evil without care, and the great qi has already passed, then draining will make the true qi fall away; once it has fallen away it does not return, the evil qi comes again, and the disease accumulates the more.
25
故曰其往不可追，此之謂也。
故曰其往不可追，此之谓也。
Gù yuē qí wǎng bù kě zhuī, cǐ zhī wèi yě.
所以说邪气已往不可追而泻之，说的就是这个道理。
Hence it is said that its going cannot be pursued. This is what that means.
Bù kě guà yǐ fà zhě, dài xié zhī zhì shí, ér fā zhēn xiè yǐ.
所谓不可挂以发，是说等待邪气到来的那一刻，随即发针而泻之，其间不容一发之差。
“Not to be hung by a hair” means this: wait for the moment the evil arrives, and then release the needle and drain.
27
若先若後者，血氣已盡，其病不可下。
若先若后者，血气已尽，其病不可下。
Ruò xiān ruò hòu zhě, xuè qì yǐ jìn, qí bìng bù kě xià.
倘若或先或后失其时机，则血气已经虚尽，其病就不可攻下了。
If one is early or late, the blood and qi are already spent, and the disease cannot be brought down.
28
故曰知其可取如發機，不知其取如扣椎。
故曰知其可取如发机，不知其取如扣椎。
Gù yuē zhī qí kě qǔ rú fā jī, bù zhī qí qǔ rú kòu chuí.
所以说懂得取治的时机，就像拨动弩机一样迅捷；不懂得取治的时机，就像叩击木椎一样迟钝不灵。
Hence it is said: to know when it can be taken is like releasing a trigger; not to know is like tapping a mallet.
29
故曰知機道者，不可挂以髮，不知機者，扣之不發，此之謂也。
故曰知机道者，不可挂以发，不知机者，扣之不发，此之谓也。
Gù yuē zhī jī dào zhě, bù kě guà yǐ fà, bù zhī jī zhě, kòu zhī bù fā, cǐ zhī wèi yě.
所以说懂得机变之道的，其间不容一发之差；不懂得机变的，叩击也发不出来，说的就是这个道理。
Hence it is said: one who knows the way of the trigger is not off by a hair; one who does not know the trigger taps and nothing fires. This is what that means.
30
帝曰：補冩奈何？
帝曰：补写奈何？
Dì yuē: bǔ xiè nài hé?
黄帝说：那么补泻又当怎样呢？
The Emperor says: And what of supplementing and draining?
31
歧伯曰：此攻邪也。
歧伯曰：此攻邪也。
Qí bó yuē: cǐ gōng xié yě.
歧伯说：这是攻逐邪气之法。
Qibo says: This is attacking the evil.
32
疾出以去盛血，而復其真氣。
疾出以去盛血，而复其真气。
Jí chū yǐ qù shèng xuè, ér fù qí zhēn qì.
疾速出针以祛除壅盛之血，从而恢复其真气。
Withdraw quickly so as to remove the exuberant blood, and restore the true qi.
33
此邪新客，溶溶未有定處也。
此邪新客，溶溶未有定处也。
Cǐ xié xīn kè, róng róng wèi yǒu dìng chù yě.
这是因为邪气新近客居，溶溶流动尚无定处。
This evil is newly lodged, flowing loose and unsettled, with no fixed place yet.
34
推之則前，引之則止，逆而剌之，温血也。
推之则前，引之则止，逆而刺之，温血也。
Tuī zhī zé qián, yǐn zhī zé zhǐ, nì ér cì zhī, wēn xuè yě.
推按它则前行，牵引它则止住；迎其势而针刺之，正是为了温通其血。
Push it and it moves forward; draw it and it stops. Puncture against its course — that is to warm the blood.
Cì chū qí xuè, qí bìng lì yǐ.
刺出其血，其病立刻痊愈。
Let the blood out by puncturing, and the disease ends at once.
36
帝曰：善。
帝曰：善。
Dì yuē: shàn.
黄帝说：讲得好。
The Emperor says: Good.
37
然真邪以合，波隴不起，𠉀之柰何？
然真邪以合，波陇不起，候之奈何？
Rán zhēn xié yǐ hé, bō lǒng bù qǐ, hòu zhī nài hé?
然而真气与邪气已经相合，脉中波陇不再隆起，此时又当如何候察呢？
But when true qi and evil have already merged, and the wave-swell no longer rises, how does one watch for it?
38
歧伯曰：審捫循三部九𠉀之盛虚而調之，察其左右上下，相失及相減者，審其病藏以期之。
歧伯曰：审扪循三部九候之盛虚而调之，察其左右上下，相失及相减者，审其病藏以期之。
Qí bó yuē: shěn mén xún sān bù jiǔ hòu zhī shèng xū ér tiáo zhī, chá qí zuǒ yòu shàng xià, xiāng shī jí xiāng jiǎn zhě, shěn qí bìng zàng yǐ qī zhī.
歧伯说：仔细扪循三部九候的盛虚而调治之，审察其左右上下，凡脉气相失以及相减者，审明病在何藏而按期候之。
Qibo says: Examine carefully — palpate and follow the fullness and emptiness of the three regions and nine indicators, and regulate accordingly. Observe what is to the left and right, above and below; where they lose correspondence or are diminished, determine the affected depot and set a time for it.
39
不知三部者，陰陽不别，天地不分，地以𠉀地，天以𠉀天，人以𠉀人，調之中府，以定三部，故曰剌不知三部九𠉀病脉之處，雖有大過且至，工不能禁也。
不知三部者，阴阳不别，天地不分，地以候地，天以候天，人以候人，调之中府，以定三部，故曰刺不知三部九候病脉之处，虽有大过且至，工不能禁也。
Bù zhī sān bù zhě, yīn yáng bù bié, tiān dì bù fēn, dì yǐ hòu dì, tiān yǐ hòu tiān, rén yǐ hòu rén, tiáo zhī zhōng fǔ, yǐ dìng sān bù, gù yuē cì bù zhī sān bù jiǔ hòu bìng mài zhī chù, suī yǒu dà guò qiě zhì, gōng bù néng jìn yě.
不懂得三部九候的医生，就不能辨别阴阳，不能区分天地；地候地、天候天、人候人，各有所主，调治当求之于中府，以此判定三部。所以说针刺而不知三部九候病脉之所在，即使有大过之邪将至，医工也不能禁其害。
One who does not know the three regions cannot separate yin from yang nor distinguish heaven from earth: earth is watched by earth, heaven by heaven, the human by the human; one regulates by the central depot in order to fix the three regions. Hence it is said: to needle without knowing where the diseased pulse lies among the three regions and nine indicators — even when a great excess is about to arrive, the physician cannot prevent it.
40
誅罰無過，命曰大惑，反亂大經，真不可復。
诛罚无过，命曰大惑，反乱大经，真不可复。
Zhū fá wú guò, mìng yuē dà huò, fǎn luàn dà jīng, zhēn bù kě fù.
诛罚本无过失之处，这叫做大惑；反而扰乱了大的经脉，真气便不可恢复。
To punish where there is no fault is called great confusion: it throws the great channels into disorder, and the true cannot be restored.
41
用實爲虚，以邪爲真，用鍼無義，反爲氣賊，奪人正氣，以從爲逆，榮衛散亂，真氣已失，邪獨内著，絶人長命，予人天殃。
用实为虚，以邪为真，用针无义，反为气贼，夺人正气，以从为逆，荣卫散乱，真气已失，邪独内著，绝人长命，予人天殃。
Yòng shí wéi xū, yǐ xié wéi zhēn, yòng zhēn wú yì, fǎn wéi qì zéi, duó rén zhèng qì, yǐ cóng wéi nì, róng wèi sàn luàn, zhēn qì yǐ shī, xié dú nèi zhuó, jué rén cháng mìng, yǔ rén tiān yāng.
把实当作虚、把邪当作真，用针毫无义理，反而成为贼害正气之物：夺人正气，以顺为逆，使营卫散乱，真气已经丧失，邪气独自留著于内，断绝人的长寿，给人以天降的灾殃。
To treat repletion as vacuity and take the evil for the true, to use the needle without principle, is to become a thief of the qi: it robs people of their upright qi, turns following into going against, scatters the bloom and defence, loses the true qi, leaves the evil lodged alone within, cuts short the long life that was theirs, and hands them a calamity from heaven.
Bù zhī sān bù jiǔ hòu, gù bù néng jiǔ cháng, yīn bù zhī hé zhī sì shí wǔ xíng, yīn jiā xiāng shèng, shì xié gōng zhèng, jué rén cháng mìng.
不知三部九候，所以不能长久；又因不知与四时五行相合，反而助长相胜之势，放走邪气而攻伐正气，断绝人的长寿。
Not knowing the three regions and nine indicators, one cannot last long; and by not knowing how to join them to the four seasons and five phases, one adds to their mutual conquest, releases the evil and attacks the upright, cutting short the long life that was theirs.
43
邪之新客來也，未有定處，推之則前，引之則止，逢而冩之，其病立已。
邪之新客来也，未有定处，推之则前，引之则止，逢而写之，其病立已。
Xié zhī xīn kè lái yě, wèi yǒu dìng chù, tuī zhī zé qián, yǐn zhī zé zhǐ, féng ér xiè zhī, qí bìng lì yǐ.
邪气新近客居而来，尚无定处，推按它则前行，牵引它则止住；逢其至而泻之，其病立刻痊愈。
When an evil newly arrives to lodge, it has no fixed place yet: push it and it moves forward, draw it and it stops. Meet it and drain it, and the disease ends at once.