有南安人告曰：“此人姓姜名维，字伯约，天水冀人也；事母至孝，文武双全，智勇足备，真当世之英杰也。”
A man of Nanan, who happened to be there, told him, "He is Jiang Wei from Jicheng of Tianshui County.
He is very filial to his mother.
Civil skill and military prowess, wisdom and courage, he has all.
Truly, he is a hero of the age."
赵云又夸奖姜维枪法，与他人大不同。
Zhao Yun also praised his skill with the spear, which was superior to any other's.
遂起大军前来。
The Shu army then advanced in force.
却说姜维回见马遵曰：“赵云败去，孔明必然自来。
Jiang Wei went back to Ma Zun and said, "Zhao Yun's defeat will bring up Zhuge Liang with the main body.
彼料我军必在城中。
He will conclude that we shall be in the city,
今可将本部军马，分为四枝：某引一军伏于城东，如彼兵到则截之。
wherefore you had better divide your force into four.
I, with one party, will go into hiding on the east so that I may cut off our enemies if they come that way.
太守与梁虚、尹赏各引一军城外埋伏。
You, O Governor, and Liang Qian and Yin Shang will lie in ambush on the other sides of the city.
梁绪率百姓在城上守御。”
Let Liang Xu and the common people go up on the wall to make the defense."
分拨已定。
Ma Zun agreed to the plan and prepared everything.
却说孔明因虑姜维，自为前部，望天水郡进发。
Due to Jiang Wei, Zhuge Liang himself led the main army to Tianshui.
将到城边，孔明传令曰：“凡攻城池，以初到之日，激励三军，鼓噪直上。
When they reached the city, Zhuge Liang gave a general orders: "Attacking a city must be proceeded as soon as the army reaches it.
At the rolling of drums, incite and urge the soldiers to advance with a rush.
若迟延日久，锐气尽隳，急难破矣。”
The keenness of the soldiers will be spoiled by any delay."
于是大军径到城下。
So this time also the army came straight up to the rampart.
因见城上旗帜整齐，未敢轻攻。
But they hesitated and dared not attack when they saw the flags flying in such good order and apparently such thorough preparation.
候至半夜，忽然四下火光冲天，喊声震地，正不知何处兵来。
About the middle of the night, fires started up all around and a great shouting was beard.
只见城上亦鼓噪呐喊相应，蜀兵乱窜。
+No one could see whence the Wei soldiers were coming, but there were answering shouts from the wall.
The soldiers of Shu grew frightened and ran.
回头看时，正东上军马，一带火光，势若长蛇。
Looking back, they saw many mounted troops with torches winding along like a huge serpent.
孔明令关兴探视，回报曰：“此姜维兵也。”
Zhuge Liang bade Guan Xing find out what this meant, and Guan Xing report: "These are Jiang Wei's troops."
收兵归寨，思之良久，乃唤安定人问曰：“姜维之母，现在何处？”
Zhuge Liang led the army back to camp, and then he thought for a long time.
Suddenly he called up one of the Anding men and said, "Where is the mother of this Jiang Wei?”
若姜维到，可放入城。”
If Jiang Wei comes up, let him enter the city."
又问：“此地何处紧要？”
Then Zhuge Liang asked, "What is the most important place in connection with this place?”
安定人曰：“天水钱粮，皆在上邽；若打破上邽，则粮道自绝矣。”
The man from Anding replied, "The storehouse of Tianshui is at Shanggui.
If that is taken, the supplies are cut off."
孔明离城三十里下寨。
while Zhuge Liang made a camp ten miles south of the city.
早有人报入天水郡，说蜀兵分为三路：一军守此郡，一军取上邽，一军取冀城。
The spies took the news of the movements of these three forces into Tianshui.