蒙曰：“吾料关某兵少，必不从大路而逃，麦成正北有险峻小路，必从此路而去。
Lu Meng replied, "This Guan Yu has very few soldiers left, and he will not venture along the high road.
North of Maicheng is a risky path, and he will try to escape along that.
可令朱然引精兵五千，伏于麦城之北二十里。
Therefore you must lay an ambush for him seven miles away from the city,
彼军至，不可与敌，只可随后掩杀。
but do not stop him.
Let him go by, and then harass his rear.
彼军定无战心，必奔临沮，却令潘璋引精兵五百，伏于临沮山僻小路，关某可擒矣。
Thus he will be forced into Linju.
Set another small ambush near there, and you will capture your enemy.
今遣将士各门攻打，只空北门，待其出走。”
For the present, attack the city vigorously on all sides but one, leaving the north gate for escape."
权闻计，令吕范再卜之。
Before carrying out this plan, Sun Quan bade Lu Fan consult the auspices.
卦成，范告曰：“此卦主敌人投西北而走，今夜亥时必然就擒。”
Lu Fan did so, announcing, "The enemy will flee toward the northwest, but will be caught that night before midnight."
权大喜，遂令朱然、潘璋领两枝精兵，各依军令埋伏去讫。
So Zhu Ran was sent in command of the first ambush, and Pan Zhang was the second.
The troops sent were all veterans.
且说关公在麦城，计点马步军兵，止剩三百余人，粮草又尽。
When Guan Yu mustered his fighting men in the city of Maicheng, he had but three hundred.
The food was done.
是夜，城外吴兵招唤各军姓名，越城而去者甚多。
That night many soldiers of Wu came to the city walls and called to their friends by name, and many of these slipped over the wall and deserted, reducing the small force still further.
救兵又不见到。
No rescue force appeared, and Guan Yu was at the end of his resources.
何不弃此孤城，奔入西川，再整兵来，以图恢复？”
Let us abandon this miserable place, try to get to Yizhou, and recover the army.
We may then tempt our fortune once more."
公曰：“吾亦欲如此。”
"I agree with you that that is the best plan," said Guan Yu.
遂上城观之，见北门外敌军不多。
Then he ascended the walls and surveyed the country.
Noting that the weakest side was the north,
因问本城居民：“此去往北，地势若何？”
he called in some of the inhabitants and inquired the nature of the country on that side.
答曰：“此去皆是山僻小路，可通西川。”
They replied, "There are only paths there, but by them one may get into the West River Land."
王甫谏曰：“小路有埋伏，可走大路。”
Wang Fu opposed it, saying, "General, you will surely fall into an ambush.
The main road will be safer."
公曰：“虽有埋伏，吾何惧哉！”
"There may be an ambush, but do I fear that?”" said the old warrior.
某与部卒百余人，死据此城。
"I will defend this city to the very last.
I only need a hundred troops.
公亦与泣别。
The two parted in tears.
遂留周仓与王甫同守麦城，关公自与关平、赵累引残卒二百余人，突出北门。
Wang Fu and Zhou Cang remaining to guard Maicheng.
Guan Yu, Guan Ping, and Zhao Lei marched with their weak force out of the north gate.
关公横刀前进，行至初更以后，约走二十余里，只见山凹处，金鼓齐鸣，喊声大震，一彪军到，为首大将朱然，骤马挺枪叫曰：“云长休走！
Guan Yu, his green-dragon saber ready to hand, went first.
About the third watch, seven miles lay between them and the city.
There they saw a deep cleft in the hills wherefrom rolled the sound of beaten drums.
And men were shouting.
Soon appeared a large force with Zhu Ran at their head.
He came dashing forward, and summoned the small party, saying, "Guan Yu, do not run!
公大怒，拍马轮刀来战。
But Guan Yu whipped his steed to a gallop and bore down on the leader with anger in his eyes.
朱然便走，公乘势追杀。
Then Zhu Ran ran away.
Guan Yu followed him till ^+1there came the loud boom of a large drum,