程德谋可助我攻打南郡，定要夺还东吴。”
If Cheng Pu can but aid me in an attack on Nanjun, I can certainly restore it to the South Land."
瑜谓之曰：“吾欲起兵与刘备、诸葛亮共决雌雄，复夺城池。
to whom Zhou Yu said, "I simply must fight Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang till it is decided which shall have the upper hand.
I must also recapture the cities.
不争自家互相吞并，倘曹兵乘虚而来，其势危矣。
Do not fight near home, or it will be like people of the same household destroying each other.
Should Cao Cao take advantage of this position to make a sudden descent, we should be in a parlous condition.
况刘玄德旧曾与曹操相厚，若逼得紧急，献了城池，一同攻打东吴，如之奈何？”
Further, you must remember that Liu Bei and Cao Cao are united by the bonds of old friendship.
If the pressure becomes too great, Liu Bei may relinquish these cities, offer them to Cao Cao, and join forces with him to attack the south.
That would be a real misfortune."
瑜曰：“吾等用计策，损兵马，费钱粮，他去图现成，岂不可恨！”
"I cannot help being angry," said Zhou Yu, "to think that we should have used our resources for their benefit.
They get all the advantage."
若说不通，那时动兵未迟。”
If I can arrive at no understanding, then attack at once."
于是鲁肃引从者径投南郡来，到城下叫门。
So Lu Su, with his escort, went away to Nanjun to carry out his proposal and try to arrange matters.
He reached the city wall and summoned the gate,
云答曰：“吾主与军师在荆州城中。”
"My lord and Zhuge Liang are in Jingzhou," was the reply.
见旌旗整列，军容甚盛，肃暗羡曰：“孔明真非常人也！”
He found the walls bedecked with flags and everything in excellent order.
In his heart he admired the sight, and thought what an able person was the commander of that army.
军士报入城中，说鲁子敬要见。
The guards reported his arrival, and Zhuge Liang ordered them to throw wide the gate.
孔明令大开城门，接肃入衙。
Lu Su was led to the government house and,
讲礼毕，分宾主而坐。
after the usual exchange of salutes, Zhuge Liang and his visitor took their respective seats.
茶罢，肃曰：“吾主吴侯，与都督公瑾，教某再三申意皇叔：前者，操引百万之众，名下江南，实欲来图皇叔；幸得东吴杀退曹兵，救了皇叔。
Having finished the tea, Lu Su said, "My master, Marquis Sun Quan, and the commander of his army, Zhou Yu, have sent me to lay before the Imperial Uncle their views.
When Cao Cao led his huge host southward, he gave out that it was for the conquest of the South Land.
But really his intention was to destroy Liu Bei.
Happily our army was able to repulse that mighty host and so saved him.
今皇叔用诡计，夺占荆襄，使江东空费钱粮军马，而皇叔安受其利，恐于理未顺。”
But by a treacherous move, your master has occupied Jingzhou and Xiangyang, so that we have spent our treasure in vain and our armies have fought to no purpose.
The Imperial Uncle has reaped the benefits to the full.
This is not as it should be."
常言道：‘物必归主。’
You know the saying that all things return to their owner.
荆襄九郡，非东吴之地，乃刘景升之基业。
These places have never belonged to the South Land, but were of the patrimony of Liu Biao,
却说周瑜见孔明袭了南郡，又闻他袭了荆襄，如何不气？
Zhou Yu's anger at seeing that his rival, Zhuge Liang, had surprised Nanjun, and at hearing the same news of Jingzhou and Xiangyang, was but natural.
众将再三劝解。
All his officers besought him to accept the situation.
景升虽亡，其子尚在；以叔辅侄，而取荆州，有何不可？”
and though he is dead, his son remains.
Should not the uncle assist the nephew to recover his own?” Could my master have refrained?”
肃曰：“若果系公子刘琦占据，尚有可解；今公子在江夏，须不在这里！”
"If the nephew Liu Qi, the rightful heir, had occupied these cities, there would have been something to say.
But he is at Jiangxia and not here."
便命左右：“请公子出来。”
At the same time he ordered the servants to request Liu Qi to come.
只见两从者从屏风后扶出刘琦。
Thereupon Liu Qi at once appeared, supported by two attendants.
琦谓肃曰：“病躯不能施礼，子敬勿罪。”
Addressing Lu Su, Liu Qi said, "I am too weak to perform the correct ceremonies.
I pray you pardon me, Lu Su."
鲁肃吃了一惊，默然无语，良久，言曰：“公子若不在，便如何？”
Lu Su said not a word.
He was too much taken aback.
However, he recovered himself presently and said, "But if the heir had not been here, what then?”