却说孔明班师回国，孟获率引大小洞主酋长及诸部落，罗拜相送。
Meng Huo at the head of the Mang Chieftains and Notables attended to do honor to the army of Shu on its departure.
前军至泸水，时值九月秋天，忽然阴云布合，狂风骤起；兵不能渡，回报孔明。
They reached the River Lu in autumn, the ninth month.
But on trying to cross the river, a tremendous storm came and hindered them.
Wei Yan having reported his difficulty to Zhuge Liang,
孔明遂问孟获，获曰：“此水原有猖神作祸，往来者必须祭之。”
Meng Huo was asked +if he knew of any reason for such a storm.
Meng Huo replied, "Wild spirits have always troubled those who would cross this river.
It is necessary to propitiate them with sacrifices."
孔明曰：“用何物祭享？”
"What is the sacrifice?”" asked Zhuge Liang.
获曰：“旧时国中因猖神作祸，用七七四十九颗人头并黑牛白羊祭之，自然风恬浪静，更兼连年丰稔。”
"In the old days when malicious spirits brought misfortune, they sacrificed humans to the number of seven sevens and offered their forty-nine heads.
They also slew a black ox and a white goat.
Sacrifice thus, the wind will subside and the waters come to rest.
The same used to be done to secure a plenteous harvest."
孔明曰：“吾今事已平定，安可妄杀一人？
"How can I slay a single person now that fighting is done and peace has returned?”" said Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang went down to the river to see for himself.
”遂自到泸水岸边观看。
"How can I slay a single person now that fighting is done and peace has returned?”" said Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang went down to the river to see for himself.
果见阴风大起，波涛汹涌，人马皆惊。
The north wind was blowing hard, and the waves were high.
Both humans and horses seemed frightened.
孔明甚疑，即寻土人问之。
He himself was perplexed.
Then he sought out some of the natives and questioned them.
土人告说：“自丞相经过之后，夜夜只闻得水边鬼哭神号。
They said, "We have heard the demons moaning every night since your army crossed the river.
自黄昏直至天晓，哭声不绝。
The cries begin at dusk and continued till dawn.
瘴烟之内，阴鬼无数。
There are many dark demons in the malarial vapors,
孔明曰：“此乃我之罪愆也。
"The sin is mine," sighed Zhuge Liang, "
前者马岱引蜀兵千余，皆死于水中；更兼杀死南人，尽弃此处。
for more than a thousand soldiers of Ma Dai perished in these waters beside many southern people.
狂魂怨鬼，不能解释，以致如此。
Their poor distressed souls are not yet freed –.
吾今晚当亲自往祭。”
Therefore I will come this night and sacrifice to them."
土人曰：“须依旧例，杀四十九颗人头为祭，则怨鬼自散也。”
"According to the ancient rule the number of victims ought to be forty-nine.
Then the spirits will disperse," said the natives.
孔明曰：“本为人死而成怨鬼，岂可又杀生人耶？
"As the resentful demons are here because of the deaths of people, where is the sense in slaying more humans?”
唤行厨宰杀牛马；和面为剂，塑成人头，内以牛羊等肉代之，名曰馒头。
Zhuge Liang bade them make balls of flour paste after the manner of human heads and stuff them with the flesh of oxen and goats. +These would be used instead of human heads, and they called these 'mantou' or +'human heads'.
当夜于泸水岸上，设香案，铺祭物，列灯四十九盏，扬幡招魂；将馒头等物，陈设于地。
By nightfall, an altar had been set up on the bank of the river with the sacrificial objects all arranged.
There were also forty-nine lamps.
Flags were flying to summon the souls.
The forty-nine mantous were piled up on the ground.
三更时分，孔明金冠鹤氅，亲自临祭，令董厥读祭文。
In the middle of the third watch, at midnight, Zhuge Liang, dressed in Taoist garb, went to offer the sacrifice in person, and he bade Dong Jue read this prayer:
其文曰：“维大汉建兴三年秋九月一日，武乡侯、领益州牧、丞相诸葛亮，谨陈祭仪，享于故殁王事蜀中将校及南人亡者阴魂曰：我大汉皇帝，威胜五霸，明继三王。
"On the first day of the ninth month of the third year of the era Beginning Prosperity of the Han Dynasty, I, Zhuge Liang, Prime Minister of Han, Lord of Wuxiang, Imperial Protector of Yizhou, reverently order this sacrifice to appease the shades of those soldiers of Shu who have died in their country's service and those of the southern people who have perished. "I now declare to you, O ye shades, the majesty of my master, the Emperor of the mighty Han Dynasty, excelling that of the Five Feudatories and brilliantly continuing the glory of the Three Dynastic Kings.
昨自远方侵境，异俗起兵；纵虿尾以兴妖，盗狼心而逞乱。
Recently, when the distant south rebelliously invaded his territory, contumeliously sent an army, loosed the venom of their sorcery, and gave free rein to their savagery in rebellion,
我奉王命，问罪遐荒；大举貔貅，悉除蝼蚁；雄军云集，狂寇冰消；才闻破竹之声，便是失猿之势。
I was commanded to punish their crimes.Wherefore my brave armies marched and utterly destroyed the contemptible rebels.
My brave soldiers gathered like the clouds, and the insensate rebels melted away.
Hearing of the easy successes I won, they were entirely demoralized.