说苑/燕昭王問於郭隗曰：「寡人地狹人寡，齊人取薊八城，匈奴驅馳樓煩之下，以孤之不肖，得承宗廟，恐為社稷，存

燕昭王問於郭隗曰：「寡人地狹人寡，齊人取薊八城，匈奴驅馳樓煩之下，以孤之不肖，得承宗廟，恐為社稷，存之有道乎？

Eric Henry

King Zhao of Yan consulted with Guo Wei, saying, “My territory is narrow, the men of Qi have seized eight of my cities, and the Xiongnu horsemen gallop about in Loufan. Though I am unworthy, I have inherited the guardianship of our ancestral temple.

」郭隗曰：「有，然恐王之不能用也。

Eric Henry

I fear the altars of the state are in danger.

Eric Henry

Is there a way to preserve them?” “There is,” said Guo Wei, “but I fear Your Majesty will not be able to adopt it.” King Zhao rose from his mat and said, “I wish to.

昭王避席：「願請聞之。

Eric Henry

I beg to hear it.” “One who serves a supreme lord is called a servant,” said Guo, “but is actually a teacher; one who serves a king is called a servant but is actually a friend; one who serves a hegemon is called a servant and is actually a servant; one who serves an endangered state is called a servant but is actually a captive.67 65 King Zhao of Yan 燕昭王: p.n. Zhi 職; r. 311–279.

Eric Henry

He was the son by a concubine of King Kuai 噲.

」郭隗曰：「帝者之臣，其名，臣也，其實，師也；王者之臣，其名，臣也，其實，友也；霸者之臣，其名，臣也，其實，賓也；危國之臣，其名，臣也，其實，虜也。

Eric Henry

When King Zhao came to the throne, Yan had just suffered a devastating defeat and invasion from Qi.

Eric Henry

Guo Wei 郭隗 was a tutor to King Zhao in his youth and later became his prime minister.