使者曰：「陳不可伐也。
“Chen cannot be attacked,” his emissary said.
」莊王曰：「何故？
“Why?” asked King Zhuang.
」對曰：「其城郭高，溝壑深，畜積多：其國寧也。
“Its walls are high, and its moats are deep,” said the emissary.
“It is well stocked with provisions and is internally free of dissension.” “Chen can be attacked,” said King Zhuang.
」王曰：「陳可伐也。
“Chen, let us note, is a small state but well stocked with provisions.
夫陳，小國也，而畜積多， 蓄積多則賦斂重，賦斂重則民怨上矣；城郭高，溝壑深，則民力罷矣。
If it is well stocked, that means its taxes are heavy.
」興兵伐之，遂取陳。
If its taxes are heavy, that means that its people resent their superiors.
And, if the walls are high and the moats deep, that means that its people’s strength is exhausted.” After raising an army, he attacked and took Chen.