伯陽父曰：「周將亡矣！
Bo Yang-fu32 said, “Zhou is about to perish!
夫天地之氣，不失其序。
The animating forces (qi 氣) of earth and heaven, let us note, should never depart from their established order.
若過其序，民亂之也。
If these essences become excessive, the people’s lives will be disrupted because of it.
陽伏而不能出，陰迫而不能烝，於是有地震。
If the yang principle is submerged and cannot come out, and, if the yin principle is suppressed and cannot rise, then earthquakes will occur.
今三川震，是陽失其所而填陰也。
“In the present case the Three Streams have suffered earthquakes; this is because the yang principle has left its proper location and suppressed the yin principle.
陽溢而壯陰，源必塞，國必亡。
When yang grows strong and overwhelms yin, the sources of the Streams will of necessity dry up, and the state will perish.
夫水土演而民用足也。
“When the earth is fruitful, let us note, the people’s needs will be supplied.
土無所演，民乏財用，不亡何待！
When the earth has nothing to make it fruitful, the people will lack the goods they need.
If the state does not perish now, how much longer can it last?