1
《夏書》曰：禹抑洪水十三年，過家不入門。 陸行載車，水行載舟，泥行蹈毳，山行即橋。 以別九州，隨山浚川，任土作貢。 通九道，陂九澤，度九山。 然河菑衍溢，害中國也尤甚。 唯是為務。 故道河自積石歷龍門，南到華陰，東下砥柱，及孟津、雒汭，至于大邳。 於是禹以為河所從來者高，水湍悍，難以行平地，數為敗，乃二渠以引其河。 北載之高地，過降水，至于大陸，播為九河，同為逆河，入于勃海九川既疏，九澤既灑，諸夏艾安，功施于三代。
The Xia Shu says: Yu controlled the floodwaters for thirteen years, passing by his home without entering the gate. For land travel, he rode in a cart; for water travel, he rode in a boat; for mud travel, he stepped on rushes; for mountain travel, he used a bridge. He distinguished the nine provinces, dredged the rivers following the mountains, and established tribute according to the soil. He opened nine roads, dammed nine marshes, and crossed nine mountains. Yet the river disasters spread and overflowed, harming the Central States especially severely. This alone was his task. Therefore, he guided the river from Jishi through Longmen, south to Huayin, east down Dizhu, and through Mengjin and Luorui, until reaching Dapi. Therefore, Yu thought that because the river's source was high, the water was turbulent and fierce, making it difficult to flow across flat land, and it frequently caused breaches, so he created two channels to divert the river. He diverted it north to high ground, passed the Jiang River, arrived at the mainland, spread it as nine rivers, all of which became counter rivers, and entered the Bohai Sea. The nine rivers were already dredged, the nine marshes were already drained, the various Xia states were peaceful, and his merit extended to three dynasties.
2
自是之後，滎陽下引河東南為鴻溝，以通宋、鄭、陳、蔡、曹、衛，與濟、汝、淮、泗會。 于楚，西方則通渠漢水、雲夢之野，東方則通［鴻］溝江淮之閒。 於吳，則通渠三江、五湖。 於齊，則通菑濟之閒。 於蜀，蜀守冰鑿離碓，辟沫水之害，穿二江成都之中。 此渠皆可行舟，有餘則用溉浸，百姓饗其利。 至于所過，往往引其水益用溉田疇之渠，以萬億計，然莫足數也。
After this, below Xingyang, the river was diverted southeast as the Hong Gou, to connect Song, Zheng, Chen, Cai, Cao, and Wei, and to meet with the Ji, Ru, Huai, and Si rivers. In Chu, to the west, channels were opened to the Han River and the Yunmeng marshes; to the east, the Hong Gou was connected between the Jiang and Huai rivers. In Wu, channels were opened to the Three Jiang and the Five Lakes. In Qi, channels were connected between the Zi and Ji rivers. In Shu, the governor of Shu, Bing, chiseled the Li Dui, avoided the harm of the Mo River, and pierced two rivers through the middle of Chengdu. All these channels could carry boats, and when there was surplus water, it was used for irrigation, and the people enjoyed their benefits. As to the places he passed through, he often diverted their water to further use in channels for irrigating fields, counted in the tens of thousands and hundreds of millions, yet none were sufficient to enumerate.
3
西門豹引漳水溉鄴，以富魏之河內。
Ximen Bao diverted the Zhang River to irrigate Ye, thereby enriching Wei's Henei.
4
而韓聞秦之好興事，欲罷之，毋令東伐，乃使水工鄭國閒說秦，令鑿涇水自中山西邸瓠口為渠，并北山東注洛三百餘里，欲以溉田。 中作而覺，秦欲殺鄭國。 鄭國曰：「始臣為閒，然渠成亦秦之利也。」 秦以為然，卒使就渠。 渠就，用注填閼之水，溉澤鹵之地四萬餘頃，收皆畝一鐘。 於是關中為沃野，無凶年，秦以富彊，卒并諸侯，因命曰鄭國渠。
And Han, hearing that Qin liked to start projects, wanted to stop it and prevent it from attacking east, so it sent the water engineer Zheng Guo to secretly persuade Qin, ordering it to dig a canal from the Jing River from Zhongshan west to the Hulu mouth, along the north mountain east to pour into the Luo for more than three hundred li, intending to irrigate fields. When the work was half done, Qin became aware of it and wanted to kill Zheng Guo. Zheng Guo said: 'At first, I did this as a spy, yet when the canal is completed, it will also be to Qin's benefit.' Qin considered this to be so, and finally had the canal completed. When the canal was completed, it was used to pour water to fill blocked areas, irrigating more than forty thousand qing of salty and alkaline land, with each mu yielding one zhong of harvest. Therefore, Guanzhong became fertile fields with no famine years, and Qin thereby became rich and strong, finally uniting the feudal lords. For this reason, it was named the Zheng Guo Canal.
5
漢興三十九年，孝文時河決酸棗，東潰金隄，於是東郡大興卒塞之。
In the thirty-ninth year after the rise of Han, during the time of Emperor Xiaowen, the Yellow River burst at Suanzao, and to the east it breached the Jin Dike. Therefore, Dongjun greatly raised troops to block it.
6
其後四十有餘年，今天子元光之中，而河決於瓠子，東南注鉅野，通於淮、泗。 於是天子使汲黯、鄭當時興人徒塞之，輒復壞。 是時武安侯田蚡為丞相，其奉邑食鄃。 鄃居河北，河決而南則鄃無水菑，邑收多。 蚡言於上曰：「江河之決皆天事，未易以人力為彊塞，塞之未必應天。」 而望氣用數者亦以為然。 於是天子久之不事復塞也。
More than forty years after this, in the middle of the Yuanguang era of the present Son of Heaven, the Yellow River burst at Huzi, poured southeast into Juye, and connected to the Huai and Si rivers. Therefore, the Son of Heaven sent Ji An and Zheng Dangshi to raise people and troops to block it, but it broke again. At this time, the Marquis of Wu'an, Tian Fen, was Chancellor, and his fief was at Zhu. Zhu was located north of the Yellow River, so when the Yellow River burst to the south, then Zhu had no water disasters, and the fief's harvest was abundant. Fen spoke to the emperor, saying: 'The bursts of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers are all affairs of heaven. It is not easy to forcefully block them with human effort, and blocking them may not necessarily accord with heaven.' And those who observed qi and used numbers also considered it to be so. Therefore, for a long time, the Son of Heaven did not undertake to block it again.
7
是時鄭當時為大農，言曰：「異時關東漕粟從渭中上，度六月而罷，而漕水道九百餘里，時有難處。 引渭穿渠起長安，并南山下，至河三百餘里，徑，易漕，度可令三月罷； 而渠下民田萬餘頃，又可得以溉田：此損漕省卒，而益肥關中之地，得穀。」 天子以為然，令齊人水工徐伯表，悉發卒數萬人穿漕渠，三歲而通。 通，以漕，大便利。 其後漕稍多，而渠下之民頗得以溉田矣。
At this time, Zheng Dangshi was the Grand Agrarian, and he said: 'In former times, grain was transported from Guandong up the Wei River, taking an estimated six months to complete, and the transport water route was more than nine hundred li, sometimes having difficult places.' If we divert the Wei and dig a canal starting from Chang'an, following the south mountain down, to the Yellow River for more than three hundred li, it will be direct and easy for transport, and can be estimated to take three months to complete; and the people's fields below the canal, more than ten thousand qing, can also be used for irrigation: this will reduce transport and save troops, and benefit and fertilize the land of Guanzhong, obtaining grain.' The Son of Heaven considered this to be so, and ordered the water engineer from Qi, Xu Biao, to fully raise troops numbering tens of thousands to dig the transport canal, which was connected after three years. When it was connected and used for transport, it was greatly convenient. Afterward, transport gradually increased, and the people below the canal were able to irrigate their fields.
8
其後河東守番系言：「漕從山東西，歲百餘萬石，更砥柱之限，敗亡甚多，而亦煩費。 穿渠引汾溉皮氏、汾陰下，引河溉汾陰、蒲阪下，度可得五千頃。 五千頃故盡河壖棄地，民茭牧其中耳，今溉田之，度可得穀二百萬石以上。 穀從渭上，與關中無異，而砥柱之東可無復漕。」 天子以為然，發卒數萬人作渠田。 數歲，河移徙，渠不利，則田者不能償種。 久之，河東渠田廢，予越人，令少府以為稍入。
Afterward, the governor of Hedong, Fan Xi, said: 'Transport from west of the mountains to the east amounts to more than a million shi per year. Passing the Dizhu limit causes much damage and loss, and it is also troublesome and costly. If we dig a canal to divert the Fen River to irrigate below Pishi and Fenyin, and divert the Yellow River to irrigate below Fenyin and Puban, we can estimate to obtain five thousand qing. These five thousand qing were formerly all abandoned land on the Yellow River bank, where the people cut grass and pastured among it. Now, if we irrigate fields there, we can estimate to obtain more than two million shi of grain. Grain going up the Wei will be no different from Guanzhong, and east of Dizhu there will be no need for transport again.' The Son of Heaven considered this to be so, and raised troops numbering tens of thousands to make canal fields. After several years, the Yellow River shifted, the canal was no longer beneficial, and then the field workers could not repay the seed. After a long time, the Hedong canal fields were abandoned, given to the Yue people, and the Shao Fu was ordered to use them as grain income.
9
其後人有上書欲通褒斜道及漕事，下御史大夫張湯。 湯問其事，因言：「抵蜀從故道，故道多阪，回遠。 今穿褒斜道，少阪，近四百里； 而褒水通沔，斜水通渭，皆可以行船漕。 漕從南陽上沔入褒，褒之絕水至斜，閒百餘里，以車轉，從斜下下渭。 如此，漢中之穀可致，山東從沔無限，便於砥柱之漕。 且褒斜材木竹箭之饒，擬於巴蜀。」 天子以為然，拜湯子卬為漢中守，發數萬人作褒斜道五百餘里。 道果便近，而水湍石，不可漕。
Afterward, someone submitted a memorial wanting to open the Baoxie road and transport affairs, and it was sent down to the Grandee Secretary Zhang Tang. Tang asked about the matter, and therefore said: 'To reach Shu from the old road, the old road has many slopes and is circuitous and far. Now, if we dig the Baoxie road, there will be few slopes, and it will be nearly four hundred li; and the Bao River connects to the Mian, and the Xie River connects to the Wei, and all can be used for boat transport. Transport from Nanyang goes up the Mian and enters the Bao. The Bao carries water to the Xie, a distance of more than a hundred li between them, transferred by cart, and from the Xie goes down to the Wei. In this way, grain from Hanzhong can be brought, and Shandong from the Mian will be unlimited, more convenient than transport at Dizhu. Moreover, the abundance of timber, bamboo, and arrows in Baoxie is comparable to Bashu.' The Son of Heaven considered this to be so, appointed Tang's son Ang as governor of Hanzhong, and raised tens of thousands of people to make the Baoxie road for more than five hundred li. The road was indeed convenient and near, but the water was rapid with stones, and transport was not possible.
10
其後莊熊羆言：「臨晉民願穿洛以溉重泉以東萬餘頃故鹵地。 誠得水，可令畝十石。」 於是為發卒萬餘人穿渠，自徵引洛水至商顏山下。 岸善崩，乃鑿井，深者四十餘丈。 往往為井，井下相通行水。 水穨以絕商顏，東至山嶺十餘里閒。 井渠之生自此始。 穿渠得龍骨，故名曰龍首渠。 作之十餘歲，渠頗通，猶未得其饒。
Afterward, Zhuang Xiongpi said: 'The people of Linjin wish to dig the Luo to irrigate more than ten thousand qing of former salty and alkaline land east of Chongquan. If we truly get water, we can make each mu yield ten shi.' Therefore, troops numbering more than ten thousand were raised to dig a canal, leading the Luo River from Zheng to below Mount Shangyan. The banks easily collapsed, so wells were dug, the deep ones being more than forty zhang. Wells were often made, and below the wells they were mutually connected to flow water. The water flowed to cross Shangyan, east to the mountain ridge, a distance of more than ten li between them. The origin of well canals began from this. When digging the canal, they obtained dragon bones, and therefore it was named the Dragon Head Canal. After working on it for more than ten years, the canal was rather connected, but they still had not obtained its abundance.
11
自河決瓠子後二十餘歲，歲因以數不登，而梁楚之地尤甚。 天子既封禪巡祭山川，其明年，旱，乾封少雨。 天子乃使汲仁、郭昌發卒數萬人塞瓠子決。 於是天子已用事萬里沙，則還自臨決河，沈白馬玉璧于河，令群臣從官自將軍已下皆負薪窴決河。 是時東郡燒草，以故薪柴少，而下淇園之竹以為楗。
More than twenty years after the Yellow River burst at Huzi, the years were repeatedly not abundant, and the lands of Liang and Chu were especially severe. The Son of Heaven having performed the feng and shan and toured and sacrificed to the mountains and rivers, the next year there was a drought, with dry feng and little rain. The Son of Heaven then sent Ji Ren and Guo Chang to raise troops numbering tens of thousands to block the breach at Huzi. Therefore, the Son of Heaven having performed rites at Wanli Sha, then returned and personally viewed the breached river, sank a white horse and jade bi into the river, and ordered all court officials and attendants from the generals down to carry firewood and fill the breached river. At this time, Dongjun had burned grass, and because firewood was few, they cut down the bamboo of the Qi garden to make stakes.
12
天子既臨河決，悼功之不成，乃作歌曰：「瓠子決兮將柰何？ 皓皓旰旰兮閭殫為河！ 殫為河兮地不得寧，功無已時兮吾山平。 吾山平兮鉅野溢，魚沸郁兮柏冬日。 延道弛兮離常流，蛟龍騁兮方遠遊。 歸舊川兮神哉沛，不封禪兮安知外！ 為我謂河伯兮何不仁，泛濫不止兮愁吾人？ 齧桑浮兮淮、泗滿，久不反兮水維緩。」 一曰：「河湯湯兮激潺湲，北渡污兮浚流難。 搴長茭兮沈美玉，河伯許兮薪不屬。 薪不屬兮衛人罪，燒蕭條兮噫乎何以御水！ 穨林竹兮楗石菑，宣房塞兮萬福來。」 於是卒塞瓠子，筑宮其上，名曰宣房宮。 而道河北行二渠，復禹舊跡，而梁、楚之地復寧，無水災。
The Son of Heaven, having viewed the river breach, lamented that the work was not complete, and then made a song, saying: 'The breach at Huzi, ah, what is to be done? Bright and bright, anxious and anxious, ah, the gates are exhausted for the river! Exhausted for the river, ah, the earth cannot find peace; the work has no end, ah, my mountains are leveled. My mountains are leveled, ah, and Juye overflows; the fish boil and are depressed, ah, like cypress on a winter day. The long road is relaxed, ah, departing from the normal flow; the flood dragons gallop, ah, just traveling far. Return to the old channel, ah, the spirit is full; without the feng and shan, ah, how can one know the outer! For me, tell the River Earl, ah, why are you not benevolent? The overflowing does not stop, ah, and worries my people? Niesang floats, ah, and the Huai and Si are full; long it does not return, ah, the water only slows.' One said: 'The river boils and boils, ah, rushing and gurgling; crossing north is dirty, ah, dredging the flow is difficult. Pluck long reeds, ah, and sink beautiful jade; the River Earl promised, ah, but the firewood is not continuous. The firewood is not continuous, ah, the crime of the Wei people; burning is desolate, ah, sigh, ah, how can we control the water! Bundle the forest bamboo, ah, and stake the stone dike; when Xuanfang is blocked, ah, ten thousand blessings will come.' Therefore, they finally blocked Huzi, built a palace on it, and named it the Xuanfang Palace. And they led the Yellow River north in two canals, restoring Yu's old traces, and the lands of Liang and Chu were again peaceful, with no water disasters.
13
自是之後，用事者爭言水利。 朔方、西河、河西、酒泉皆引河及川谷以溉田； 而關中輔渠、靈軹引堵水； 汝南、九江引淮； 東海引鉅定； 泰山下引汶水：皆穿渠為溉田，各萬餘頃。 佗小渠披山通道者，不可勝言。 然其著者在宣房。
After this, those in power competed to speak of the benefits of water. Shuofang, Xihe, Hexi, and Jiuquan all diverted the Yellow River and streams and valleys to irrigate fields; and Guanzhong's Fu Canal and Lingzhi diverted the Du River; Runan and Jiujiang diverted the Huai River. Donghai diverted Juding; below Mount Tai, the Wen River was diverted: all dug canals for irrigating fields, each more than ten thousand qing. Other small canals that split mountains and opened roads cannot all be spoken of. Yet the most famous ones were at Xuanfang.
14
太史公曰：余南登廬山，觀禹疏九江，遂至于會稽太湟，上姑蘇，望五湖； 東闚洛汭、大邳，迎河，行淮、泗、濟、漯洛渠； 西瞻蜀之岷山及離碓； 北自龍門至于朔方。 曰：甚哉，水之為利害也！ 余從負薪塞宣房，悲瓠子之詩而作河渠書。
The Grand Historian said: I went south and ascended Mount Lu, viewed where Yu dredged the nine Jiang, then arrived at Huiji and Taihuang, ascended Gusu, and gazed at the five lakes; To the east, I viewed Luorui and Dapi, met the Yellow River, and traveled the Huai, Si, Ji, and Ta Luo canals; to the west, I gazed at Shu's Mount Min and Li Dui; to the north, from Longmen to Shuofang. I said: How extreme it is, that water can be both benefit and harm! I followed and carried firewood to block Xuanfang, grieved at the poem of Huzi, and made this book on the Yellow River and Canals.