1
絳侯周勃者，沛人也。 其先卷人，徙沛。 勃以織薄曲為生，常為人吹簫給喪事，材官引彊。
The Marquis of Jiang, Zhou Bo, was a man of Pei. His forebears originally came from Juan before relocating to Pei. Bo earned his living weaving reed mats, often played the flute at funerals, and served as a crossbowman in the local militia.
2
高祖之為沛公初起，勃以中涓從攻胡陵，下方與。 方與反，與戰，卻適。 攻豐。 擊秦軍碭東。 還軍留及蕭。 復攻碭，破之。 下下邑，先登。 賜爵五大夫。 攻蒙、虞，取之。 擊章邯車騎，殿。 定魏地。 攻爰戚、東緡，以往至栗，取之。 攻齧桑，先登。 擊秦軍阿下，破之。 追至濮陽，下甄城。 攻都關、定陶，襲取宛朐，得單父令。 夜襲取臨濟，攻張，以前至卷，破之。 擊李由軍雍丘下。 攻開封，先至城下為多。 後章邯破殺項梁，沛公與項羽引兵東如碭。 自初起沛還至碭，一歲二月。 楚懷王封沛公號安武侯，為碭郡長。 沛公拜勃為虎賁令，以令從沛公定魏地。 攻東郡尉於城武，破之。 擊王離軍，破之。 攻長社，先登。 攻潁陽、緱氏，絕河津。 擊趙賁軍尸北。 南攻南陽守齮，破武關、峣關。 破秦軍於藍田，至咸陽，滅秦。
When the future Emperor Gaozu first rose in revolt as the Duke of Pei, Bo joined him as an attendant and took part in the attack on Huling, capturing Fangyu. When Fangyu revolted, he fought against them and drove them back. He attacked Feng. He struck the Qin army east of Dang. He withdrew the army to Liu and Xiao. He attacked Dang again and took it. He captured Xiayi, being the first to scale the walls. For this he was granted the rank of Grandee of the Fifth Order. He attacked Meng and Yu and took both. He engaged Zhang Han's chariots and cavalry, serving as the rearguard. He pacified the territory of Wei. He attacked Yuanqi and Dongmin, then advanced to Li and captured it. He attacked Niesang and was the first to scale the walls. He struck the Qin army below E and defeated them. He pursued the enemy to Puyang and captured the city of Zhen. He attacked Duguan and Dingtao, raided and seized Wanqu, and captured the magistrate of Shanfu. In a night raid he took Linji, attacked Zhang, then advanced to Juan and broke through its defenses. He engaged Li You's army beneath the walls of Yongqiu. He attacked Kaifeng, leading the greatest number of troops to reach the city walls first. Later, Zhang Han defeated and killed Xiang Liang, and the Duke of Pei and Xiang Yu led their troops east to Dang. From the initial rising at Pei to the return to Dang, one year and two months had passed. King Huai of Chu bestowed upon the Duke of Pei the title of Marquis of Anwu and appointed him magistrate of Dang Commandery. The Duke of Pei appointed Bo as Commander of the Tiger Guard, and in that capacity Bo followed the Duke to pacify the lands of Wei. He attacked the Governor of the Eastern Commandery at Chengwu and defeated him. He struck Wang Li's army and routed it. He attacked Changshe and was the first to scale the walls. He attacked Yingyang and Goushi, cutting off the river crossing. He struck Zhao Ben's army north of Shi. Marching south, he attacked the Governor of Nanyang, Yi, and breached the passes of Wuguan and Yaoguan. He defeated the Qin army at Lantian, reached Xianyang, and brought the Qin dynasty to its end.
3
項羽至，以沛公為漢王。 漢王賜勃爵為威武侯。 從入漢中，拜為將軍。 還定三秦，至秦，賜食邑懷德。 攻槐裏、好畤，最。 擊趙賁、內史保於咸陽，最。 北攻漆。 擊章平、姚卬軍。 西定汧。 還下郿、頻陽。 圍章邯廢丘。 破西丞。 擊盜巴軍，破之。 攻上邽。 東守峣關。 轉擊項籍。 攻曲逆，最。 還守敖倉，追項籍。 籍已死，因東定楚地泗（川）［水］、東海郡，凡得二十二縣。 還守雒陽、櫟陽，賜與潁（陽）［陰］侯共食鐘離。 以將軍從高帝反者燕王臧荼，破之易下。 所將卒當馳道為多。 賜爵列侯，剖符世世勿絕。 食絳八千一百八十戶，號絳侯。
When Xiang Yu arrived, he made the Duke of Pei the King of Han. The King of Han conferred upon Bo the rank of Marquis of Weiwu. Bo followed him into Hanzhong and was appointed general. He returned to pacify the Three Qins, reached the heartland of Qin, and was granted the fief of Huaide. He attacked Huaili and Haozhi, earning the highest distinction. He struck Zhao Ben and the Chamberlain Bao at Xianyang, again earning the highest distinction. He marched north to attack Qi. He struck the armies of Zhang Ping and Yao Ang. He pacified Qian to the west. He returned and captured Mei and Pinyang. He laid siege to Zhang Han at Feiqiu. He defeated the Western Chamberlain. He struck the bandit army of Ba and defeated them. He attacked Shanggui. He guarded Yaoguan Pass to the east. He then turned to strike against Xiang Yu. He attacked Quni, earning the highest distinction. He returned to guard the Ao Granary, then pursued Xiang Yu. After Xiang Yu was already dead, Bo went east to pacify the former Chu territories of Sishui and Donghai Commandery, securing twenty-two counties in all. He returned to garrison Luoyang and Yueyang, and was granted the shared revenues of Zhongli together with the Marquis of Yingyin. As a general, he followed Emperor Gaozu against the rebel King of Yan, Zang Tu, and defeated him at Yi. The troops under his command who held the imperial road were the most numerous. He was granted the rank of full marquis, with the tally split as a pledge that his line would never be extinguished. He received a fief of eight thousand one hundred and eighty households at Jiang, and was titled the Marquis of Jiang.
4
以將軍從高帝擊反韓王信於代，降下霍人。 以前至武泉，擊胡騎，破之武泉北。 轉攻韓信軍銅鞮，破之。 還，降太原六城。 擊韓信胡騎晉陽下，破之，下晉陽。 後擊韓信軍於硰石，破之，追北八十里。 還攻樓煩三城，因擊胡騎平城下，所將卒當馳道為多。 勃遷為太尉。
As a general, he followed Emperor Gaozu to strike the rebel King of Han, Xin, in Dai, and accepted the surrender of the people of Huo. Advancing ahead to Wuquan, he engaged the Xiongnu cavalry and defeated them north of the city. He then turned to attack Han Xin's army at Tongdi and defeated it. He returned and accepted the surrender of six cities in Taiyuan. He struck Han Xin's Xiongnu cavalry below Jinyang and defeated them, then captured the city. Later he struck Han Xin's army at Langshi, defeated it, and pursued the fleeing enemy for eighty li. He returned to attack three cities of Loufan, then engaged the Xiongnu cavalry below Pingcheng, commanding the largest contingent of troops along the imperial road. Bo was promoted to the office of Grand Commandant.
5
擊陳豨，屠馬邑。 所將卒斬豨將軍乘馬絺。 擊韓信、陳豨、趙利軍於樓煩，破之。 得豨將宋最、鴈門守圂。 因轉攻得雲中守遬、丞相箕肆、將勳。 定鴈門郡十七縣，雲中郡十二縣。 因復擊豨靈丘，破之，斬豨，得豨丞相程縱、將軍陳武、都尉高肆。 定代郡九縣。
He struck against the rebel Chen Xi and sacked Mayi. The troops under his command beheaded Chen Xi's general Chengma Chi. He engaged the combined forces of Han Xin, Chen Xi, and Zhao Li at Loufan and defeated them. He captured Chen Xi's general Song Zui and the Governor of Yanmen, Chou. He then turned his forces and captured the Governor of Yunzhong, Su, along with the chancellor Ji Si and the general Xun. He pacified seventeen counties of Yanmen Commandery and twelve counties of Yunzhong Commandery. He then struck Chen Xi again at Lingqiu, defeated him, and beheaded him, capturing his chancellor Cheng Zong, general Chen Wu, and commandant Gao Si. He pacified nine counties of Dai Commandery.
6
燕王盧綰反，勃以相國代樊噲將，擊下薊，得綰大將抵、丞相偃、守陘、太尉弱、御史大夫施，屠渾都。 破綰軍上蘭，復擊破綰軍沮陽。 追至長城，定上谷十二縣，右北平十六縣，遼西、遼東二十九縣，漁陽二十二縣。 最從高帝得相國一人，丞相二人，將軍、二千石各三人； 別破軍二，下城三，定郡五，縣七十九，得丞相、大將各一人。
When the King of Yan, Lu Wan, rebelled, Bo replaced Fan Kuai as commanding general in his capacity as Chancellor of State. He struck and captured Ji, seizing Lu Wan's Grand General Di, Chancellor Yan, Commander Xing, Grand Commandant Ruo, and Censor-in-Chief Shi, and sacked Hundu. He defeated Lu Wan's army at Shanglan, then struck and defeated his army again at Juyang. He pursued the enemy as far as the Great Wall, pacifying twelve counties of Shanggu, sixteen of Youbeiping, twenty-nine of Liaoxi and Liaodong, and twenty-two of Yuyang. In total, following Emperor Gaozu, he captured one chancellor of state, two chancellors, and three each of generals and officials ranked at two thousand shi. On independent campaigns, he defeated two armies, captured three cities, pacified five commanderies and seventy-nine counties, and seized one chancellor and one grand general.
7
勃為人木彊敦厚，高帝以為可屬大事。 勃不好文學，每召諸生說士，東鄉坐而責之：「趣為我語。」 其椎少文如此。
Bo was by nature plain-spoken, steadfast, and honest, and Emperor Gaozu believed he could be entrusted with great affairs. Bo had no taste for letters. Whenever he summoned scholars and rhetoricians, he would sit facing east and press them: "Get to the point." Such was his blunt and unrefined nature.
8
勃既定燕而歸，高祖已崩矣，以列侯事孝惠帝。 孝惠帝六年，置太尉官，以勃為太尉。 十歲，高后崩。 呂祿以趙王為漢上將軍，呂產以呂王為漢相國，秉漢權，欲危劉氏。 勃為太尉，不得入軍門。 陳平為丞相，不得任事。 於是勃與平謀，卒誅諸呂而立孝文皇帝。 其語在呂后、孝文事中。
By the time Bo pacified Yan and returned, Emperor Gaozu had already passed away. He served Emperor Hui as a marquis. In the sixth year of Emperor Hui's reign, the office of Grand Commandant was established, and Bo was appointed to it. Ten years later, Empress Dowager Gao passed away. Lu Lu, as King of Zhao, became Supreme General of Han, and Lu Chan, as King of Lu, became Chancellor of State, seizing the reins of Han power and plotting to overthrow the house of Liu. Bo, though Grand Commandant, was barred from entering the army gates. Chen Ping, though Chancellor, was shut out from the conduct of affairs. Thereupon Bo and Chen Ping conspired together and at last destroyed the entire Lu clan, establishing Emperor Wen on the throne. The full account appears in the records of Empress Lu and Emperor Wen.
9
文帝既立，以勃為右丞相，賜金五千斤，食邑萬戶。 居月餘，人或說勃曰：「君既誅諸呂，立代王，威震天下，而君受厚賞，處尊位，以寵，久之即禍及身矣。」 勃懼，亦自危，乃謝請歸相印。 上許之。 歲餘，丞相平卒，上復以勃為丞相。 十餘月，上曰：「前日吾詔列侯就國，或未能行，丞相吾所重，其率先之。」 乃免相就國。
After Emperor Wen was enthroned, he appointed Bo as Right Chancellor, rewarded him with five thousand jin of gold, and granted him a fief of ten thousand households. After little more than a month, someone cautioned Bo: "Having destroyed the Lu clan and installed the King of Dai on the throne, your prestige now overawes the realm. Yet you continue to accept lavish rewards and hold a position of supreme honor in the emperor's favor. If this goes on too long, disaster will surely overtake you." Bo grew fearful and sensed his own peril. He tendered his apologies and asked to return the chancellor's seal. The emperor granted his request. Over a year later, Chancellor Chen Ping died, and the emperor once again appointed Bo as chancellor. After more than ten months, the emperor said: "Some time ago I ordered the marquises to proceed to their fiefs, yet some have not complied. The chancellor is the man I esteem most; let him set the example and go first." Thus Bo was dismissed from the chancellorship and sent to his fief.
10
歲餘，每河東守尉行縣至絳，絳侯勃自畏恐誅，常被甲，令家人持兵以見之。 其後人有上書告勃欲反，下廷尉。 廷尉下其事長安，逮捕勃治之。 勃恐，不知置辭。 吏稍侵辱之。 勃以千金與獄吏，獄吏乃書牘背示之，曰「以公主為證」。 公主者，孝文帝女也，勃太子勝之尚之，故獄吏教引為證。 勃之益封受賜，盡以予薄昭。 及系急，薄昭為言薄太后，太后亦以為無反事。 文帝朝，太后以冒絮提文帝，曰：「絳侯綰皇帝璽，將兵於北軍，不以此時反，今居一小縣，顧欲反邪！」 文帝既見絳侯獄辭，乃謝曰：「吏［事］方驗而出之。」 於是使使持節赦絳侯，復爵邑。 絳侯既出，曰：「吾嘗將百萬軍，然安知獄吏之貴乎！」
Over a year later, whenever the Governor of Hedong made his circuit inspection and arrived at Jiang, the Marquis of Jiang, fearing that he might be put to death, would don his armor and order his household to bear arms before receiving the official. In time, someone submitted a memorial accusing Bo of plotting rebellion, and the case was referred to the Commandant of Justice. The Commandant of Justice referred the matter to Chang'an, and Bo was arrested and brought in for interrogation. Bo was terrified and at a loss for how to defend himself. The officials steadily pressed and humiliated him. Bo gave a thousand jin of gold to the prison officials, who then wrote on the back of a wooden tablet and showed it to him: "Call the princess as your witness." The princess was Emperor Wen's daughter; Bo's heir, Shengzhi, had married her. That is why the prison officials advised him to call upon her as a witness. All of Bo's additional enfeoffments and rewards he had given to Bo Zhao. When Bo's imprisonment grew dire, Bo Zhao interceded with Empress Dowager Bo, who likewise believed there was no truth to the charge of rebellion. At Emperor Wen's morning audience, the Empress Dowager seized the emperor by his headdress cloth and said: "The Marquis of Jiang once held the imperial seal in his hands and commanded the Northern Army. If he did not rebel then, why would he now, living in some small county, suddenly wish to rebel?" After Emperor Wen reviewed the Marquis of Jiang's prison deposition, he apologized and said: "The investigation has confirmed his innocence, and he shall be released." He thereupon dispatched envoys bearing the imperial tally to pardon the Marquis of Jiang and restore his rank and fief. Upon his release, the Marquis of Jiang sighed: "I once commanded an army of a million men, yet how could I have known the true worth of a prison official!"
11
絳侯復就國。 孝文帝十一年卒，謚為武侯。 子勝之代侯。 六歲，尚公主，不相中，坐殺人，國除。 絕一歲，文帝乃擇絳侯勃子賢者河內守亞夫，封為條侯，續絳侯後。
The Marquis of Jiang returned once more to his fief. He died in the eleventh year of Emperor Wen's reign and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Wu. His son Shengzhi succeeded to the marquisate. After six years, having married a princess with whom he did not get along, he was convicted of murder and his marquisate was abolished. After a lapse of one year, Emperor Wen chose the most worthy of the Marquis of Jiang's sons, Yafu, who was then serving as Governor of Henei, and enfeoffed him as the Marquis of Tiao to continue the line of the Marquis of Jiang.
12
條侯亞夫自未侯為河內守時，許負相之，曰：「君後三歲而侯。 侯八歲為將相，持國秉，貴重矣，於人臣無兩。 其後九歲而君餓死。」 亞夫笑曰：「臣之兄已代父侯矣，有如卒，子當代，亞夫何說侯乎？ 然既已貴如負言，又何說餓死？ 指示我。」 許負指其口曰：「有從理入口，此餓死法也。」 居三歲，其兄絳侯勝之有罪，孝文帝擇絳侯子賢者，皆推亞夫，乃封亞夫為條侯，續絳侯後。
When the Marquis of Tiao, Yafu, was not yet a marquis and was still serving as Governor of Henei, the physiognomist Xu Fu read his face and said: "In three years you will become a marquis. Eight years after becoming a marquis, you will serve as general and chancellor, holding the reins of state, honored and powerful beyond any other minister. But nine years after that, you will die of starvation." Yafu laughed and said: "My elder brother has already succeeded our father as marquis. Should he die, his own son will inherit. How could Yafu ever become a marquis? And if I am to become as honored as you say, then why speak of starving to death? Show me the sign." Xu Fu pointed to his mouth and said: "There is a vertical crease running into the mouth. This is the mark of death by starvation." Three years later, his elder brother Shengzhi, the Marquis of Jiang, was found guilty of a crime. Emperor Wen selected from among the Marquis of Jiang's sons the most worthy; all agreed on Yafu. He was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Tiao to carry on the line of the Marquis of Jiang.
13
文帝之後六年，匈奴大入邊。 乃以宗正劉禮為將軍，軍霸上； 祝茲侯徐厲為將軍，軍棘門； 以河內守亞夫為將軍，軍細柳：以備胡。 上自勞軍。 至霸上及棘門軍，直馳入，將以下騎送迎。 已而之細柳軍，軍士吏被甲，銳兵刃，彀弓弩，持滿。 天子先驅至，不得入。 先驅曰：「天子且至！」 軍門都尉曰：「將軍令曰『軍中聞將軍令，不聞天子之詔』。」 居無何，上至，又不得入。 於是上乃使使持節詔將軍：「吾欲入勞軍。」 亞夫乃傳言開壁門。 壁門士吏謂從屬車騎曰：「將軍約，軍中不得驅馳。」 於是天子乃按轡徐行。 至營，將軍亞夫持兵揖曰：「介胄之士不拜，請以軍禮見。」 天子為動，改容式車。 使人稱謝：「皇帝敬勞將軍。」 成禮而去。 既出軍門，群臣皆驚。 文帝曰：「嗟乎，此真將軍矣！ 曩者霸上、棘門軍，若兒戲耳，其將固可襲而虜也。 至於亞夫，可得而犯邪！」 稱善者久之。 月餘，三軍皆罷。 乃拜亞夫為中尉。
In the latter sixth year of Emperor Wen's reign, the Xiongnu launched a major invasion of the frontier. The Director of the Imperial Clan, Liu Li, was appointed general and stationed at Bashang. The Marquis of Zhuzi, Xu Li, was made general and stationed at Jimen. Yafu, the Governor of Henei, was appointed general and stationed at Xiliu. All three were to defend against the Xiongnu. The emperor went in person to inspect the troops. At the camps of Bashang and Jimen, he rode straight in, and the generals and their subordinates galloped out on horseback to welcome him. When he came to the camp at Xiliu, however, the soldiers and officers were in full armor, their weapons honed to a keen edge, their bows and crossbows drawn and held at full tension. The emperor's advance riders arrived but were refused entry. The advance riders protested: "The Son of Heaven is about to arrive!" The gate commandant replied: "The general's standing order is: 'Within this camp, obey the general's commands; the decrees of the Son of Heaven do not apply here.'" Before long the emperor himself arrived, and he too was denied entry. The emperor then dispatched envoys bearing the imperial tally to inform the general: "I wish to enter the camp and inspect the troops." Only then did Yafu give the order to open the rampart gates. The soldiers at the gate informed the imperial entourage: "By the general's regulation, no galloping is permitted within the camp." The Son of Heaven drew in his reins and proceeded at a walk. When they reached the command tent, General Yafu, weapon in hand, gave a military salute and said: "A man in armor cannot perform the full obeisance. I beg leave to greet Your Majesty with the rites of the camp." The Son of Heaven was visibly moved. He composed his expression and leaned forward on the rail of his chariot in a gesture of respect. He had an attendant convey his words: "The emperor pays his respects to the general." The ceremony concluded, and the emperor departed. After they had passed through the camp gate, every minister in the retinue was astonished. Emperor Wen exclaimed: "Ah, now that is a true general! The camps at Bashang and Jimen were no better than children at play. Their generals could easily have been caught off guard and taken prisoner. But Yafu, could any enemy dare challenge him?" He went on praising Yafu for a long while. After more than a month, the three armies were all disbanded. Yafu was thereupon appointed Commandant of the Capital Guard.
14
孝文且崩時，誡太子曰：「即有緩急，周亞夫真可任將兵。」 文帝崩，拜亞夫為車騎將軍。
When Emperor Wen lay on his deathbed, he admonished the Crown Prince: "If ever there is an emergency, Zhou Yafu is the man you can truly entrust to command the army." After Emperor Wen passed away, Yafu was appointed General of Chariots and Cavalry.
15
孝景三年，吳楚反。 亞夫以中尉為太尉，東擊吳楚。 因自請上曰：「楚兵剽輕，難與爭鋒。 願以梁委之，絕其糧道，乃可制。」 上許之。
In the third year of Emperor Jing's reign, Wu and Chu rose in rebellion. Yafu was promoted from Commandant of the Capital Guard to Grand Commandant and sent east to campaign against Wu and Chu. He personally petitioned the emperor: "The troops of Chu are swift and aggressive; it would be unwise to confront them head-on. I ask that we yield Liang to absorb their attack while cutting off their supply lines. Only then can we bring them under control." The emperor approved the plan.
16
太尉既會兵滎陽，吳方攻梁，梁急，請救。 太尉引兵東北走昌邑，深壁而守。 梁日使使請太尉，太尉守便宜，不肯往。 梁上書言景帝，景帝使使詔救梁。 太尉不奉詔，堅壁不出，而使輕騎兵弓高侯等絕吳楚兵後食道。 吳兵乏糧，饑，數欲挑戰，終不出。 夜，軍中驚，內相攻擊擾亂，至於太尉帳下。 太尉終臥不起。 頃之，復定。 後吳奔壁東南陬，太尉使備西北。 已而其精兵果奔西北，不得入。 吳兵既餓，乃引而去。 太尉出精兵追擊，大破之。 吳王濞棄其軍，而與壯士數千人亡走，保於江南丹徒。 漢兵因乘勝，遂盡虜之，降其兵，購吳王千金。 月餘，越人斬吳王頭以告。 凡相攻守三月，而吳楚破平。 於是諸將乃以太尉計謀為是。 由此梁孝王與太尉有卻。
After the Grand Commandant had assembled his forces at Xingyang, Wu was pressing its attack on Liang. Liang was in dire straits and begged for relief. The Grand Commandant marched his troops northeast to Changyi, where he dug in deep and held his position. Liang sent envoys day after day imploring the Grand Commandant, but he held firm to his strategic advantage and refused to move. Liang appealed directly to Emperor Jing in a memorial, and the emperor dispatched envoys with a decree ordering the Grand Commandant to rescue Liang. The Grand Commandant declined to obey the decree. He held his entrenchments and refused to sally forth, but sent the Marquis of Gonggao with light cavalry to sever the supply lines behind the Wu and Chu forces. The Wu troops ran short of provisions and grew hungry. They repeatedly tried to provoke a battle, but the Grand Commandant would not come out. One night, panic swept through the camp. Soldiers attacked one another in the confusion, and the tumult reached the very entrance of the Grand Commandant's tent. The Grand Commandant remained lying down and did not rise. Before long, order was restored. Later, when the Wu forces charged toward the southeast corner of the ramparts, the Grand Commandant ordered his troops to reinforce the northwest instead. Sure enough, the enemy's elite forces soon rushed the northwest, but they could not break through. The Wu troops, now starving, finally withdrew. The Grand Commandant unleashed his elite troops in pursuit and inflicted a devastating defeat. The King of Wu, Bi, abandoned his army and fled with several thousand of his strongest men, taking refuge at Dantu south of the Yangtze. The Han forces pressed their advantage and captured every last one, accepting the surrender of the remaining troops and placing a bounty of a thousand jin of gold on the King of Wu. Over a month later, the Yue people beheaded the King of Wu and sent his head as proof. In all, the campaign of attack and defense lasted three months before Wu and Chu were utterly defeated and pacified. The generals then acknowledged that the Grand Commandant's strategy had been right all along. From this time on, King Xiao of Liang bore a lasting grudge against the Grand Commandant.
17
歸，復置太尉官。 五歲，遷為丞相，景帝甚重之。 景帝廢栗太子，丞相固爭之，不得。 景帝由此疏之。 而梁孝王每朝，常與太后言條侯之短。
Upon his return, the office of Grand Commandant was reestablished. Five years later, he was promoted to chancellor, and Emperor Jing esteemed him greatly. When Emperor Jing deposed Crown Prince Li, the chancellor argued strenuously against it but could not prevail. From that point on, Emperor Jing grew distant toward him. Moreover, each time King Xiao of Liang attended court, he would speak to the Empress Dowager of the Marquis of Tiao's failings.
18
竇太后曰：「皇后兄王信可侯也。」 景帝讓曰：「始南皮、章武侯先帝不侯，及臣即位乃侯之。 信未得封也。」 竇太后曰：「人主各以時行耳。 自竇長君在時，竟不得侯，死後乃［封］其子彭祖顧得侯。 吾甚恨之。 帝趣侯信也！」 景帝曰：「請得與丞相議之。」 丞相議之，亞夫曰：「高皇帝約『非劉氏不得王，非有功不得侯。 不如約，天下共擊之』。 今信雖皇后兄，無功，侯之，非約也。」 景帝默然而止。
Empress Dowager Dou said: "The empress's elder brother, Wang Xin, should be made a marquis." Emperor Jing demurred: "The late emperor did not enfeoff the Marquises of Nanpi and Zhangwu; it was only after I came to the throne that they were made marquises. Xin has not yet received an enfeoffment." Empress Dowager Dou said: "Every sovereign acts as the times require. While Dou Changjun was still alive, he never managed to become a marquis. It was only after his death that his son Pengzu finally received the title. I have always deeply regretted this. Make haste and enfeoff Wang Xin!" Emperor Jing replied: "Allow me to discuss the matter with the chancellor." When the matter was put to the chancellor, Yafu replied: "Emperor Gaozu's covenant states: 'None who is not of the Liu clan may be made king; none without merit may be made marquis. Any who violate this covenant shall be attacked by the whole realm.' Now, although Wang Xin is the empress's brother, he has no merit. To make him a marquis would violate the covenant." Emperor Jing fell silent and let the matter drop.
19
其後匈奴王［唯］徐盧等五人降，景帝欲侯之以勸後。 丞相亞夫曰：「彼背其主降陛下，陛下侯之，則何以責人臣不守節者乎？」 景帝曰：「丞相議不可用。」 乃悉封［唯］徐盧等為列侯。 亞夫因謝病。 景帝中三年，以病免相。
Some time later, the Xiongnu king Xu Lu and four others surrendered. Emperor Jing wished to enfeoff them as marquises to encourage future defections. Chancellor Yafu objected: "These men betrayed their own lord to surrender to Your Majesty. If Your Majesty rewards them with marquisates, by what standard can you censure ministers who fail to keep faith?" Emperor Jing declared: "The chancellor's advice is unacceptable." He proceeded to enfeoff Xu Lu and the others as marquises, every one of them. Yafu thereupon pleaded illness and withdrew. In the middle third year of Emperor Jing's reign, he was dismissed from the chancellorship on grounds of illness.
20
頃之，景帝居禁中，召條侯，賜食。 獨置大胾，無切肉，又不置櫡。 條侯心不平，顧謂尚席取櫡。 景帝視而笑曰：「此不足君所乎？」 條侯免冠謝。 上起，條侯因趨出。 景帝以目送之，曰：「此怏怏者非少主臣也！」
Not long afterward, Emperor Jing, from within the inner palace, summoned the Marquis of Tiao and offered him a meal. Before him was placed a single large joint of meat, but there was no knife to cut it with, nor were there any chopsticks. The Marquis of Tiao was displeased. He turned and asked the steward to fetch chopsticks. Emperor Jing watched and said with a smile: "Is this not sufficient for you?" The Marquis of Tiao removed his cap and apologized. When the emperor rose, the Marquis of Tiao hastily withdrew. Emperor Jing watched him go and remarked: "This sullen man is not one to serve a young ruler!"
21
居無何，條侯子為父買工官尚方甲楯五百被可以葬者。 取庸苦之，不予錢。 庸知其盜買縣官器，怒而上變告子，事連汙條侯。 書既聞上，上下吏。 吏簿責條侯，條侯不對。 景帝罵之曰：「吾不用也。」 召詣廷尉。 廷尉責曰：「君侯欲反邪？」 亞夫曰：「臣所買器，乃葬器也，何謂反邪？」 吏曰：「君侯縱不反地上，即欲反地下耳。」 吏侵之益急。 初，吏捕條侯，條侯欲自殺，夫人止之，以故不得死，遂入廷尉。 因不食五日，嘔血而死。 國除。
Not long after, the Marquis of Tiao's son purchased five hundred suits of armor and shields from the Imperial Workshop for use as burial goods for his father. He hired laborers to transport them but worked them harshly and refused to pay. The laborers, aware that government equipment had been illicitly purchased, were enraged and reported the crime, accusing the son. The case implicated the Marquis of Tiao himself. When the report reached the emperor, he ordered officials to investigate. The officials interrogated the Marquis of Tiao based on the charges, but the marquis refused to answer. Emperor Jing rebuked him, saying: "I have no need of you." He was summoned before the Commandant of Justice. The Commandant of Justice interrogated him: "Does the marquis intend to rebel?" Yafu replied: "What I purchased were burial goods. How does that amount to rebellion?" The officials retorted: "Even if the marquis does not intend to rebel in this world, he surely means to rebel in the next." The officials pressed their accusations more and more harshly. When the officials first came to arrest the Marquis of Tiao, he had wished to take his own life, but his wife stopped him. Unable to die, he was brought before the Commandant of Justice. He refused to eat for five days, vomited blood, and died. His marquisate was abolished.
22
絕一歲，景帝乃更封絳侯勃他子堅為平曲侯，續絳侯後。 十九年卒，謚為共侯。 子建德代侯，十三年，為太子太傅。 坐酎金不善，元鼎五年，有罪，國除。
After a lapse of one year, Emperor Jing enfeoffed another of the Marquis of Jiang's sons, Jian, as the Marquis of Pingqu to carry on the line. He died after nineteen years and was given the posthumous title of Marquis Gong. His son Jiande succeeded to the marquisate. After thirteen years, he was appointed Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. He was found guilty of presenting substandard tribute gold in the fifth year of the Yuanding era, and his marquisate was abolished.
23
條侯果餓死。 死後，景帝乃封王信為蓋侯。
The Marquis of Tiao did indeed die of starvation. After his death, Emperor Jing enfeoffed Wang Xin as the Marquis of Gai.
24
太史公曰：絳侯周勃始為布衣時，鄙樸人也，才能不過凡庸。 及從高祖定天下，在將相位，諸呂欲作亂，勃匡國家難，復之乎正。 雖伊尹、周公，何以加哉！ 亞夫之用兵，持威重，執堅刃，穰苴曷有加焉！ 足己而不學，守節不遜，終以窮困。 悲夫！
The Grand Historian remarks: When the Marquis of Jiang, Zhou Bo, was still a commoner, he was an unpolished rustic of no more than ordinary ability. Yet when he followed Emperor Gaozu to pacify the realm and rose to the rank of general and chancellor, and when the Lu clan plotted to seize power, it was Bo who saved the state in its hour of peril and restored it to the rightful course. Even Yi Yin and the Duke of Zhou could scarcely have done more! As for Yafu's command of armies, maintaining stern authority and wielding iron discipline, even Rangju could not have surpassed him! Yet he was self-satisfied and unwilling to learn, unyielding in his principles to the point of obstinacy, and in the end came to ruin. How tragic!