Petition by Pei Songzhi

Your minister has heard that if wisdom is complete, then a myriad of truths will reveal itself, and that if distant matters are examined, then no things will be left behind in being illuminated.

臣松之言：臣聞智周則萬理自賔，鑒遠則物無遺照。

Even if you submit completely to your nature and utilize all insignificant matters, the depths really cannot be known, and go so far as to have the remnants be attached to themselves, resulting surely in receiving noteworthy deeds. Therefore, the measurement of systems and facilities, and I still speak of "being fond of asking and examining the words", the thickness of cultivated virtue lying in excess records of past behavior.

雖盡性窮微，深不可識，至於緒餘所寄，則必接乎麤跡。是以體備之量，猶曰好察邇言；畜德之厚，在於多識往行。

I lay prostrate to Your Majesty to say that principles should be profound, spirits transcend mysterious things, sunlight shines each day, and growth overfills. Although I have persistently [studied] the Graves and Canons, my satisfied heart is still mysterious, as I still come to think of recent times, extensively looking at rises and falls. I shall summarize past events so as to bequeath it so as to instruct forthcoming generations.

伏惟陛下道該淵極，神超妙物，暉光日新，郁哉彌盛。雖一貫墳典，怡心玄賾，猶復降懷近代，博觀興廢。將以總括前蹤，貽誨來世。

This servant previously received an edict to have me select differences and similarities about the Three Kingdoms and annotate them into Chen Shou's Records of the Nations. The [pre-existing] annotations and discussions to [Chen] Shou's book were beholding, that problems were often examined and corrected. They really have roamed around imperial territory [in searching] and they are commendable histories from recent generations. Still, they have neglect the general idea, and in their time, there were significant omissions.

臣前被詔，使采三國異同以注陳壽《國志》。壽書銓敘可觀，事多審正。誠遊覽之苑囿，近世之嘉史。然失在於略，時有所脫漏。

This minister, receiving the edict, has searched for details, doing so with careful thought and detail. I first searched for past anecdotes

scattered [texts].

臣奉旨尋詳，務在周悉。上搜舊聞，傍摭遺逸。按三國雖歷年不遠，而事關漢、晉。首尾所涉，出入百載。注記紛錯，每多舛互。其壽所不載，事宜存錄者，則罔不畢取以補其闕。或同說一事而辭有乖雜，或出事本異，疑不能判，並皆抄內以備異聞。若乃紕繆顯然，言不附理，則隨違矯正以懲其妄。

At when it is appropriate or not and when there were minor mistakes by [Chen] Shou, I felt inclined to have my humble opinions to have some theory and argument. I have been compiling and collecting [works], and already almost finished after some months. I will transcribe and proof-read it from beginning to end. I shall then solemnly seal it and petition it.

其時事當否及壽之小失，頗以愚意有所論辯。自就譔集，已垂期月。寫校始訖，謹封上呈。

I humbly believe this is a matter of painting using various colors to finish the text

竊惟繢事以眾色成文，蜜蠭以兼采爲味，故能使絢素有章，甘踰本質。

臣寔頑乏，顧慚二物。雖自罄勵，分絕藻繢，既謝淮南食時之敏，又微狂簡斐然之作。淹留無成，祇穢翰墨，不足以上酬聖旨，少塞愆責。愧懼之深，若墜淵谷。謹拜表以聞，隨用流汗。

I, your servant Songzhi, am sincerely anxious and sincerely afraid. I bow my head down, I bow my head down, and may I be punished by death! I respectfully speak so.

臣松之誠惶誠恐，頓首頓首，死罪。謹言。

On the 24th day of the 7th month of the 6th year of the Yuanjia era, the (zhongshushilang) and Marquis of Xi Township; your servant Pei Songzhi petitions thus.

元嘉六年七月二十四日，中書侍郎西鄉侯臣裴松之上。