侍衛之臣，不懈於內；

忠志之士，忘身於外。

親賢臣，遠小人，此先漢所以興隆也；

親小人，遠賢臣，此後漢所以傾頹也。

──選自《資治通鑑》

【譯文】

朝中官員在首都，人人精勤不懈；

忠誠將士在戰場，個個捨生忘死。

親近賢臣，疏遠小人，

這是先漢興旺發達的原因；

親近小人，疏遠賢臣，

這是後漢傾覆衰敗的原因。

Manifesto Before Military Expedition (Excerpt)

Zhuge Liang (181 - 234, Three Kingdoms Period)

English translation: Venerable Miao Guang

Ministers who serve and defend their sovereign untiringly carry out their duties inside walls of the capital, while loyal and aspiring officers on the outside also selflessly devote themselves to their missions.

Having acquainted with dutiful ministers and eschewed wicked ones, Western Han thus saw prosperity. On the contrary, having acquainted with the latter and eschewed the former, Eastern Han thus fell.

-----from Zizhi Tongjian

(History as a Mirror)