商君者，卫之诸庶孽公子也，名鞅，姓公孙氏，其祖本姬姓也。商君书鞅少好刑名之学，事魏相公叔座为中庶子。公叔座知其贤，未及进。会座病，魏惠王亲往问病，曰：“公叔病有如不可讳，将柰社稷何？”公叔曰：“座之中庶子公孙鞅，年虽少，有奇才，愿王举国而听之。”王嘿然。王且去，座屏人言曰：“王即不听用鞅，必杀之，无令出境。”王许诺而去。公叔座召鞅谢曰：“今者王问可以为相者，我言若，王色不许我。我 方先君后臣，因谓王即弗用鞅，当杀之。王许我。汝可疾去矣，且见禽。”鞅曰：“彼王不能用君之言任臣，又安能用君之言杀臣乎？”卒不去。惠王既去，而谓左右曰：“公叔病甚，悲乎，欲令寡人以国听公孙鞅也，岂不悖哉！”

公叔既死，公孙鞅闻秦孝公下令国中求贤者，将修缪公之业，东复侵地，乃遂西入秦，因孝公宠臣景监以求见孝公。孝公既见卫鞅，语事良久，孝公时时睡，弗听。罢而孝公怒景监曰：“子之客妄人耳，安足用邪！”

杨宪益、戴乃迭  译：

Lord Shang was descended, through a concubine, from the royal house of Wei. His personal name was Yang, his clan name Gongsun, and his ancestors had been of the royal Ji clan. As a youth he was interested in the study of law and served as clan officer under Gongshu Cao, the prime minister of Wei, who recognized his ability but lacked opportunity to recommend him. When Gongshu Cao fell ill, King Hui of Wei went in person to inquire after him and asked, “If anything should happen to you, what will become of my state?” “My clan officer Gongsun Yang, although young, has remarkable gifts,” replied Gongshu Cao. “I hope you will entrust affairs of state to him.” The king was silent and prepared to leave. The prime minister sent everyone else away and said, “If you do not mean to take my advice and employ him, then have Yang killed. Don't let him leave the county.” The king agreed to this, and left. Then Gongshu Cao sent for Yang and told him regretfully, “Today the king asked me to suggest to successor. When I recommended you, I saw disapproval written on his face. So, putting my sovereign's interest first, I urged him to kill you if he would not use your services, and he agreed to do this. You must leave without delay, or you will be caught. “If the king ignored your advice to employ me,” said Yang, “why should he take your advice to have me killed?” And he did not leave. After this interview King Hui told his followers, “I'm afraid the prime minister is in a bad way. He urged me to entrust affairs of state to Gongsun Yang---how absurd!”

After Gongshu's death, Yang heard that Duke Xiao of Qin was trying to recruit men of talent to continue the achievements of Duke Mu and recover the territory Qin had lost in the east. He went west to Qin and obtained an audience with the duke through the offices of his favorite eunuch Qing. Yang held forth at great length but Duke Xiao did not listen and kept dropping off to sleep. The duke afterwards complained to Qing, “Your friend is a fool. How could I use such a man?”