向使

向使

1. (literary) if

   向使四君卻客而不內，疏士而不用，是使國無富利之實而秦無彊大之名也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
   向使四君却客而不内，疏士而不用，是使国无富利之实而秦无强大之名也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

   From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, circa 91 BCE

   Xiàngshǐ sì jūn què kè ér bù nà, shū shì ér bú yòng, shì shǐ guó wú fùlì zhī shí ér qín wú qiáng dà zhī míng yě. [Pinyin]

   If the four monarchs had rejected the guests and did not accept them, and alienated and did not appoint the virtuous and able men, this would have resulted in a lack of wealth in Qin, and Qin would have lacked the reputation of being powerful.

   鄉使聽客之言，不費牛酒，終亡火患。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
   乡使听客之言，不费牛酒，终亡火患。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

   From: The Book of Han, circa 1^st century CE

   Xiàngshǐ tīng kè zhī yán, bù fèi niú jiǔ, zhōng wú huǒhuàn. [Pinyin]

   If you had listened to him, you would not be spending money setting up a feast with beef and wine, and there would not have been a fire.