Once upon a time, the State of Chu planned to attack the State of Song. But the Yong River was the natural barrier against its surprise attack at night.

To overcome this obstacle, the State of Chu sent men to secretly measure the depth of the Yong River and make marks for wading1 across the river at night.

But when night came, the water in the Yong River suddenly rose; yet the Chu army still tried to stealthily cross the river 1000 soldiers were drowned. There was utter chaos2 of desperate cries and shootings' on the river. All at once, the army collapsed3 like a fallen building, and was routed.

According to the marks, the Chu army would have been able to cross the Yong River during the day; but the rising water changed the situation in the night. Yet the Chu army still tried to wade4 across the river according to the marks made in the daytime, so naturally they failed.

古時候，有一次，楚國準備進攻宋國，而澭河水楚國夜間偷襲宋國的天然障礙。

為了越過這個障礙，楚國派人悄悄地去測量澭水的深度，并且做好了夜間涉水過河的標記。

誰知到了夜里，澭河的水暴漲，水位升高。但是，楚國人卻仍然按照白天做的標記偷渡，結果淹死了一千多人。河面上哭聲喊聲一片混亂，頓時，隊伍就像房屋倒塌一樣，潰不成軍。

按照所做的標記，楚軍白天使可以度過澭河的;然而，夜間水情已經發生變化，楚軍卻仍然按照白天的標記渡河，自然他們要失敗了。

Once upon a time, the State of Chu planned to attack the State of Song. But the Yong River was the natural barrier against its surprise attack at night.

To overcome this obstacle, the State of Chu sent men to secretly measure the depth of the Yong River and make marks for wading1 across the river at night.

But when night came, the water in the Yong River suddenly rose; yet the Chu army still tried to stealthily cross the river 1000 soldiers were drowned. There was utter chaos2 of desperate cries and shootings' on the river. All at once, the army collapsed3 like a fallen building, and was routed.

According to the marks, the Chu army would have been able to cross the Yong River during the day; but the rising water changed the situation in the night. Yet the Chu army still tried to wade4 across the river according to the marks made in the daytime, so naturally they failed.

古時候，有一次，楚國準備進攻宋國，而澭河水楚國夜間偷襲宋國的天然障礙。

為了越過這個障礙，楚國派人悄悄地去測量澭水的深度，并且做好了夜間涉水過河的標記。

誰知到了夜里，澭河的水暴漲，水位升高。但是，楚國人卻仍然按照白天做的標記偷渡，結果淹死了一千多人。河面上哭聲喊聲一片混亂，頓時，隊伍就像房屋倒塌一樣，潰不成軍。

按照所做的標記，楚軍白天使可以度過澭河的;然而，夜間水情已經發生變化，楚軍卻仍然按照白天的標記渡河，自然他們要失敗了。