蒙學漢文初階 第七十九之課 Beginning Chinese - Entry Level Lesson #80
人世不能無統治者 man world not don't_have united govern thing/person
故史學家謂 thus history learn person say
天開之始曰天皇氏 heaven open [pp] start called heaven emperor clan
地闢之始曰地皇氏 earth cultivate [pp] start called earth emperor clan
人生之始曰人皇氏 man life [pp] start called man emperor clan
以歷史上統治者之始也 thus undergo history top united govern person [pp] beginning [ep]
Literal translation:
The world cannot, not have someone governing it. Thus historians quote, "In the beginning when heaven came into being, it was known as the clanship of the heavens. When the earth began to be cultivated, it was known as the clanship of the earth and when in the dawn of mankind, it is known as the clanship of man. Thus it is so, the beginnings of governance!
Translation by meaning:
The world has always been governed. When the heavens came into being, there was the Celestial Sovereign. When the earth was cultivated, there was the Earthly Sovereign and when the dawning of the Age of Man, there was the Human Sovereign. Thus it is so, the beginnings of governance!
Notes:
These three mythical emperors are known collectively as the Three Sovereigns (三皇). After them came the Five Emperors (五帝). For more information see,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenly_Sovereign
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthly_Sovereign
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Sovereign
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sovereigns_and_Five_Emperors