《左传·闵公·闵公元年》
下臣听说： 国家将要灭亡，如同大树，躯干必然先行仆倒，然后枝叶随着落下。 
臣闻之，国将亡，本必先颠而后枝叶从之。
I heard the following saying: When a country is about to perish, it is like a big tree. Its trunk must fall first, and then its branches and leaves will fall with it.
<s>[INST] Translate the following Classical Chinese text into English: 臣闻之，国将亡，本必先颠而后枝叶从之。 [/INST] I heard the following saying: When a country is about to perish, it is like a big tree. Its trunk must fall first, and then its branches and leaves will fall with it.</s>
Translate the following Classical Chinese text into English: 臣闻之，国将亡，本必先颠而后枝叶从之。
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I heard the following saying: When a country is about to perish, it is like a big tree. Its trunk must fall first, and then its branches and leaves will fall with it.
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