Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1—~— nN 46 THE SHO KING. PART II, Boox II. Tuer CounseEts or THE Great Yi. Or the six classes of documents in the Shf, ‘Counsels’ are the second, containing the wise remarks and suggestions of high officers on the subject of government. This Book may be divided into three chapters :—the first, containing counsels of Yii and Yi on principles and methods of government; the second, occupied with Shun’s resignation of the administration to Yu, and containing also many sage observations and maxims; and the third, describing Yii’s operations against the people of Miao, and counsels addressed to him by Yi. The style differs from that of the Canons; being more sententious, and falling occasionally into rhyme. 1. Examining into antiquity, (we find that) the Great Yii! was styled W&n-ming*?, Having arranged and divided (the land), all to the four seas, in reverent response to the Ti, he said, ‘If the sovereign can realize the difficulty of his sovereignship, and the minister the difficulty-of his ministry, the government will be well ordered, and the blackhaired people will sedulously seek to be virtuous.’ The Tt said, ‘Yes; let this really be the case, and good words will nowhere lie hidden; no men of virtue and talents will be left neglected, away from court, and the myriad states will all enjoy repose. (But) to obtain the views of all; to give up one’s opinion and follow that of others; to keep from oppressing the helpless, and not to neglect the 1 The name Yi, taken as an epithet, would mean ‘the Unconstrained.’ As an epithet after death, it has the meaning of ‘Receiving the Resignation and Perfecting the Merit ;’ but this is evidently based on the commonly received history of Yi. * W4n-ming may be translated, ‘ the Accomplished and the Issuer of Commands.’ BOOK 11. THE COUNSELS OF THE GREAT YU. 47 straitened and poor ;—it was only the (former) Tt who could attain to this.’ Yi said, ‘Oh! your virtue, O Tt, is vast and incessant. It is sagely, spirit-like, awe-inspiring, and adorned with all accomplishments. Great Heaven regarded you with its favour, and bestowed on you its appointment. Suddenly you possessed all within the four seas, and became ruler of all under heaven.’*
2your virtue, O Tt, is vast and incessant. It is sagely, spirit-like, awe-inspiring, and adorned with all accomplishments. Great Heaven regarded you with its favour, and bestowed on you its appointment. Suddenly you possessed all within the four seas, and became ruler of all under heaven.’* Yii said, ‘ Accordance with the right leads to good fortune ; following what is opposed to it, to bad ;— the shadow and the echo. Yt said, ‘Alas! be cautious ! Admonish yourself to caution, when there seems to be no occasion for anxiety. Do not fail to observe the laws and ordinances. Do not find your enjoyment in idleness. Do not go to excess in pleasure. In your employment of men of worth, let none come between you and them. Put away evil without hesitation. Do not carry out plans, of (the wisdom of) which you have doubts. Study that all your purposes may be with the light of reason. Do Not go against what is right, to get the praise of the people. Do not oppose the people’s (wishes), to follow your own desires. (Attend to these things) without idleness or omission, and the barbarous tribes all around will come and acknowledge your sovereignty.’ Yii said, ‘Oh! think (of these things),O Tit. The virtue (of the ruler) is seen in (his) good government, and that government in the nourishing of the people. There are water, fire, metal, wood, the earth, and grain,—these must be duly regulated; there are the rectification of (the people’s) virtue, (the tools and other things) that supply the conveniences of life, and the securing abundant means of sustentation,—these must be harmoniously 48 THE SHO KING. PART II, attended to. When the nine services (thus indicated) have been orderly accomplished, that accomplishment will be hailed by (the people’s) songs. Caution them with gentle (words), correct them with the majesty (of law), stimulate them with the songs on those nine subjects,—in order that (your success) may not suffer diminution.’ The Tt said, ‘The earth has been reduced to order, and the (influences of) heaven produce their complete effect; those six magazines and three departments» of (governmental) action are all truly regulated, and may be depended on for a myriad generations :—this is your merit.’
32. The Ti said, ‘Come, you Yi. I have occupied my place for thirty and three years. I am between ninety and a hundred years old, and the laborious duties weary me. Do you, eschewing all indolence, take the leading of my people.’ Yii replied, ‘My virtue is not equal (to the position), and the people will not repose in me. (But there is) K4o-yéo with vigorous activity sowing abroad his virtue, which has descended on the black-haired people, till they cherish him in their hearts. O Ti, think of him! When I think of him, (my mind) rests on him (as the man fit for this place); when I would put him out of my thoughts, (my mind still) rests on him; when I name and speak of him, (my mind) rests on him (for this); the sincere outgoing of my thoughts about him is that he is the man. O Ti, think of his merits.’ The Tt said, ‘K4o-y4o, that of these my ministers and all (my people) hardly one is found to offend against the regulations of the government is owing to your being Minister of Crime, and intelligent in the use of the five punishments, thereby BOOK 11, THE COUNSELS OF THE GREAT YU. 49 assisting (the inculcation of) the five cardinal duties, with a view to the perfection of my government, and that through punishment there may come to be no punishments, but the people accord with (the path of) the Mean. (Continue to) be strenuous,’ K4o-y4o replied, ‘Your virtue, O Ti, is faultless. You condescend to your ministers with a kindly ease ; you preside over the multitudes with a generous forbearance. Punishments do not extend to (the criminal’s) heirs, while rewards reach to (succeeding) generations. You pardon inadvertent faults, however great, and punish purposed crimes, however small. In cases of doubtful crimes, you deal with them lightly; in cases of doubtful merit, you prefer the high estimation. Rather than put an innocent person to death, you will run the risk of irregularity and error. This life-loving virtue has penetrated the minds of the people, and this is why they do not render themselves liable to be punished by your officers. The Ti said, ‘That I am able to follow and obtain what I desire in my government, the people responding everywhere as if moved by the wind,—this is your excellence.’ The Tt said, ‘Come Yi. The inundating waters filled me with dread, when you accomplished truly (all that you had represented), and completed your service ;—thus showing your superiority to other men. Full of toilsome earnestness in the service of the country, and sparing in your expenditure on your family, and this without being full of yourself and elated,—you (again) show your superiority to other men. You are without any prideful assumption, but no one under heaven can contest with you the palm of ability; you make no boasting, but no [1] E 50 THE SHO KING. PART Il.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1—~— nN 46 THE SHO KING. PART II, Boox II. Tuer CounseEts or THE Great Yi. Or the six classes of documents in the Shf, ‘Counsels’ are the second, containing the wise remarks and suggestions of high officers on the subject of government. This Book may be divided into three chapters :—the first, containing counsels of Yii and Yi on principles and methods of government; the second, occupied with Shun’s resignation of the administration to Yu, and containing also many sage observations and maxims; and the third, describing Yii’s operations against the people of Miao, and counsels addressed to him by Yi. The style differs from that of the Canons; being more sententious, and falling occasionally into rhyme. 1. Examining into antiquity, (we find that) the Great Yii! was styled W&n-ming*?, Having arranged and divided (the land), all to the four seas, in reverent response to the Ti, he said, ‘If the sovereign can realize the difficulty of his sovereignship, and the minister the difficulty-of his ministry, the government will be well ordered, and the blackhaired people will sedulously seek to be virtuous.’ The Tt said, ‘Yes; let this really be the case, and good words will nowhere lie hidden; no men of virtue and talents will be left neglected, away from court, and the myriad states will all enjoy repose. (But) to obtain the views of all; to give up one’s opinion and follow that of others; to keep from oppressing the helpless, and not to neglect the 1 The name Yi, taken as an epithet, would mean ‘the Unconstrained.’ As an epithet after death, it has the meaning of ‘Receiving the Resignation and Perfecting the Merit ;’ but this is evidently based on the commonly received history of Yi. * W4n-ming may be translated, ‘ the Accomplished and the Issuer of Commands.’ BOOK 11. THE COUNSELS OF THE GREAT YU. 47 straitened and poor ;—it was only the (former) Tt who could attain to this.’ Yi said, ‘Oh! your virtue, O Tt, is vast and incessant. It is sagely, spirit-like, awe-inspiring, and adorned with all accomplishments. Great Heaven regarded you with its favour, and bestowed on you its appointment. Suddenly you possessed all within the four seas, and became ruler of all under heaven.’*
2your virtue, O Tt, is vast and incessant. It is sagely, spirit-like, awe-inspiring, and adorned with all accomplishments. Great Heaven regarded you with its favour, and bestowed on you its appointment. Suddenly you possessed all within the four seas, and became ruler of all under heaven.’* Yii said, ‘ Accordance with the right leads to good fortune ; following what is opposed to it, to bad ;— the shadow and the echo. Yt said, ‘Alas! be cautious ! Admonish yourself to caution, when there seems to be no occasion for anxiety. Do not fail to observe the laws and ordinances. Do not find your enjoyment in idleness. Do not go to excess in pleasure. In your employment of men of worth, let none come between you and them. Put away evil without hesitation. Do not carry out plans, of (the wisdom of) which you have doubts. Study that all your purposes may be with the light of reason. Do Not go against what is right, to get the praise of the people. Do not oppose the people’s (wishes), to follow your own desires. (Attend to these things) without idleness or omission, and the barbarous tribes all around will come and acknowledge your sovereignty.’ Yii said, ‘Oh! think (of these things),O Tit. The virtue (of the ruler) is seen in (his) good government, and that government in the nourishing of the people. There are water, fire, metal, wood, the earth, and grain,—these must be duly regulated; there are the rectification of (the people’s) virtue, (the tools and other things) that supply the conveniences of life, and the securing abundant means of sustentation,—these must be harmoniously 48 THE SHO KING. PART II, attended to. When the nine services (thus indicated) have been orderly accomplished, that accomplishment will be hailed by (the people’s) songs. Caution them with gentle (words), correct them with the majesty (of law), stimulate them with the songs on those nine subjects,—in order that (your success) may not suffer diminution.’ The Tt said, ‘The earth has been reduced to order, and the (influences of) heaven produce their complete effect; those six magazines and three departments» of (governmental) action are all truly regulated, and may be depended on for a myriad generations :—this is your merit.’
32. The Ti said, ‘Come, you Yi. I have occupied my place for thirty and three years. I am between ninety and a hundred years old, and the laborious duties weary me. Do you, eschewing all indolence, take the leading of my people.’ Yii replied, ‘My virtue is not equal (to the position), and the people will not repose in me. (But there is) K4o-yéo with vigorous activity sowing abroad his virtue, which has descended on the black-haired people, till they cherish him in their hearts. O Ti, think of him! When I think of him, (my mind) rests on him (as the man fit for this place); when I would put him out of my thoughts, (my mind still) rests on him; when I name and speak of him, (my mind) rests on him (for this); the sincere outgoing of my thoughts about him is that he is the man. O Ti, think of his merits.’ The Tt said, ‘K4o-y4o, that of these my ministers and all (my people) hardly one is found to offend against the regulations of the government is owing to your being Minister of Crime, and intelligent in the use of the five punishments, thereby BOOK 11, THE COUNSELS OF THE GREAT YU. 49 assisting (the inculcation of) the five cardinal duties, with a view to the perfection of my government, and that through punishment there may come to be no punishments, but the people accord with (the path of) the Mean. (Continue to) be strenuous,’ K4o-y4o replied, ‘Your virtue, O Ti, is faultless. You condescend to your ministers with a kindly ease ; you preside over the multitudes with a generous forbearance. Punishments do not extend to (the criminal’s) heirs, while rewards reach to (succeeding) generations. You pardon inadvertent faults, however great, and punish purposed crimes, however small. In cases of doubtful crimes, you deal with them lightly; in cases of doubtful merit, you prefer the high estimation. Rather than put an innocent person to death, you will run the risk of irregularity and error. This life-loving virtue has penetrated the minds of the people, and this is why they do not render themselves liable to be punished by your officers. The Ti said, ‘That I am able to follow and obtain what I desire in my government, the people responding everywhere as if moved by the wind,—this is your excellence.’ The Tt said, ‘Come Yi. The inundating waters filled me with dread, when you accomplished truly (all that you had represented), and completed your service ;—thus showing your superiority to other men. Full of toilsome earnestness in the service of the country, and sparing in your expenditure on your family, and this without being full of yourself and elated,—you (again) show your superiority to other men. You are without any prideful assumption, but no one under heaven can contest with you the palm of ability; you make no boasting, but no [1] E 50 THE SHO KING. PART Il.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
No commentary for this page.