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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1e BOOK VI. THE METAL-BOUND COFFER. 155 dom, to the effect that the duke would do no good to the (king’s) young son. On this the duke said to the two (other great) dukes, ‘If I do not take the law (to these men), I shall not be able to make my report to the former kings!’ * He resided (accordingly) in the east for two years’, when the criminals were taken (and brought to justice). Afterwards he made a poem to present to the king, and called it ‘the Owl*’ The king on his part did not dare to blame the duke. In the autumn, when the grain was abundant and ripe, but before it was reaped, Heaven sent a great storm of thunder and lightning, along with wind, by which the grain was all broken down, and great trees torn up. The people were greatly terrified; and the king and great officers, all in their caps of state, proceeded to open the metal-bound coffer and examine the writings in it, where they found the words of the duke when he took on himself the business of being a substitute for king Wd. The two (great) dukes and the king asked the historiographer and all the other officers (acquainted with the transaction) about the thing, and they replied, ‘It was really thus; but ah! the duke charged us that we 1 WA died in p.c, 1116, and was succeeded by his son Sung, who is known in history as king AA&ng, or ‘the Completer.’ He was at the time only thirteen years old, and his uncle, the duke of Au, acted as regent. The jealousy of his elder brother Hsien, ‘lord of Kwan,’ and two younger brothers, was excited, and they spread the rumour which is referred to, and entered into a conspiracy with the son of the tyrant of Shang, to overthrow the new dynasty. * These two years were spent in military operations against the revolters. * See the Book of Poetry, Part I, xv, Ode 2. 156 THE SHO KING. PART V. should not presume to speak about it.’ The king held the writing in his hand, and wept, saying, ‘We need not (now) go on reverently to divine. Formerly the duke was thus earnest for the royal House, but I, being a child, did not know it. Now Heaven has moved its terrors to display his virtue. That I, the little child, (now) go with my new views and feelings to meet him, is what the rules of propriety of our kingdom require.’ * The king then went out to the borders (to meet the duke), when Heaven sent down rain, and, by virtue of a contrary wind, the grain all rose up. The two (great) dukes gave orders to the people to take up the trees that had fallen and replace them. The year then turned out very fruitful. * Book VII. Tue Great ANNOUNCEMENT.
2The two (great) dukes gave orders to the people to take up the trees that had fallen and replace them. The year then turned out very fruitful. * Book VII. Tue Great ANNOUNCEMENT. Tus ‘Great Announcement’ was called forth by the emergency referred to in the second chapter of the last Book. The prefatory notice says, ‘When king Wa had deceased, the three overseers and the wild tribes of the Hw4i rebelled. The duke of Xau acted as minister for king Kh&ng, and having purposed to make an end of the House of Yin (or Shang), he made ‘the Great Announcement.’ Such was the occasion on which the Book was composed. The young king speaks in it the words and sentiments of the duke of K4u; and hence the style in which it commences, ‘The king speaks to the following effect.’ The young sovereign speaks of the responsibility lying on him to maintain the kingdom gained by the virtues and prowess of his father, and of the senseless movements of the House of Shang to regain its supremacy. He complains of the reluctance of many of the princes and high officers to second him in putting down revolt, and proclaims with painful reiteration the support and assurances of success which he has received from the divining shell. His traitorous uncles, who were confederate with the son of the tyrant of Shang, are only alluded to. BOOK VII. THE GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT. 157 1. The king speaks to the following effect :—‘ Ho! I make a great announcement to you, (the princes of) the many states, and to you, the managers of my affairs—We are unpitied, and Heaven sends down calamities on our House, without the least intermission!.* It greatly occupies my thoughts that I, so very young, have inherited this illimitable patrimony with its destinies and domains. I cannot display wisdom and lead the people to prosperity ; and how much less should I be able to reach the knowledge of the decree of Heaven!* Yes, I who am but a little child am in the position of one who has to go through a deep water ;—I must go and seek where I can cross over. I must diffuse the elegant institutions of my predecessor and display the appointment which he received (from Heaven) ;— so shall I not be forgetful of his great work. Nor shall I dare to restrain the majesty of Heaven in sending down its inflictions (on the criminals)?,’ * 2. ‘The Tranquillizing king * left to me the great precious tortoise-shell, to bring into connexion with me the intelligence of Heaven. I divined by it, and it told me that there would be great trouble in the region of the west‘, and that the western people would not be still4* Accordingly we have these senseless movements. Small and reduced as Yin 1 With reference, probably, to the early death of his father, and the revolt that followed quickly upon it. * The duke had made up his mind that he would deal stern justice even on his own brothers. 5 King Wa.
3Small and reduced as Yin 1 With reference, probably, to the early death of his father, and the revolt that followed quickly upon it. * The duke had made up his mind that he would deal stern justice even on his own brothers. 5 King Wa. ‘ The troubles arose in the east, and not in the west. We do not know the facts in the state of the kingdom sufficiently to explain every difficulty in these Books. Perhaps the oracular response had been purposely ambiguous. 158 THE SHO KING. PART V. now is, (its prince) greatly dares to take in hand its (broken) line. Though Heaven sent down its terrors (on his House), yet knowing of the evils in our kingdom, and that the people are not tranquil, he says, “I will recover (my patrimony);” and so (he wishes to) make our A’4u a border territory again. ‘One day there was a senseless movement, and the day after, ten men of worth appeared among the people, to help me to go forward to restore tranquillity and perpetuate the plans (of my father)}. The great business I am engaging in will (thus) have a successful issue. I have divined (also) by the tortoise-shell, and always got a favourable response.* Therefore I tell you, the princes of my friendly states, and you, the directors of departments, my officers, and the managers of my affairs——I have obtained a favourable reply to my divinations. I will go forward with you from all the states, and punish those vagabond and transported ministers of Yin.’ 3. ‘(But) you the princes of the various states, and you the various officers and managers of my affairs, all retort on me, saying, “ The hardships will be great, and that the people are not quiet has its source really in the king’s palace and in the mansions of the princes in that (rebellious) state. We little ones, and the old and reverend men as well, think the expedition ill-advised ;—why does your Majesty not go contrary to the divinations ?” I, in my youth, (also) think continually of these hardships, and say, 1 Who these ‘ten men of worth’ were, we do not know, nor the circumstances in which they came forward to help the government. * Here is an allusion, as plain as the duke could permit himself to make, to the complicity of his brothers in the existing troubles. BOOK VII. THE GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT, 159 Alas! these senseless movements will deplorably afflict the wifeless men and widows! But I am the servant of Heaven, which has assigned me this great task, and laid the hard duty on my person.* I therefore, the young one, do not pity myself; and it would be right in you, the many officers, the directors of departments, and the managers of my affairs, to comfort me, saying, “ Do not be distressed with sorrow. We shall surely complete the plans of your Tranquillizing father.”
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.
1e BOOK VI. THE METAL-BOUND COFFER. 155 dom, to the effect that the duke would do no good to the (king’s) young son. On this the duke said to the two (other great) dukes, ‘If I do not take the law (to these men), I shall not be able to make my report to the former kings!’ * He resided (accordingly) in the east for two years’, when the criminals were taken (and brought to justice). Afterwards he made a poem to present to the king, and called it ‘the Owl*’ The king on his part did not dare to blame the duke. In the autumn, when the grain was abundant and ripe, but before it was reaped, Heaven sent a great storm of thunder and lightning, along with wind, by which the grain was all broken down, and great trees torn up. The people were greatly terrified; and the king and great officers, all in their caps of state, proceeded to open the metal-bound coffer and examine the writings in it, where they found the words of the duke when he took on himself the business of being a substitute for king Wd. The two (great) dukes and the king asked the historiographer and all the other officers (acquainted with the transaction) about the thing, and they replied, ‘It was really thus; but ah! the duke charged us that we 1 WA died in p.c, 1116, and was succeeded by his son Sung, who is known in history as king AA&ng, or ‘the Completer.’ He was at the time only thirteen years old, and his uncle, the duke of Au, acted as regent. The jealousy of his elder brother Hsien, ‘lord of Kwan,’ and two younger brothers, was excited, and they spread the rumour which is referred to, and entered into a conspiracy with the son of the tyrant of Shang, to overthrow the new dynasty. * These two years were spent in military operations against the revolters. * See the Book of Poetry, Part I, xv, Ode 2. 156 THE SHO KING. PART V. should not presume to speak about it.’ The king held the writing in his hand, and wept, saying, ‘We need not (now) go on reverently to divine. Formerly the duke was thus earnest for the royal House, but I, being a child, did not know it. Now Heaven has moved its terrors to display his virtue. That I, the little child, (now) go with my new views and feelings to meet him, is what the rules of propriety of our kingdom require.’ * The king then went out to the borders (to meet the duke), when Heaven sent down rain, and, by virtue of a contrary wind, the grain all rose up. The two (great) dukes gave orders to the people to take up the trees that had fallen and replace them. The year then turned out very fruitful. * Book VII. Tue Great ANNOUNCEMENT.
2The two (great) dukes gave orders to the people to take up the trees that had fallen and replace them. The year then turned out very fruitful. * Book VII. Tue Great ANNOUNCEMENT. Tus ‘Great Announcement’ was called forth by the emergency referred to in the second chapter of the last Book. The prefatory notice says, ‘When king Wa had deceased, the three overseers and the wild tribes of the Hw4i rebelled. The duke of Xau acted as minister for king Kh&ng, and having purposed to make an end of the House of Yin (or Shang), he made ‘the Great Announcement.’ Such was the occasion on which the Book was composed. The young king speaks in it the words and sentiments of the duke of K4u; and hence the style in which it commences, ‘The king speaks to the following effect.’ The young sovereign speaks of the responsibility lying on him to maintain the kingdom gained by the virtues and prowess of his father, and of the senseless movements of the House of Shang to regain its supremacy. He complains of the reluctance of many of the princes and high officers to second him in putting down revolt, and proclaims with painful reiteration the support and assurances of success which he has received from the divining shell. His traitorous uncles, who were confederate with the son of the tyrant of Shang, are only alluded to. BOOK VII. THE GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT. 157 1. The king speaks to the following effect :—‘ Ho! I make a great announcement to you, (the princes of) the many states, and to you, the managers of my affairs—We are unpitied, and Heaven sends down calamities on our House, without the least intermission!.* It greatly occupies my thoughts that I, so very young, have inherited this illimitable patrimony with its destinies and domains. I cannot display wisdom and lead the people to prosperity ; and how much less should I be able to reach the knowledge of the decree of Heaven!* Yes, I who am but a little child am in the position of one who has to go through a deep water ;—I must go and seek where I can cross over. I must diffuse the elegant institutions of my predecessor and display the appointment which he received (from Heaven) ;— so shall I not be forgetful of his great work. Nor shall I dare to restrain the majesty of Heaven in sending down its inflictions (on the criminals)?,’ * 2. ‘The Tranquillizing king * left to me the great precious tortoise-shell, to bring into connexion with me the intelligence of Heaven. I divined by it, and it told me that there would be great trouble in the region of the west‘, and that the western people would not be still4* Accordingly we have these senseless movements. Small and reduced as Yin 1 With reference, probably, to the early death of his father, and the revolt that followed quickly upon it. * The duke had made up his mind that he would deal stern justice even on his own brothers. 5 King Wa.
3Small and reduced as Yin 1 With reference, probably, to the early death of his father, and the revolt that followed quickly upon it. * The duke had made up his mind that he would deal stern justice even on his own brothers. 5 King Wa. ‘ The troubles arose in the east, and not in the west. We do not know the facts in the state of the kingdom sufficiently to explain every difficulty in these Books. Perhaps the oracular response had been purposely ambiguous. 158 THE SHO KING. PART V. now is, (its prince) greatly dares to take in hand its (broken) line. Though Heaven sent down its terrors (on his House), yet knowing of the evils in our kingdom, and that the people are not tranquil, he says, “I will recover (my patrimony);” and so (he wishes to) make our A’4u a border territory again. ‘One day there was a senseless movement, and the day after, ten men of worth appeared among the people, to help me to go forward to restore tranquillity and perpetuate the plans (of my father)}. The great business I am engaging in will (thus) have a successful issue. I have divined (also) by the tortoise-shell, and always got a favourable response.* Therefore I tell you, the princes of my friendly states, and you, the directors of departments, my officers, and the managers of my affairs——I have obtained a favourable reply to my divinations. I will go forward with you from all the states, and punish those vagabond and transported ministers of Yin.’ 3. ‘(But) you the princes of the various states, and you the various officers and managers of my affairs, all retort on me, saying, “ The hardships will be great, and that the people are not quiet has its source really in the king’s palace and in the mansions of the princes in that (rebellious) state. We little ones, and the old and reverend men as well, think the expedition ill-advised ;—why does your Majesty not go contrary to the divinations ?” I, in my youth, (also) think continually of these hardships, and say, 1 Who these ‘ten men of worth’ were, we do not know, nor the circumstances in which they came forward to help the government. * Here is an allusion, as plain as the duke could permit himself to make, to the complicity of his brothers in the existing troubles. BOOK VII. THE GREAT ANNOUNCEMENT, 159 Alas! these senseless movements will deplorably afflict the wifeless men and widows! But I am the servant of Heaven, which has assigned me this great task, and laid the hard duty on my person.* I therefore, the young one, do not pity myself; and it would be right in you, the many officers, the directors of departments, and the managers of my affairs, to comfort me, saying, “ Do not be distressed with sorrow. We shall surely complete the plans of your Tranquillizing father.”
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.
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