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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1In the sixth, he shows him, by the cases of the good kings of Yin and of king Wan, how he should have regard to the opinions of the common | people, and gird himself to diligence. The seventh chapter is a single admonition that the king should lay what had been said to heart. 1. The duke of Xu said, ‘Oh! the superior man rests in this,—that he will indulge in no luxurious ease. He first understands how the painful toil of sowing and reaping conducts to ease, and thus he understands how the lower people depend on this toil (for their support). I have observed among the lower people, that where the parents have diligently laboured in sowing and reaping, their sons (often) do not understand this painful toil, but abandon themselves to ease, and to village slang, and become quite disorderly. Or where they do not do so, they (still) throw contempt on their parents, saying, “Those old people have heard nothing and know nothing.”’ 2. The duke of A4u said, ‘Oh! I have heard that aforetime Aung 3ung, one of the kings of Yin}, was grave, humble, reverential, and timorously cautious. He measured himself with reference to the decree of Heaven, and cherished a reverent apprehension in governing the people, not daring ' Kung 3ung was the sacrificial title of Thai-wf, the seventh of the kings of Shang or Yin, who reigned B.c. 1637-1563. 202 THE SHO KING. PART V. to indulge in useless ease.* It was thus that he enjoyed the throne seventy and five years. If we come to the time of K4o 3ung?, he toiled at first away from the court, and was among the lower people ?. When he came to the throne, and occupied the mourning shed, it may be said that he did not speak for three years. (Afterwards) he was (still inclined) not to speak; but when he did speak, his words were full of harmonious (wisdom). He did not dare to indulge in useless ease, but admirably and tranquilly presided over the regions of Yin, till throughout them all, small and great, there was not a single murmur. It was thus that he enjoyed the throne fifty and nine years. In the case of 30-4i4%, he refused to be king unrighteously, and was at first one of the lower people. When he came to the throne, he knew on what they must depend (for their support), and was able to exercise a protecting kindness towards their masses, and did not dare to treat with contempt the wifeless men. and widows. Thus it was that he enjoyed the throne thirty and three years. The kings that arose after these, from their birth enjoyed ease. Enjoying ease from their birth, they did not know the painful toil of sowing and reaping, and had not heard ‘of the hard labours of the lower people. They sought for nothing but excessive pleasure; and so not one of them had long life. They (reigned) for ten years, 1 K4o Sung was the sacrificial title of WQ-ting, the nineteenth sovereign of the Yin line, who reigned s.c. 1324-1266. He has already appeared in the 8th and 9th Books of Part IV. 2 Compare Part IV, viii, sect. 3, ch. 1.
2They (reigned) for ten years, 1 K4o Sung was the sacrificial title of WQ-ting, the nineteenth sovereign of the Yin line, who reigned s.c. 1324-1266. He has already appeared in the 8th and 9th Books of Part IV. 2 Compare Part IV, viii, sect. 3, ch. 1. ® 80-414 was the twenty-first of the Yin sovereigns, and reigned B.C. 1258-1226. BOOK Xv. AGAINST LUXURIOUS EASE. 203 for seven or eight, for five or six, or perhaps (only) for three or four.’ 3. The duke of KAu said, ‘Oh! there likewise were king Thai and king At of our own KAu, who were humble and reverentially cautious. King Wan dressed meanly, and gave himself to the work of tranquillization and to that of husbandry. Admira- -bly mild and beautifully humble, he cherished and protected the inferior people, and showed a fostering kindness to the wifeless men and widows. From morning to mid-day, and from mid-day to sundown, he did not allow himself leisure to eat ;—thus seeking to secure the happy harmony of the myriads of the people. King Wan did not dare to go to excess in his excursions or his hunting, and from the various states he would receive only the correct amount of contribution. The appointment (of Heaven) came to him in the middle of his life}, and he enjoyed the throne for fifty years.’ * 4. The duke of K4Au said, ‘Oh! from this time forward, do you who have succeeded to the throne imitate Wan’s avoiding of excess in his sight-seeing, his indulgence in ease, his excursions, his hunting ; and from the myriads of the people receive only the correct amount of contribution. Do not allow yourself the leisure to say, “To-day I will indulge in pleasure.” This would not be holding out a lesson to the people, nor the way to secure the favour of Heaven. Men will on the contrary be prompt to imitate you and practise evil. Become not like 1 This can only be understood of W4n’s succeeding to his father as duke of X4u and chief of the West in s.c. 1185. He died in 1135, leaving it to his son W&@ to overthrow the dynasty of Shang. 204 THE SHO KING. PART V. Shdu the king of Yin, who went quite astray, and became abandoned to drunkenness.’ 5. The duke of Au said, ‘Oh! I have heard it said that, in the case of the ancients, (their ministers) warned and admonished them, protected and loved them, taught and instructed them; and among the people there was hardly one who would impose on them by extravagant language or deceiving tricks. If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), your ministers will imitate you, and so the correct laws of the former kings, both small and great, will be changed and disordered. The people, blaming you, will disobey and rebel in their hearts ;— yea, they will- curse you with their mouths,’
3If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), your ministers will imitate you, and so the correct laws of the former kings, both small and great, will be changed and disordered. The people, blaming you, will disobey and rebel in their hearts ;— yea, they will- curse you with their mouths,’ 6. The duke of 4u said, ‘Oh! those kings of Yin,—Xung 3ung, K4o 3ung, and 30-4i4, with king Wan of our KAu,—these four men carried their knowledge into practice. If it was told them, “ The lower people murmur against you and revile you,” then they paid great and reverent attention to their conduct; and with reference to the faults imputed to them they said, “Our faults are really so,” thus not simply shrinking from the cherishing of anger. If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), when men with extravagant language and deceptive tricks say to you, “The lower people are murmuring against you and reviling you,” you will believe them. Doing this, you will not be always thinking of your princely duties, and will not cultivate a large and generous heart. You will confusedly punish the guiltless, and put the innocent to death. There will be a general murmuring, which will be concentrated upon your person.’ BOOK XVI. THE PRINCE SHIH. 205 7. The duke of K4u said, ‘Oh! let the king, who has succeeded to the throne, make a study of these things.’ Book XVI. Tue PrRINcE SHIH. Tue words ‘Prince Shih’ occur at the commencement of the Book, and are taken as its title. Shih was the name of the duke of Shao, the author of Book xii. To him the address or announcement here preserved was delivered, and his name is not an inappropriate title for it. The common view of Chinese critics is that the duke of Sh&o had announced his purpose to withdraw from office on account of his age, when the duke of K4u persuaded him to remain at his post, and that the reasons which he set before him were recorded in this Book. It may have been so, but the language is far from clearly indicating it. A few expressions, indeed, may be taken as intimating a wish that Shih should continue at court, but some violence has to be put upon them. I have divided the whole into four chapters, but the two principal ideas in the address are these :—that the favour of Heaven can be permanently secured for a dynasty only by the virtue of its sovereigns ; and that that virtue is secured mainly by the counsels and help of virtuous ministers. The ablest sovereigns of Shang are mentioned, and the ministers by whose aid it was, in a great measure, that they became what they were. The cases of Wan and WA of their own dynasty, similarly aided by able men, are adduced in the same way; and the speaker adverts to the services which they—the two dukes—had already rendered to their sovereign, and insists that they must go on to the end, and accomplish still greater things.
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.
1In the sixth, he shows him, by the cases of the good kings of Yin and of king Wan, how he should have regard to the opinions of the common | people, and gird himself to diligence. The seventh chapter is a single admonition that the king should lay what had been said to heart. 1. The duke of Xu said, ‘Oh! the superior man rests in this,—that he will indulge in no luxurious ease. He first understands how the painful toil of sowing and reaping conducts to ease, and thus he understands how the lower people depend on this toil (for their support). I have observed among the lower people, that where the parents have diligently laboured in sowing and reaping, their sons (often) do not understand this painful toil, but abandon themselves to ease, and to village slang, and become quite disorderly. Or where they do not do so, they (still) throw contempt on their parents, saying, “Those old people have heard nothing and know nothing.”’ 2. The duke of A4u said, ‘Oh! I have heard that aforetime Aung 3ung, one of the kings of Yin}, was grave, humble, reverential, and timorously cautious. He measured himself with reference to the decree of Heaven, and cherished a reverent apprehension in governing the people, not daring ' Kung 3ung was the sacrificial title of Thai-wf, the seventh of the kings of Shang or Yin, who reigned B.c. 1637-1563. 202 THE SHO KING. PART V. to indulge in useless ease.* It was thus that he enjoyed the throne seventy and five years. If we come to the time of K4o 3ung?, he toiled at first away from the court, and was among the lower people ?. When he came to the throne, and occupied the mourning shed, it may be said that he did not speak for three years. (Afterwards) he was (still inclined) not to speak; but when he did speak, his words were full of harmonious (wisdom). He did not dare to indulge in useless ease, but admirably and tranquilly presided over the regions of Yin, till throughout them all, small and great, there was not a single murmur. It was thus that he enjoyed the throne fifty and nine years. In the case of 30-4i4%, he refused to be king unrighteously, and was at first one of the lower people. When he came to the throne, he knew on what they must depend (for their support), and was able to exercise a protecting kindness towards their masses, and did not dare to treat with contempt the wifeless men. and widows. Thus it was that he enjoyed the throne thirty and three years. The kings that arose after these, from their birth enjoyed ease. Enjoying ease from their birth, they did not know the painful toil of sowing and reaping, and had not heard ‘of the hard labours of the lower people. They sought for nothing but excessive pleasure; and so not one of them had long life. They (reigned) for ten years, 1 K4o Sung was the sacrificial title of WQ-ting, the nineteenth sovereign of the Yin line, who reigned s.c. 1324-1266. He has already appeared in the 8th and 9th Books of Part IV. 2 Compare Part IV, viii, sect. 3, ch. 1.
2They (reigned) for ten years, 1 K4o Sung was the sacrificial title of WQ-ting, the nineteenth sovereign of the Yin line, who reigned s.c. 1324-1266. He has already appeared in the 8th and 9th Books of Part IV. 2 Compare Part IV, viii, sect. 3, ch. 1. ® 80-414 was the twenty-first of the Yin sovereigns, and reigned B.C. 1258-1226. BOOK Xv. AGAINST LUXURIOUS EASE. 203 for seven or eight, for five or six, or perhaps (only) for three or four.’ 3. The duke of KAu said, ‘Oh! there likewise were king Thai and king At of our own KAu, who were humble and reverentially cautious. King Wan dressed meanly, and gave himself to the work of tranquillization and to that of husbandry. Admira- -bly mild and beautifully humble, he cherished and protected the inferior people, and showed a fostering kindness to the wifeless men and widows. From morning to mid-day, and from mid-day to sundown, he did not allow himself leisure to eat ;—thus seeking to secure the happy harmony of the myriads of the people. King Wan did not dare to go to excess in his excursions or his hunting, and from the various states he would receive only the correct amount of contribution. The appointment (of Heaven) came to him in the middle of his life}, and he enjoyed the throne for fifty years.’ * 4. The duke of K4Au said, ‘Oh! from this time forward, do you who have succeeded to the throne imitate Wan’s avoiding of excess in his sight-seeing, his indulgence in ease, his excursions, his hunting ; and from the myriads of the people receive only the correct amount of contribution. Do not allow yourself the leisure to say, “To-day I will indulge in pleasure.” This would not be holding out a lesson to the people, nor the way to secure the favour of Heaven. Men will on the contrary be prompt to imitate you and practise evil. Become not like 1 This can only be understood of W4n’s succeeding to his father as duke of X4u and chief of the West in s.c. 1185. He died in 1135, leaving it to his son W&@ to overthrow the dynasty of Shang. 204 THE SHO KING. PART V. Shdu the king of Yin, who went quite astray, and became abandoned to drunkenness.’ 5. The duke of Au said, ‘Oh! I have heard it said that, in the case of the ancients, (their ministers) warned and admonished them, protected and loved them, taught and instructed them; and among the people there was hardly one who would impose on them by extravagant language or deceiving tricks. If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), your ministers will imitate you, and so the correct laws of the former kings, both small and great, will be changed and disordered. The people, blaming you, will disobey and rebel in their hearts ;— yea, they will- curse you with their mouths,’
3If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), your ministers will imitate you, and so the correct laws of the former kings, both small and great, will be changed and disordered. The people, blaming you, will disobey and rebel in their hearts ;— yea, they will- curse you with their mouths,’ 6. The duke of 4u said, ‘Oh! those kings of Yin,—Xung 3ung, K4o 3ung, and 30-4i4, with king Wan of our KAu,—these four men carried their knowledge into practice. If it was told them, “ The lower people murmur against you and revile you,” then they paid great and reverent attention to their conduct; and with reference to the faults imputed to them they said, “Our faults are really so,” thus not simply shrinking from the cherishing of anger. If you will not listen to this (and profit by it), when men with extravagant language and deceptive tricks say to you, “The lower people are murmuring against you and reviling you,” you will believe them. Doing this, you will not be always thinking of your princely duties, and will not cultivate a large and generous heart. You will confusedly punish the guiltless, and put the innocent to death. There will be a general murmuring, which will be concentrated upon your person.’ BOOK XVI. THE PRINCE SHIH. 205 7. The duke of K4u said, ‘Oh! let the king, who has succeeded to the throne, make a study of these things.’ Book XVI. Tue PrRINcE SHIH. Tue words ‘Prince Shih’ occur at the commencement of the Book, and are taken as its title. Shih was the name of the duke of Shao, the author of Book xii. To him the address or announcement here preserved was delivered, and his name is not an inappropriate title for it. The common view of Chinese critics is that the duke of Sh&o had announced his purpose to withdraw from office on account of his age, when the duke of K4u persuaded him to remain at his post, and that the reasons which he set before him were recorded in this Book. It may have been so, but the language is far from clearly indicating it. A few expressions, indeed, may be taken as intimating a wish that Shih should continue at court, but some violence has to be put upon them. I have divided the whole into four chapters, but the two principal ideas in the address are these :—that the favour of Heaven can be permanently secured for a dynasty only by the virtue of its sovereigns ; and that that virtue is secured mainly by the counsels and help of virtuous ministers. The ablest sovereigns of Shang are mentioned, and the ministers by whose aid it was, in a great measure, that they became what they were. The cases of Wan and WA of their own dynasty, similarly aided by able men, are adduced in the same way; and the speaker adverts to the services which they—the two dukes—had already rendered to their sovereign, and insists that they must go on to the end, and accomplish still greater things.
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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