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Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1They estimate the evils to which they are exposed, and are anxious about the reverses which they may experience. They think how their possessions may be injurious to their nature, and therefore they will decline and not accept them ;—but not because they seek for reputation and praise. , ‘ Y4o and Shun were the sovereigns, and harmony prevailed. It did so, not because of their benevolence towards the people ;—they would not, for what was (deemed) admirable, injure their lives. Shan Xiian and Hsii Yi might have been the sovereigns, but they would not receive the throne ;—not that they declined it without purpose, but they would not by its occupancy injure themselves. These all followed after what was advantageous to them, and declined what was injurious, and all the world celebrates their superiority. Thus, though they enjoy the distinction, they did what they did, not for the sake of the reputation and praise.’ Dissatisfied (continued his argument), saying, ‘In thus thinking it necessary for their reputation, they bitterly distressed their bodies, denied themselves what was pleasant, and restricted themselves to a bare sustenance in order to sustain their life; but so they had life-long distress, and long-continued pressure till their death arrived.’ Know-the-Mean replied, ‘Tranquil ease is happiness; a superfluity is injurious :—so it is with all things, and especially it is so, where the superfluity is of wealth. The ears of the rich are provided with the music of bells, drums, flageolets and flutes; and their mouths are 184 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XXIX.
2The ears of the rich are provided with the music of bells, drums, flageolets and flutes; and their mouths are 184 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XXIX. stuffed with the flesh of fed beasts and with wine of the richest flavour ; so are their desires satisfied, till they forget their proper business :—theirs may be pronounced a condition of disorder. Sunk deeply in their self-sufficiency, they resemble individuals ascending a height with a heavy burden on their backs :—their condition may be pronounced one of bitter suffering. They covet riches, thinking to derive comfort from them; they covet power, and would fain monopolise it; when quiet and retired, they are drowned in luxurious indulgence; their persons seem to shine, and they are full of boasting :—they may be said to be in a state of disease. In their desire to be rich and striving for gain, they fill their stores, and, deaf to all admonition, refuse to desist from their course. They are even more elated, and hold on their way :—their conduct may be pronounced disgraceful. When their wealth is amassed till they cannot use it, they clasp it to their breasts and will not part with it; when their hearts are distressed with their very fulness, they still seek for more and will not desist :—their condition may be said to be sad. In-doors they are apprehensive of pilfering and begging thieves, and out-of-doors they are afraid of being injured by plundering robbers ; in-doors they have many chambers and partitions, and out-of-doors they do not dare to go alone :— they may be said to be in a state of (constant) alarm. ‘These six conditions are the most deplorable in the world, but they forget them all, and have lost their faculty of judgment. When the evil comes, though they begged it with all the powers of their nature, and by the sacrifice of all their wealth, they could PT. III. SECT. VIIL THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-8ZE. 185 not bring back one day of untroubled peace. When they look for their reputation, it is not to be seen; when they seek for their wealth, it is not to be got. To task their thoughts, and destroy their bodies, striving for (such an end as) this ;—is it not a case of great delusion ?’ 186 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. XXX. BOOK XXX. Part III. Section VIII. Yiieh Kien, or ‘ Delight in the Sword-fight'’ Formerly, king Wan of X4o? delighted in the sword-fight. More than three thousand men, masters of the weapon, appeared as his guests, lining the way on either side of his gate, and fighting together before him day and night. Over a hundred of them would die or be (severely) wounded in the course of a year, but he was never weary of looking on (at their engagements), so fond was he of them. The thing continued for three years, when the kingdom began to decay, and other states to plan measures against it.
3Over a hundred of them would die or be (severely) wounded in the course of a year, but he was never weary of looking on (at their engagements), so fond was he of them. The thing continued for three years, when the kingdom began to decay, and other states to plan measures against it. The crown-prince Khwei® was distressed, and laid the case before his attendants, saying, ‘If any one can persuade the king, and put an end to these swordsmen, I will give him a thousand ounces of * See vol. xxxix, pp. 158, 159. ? Probably king Hui-wan (s.c. 298-265) of Ado, one of the states into which the great state of 3in was subdivided, and which afterwards all claimed the sovereignty of the kingdom. In this Book AXwang-3ze appears as a contemporary of king Wan, which makes the ‘ formerly’ with which the paragraph commences seem strange. 8 Sze-ma Xhien says nothing of king Wan’s love of the swordfight, nor of this son Khwei. He says that in 265 Wan was succeeded by his son Tan (F}), who appears to have been quite young. PT, Ill, SECT. VIII. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-8ZE. 187 silver. His attendants said, ‘(Only) Awang-jze is able to do this.’ Thereupon the prince sent men with a thousand ounces of silver to offer to Awang- 3ze, who, however, would not accept them, but went with the messengers. When he saw the prince, he said, ‘O prince, what have you to say to A4u, and why would you give me the silver?’ The prince replied, ‘I have heard that you, master, are sagacious and sage. I sent you: respectfully the thousand ounces of silver, as a prelude to the silks and other gifts’. But as you decline to receive them, how dare I now tell you (what I wished from you) ?’ Kwang-3ze rejoined, ‘I have heard, O prince, that what you wanted me for was to wean the king from what is his delight. Suppose that in trying to persuade his Majesty I should offend him, and not fulfil your expectation, I shall be punished with death ;— and could I then enjoy this silver? Or suppose that I shall succeed in persuading his Majesty, and accomplish what you desire, what is there in the kingdom of K4o that I might ask for which I would not get ?’ The crown-prince said, ‘Yes; but my (father), the king, will see none but swordsmen.’ A wang-3ze replied, ‘I know; but I am expert in the use of the sword.’ ‘That is well,’ observed the prince; ‘but the swordsmen whom his Majesty sees all have their hair in a tangle, with whiskers projecting out. They wear slouching caps with coarse and unornamented tassels, and their coats are cut short behind. They have staring eyes, and talk about the hazards of 1 This, I think, is the meaning. It may possibly mean ‘for presents to your followers in attendance on you.’ 188 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. XXX. their game. The king is delighted with all this; but now you are sure to present yourself to him in your scholar’s dress, and this will stand greatly in the way of your success.’
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.
1They estimate the evils to which they are exposed, and are anxious about the reverses which they may experience. They think how their possessions may be injurious to their nature, and therefore they will decline and not accept them ;—but not because they seek for reputation and praise. , ‘ Y4o and Shun were the sovereigns, and harmony prevailed. It did so, not because of their benevolence towards the people ;—they would not, for what was (deemed) admirable, injure their lives. Shan Xiian and Hsii Yi might have been the sovereigns, but they would not receive the throne ;—not that they declined it without purpose, but they would not by its occupancy injure themselves. These all followed after what was advantageous to them, and declined what was injurious, and all the world celebrates their superiority. Thus, though they enjoy the distinction, they did what they did, not for the sake of the reputation and praise.’ Dissatisfied (continued his argument), saying, ‘In thus thinking it necessary for their reputation, they bitterly distressed their bodies, denied themselves what was pleasant, and restricted themselves to a bare sustenance in order to sustain their life; but so they had life-long distress, and long-continued pressure till their death arrived.’ Know-the-Mean replied, ‘Tranquil ease is happiness; a superfluity is injurious :—so it is with all things, and especially it is so, where the superfluity is of wealth. The ears of the rich are provided with the music of bells, drums, flageolets and flutes; and their mouths are 184 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XXIX.
2The ears of the rich are provided with the music of bells, drums, flageolets and flutes; and their mouths are 184 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK, XXIX. stuffed with the flesh of fed beasts and with wine of the richest flavour ; so are their desires satisfied, till they forget their proper business :—theirs may be pronounced a condition of disorder. Sunk deeply in their self-sufficiency, they resemble individuals ascending a height with a heavy burden on their backs :—their condition may be pronounced one of bitter suffering. They covet riches, thinking to derive comfort from them; they covet power, and would fain monopolise it; when quiet and retired, they are drowned in luxurious indulgence; their persons seem to shine, and they are full of boasting :—they may be said to be in a state of disease. In their desire to be rich and striving for gain, they fill their stores, and, deaf to all admonition, refuse to desist from their course. They are even more elated, and hold on their way :—their conduct may be pronounced disgraceful. When their wealth is amassed till they cannot use it, they clasp it to their breasts and will not part with it; when their hearts are distressed with their very fulness, they still seek for more and will not desist :—their condition may be said to be sad. In-doors they are apprehensive of pilfering and begging thieves, and out-of-doors they are afraid of being injured by plundering robbers ; in-doors they have many chambers and partitions, and out-of-doors they do not dare to go alone :— they may be said to be in a state of (constant) alarm. ‘These six conditions are the most deplorable in the world, but they forget them all, and have lost their faculty of judgment. When the evil comes, though they begged it with all the powers of their nature, and by the sacrifice of all their wealth, they could PT. III. SECT. VIIL THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-8ZE. 185 not bring back one day of untroubled peace. When they look for their reputation, it is not to be seen; when they seek for their wealth, it is not to be got. To task their thoughts, and destroy their bodies, striving for (such an end as) this ;—is it not a case of great delusion ?’ 186 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. XXX. BOOK XXX. Part III. Section VIII. Yiieh Kien, or ‘ Delight in the Sword-fight'’ Formerly, king Wan of X4o? delighted in the sword-fight. More than three thousand men, masters of the weapon, appeared as his guests, lining the way on either side of his gate, and fighting together before him day and night. Over a hundred of them would die or be (severely) wounded in the course of a year, but he was never weary of looking on (at their engagements), so fond was he of them. The thing continued for three years, when the kingdom began to decay, and other states to plan measures against it.
3Over a hundred of them would die or be (severely) wounded in the course of a year, but he was never weary of looking on (at their engagements), so fond was he of them. The thing continued for three years, when the kingdom began to decay, and other states to plan measures against it. The crown-prince Khwei® was distressed, and laid the case before his attendants, saying, ‘If any one can persuade the king, and put an end to these swordsmen, I will give him a thousand ounces of * See vol. xxxix, pp. 158, 159. ? Probably king Hui-wan (s.c. 298-265) of Ado, one of the states into which the great state of 3in was subdivided, and which afterwards all claimed the sovereignty of the kingdom. In this Book AXwang-3ze appears as a contemporary of king Wan, which makes the ‘ formerly’ with which the paragraph commences seem strange. 8 Sze-ma Xhien says nothing of king Wan’s love of the swordfight, nor of this son Khwei. He says that in 265 Wan was succeeded by his son Tan (F}), who appears to have been quite young. PT, Ill, SECT. VIII. THE WRITINGS OF KWANG-8ZE. 187 silver. His attendants said, ‘(Only) Awang-jze is able to do this.’ Thereupon the prince sent men with a thousand ounces of silver to offer to Awang- 3ze, who, however, would not accept them, but went with the messengers. When he saw the prince, he said, ‘O prince, what have you to say to A4u, and why would you give me the silver?’ The prince replied, ‘I have heard that you, master, are sagacious and sage. I sent you: respectfully the thousand ounces of silver, as a prelude to the silks and other gifts’. But as you decline to receive them, how dare I now tell you (what I wished from you) ?’ Kwang-3ze rejoined, ‘I have heard, O prince, that what you wanted me for was to wean the king from what is his delight. Suppose that in trying to persuade his Majesty I should offend him, and not fulfil your expectation, I shall be punished with death ;— and could I then enjoy this silver? Or suppose that I shall succeed in persuading his Majesty, and accomplish what you desire, what is there in the kingdom of K4o that I might ask for which I would not get ?’ The crown-prince said, ‘Yes; but my (father), the king, will see none but swordsmen.’ A wang-3ze replied, ‘I know; but I am expert in the use of the sword.’ ‘That is well,’ observed the prince; ‘but the swordsmen whom his Majesty sees all have their hair in a tangle, with whiskers projecting out. They wear slouching caps with coarse and unornamented tassels, and their coats are cut short behind. They have staring eyes, and talk about the hazards of 1 This, I think, is the meaning. It may possibly mean ‘for presents to your followers in attendance on you.’ 188 THE TEXTS OF TAOISM. BK. XXX. their game. The king is delighted with all this; but now you are sure to present yourself to him in your scholar’s dress, and this will stand greatly in the way of your success.’
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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