| 襄公二十五年 經二十有五年． - 春．齊崔杼帥師伐我北鄙．
- 夏．五月．乙亥．齊崔杼弒其君光．公會晉侯．宋公．衛侯．鄭伯．曹伯．莒子．邾子．滕子．薛伯．杞伯．小邾子．于夷儀．
- 六月．壬子．鄭公孫舍之帥師入陳．
- 秋．八月．己巳．諸侯同盟于重丘．公至自會．衛侯入于夷儀．楚屈建帥師滅舒鳩．
- 冬．鄭公孫夏帥師伐陳．
- 十有二月．吳子遏伐楚．門于巢．卒．
| XXV. Twenty-fifth year. 1. In the [duke's] twenty-fifth year, in spring, Cui Shu of Qi led a force and attacked our northern borders. 2. In summer, in the fifth month, on Yihai, Cui Shu of Qi murdered his ruler Guang. 3. The duke had a meeting with the marquis of Jin, the duke of Song, the marquis of Wey, the earls of Zheng and Cao, the viscounts of Ju, Zhu, and Teng, the earls of Xue and Qi, and the viscount of Little Zhu, in Yiyi. 4. In the sixth month, on Renzi, Gongsun Shezhi of Zheng led a force, and entered [the capital of] Chen. 5. In autumn, in the eighth month, on Jisi, the States made a covenant together in Chongqiu. 6. The duke arrived from the meeting. 7. The marquis of Wey entered into Yiyi. 8. Qu Jian of Chu led a force, and extinguished Shujiu. 9. In winter, Gongsun Xia of Zheng led a force, and invaded Chen. 10. In the twelfth month, E, viscount of Wu, invaded Chu, and died in an attack on one of the gates of Chao. | | 傳二十五年． | COMMENTARY | | 春．齊崔杼帥師伐我北鄙．以報孝伯之師也．公患之．使告于晉．孟公綽曰．崔子將有大志．不在病我．必速歸．何患焉．其來也不寇．使民不嚴．異於他日．齊師徒歸． | In spring, Cui Shu of Qi led a force and attacked our northern borders. This was in retaliation for the expedition of Meng Xiaobo (See par. 2 of last year). The duke was distressed about it, and [was going to] send information to Jin, when Meng Gongchuo said to him, "Cuizi has a greater object in his mind. He is not set on troubling us; he is sure to return back soon:—why need you be distressed? His coming this time is without injuring us, and he does not treat the people with severity. It is very different from other invasions." The army of Qi returned empty-handed.' | | 齊棠公之妻．東郭偃之姊也．東郭偃臣崔武子．棠公死．偃御武子以弔焉．見棠姜而美之．使偃取之．偃曰．男女辨姓．今君出自丁．臣出自桓．不可．武子筮之．遇困之大過．史皆曰吉．示陳文子．文子曰．夫從風．風隕妻．不可聚也．且其繇曰．困于石．據于蒺梨．入于其宮．不見其妻．凶．困于石．往不濟也．據于蒺梨．可恃傷也．入于其宮．不見其妻．凶．無所歸也．崔子曰．嫠也何害．先夫當之矣．遂取之．莊公通焉．驟如崔氏．以崔子之冠賜人．侍者曰不可．公曰．不為崔子．其無冠乎． | 'The wife of the commandant of Tang of Qi was an elder sister of Dongguo Yan, who was a minister of Cui Wuzi. When the commandant died, Yan drove Wuzi [to his house] to offer his condolences. Wuzi then saw Tang Jiang (The wife of the commandant), and, admiring her beauty, wished Yan to give her to him for his wife. Yan said, "Husband and wife should be of different surnames. You are descended from [duke] Ding, and I from [duke] Huan; the thing cannot be." Wuzi consulted the milfoil about it, and got the diagram Kun (困), which then became the diagram Daguo (大過); which the diviners all said was fortunate. He showed it to Chen Wenzi, but he said, "The [symbol for] a man [in Kun] is displaced by that for wind [in Daguo]. Wind overthrows things. The woman ought not to be married. And moreover, [upon Kun] it is said, 'Distressed by rocks; holding to brambles; he enters his palace and does not see his wife. It is evil (see the Yi, on the third line of Kun)' 'Distressed by rocks;'—in vain does one attempt to go forward. 'Holding by brambles;'—that in which trust is placed wounds. 'He enters his palace and does not see his wife; it is evil:'—there is nowhere to turn to." Cuizi replied, "She is a widow; —what does all this matter? Her former husband bore the brunt of it." So he married her. Afterwards duke Zhuang had an intrigue with her, and constantly went to Cui's house. [On one occasion] he took Cui's hat and gave it to another person; and when his attendants said that he should not do so, he remarked. "Although he be not Cuizi, should he therefore be without a hat?" | | 崔子因是．又以其間伐晉也．曰晉必將報．欲弒公以說于晉．而不獲間．公鞭侍人賈舉．而又近之．乃為崔子間公． | 'Cuizi [was enraged] by these things; and because the duke took occasion [of its troubles] to invade Jin, thinking that Jin would be sure to retaliate, he wished to murder the duke in order to please that State. He did not, however, find an opportunity, till the duke had whipt one of his attendants, called Jia Ju, whom notwithstanding he kept near him. This man then watched the duke for Cuizi. | | 夏．五月．莒子為且于之役故．莒子朝于齊．甲戌．饗諸北郭．崔子稱疾不視事．乙亥．公問崔子．遂從姜氏．姜入于室．與崔子自側戶出．公拊楹而歌．侍人賈舉止眾從者．而入閉門．甲興．公登臺而請．弗許．請盟．弗許．請自刃於廟．勿許．皆曰．君之臣杼疾病．不能聽命．近於公宮．陪臣干掫有淫者．不知二命．公踰牆．又射之．中股．反隊．遂弒之．賈舉．州綽．邴師．公孫敖．封具．鐸父．襄伊．僂堙．皆死． | 'In summer, in the 5th month, on account of the affair at Juyu (See on xxiii. 13) the viscount of Ju came to the court of Qi, and on Jiaxu the duke entertained him in the north suburbs. Cuizi gave out that he was ill, and did not go to see the affair. Next day the duke went to ask for him, and went after the lady Jiang, who entered into a chamber, and passed out of it by a side door along with Cuizi, while the duke patted a pillar and sang. [In the meantime], his attendant Jia Ju stopped all the duke's followers, entered [the house himself], and shut the door. Men-at-arms made their appearance, and the duke, ascending a tower, begged them to let him off. They would not do so, and he then begged to make a covenant; but neither would they agree to this. He begged [finally] to be allowed to kill himself in the ancestral temple; but they again declined, all saying, "Your lordship's servant Shu is very ill, and cannot receive your commands. And this is near the duke's palace. We are watchmen, [and have to take] an adulterer. We can know nothing of two commands." The duke then attempted to get over a wall, when they shot and wounded him in the thigh; and as he fell backwards, they murdered him. Jia Ju, Zhou Chuo, Bing Shi, Gongsun Ao, Feng Ju, Duo Fu, Xiang Yi, and Lü Yin, all died at the same time. | | 祝佗父祭於高唐．至復命．不說弁而死於崔氏．申蒯侍漁者．退謂其宰曰．爾以帑免．我將死．其宰曰．免．是反子之義也．與之皆死．崔氏殺鬷蔑于平陰． | 'The priest Tuofu had been sacrificing in Gaotang, and when he came to report the execution of his commission, he was killed at Cui's house, before he could take off his cap. Shen Kuai should have been superintending the fishermen, but he retired [from that duty], and said to his steward, "You can make your escape with your family. I will die [here]." The steward replied, "If I made my escape, I should be acting contrary to your righteous course." So he went with him, and they both died. Cuizi also put to death Zong Mie in Pingyin. | | 晏子立於崔氏之門外．其人曰．死乎．曰．獨吾君也乎哉．吾死也．曰．行乎．曰．吾罪也乎哉．吾亡也．曰．歸乎．曰．君死安歸．君民者．豈以陵民．社稷是主．臣君者．豈為其口實．社稷是養．故君為社稷死．則死之．為社稷亡．則亡之．若為己死而己亡．非其私暱．誰敢任之．且人有君而弒之．吾焉得死之．而焉得亡之．將庸何歸．門啟而入．枕尸股而哭．興．三踊而出．人謂崔子必殺之．崔子曰．民之望也．舍之得民． | 'Yanzi stood outside the gate of Cui's house. His people said to him, "Will you die ?" "Was he my ruler only?" replied he. "Why should I die?" "Will you leave then?" "Is his death my crime? Why should I flee?" "Will you [now] go back to your house?" "Our ruler is dead. Where should I go back to? Is it the business of the ruler of the people to merely be above them? The altars of the State should be his chief care. Is it the business of the minister of a ruler merely to be concerned about his support? The nourishment of the altars should be his object. Therefore when a ruler dies or goes into exile for the altars, the minister should die or go into exile with him. If he die or go into exile for his seeking his own ends, who, excepting his private associates, would presume to bear the consequences with him? Moreover, when another man murders his ruler, how can I die with him? how can I go into exile with him? of what use would it be for me to return home?" When the gate was opened, he went into the house, pillowed the corpse upon his thigh, and wept. He then rose, gave three leaps up, and went out. People advised Cuizi to put him to death, but he said, "The people look up to him. Let him alone, and it will conciliate them." | | 盧蒲癸奔晉．王何奔莒．叔孫宣伯之在齊也．叔孫還納其女於靈公．嬖．生景公．丁丑．崔杼立而相之．慶封為左相．盟國人於大宮曰．所不與崔．慶者．晏子仰天歎曰．嬰所不唯忠於君．利社稷者是與．有如上帝．乃歃． | 'Lu Pugui fled to Jin, and Wang He fled to Ju. After Shusun Xuanbo (Shusun Qiaoru; see VIII. xvi. 13) took up his residence in Qi, Shuxun Huan introduced his daughter to duke Ling, with whom she became a favourite, and she bore him a son, [who now became] duke Jing. On Dingchou, Cui Shu raised him to the State, and became his chief minister, Qing Feng being minister of the Left. They made a covenant with the people of the State in the temple of Taigong, which began, "If we do not adhere to Cui and Qing," when Yanzi looking up to heaven, sighed and broke in with, "If I do not adhere to those who are faithful to the ruler and seek the good of the altars, may God witness it!" With this he smeared his lips with the blood. | | 辛巳．公與大夫及莒子盟． | 'On Xinsi, the [new] duke and the great officers made a covenant with the viscount of Ju. | | 大史書曰．崔杼弒其君．崔子殺之．其弟嗣書．而死者二人．其弟又書．乃舍之．南史氏聞大史盡死．執簡以往．聞既書矣．乃還． | 'The grand historiographer wrote [in his tablets]—Cui Shu murdered his ruler;"—for which Cuizi put him to death. Two of his brothers did the same after him, and were also put to death. A third wrote the same, and was let alone. The historiographer in the south, hearing that the grand historiographer and his brothers had died in this way, took his tablets and set out [for the court]; but learning on his way that the record was made, he returned. | | 閭丘嬰以帷縳其妻而載之．與申鮮虞乘而出．鮮虞推而下之曰．君昏不能匡．危不能救．死不能死．而知匿其暱．其誰納之．行及弇中．將舍．嬰曰．崔慶其追我．鮮虞曰．一與一．誰能懼我．遂舍．枕轡而寢．食馬而食．駕而行．出弇中．謂嬰曰．速驅之．崔慶之眾．不可當也．遂來奔． | 'Lüqiu Ying wrapped up his wife in a curtain, put her into a carriage, and then got into it with Shen Xianyu, and quitted the capital. Xianyu pushed the lady out of the carriage, saying [to Ying], "You could not correct the ruler in his blindness, nor save him in his peril, nor die with him in his death, and yet you know how to conceal your wife here:—who will receive you ?" Coming to a narrow pass, they thought of resting in it, but Ying said, "Cui and Qing will be pursuing us!" The other replied, "Here it will be one to one. Who can frighten us?" They rested accordingly, and [Shen] slept with his head upon the reins. [In the morning], he fed their horses and then ate, himself yoked their carriage, and issued from the pass. When they had done so, he said to Ying, "Now urge on the horses to their speed. The multitudes of Cui and Qing could not [here] be withstood." In this way they came flying to Lu. | | 崔氏側莊公于北郭．丁亥．葬諸士孫之里．四翣．不蹕．下車七乘．不以兵甲． | 'Cuizi placed the coffin of duke Zhuang in the northern suburbs, and on Dinghai he buried it in the village of Shisun. There were [only] 4 plumes to the carriage; travellers were not warned out of the way; and there were [but] seven inferior carriages in the procession, without any men at arms.' | | 晉侯濟自泮．會于夷儀．伐齊以報朝歌之役．齊人以莊公說．使隰鉏請成．慶封如師．男女以班．賂晉侯以宗器樂器．自六正．五吏．三十師．三軍之大夫．百官之正長．師旅．及處守者．皆有賂．晉侯許之．使叔向告於諸侯．公使子服惠伯對曰．君舍有罪．以靖小國．君之惠也．寡君聞命矣． | 'The marquis of Jin crossed the Pan, and assembled the States at Yiyi, [intending] to invade Qi, in retaliation for the campaign of Zhaoge (See on xxiii. 8). The people of Qi, however, wished to please Jin by [the death of] duke Zhuang, and sent Xi Chu to beg for peace. Qing Feng [also] went to the army [of Jin], with rows of men and women, and bribed the marquis with vessels from the ancestral temple and instruments of music. The six commanders [of Jin's armies], with the five [civil] officers and the thirty leaders, the great officers of the three armies, the superintendents of the different departments, and the multitude of officers, and those who had remained at home in charge of the State, all received gifts. The marquis granted peace, and sent Shuxiang to inform the princes that he had done so. The duke [of Lu] sent Zifu Huibo to reply, "That your lordship thus pardons the guilty, in order to give rest to our small States, is your kindness. I have heard your command." | | 晉侯使魏舒．宛沒．逆衛侯．將使衛與之夷儀．崔子止其帑．以求五鹿． | 'The marquis of Jin sent Wei Shu and Yuan Mo to meet the marquis of Wey (Who was a refugee in Qi; see xiv. 4), intending to make Wey give him Yiyi. Cuizi, however, detained the marquis's family, as a means of asking for Wulu [from Wey].' | | 初．陳侯會楚子伐鄭．當陳隧者．井堙木刊．鄭人怨之六月．鄭子展．子產．帥車七百乘伐陳．宵突陳城．遂入之．陳侯扶其大子偃師奔墓．遇司馬桓子曰．載余．曰將巡城．遇賈獲載其母妻．下之而授公車．公曰．舍而母．辭曰．不祥．與其妻扶其母以奔墓．亦免． | 'Before this, the marquis of Chen had joined the viscount of Chu in invading Zheng (Par. 9 of last year), when the army of Chen had closed up the wells and cut down the trees along the ways by which they passed. The people of Zheng resented this conduct; and [now], in the 6th month, Zizhan and Zichan invaded Chen with a force of 700 chariots, dug through the wall [of the capital] in the night time, and entered it. The marquis of Chen fled with his eldest son, Yanshi, to the tombs. Meeting with the minister of War, Huanzi [on the way], he asked him to take them in his carriage, but he replied that he was inspecting the wall. [By-and-by], they met with Jia Huo, who was in a carriage with his mother and wife, but he put them down, and gave the carriage to the marquis. "You may leave your mother," said the marquis; but Huo declined doing so, saying that it would not be auspicious. He and his wife then supported his mother, fled to the tombs, and made their escape. | | 子展命師無入公宮．與子產親御諸門．陳侯使司馬桓子賂以宗器．陳侯免．擁社．使其眾男女別而纍．以待於朝．子展執縶而見．再拜稽首．承飲而進獻．子美入．數俘而出．祝祓社．司徒致民．司馬致節．司空致地．乃還． | 'Zizhan ordered the army not to enter the palace, and took post himself with Zichan to keep the gate of it. The marquis made the minister of War, Huanzi, present to them the vessels of the ancestral temple, while he himself, in mourning, and carrying the tablet from the altar of the land, caused a multitude of the men and women in separate ranks, and bound, to wait with him in the court [for their victors]. Zizhan then was introduced to him, carrying a cord in his hand, bowed to him twice with his head to the ground, and went forward, holding a cup of spirits, which he presented to him. Zimei (Zichan) entered, declared the number of his prisoners, and went out. [The two commanders] then made the [principal] priest sprinkle the altar of the earth, restored to the minister of Instruction [his lists of] the people, to the minister of War his seal, and to the minister of Works [his charts of] the ground; and returned to Zheng.' | | 秋．七月．己巳．同盟于重丘．齊成故也． | In autumn, in the seventh month, on Jisi, the States made a covenant together in Chongqiu. The covenant was made with reference to the peace which had been granted to Qi. | | 趙文子為政．令薄諸侯之幣．而重其禮．穆叔見之．謂穆叔曰．自今以往．兵其少弭矣．齊崔慶新得政．將求善於諸侯．武也．知楚令尹．若敬行其禮．道之以文辭．以靖諸侯．兵可以弭． | 'Zhao Wenzi was [now] chief minister [of Jin], and gave orders to make the offerings required from the States lighter, and to behave to them with greater courtesy. Mushu had an interview with him, when he said, "Hostile movements may henceforth be had recourse to somewhat less." Cui and Qing of Qi have come [but] recently into the government of that State, and will wish to cultivate good relations with the rest of the States. I (Wu-武—was Zhao's name) know the chief minister of Chu. If I behave with respectful courtesy to him, and set him the example of polite communications, in order to give repose to the States, hostile measures may be obviated." | | 楚薳子馮卒．屈建為令尹．屈蕩為莫敖．舒鳩人卒叛．楚令尹子木伐之．及離城．吳人救之．子木遽以右師先．子彊息桓．子捷．子駢．子盂．帥左師以退．吳人居其間七日．子彊曰．久將墊隘．隘乃禽也．不如速戰．請以其私卒誘之．簡師陳以待我．我克則進．奔則亦視之．乃可以免．不然．必為吳禽．從之．五人以其私卒．先擊吳師．吳師奔．登山以望．見楚師不繼．復逐之．傅諸其軍．簡師會之．吳師大敗．遂圍舒鳩．舒鳩潰．八月．楚滅舒鳩． | 'Wei Ziping of Chu having died, Qu Jian became chief minister [in his room], with Qu Dang as the Mo'ao. The people of Shujiu in the end revolted, and the chief minister of Chu, Zimu [Qu Jian], proceeded to attack it. When he got to Licheng, a body of men from Wu came to its assistance. Zimu made a hurried march with the army of the right, and got before the rest of it to the city; but Zijiang, Xi Huan, Zijie, Zipian, and Ziyu, withdrew with the army of the left. The men of Wu thus occupied a position between the two bodies for seven days. Zijiang said [to Zimu], "Ere long it will be raining, and we shall be reduced to such a straitness of ground, that we must be made prisoners. Our best plan is to fight soon. Allow us with our troops here to make a feint, while you have your army drawn up in order to wait for the result. If we are successful, you will advance. If we have to fly, you will still see what is best to be done. In this way we can escape; otherwise, we are sure to fall prisoners to Wu." Zimu agreed to the plan, and the five men with their soldiers made an onset upon the troops of Wu, which fled. Going up a hill to look, however, and seeing that the [main] army of Chu was not supporting their pursuers, they turned and drove those before them, till they approached their army. Then the fugitives were joined by the rest of the army that had been prepared for the occasion, and the troops of Wu received a great defeat. The siege of Shujiu was then prosecuted, the people dispersed, and in the 8th month, Chu extinguished the State.' | | 衛獻公入于夷儀． | The marquis of Wey entered into Yiyi. | | 鄭子產獻捷于晉．戎服將事．晉人問陳之罪．對曰．昔虞閼父為周陶正．以服事我先王．我先王賴其利器用也．與其神明之後也．庸以元女大姬．配胡公而封之陳．以備三恪．則我周之自出．至于今是賴．桓公之亂．蔡人欲立其出．我先君莊公奉五父而立之．蔡人殺之．我又與蔡人奉戴厲公．至於莊宣．皆我之自立．夏氏之亂．成公播蕩．又我之自入．君所知也． | 'Zichan of Zheng [went] to Jin to report the victory [over Chen], and wore for the occasion his military attire. An officer (晉人; see below) asked what had been the offence of Chen, when Zichan replied, "In former times, Efu of Yu was chief potter to Zhou, and with his art did service to our first king [Wu], who, in consequence of the profit which he derived from him in the supply of vessels, and his being the descendant of the spiritual and intelligent [Shun], gave his own eldest daughter, Taiji, in marriage to [his son], duke Hu, and invested him with Chen, thus completing the number of the 'three honoured States.' Thus the princes of Chen originated with our Zhou, and to the present time their dependence has been on it. In the troubles which occurred [after the death of] duke Huan (see on II. v. 1, 6; vi. 4). the people of Cai wanted to raise to the State a prince of Chen whose mother was a daughter of Cai, when our ruler duke Zhuang placed Wufu in the marquisate. The people of Cai killed him, and then we and they appointed and maintained duke Li. The succeeding dukes, Zhuang and Xuan, both owed their dignity to us. In the troubles occasioned by the Xia family (see VII. x. 8; i. 5), duke Cheng was obliged to flee, but he owed his entrance [again] into his State to us, as [your] ruler knows. | | 今陳忘周之大德．蔑我大惠．棄我姻親．介恃楚眾．以憑陵我敝邑．不可億逞．我是以有往年之告．未獲成命．則有我東門之役．當陳隧者．井堙木刊．敝邑大懼不競．而恥大姬．天誘其衷．啟敝邑之心．陳知其罪．授手于我．用敢獻功． | '"Now Chen has forgotten its great obligations to Zhou, and makes no account of our great kindness to it, and has cast away [all consideration of] the affinity between us. Relying on the multitudes of Chu, it has behaved with a cruel insolence to our State, with a determination which could not have been anticipated. On this account we made last year the announcement to you on the subject (See the Zhuan after par. 1); and before we had received your explicit commands, [Chen and Chu had invaded us, and] attacked our east gate. The troops of Chen stopped up the wells and cut down the trees along the roads by which they marched. We were greatly afraid in the consciousness that we were not strong, and were ashamed of the disgrace thus done to Taiji. But Heaven moved our breasts and put it into our hearts; and Chen was made to acknowledge its offence, and surrender itself to us. And now we presume to report to you our success." | | 晉人曰．何故侵小．對曰．先王之命．唯罪所在．各致其辟．且昔天子之地一圻．列國一同．自是以衰．今大國多數圻矣．若無侵小．何以至焉． | 'The officer of Jin [further] asked why they encroached upon a small State. Zichan replied, "It was the command of the former kings, that, wherever there was guilt, it should in every case be punished. And moreover, the domain of the son of Heaven was fixed at 1000 li square, and that of the States at 100 li, and less according to a scale. But your great State now contains several times the amount of the king's domain. If you did not encroach upon small States, how have you reached this extent of territory?" | | 晉人曰．何故戎服．對曰．我先君武莊為平桓卿士．城濮之役．文公布命曰．各復舊職．命我文公．戎服輔王．以授楚捷．不敢廢王命故也．士莊伯不能詰．復於趙文子．文子曰．其辭順．犯順不祥．乃受之． | 'The officer asked once more "Why do you appear in martial attire?" Zichan replied, "Our former rulers, Wu and Zhuang, were high ministers of the kings Ping and Huan. After the battle of Chengpu (In He's 28th year), [your] duke Wen issued his orders that princes should all resume their old offices, and [specially] charged our duke Wen in martial attire to help the king; and therein he reported [to the court] the victory over Chu. [I am now in that attire], because I do not dare to neglect the king's command." Shi Zhuangbo was not able to ask any more questions, and reported what had passed to Zhao Wenzi, who said, "His speeches are reasonable. To go against them would be inauspicious;" and accordingly he received Zichan. | | 冬．十月．子展相鄭伯如晉．拜陳之功．子西復伐陳．陳及鄭平． | 'In winter, in the 10th month, Zizhan attended the earl of Zheng to Jin to acknowledge its acceptance of his service against Chen. Zixi again invaded Chen, when the two States made peace. | | 仲尼曰．志有之．言以足志．文以足言．不言誰知其志．言之無文．行而不遠．晉為伯．鄭入陳．非文辭不為功．慎辭也． | 'Zhongni said, "An ancient book says, 'Words are to give adequate expression to one's ideas; and composition, to give adequate power to the words.' Without words, who would know one's thoughts; without elegant composition of the words, they will not go far. Jin was the leading State, and but for Zichan's well-composed speeches would not have acknowledged Zheng's entrance into Chen as good service. Zichan took great pains with his speeches." ' | | 楚蒍掩為司馬．子木使庀賦．數甲兵．甲午．蒍掩書土田．度山林．鳩藪澤．辨京陵．表淳鹵．數疆潦．規偃豬．町原防．牧隰皋．井衍沃．量入脩賦．賦車．籍馬．賦車兵．徒卒．甲楯之數．既成．以授子木．禮也． | 'Wei Yan was made [grand] marshal of Chu, and Zimu (The chief minister) commissioned him to regulate the levies [of the State], and make a schedule of its weapons and buff-coats. On Jiawu, Wei Yan set about describing the [different] lands; measuring the forests; defining the meres; marking out the higher lands and the downs; distinguishing the poor and salt tracts; enumerating the boundaries of flooded districts; raising small banks on the plains between dykes; assigning the wet low grounds for pasturage; dividing the wide rich plains into jings (see Mencius, III.i.ch. III.13); determining the levies according to the income of each; assigning the [contribution of] carriages and of horses; and of footmen; with the number of buff-coats and shields. When he had completed his task, he delivered the result to Zimu. All this was proper.' | | 十二月．吳子諸樊伐楚．以報舟師之役．門于巢．巢牛臣曰．吳王勇而輕．若啟之．將親門．我獲射之．必殪．是君也死．彊其少安．從之．吳子門焉．牛臣隱於短牆以射之．卒． | 'In the twelfth month, Zhufan (The viscount of Wu,) now invaded Chu in return for its naval expedition (xxiv. 3), and attacked the gate of Chao. Niu Chen of that place said, "The king of Wu is daring and reckless. If we open the gate, he will attack it himself, and I shall have an opportunity to shoot him dead. Let him once die, and our boundaries will have a little rest." His advice was taken. The viscount attacked the gate, and Niu Chen shot him from behind a low wall, so that he died.' | | 楚子以滅舒鳩賞子木．辭曰．先大夫蒍子之功也．以與蒍掩． | 'The viscount of Chu wanted to reward Zimu on account of his extinction of Shujiu, but that minister refused the reward, saying, "It was all the merit of our late great officer Weizi. The reward was given [accordingly] to Wei Yan.' | | 晉程鄭卒．子產始知然明．問為政焉．對曰．視民如子．見不仁者誅之．如鷹鸇之逐鳥雀也．子產喜以語子大叔．且曰．他日吾見蔑之面而已．今吾見其心矣．子大叔問政於子產．子產曰．政如農功．日夜思之．思其始而成其終．朝夕而行之．行無越思．如農之有畔．其過鮮矣． | 'Cheng Zheng of Jin died, and Zichan then learned for the first time [what] Ranming [had said about him] (See the Zhuan at the end of last year). He therefore now consulted him about the practice of government, and Ranming replied, "The people should be looked on as one's children; and when a bad man is seen, he should be taken off as a hawk pursues a sparrow." Zichan, full of joy, repeated his words to Zitaishu, saying, "Formerly I had seen only Mie's (Ranming's name) face, but now I see his heart." Taishu then asked Zichan about government, and got the reply, "Government is like the work of husbandry. You must think of it day and night, thinking of what is to be done first, and how the end is to be accomplished. Then labour at it morning and evening; but in what you do, do not go beyond what you have thought over;—just as the husbandmen keep within their dividing banks. In this way you will commit few errors." ' | | 衛獻公自夷儀使與甯喜言．甯喜許之．大叔文子聞之曰．烏呼．詩所謂我躬不說．皇恤我後者．甯子可謂不恤其後矣．將可乎哉．殆必不可．君子之行．思其終也．思其復也．書曰．慎始而敬終．終以不困．詩曰．夙夜匪解．以事一人．今甯子視君．不如弈棋．其何．以免乎．弈者舉棋不定．不勝其耦．而況置君．而弗定乎．必不免矣．九世之卿族．一舉而滅之．可哀也哉． | 'Duke Xian of Wey opened a communication from Yiyi with Ning Xi, who agreed to his proposals (See the Zhuan at the end of the 20th year). When Taishu Wenzi heard of it, he said, "Ah! as it is said in the ode (Shi, II. v. ode III. 8), 'My person is rejected; Of what use is it to think of subsequent things? Ningzi may be said not to think of the future. Is what he is contemplating to be done? It cannot be done. The superior man, when he does anything, thinks of what will be the end of it, and whether it can be repeated. It is said in the Shu, (V. xvii. 6), 'Be careful of the beginning and reverent of the end; then in the end you will have no distress.' The ode (Shi, III.iii.ode VI. 4) says, 'Never idle, day nor night, In the service of the one man.' Ningzi is now dealing with his ruler not so carefully as if he were playing at chess. How is it possible for him to escape disaster? If a chess-player lifts his man without a definite object, he will not conquer his opponent; how much more must this be the case when one would put a ruler down without a definite object! He is sure not to escape ruin. Alas that by one movement a family whose Heads have been ministers for 9 generations should be extinguished!" | | 傳會于夷儀之歲．齊人城郟．其五月．秦晉為成．晉韓起如秦蒞盟．秦伯車如晉蒞盟．成而不結． | 'In the year of the meeting at Yiyi, (This belongs to the 24th year), the people of Qi walled Jia (for the king). In the 5th month, Qin and Jin made a peace, Hanqi of Jin going to Qin to make a covenant, and Boju of Qin going to Jin to make one. The peace thus concluded, however, was not firmly knit.' |
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