XXVIII. Twenty-eighth year.

 襄公二十八年
經二十有八年．
  1. 春．無冰．
  2. 夏．衛石惡出奔晉．
  3. 邾子來朝．
  4. 秋．八月．大雩．
  5. 仲孫羯如晉．
  6. 冬．齊慶封來奔．
  7. 十有一月．公如楚．
  8. 十有二月甲寅．天王崩．
  9. 乙未．楚子昭卒．
 XXVIII. Twenty-eighth year.
1. In the [duke's] twenty-eighth year, in spring, there was no ice.
2. In summer, Shi E of Wey fled from that State to Jin.
3. The viscount of Zhu came to the court of Lu.
4. In autumn, there was a grand sacrifice for rain.
5. Zhongsun Jie went to Jin.
6. In winter Qing Feng of Qi came a fugitive to Lu.
7. In the eleventh month, the duke went to Chu.
8. In the twelfth month, the king [by] Heaven's [grace] died.
9. On Yiwei, Zhao, viscount of Chu, died.
 傳二十八年． COMMENTARY
 春．無冰．梓慎曰．今茲宋鄭其饑乎．歲在星紀．而淫於玄枵．以有時菑．陰不堪陽．蛇乘龍．龍．宋鄭之星也．宋鄭必饑．玄枵．虛中也．枵．秏名也．土虛而民秏．不饑何為． 'There being no ice this spring, Zi Shen said, "This year there will be famine, it is to be feared, in Song and Zheng. The year [star] (Jupiter) [ought to be] in Xingji (Sagittarius-Capricorn), and it has licentiously advanced into Xuanxiao (Capricorn-Aquarius). Hence this ominous character of the season, the yin not being able to overcome the yang. The Snake is mounted on the Dragon, which contains the stars of Song and Zheng. Those States will have famine. The middle star in Xuanxiao is Xu. But Xiao denotes consumption and waste. The land empty, and the people with their resources consumed:—what can this mean but famine?"'
 夏．齊侯．陳侯．蔡侯．北燕伯．杞伯．胡子．沈子．白狄．朝于晉．宋之盟故也．齊侯將行．慶封曰．我不與盟．何為於晉．陳文子曰．先事後賄．禮也．小事大．未獲事焉．從子．如志．禮也．雖不與盟．敢叛晉乎．重丘之盟．未可忘也．子其勸行． 'In summer, the marquises of Qi, Chen, and Cai, the earls of north Yan and Qi, the viscounts of Hu and Shen, and the northern Di, went to appear at the court of Jin,—in accordance with the covenant of Song. When the marquis of Qi was about to go, Qing Feng said, "We took no part in the covenant. What have you to do with Jin?" Chen Wenzi said to him, "Business first and then gifts, is the rule. A small State, in serving a great one, before it has discharged the business [which is required], should first comply with its request [to go to it], in accordance with its wishes;—this [also] is the rule. Although we took no part in the covenant, dare we revolt from Jin? Let us not forget the covenant of Chongqiu (xxv.5). Do you advise the marquis to go."
 衛人討甯氏之黨．故石惡出奔晉．衛人立其從之圃．以守石氏之祀．禮也． 'The people of Wey were punishing the partizans of the Ning, and Shi E fled in consequence to Jin. In Wey they appointed his nephew, Pu, to take charge of the sacrifices of the Shi family;—which was according to rule.'
 邾悼公來朝．時事也． The duke Dao of Zhu came to the court of Lu, it was the usual affair;' 
 秋．八月．大雩．旱也． In autumn, there was a grand sacrifice for rain. This was because of drought."
 蔡侯歸自晉．入于鄭．鄭伯享之．不敬．子產曰．蔡侯其不免乎．日其過此也．君使子展迋(wàng)勞於東門之外而傲．吾曰．猶將更之．今還受享而惰．乃其心也．君小國事大國．而惰傲以為己心．將得死乎．若不免．必由其子．其為君也．淫而不父．僑聞之．如是者恆有子禍． 'When the marquis of Cai was returning from Jin (See the narrative after par. 1), he entered the capital of Zheng, where the earl entertained him, and he behaved disrespectfully. Zichan said, "The marquis of Cai will not escape an evil death. When he was passing this (On his way to Jin), our ruler sent Zizhan to go and compliment him outside the east gate, and then he carried himself arrogantly. I thought that he might still change his way; but now, when being feasted thus on his return, he is so remiss, such, it appears, is his nature. Ruler over a small State, and in his service of a great one thus so remiss and arrogant as to show that such is his nature, shall he die a natural death? If he do not escape an evil end, it will be sure to come from his son. He has played the ruler in a lustful and unfatherly way (He had debauched his son's wife), and I have heard that such persons always meet with calamity at the hand of their sons.'
 孟孝伯如晉．告將為宋之盟故如楚也． 'Meng Xiaobo [now] went to Jin to inform that court, that, in accordance with the covenant of Song, [the duke] was going to Chu.'
 蔡侯之如晉也．鄭伯使游吉如楚．及漢．楚人還之．曰．宋之盟．君實親辱．今吾子來．寡君謂吾子姑還．吾將使馹奔問諸晉．而以告．子大叔曰．宋之盟．君命將利小國．而亦使安定其社稷．鎮撫其民人．以禮承天之休．此君之憲令．而小國之望也．寡君是故使吉奉其皮幣．以歲之不易．聘於下執事．今執事有命曰．女何與政令之有．必使而君．棄而封守．跋涉山川．蒙犯霜露．以逞君心．小國將君是望．敢不唯命是聽．無乃非盟載之言．以闕君德．而執事有不利焉．小國是懼．不然．其何勞之敢憚．子大叔歸復命．告子展曰．楚子將死矣．不脩其政德．而貪昧於諸侯．以逞其願．欲久得乎．周易有之．在復之頤曰．迷復凶．其楚子之謂乎．欲復其願．而棄其本．復歸無所．是謂迷復．能無凶乎．君其往也．送葬而歸．以快楚心．楚不幾十年．未能恤諸侯也．吾乃休吾民矣．裨灶曰．今茲周王及楚子皆將死．歲棄其次．而旅於明年之次．以害鳥帑．周楚惡之． "When the marquis of Cai went to Jin, the earl of Zheng sent You Ji to Chu. When he had got to the Han, the people of Chu sent him back, saying, "According to the covenant of Song, your ruler ought to come in person; but here are you come. Our ruler says to you, 'Please return for the present. I will send a courier with all speed to ask Jin, and then lay the matter before you."' Zitaishu (You Ji) replied, "In the covenant of Song, your lordship's commands were for the benefit of the small States, and you also ordered us to seek the repose and stability of our altars, and the protection and comfort of our people, and thus by the observance of all proper rules we might enjoy the blessing of Heaven. These were your lordship's orders, and in accordance with them was the hope of our small State. On this account my ruler sent me with skins and silks, in consideration of the difficulties of the year (A famine), on a [merely] friendly visit to your ministers. But now I have their commands, saying, 'What have you to do with governmental matters? You must send your ruler. Let him leave his charge in his own State, travel over the hills and cross the streams, encounter the hoar-frost and the dew.' This [only] will satisfy your lordship. The hope of our small State is in you, and we dare not but listen to your commands, though they are not in the engagements of the covenant, and will reflect on your lordship's virtue, and be disadvantageous to your ministers. This our small State was afraid of; but since it is not so, what labour is there from which we will shrink?" Zitaishu then returned and gave a report of his commission, saying to Zizhan, "The viscount of Chu will [soon] die. Instead of cultivating his government and virtue, he is blindly eager to command the States, and so gratify his ambition. If he wished to continue long, would it be possible for him to do so? The thing is contained in the Zhou yi. When the diagram Fu (復) becomes Yi (頤), we have, in reference to it, the words, 'Deceived as to return;—evil,' which we may well apply to the viscount of Chu. Wishing after all to obtain what he desired, and abandoning what was essential to that, there is no place to return to:——this is what is taught in those words, 'Deceived as to return.' Is it possible evil should not come? Let our ruler go. He will accompany the [viscount's] funeral, and come back,—thus satisfying the wish of Chu. It will not be ten years before Chu is not able to think about the States, and we shall then seek the repose of our people." Pi Zao said, "At this time the king of Zhou and the viscount of Chu will both die. The year-star has left its proper place, and is sojourning in its place for next year, to the injury of the tail of niao. Both Zhou and Chu may well hate this."'
 九月．鄭游吉如晉．告將朝于楚．以從宋之盟．子產相鄭伯以如楚．舍不為壇．外僕言曰．昔先大夫相先君適四國．未嘗不為壇．自是至今．亦皆循之．今子草舍．無乃不可乎．子產曰．大適小．則為壇．小適大．苟舍而已．焉用壇．僑聞之．大適小．有五美．宥其罪戾．赦其過失．救其菑患．賞其德刑．教其不及．小國不困．懷服如歸．是故作壇以昭其功．宣告後人．無怠於德．小適大有五惡．說其罪戾．請其不足．行其政事．共其職貢．從其時命．不然則重其幣帛．以賀其福而弔其凶．皆小國之禍也．焉用作壇．以昭其禍．所以告子孫．無昭禍焉可也． 'In the 9th month, You Ji of Zheng went to Jin, to inform that court, that the earl was going to the court of Chu in compliance with the covenant of Song. Zichan attended the earl to Chu, and [when they approached the capital of that State], he caused a booth to be erected [for the earl], without rearing any high structure. The servants of the mission said, "Anciently, when our great officers attended their rulers to any other State, they always reared a high structure; and from that time till now the practice has been followed. Is it not improper in you now to make this booth upon the grass?" Zichan told them, "When a great State goes to a small one, it rears a high structure. When a small State goes to a great one, it should only construct a booth. I have heard this:—When a great State visits a small one, it should do five good things;—be indulgent to its offences, pardon its errors and failures, relieve its calamities, reward it for its virtuous laws, and teach it where it is deficient. There is thus no pressure on the small State. It cherishes [the great] State's virtue and submits to it, fondly as one goes home. On this account a high structure is reared, to display the merit [of the great State], and to make it known to posterity, that they may not be idle in the cultivation of virtue. When a small State goes to a great one, it has five bad things to do. It must explain its trespasses, beg [forgiveness] for its deficiencies, perform its governmental services, contribute its proper dues, and attend to its seasonal commands. And not [only so]:—it has to double its various offerings, to felicitate [the great State] on its happiness, and show its condolence with it in its misfortunes. Now all these things are the sad fate of a small State. Why should it rear a high structure to display its sad fate? It is enough for it to do that which tells its posterity not to display their sad fate."
 齊慶封好田而耆酒．與慶舍政．則以其內實．遷于盧蒲嫳氏．易內而飲酒．數日國遷朝焉．使諸亡人得賊者．以告而反之．故反盧蒲癸．癸臣子之．有寵．妻之．慶舍之士．謂盧蒲癸曰．男女辨姓．子不辟宗．何也．曰．宗不余辟．余獨焉辟之．賦詩斷章．余取所求焉．惡識宗． 'Qing Feng of Qi was fond of hunting and drinking. He gave over the government to [his son] Qing She, and then removed with his harem and valuables to the house of Lupu Pie, with whom he drank, while they exchanged wives at the same time. For several days together, [the great officers] would have to go there, as he held his court in it. He gave orders that all the exiles who were held to be traitors should be restored on their application to him; and in this way he brought back Lupu Gui, who became minister to Zizhi (Feng's son She), and became such a favourite, that She gave him his own daughter to wife. Some of She's officers spoke to Gui about this, saying, "Husband and wife should be of different surnames; how is it that you have not avoided taking a wife descended from the same ancestor as yourself?" He replied, "[Another representative of] that ancestor (Meaning She) would not avoid me; how should I alone have avoided the thing? I am as if you break off from the whole ode one stanza of it, and sing it. I have taken what I desired to get; how should I have recognized the [common] ancestry?"
 癸言王何．而反之．二人皆嬖．使執寢戈而先後之． 'Gui spoke [to She] about Wang He, and procured his return, who became a favourite as well as himself. She made them keep—one before and the other behind him, carrying spears as if guarding his bed.
 公膳日雙雞．饔人竊更之以鶩．御者知之．則去其肉．而以其洎(jì)饋．子雅．子尾．怒．慶封告盧蒲嫳．盧蒲嫳曰．譬之如禽獸．吾寢處之矣．使析歸父告晏平仲．平仲曰．嬰之眾不足用也．知無能謀也．言弗敢出．有盟可也．子家曰．子之言云．又焉用盟．告北郭子車．子車曰．人各有以事君．非佐之所能也． 'Every day two fowls were provided for the public meal at the palace, [under the superintendence of Qing Feng]. The cook one day stealthily changed them for ducks, and the servants who knew it took away the flesh, and served [the bones up] with the broth. Ziya and Ziwei were enraged [at the stinginess and insult]; and when Qing Feng reported that they were so to Lupu Pie, the latter said, "They are like beasts;—I will sleep upon their skins." He then made Xi Guifu tell Yan Pingzhong about the matter. Pingzhong said, "My numbers are not sufficient to be employed [on such a service] (Against Ziya and Ziwei), nor have I wisdom to help in such a plan; but I will not dare to speak a word about it. But there should be a covenant." Zijia (Xi Guifu) replied, "Your words are enough. What is the use of a covenant?" He then spoke to Boguo Ziju whose answer was, "Every one is able in some way to serve his ruler, but this is not in the range of my ability."
 陳文子謂桓子曰．禍將作矣．吾其何得．對曰．得慶氏之木百車於莊．文子曰．可慎守也已．盧蒲癸．王何．卜．攻慶氏．示子之兆．曰．或卜攻讎．敢獻其兆．子之曰．克．見血． 'Chen Wenzi said to [his son] Huanzi, "The overthrow [of the Qing] is approaching. What shall we get [out of their property]?" "The hundred carriages of wood that are in the Zhuang [street];" was the answer; and the father rejoined, "You can maintain a careful guard over yourself." Lupu Gui and Wang He consulted the tortoise-shell about attacking the Qing, and showed Zizhi the indication which they had got, saying, "A man was consulting the tortoise-shell about attacking his enemy, and we venture to present to you the indication." Zizhi observed, "He will be successful. I see the blood."
 冬．十月．慶封田于萊．陳無宇從．丙辰．文子使召之．請曰．無宇之母疾病．請歸．慶季卜之．示之兆．曰．死．奉龜而泣．乃使歸．慶嗣聞之．曰．禍將作矣．謂子家速歸．禍作必於嘗．歸猶可及也．子家弗聽．亦無悛志．子息曰．亡矣．幸而獲在吳越．陳無宇濟水．而戕舟發梁． 'In winter, in the 10th month, Qing Feng went to Lai to hunt, Chen Wuyu being in attendance upon him. On Bingchen, [Chen's father] Wenzi sent to call him home. He asked leave from Feng to return, saying that his mother was very ill. Feng consulted the tortoise-shell, and showed him the indication, saying, "She is dead." [Wuyu] took the shell in his hand, and wept. He was then sent back, and when Qing Si heard of it, he said, "The calamity is about to commence;" and then urged Zijia (Feng's designation) to return immediately. "The calamity" said he, "will be sure to happen at the autumnal sacrifice. An immediate return may still prevent it." It was in vain, and Feng manifested no regret or change of purpose, which made Zixi (Qing Si) say, "We must fly. We shall be fortunate if we reach Wu or Yue." [In the meantime]. Chen Wuyu [was on his way back], and whenever he crossed a stream, he scuttled the boat, and destroyed the bridge.
 盧蒲姜謂癸曰．有事而不告我．必不捷矣．癸告之．姜曰．夫子愎．莫之止．將不出．我請止之．癸曰．諾． 'Lupu Jiang (Qing She's daughter) said to her husband, "You have some business in hand; and if you do not tell me what it is, it will not succeed." Gui then told her, when she said, "My father is self-willed. If some one do not ask him to stay at home, he will not come out. Let me go and ask him." "Very well," replied Gui.
 十一月．乙亥．嘗于大公之廟．慶舍蒞事．盧蒲姜告之．且止之．弗聽．曰．誰敢者．遂如公．麻嬰為尸．慶奊為上獻．盧蒲癸．王何．執寢戈．慶氏以其甲環公宮．陳氏．鮑氏之圉人為優．慶氏之馬善驚．士皆釋甲束馬而飲酒．且觀優．至於魚里．欒．高．陳．鮑之徒．介慶氏之甲．子尾抽桷(jué)擊扉三．盧蒲癸自後刺子之．王何以戈擊之．解其左肩．猶援廟桷動於甍(méng)．以俎壺投殺人而後死．遂殺慶繩．麻嬰．公懼．鮑國曰．群臣為君故也．陳須無以公歸．稅服而如內宮． 'In the 11th month, on Yihai, was the autumnal sacrifice in the temple of Tai Gong, under the superintendence of Qing She. Lupu Jiang went and told him [of what was intended], and begged him to stay at home, but he would not listen to her, saying, "Who will dare [to make an attempt on me]?" and with this he went to the temple. Ma Ying was the personator of the dead, and Qing Xie had offered the first cup. Lupu Gui and Wang He were in attendance with their spears, and the men at arms of the Qing surrounded the palace. The grooms of the Chen and Bao families began to get up a play, and the horses of some of the Qing got frightened, on which [many of] the men at arms threw off their buffcoats, and secured them. They then fell drinking, and [were drawn off to] see the players to [the street of] Yuli, the followers of the Luan, the Gao, the Chen, and the Bao mixing themselves among them. [At this point], Ziwei struck one of the leaves of the door with a mallet, when Gui stabbed Zizhi from behind, and Wang He struck him with his spear. The blow cut off his left arm, but still he got hold [with the other] of a pillar of the temple, and shook it so that the rafters quivered. Then he hurled a stand and a vase, killed a man [with each of them], and died himself. [The conspirators] then killed Qing Sheng (Xie) and Ma Ying. The duke was frightened, but Bao Guo said to him, "We are all acting in your interest." Chen Xuwu took the duke away, when he threw off his robes, and went to the inner palace.
 慶封歸．遇告亂者．丁亥．伐西門．弗克．還伐北門．克之．入伐內宮．弗克．反陳于嶽．請戰弗許．遂來奔．獻車於季武子．美澤可以鑑．展莊叔見之．曰．車甚澤．人必瘁．宜其亡也．叔孫穆子食慶封．慶封氾祭．穆子不說．使工為之誦茅鴟．亦不知． 'Qing Feng, on his way back from Lai, was met by parties who told him of the rising. On Dinghai he attacked the western gate unsuccessfully, after which he turned to the northern, which he took, and entered, proceeding to attack the inner palace. Unsuccessful there, he withdrew, and arranged his forces in the Yue [street]. There he challenged his enemies to battle, but they would not meet him. He then came to Lu a fugitive, and presented a chariot to Ji Wuzi, so beautiful and polished that men could see themselves in it. When Zhan Zhuangshu saw it, he said, "When the carriage is highly polished, its owner is sure to come to distress. It was right he should come to exile." Shusun Muzi gave Feng an entertainment, at which he scattered the sacrificial thank-offerings about. Muzi was displeased, and made the musicians sing for him the Mao chi (a lost ode), but he did not perceive the meaning.
 既而齊人來讓．奔吳．吳句餘予之朱方．聚其族焉而居之．富於其舊．子服惠伯謂叔孫曰．天殆富淫人．慶封又富矣．穆子曰善人富謂之賞．淫人富謂之殃．天其殃之也．其將聚而殲旃． 'By-and-by the people of Qi sent to reproach [Lu for sheltering him], on which he fled to Wu, where Gouyu gave him [the city of] Zhufang. There he collected the members of his clan and settled them, becoming richer than he had been before. Zifu Huibo said to Shusun, "Heaven would seem to enrich bad men. Qing Feng is rich again." Muzi replied, "Riches may be called the reward of good men, and the ruin of bad men. Heaven will bring him to ruin. He will be destroyed utterly with all that are his.'
 癸巳．天王崩．未來赴．亦未書．禮也． 'On Guisi, the king [by] Heaven's [grace] died. No word was yet sent of the event, and therefore no record was made of it. This was according to rule.
 崔氏之亂．喪群公子．故鉏在魯．叔孫還在燕．賈在句瀆之丘．及慶氏亡．皆召之．具其器用．而反其邑焉．與晏子邶殿．其鄙六十．弗受．子尾曰．富．人之所欲也．何獨弗欲．對曰．慶氏之邑．足欲故亡．吾邑不足欲也．益之以邶殿．乃足欲．足欲．亡無日矣．在外．不得宰吾一邑．不受邶殿．非惡富也．恐失富也．且夫富如布帛之有幅焉．為之制度．使無遷也．夫民生厚而用利．於是乎正德以幅之．使無黜嫚．謂之幅利．利過則為敗．吾不敢貪多．所謂幅也．與北郭佐邑六十．受之．與子雅邑．辭多受少．與子尾邑．受而稍致之．公以為忠．故有寵． 'In the disorder occasioned by Cuizi, all duke [Zhuang's] sons had disappeared. Chu had gone to Lu; Shuxun Huan to Yan, and Jia to the hill of Goudou. Now that Qing Feng was driven into exile, they were all recalled, the furniture which they required supplied, and their cities restored to them. The duke conferred Beidian on Yanzi, in whose circuit there were 60 towns; but he would not receive it. Ziwei said to him, "Riches are what men desire; how is it that you alone do not desire them?" He replied, "The towns of the Qing were enough to excite men's desires, and hence he is now in exile. My cities are not enough to do that; but if I were to receive Beidian, they would be so, and the day of my exile would not be distant. Abroad, I should not have one town to preside over. My not receiving Beidian is not because I hate riches, but because I am afraid of losing my riches. Moreover, riches should be like pieces of cloth or silk, which are made up in lengths of a definite measurement, which cannot be altered. When the people have the means of sustentation abundant and conveniences of life, there must be the rectification of virtue (See the Shu, II. ii. 7) to act as a limit or border to them. Let them not become abandoned and insolent, and you have what may be called a protecting border to their advantages. If those go beyond that, ruin will ensue. My not coveting to have more than I have is what is called the protecting limit." The duke gave Beiguo Zuo 60 towns, and he received them. He gave [many] to Ziya, but he only accepted a few. He gave the same to Ziwei, and he accepted them, but afterwards returned some. The duke considered the conduct [of these two] a proof of their fidelity, and showed them favour.
 釋盧蒲嫳于北竟．求崔杼之尸．將戮之．不得．叔孫穆子曰．必得之．武王有亂臣十人．崔杼其有乎．不十人．不足以葬．既．崔氏之臣曰．與我其拱璧．吾獻其柩．於是得之．十二月．乙亥．朔．齊人選莊公殯于大寢．以其棺尸崔杼於市．國人猶知之．皆曰崔子也． 'He liberated Lupu Pie and [banished him] to the northern borders. He sought for the body of Cui Shu, intending to take the head off, but could not find it. When Shusun Muzi heard of this he said, "They are sure to find it. King Wu had ten capable ministers; and did not Cui Shu have as many servants? Less than ten would not have been enough to bury him." By-and-by one of Cui's servants said, "Give me his bi which took the two arms to hold it, and I will give up his coffin." Thus they found [the body]. In the 12th month, on Yihai, the 1st day of the moon, the people of Qi removed duke Zhuang from his grave, and put him in proper grave-clothes into a new coffin in the grand chamber, and in the [old] coffin they exposed Cui Shu's body in the market place. The people could all still recognize it, and said, "This is Cuizi.'
 為宋之盟故．公及宋公．陳侯．鄭伯．許男．如楚．公過鄭．鄭伯不在．伯有迋勞於黃崖．不敬．穆叔曰．伯有無戾於鄭．鄭必有大咎．敬．民之主也．而棄之．何以承守．鄭人不討．必受其辜．濟澤之阿．行潦之蘋藻．寘諸宗室．季蘭尸之．敬也．敬可棄乎．及漢．楚康王卒．公欲反．叔仲昭伯曰．我楚國之為．豈為一人行也．子服惠伯曰．君子有遠慮．小人從邇．飢寒之不恤．誰遑其後．不如姑歸也．叔孫穆子曰．叔仲子．專之矣．子服子．始學者也．榮成伯曰．遠圖者．忠也．公遂行． 'In consequence of the covenant of Song, the duke, and the duke of Song, the marquis of Chen, the earl of Zheng, and the baron of Xu, went to Chu. When the duke passed by [the capital of] Zheng, the earl was not in it, [but had already gone]. Boyou, however, came out on a complimentary visit to the banks of the Huang, and was not respectful. Mushu said, "If Boyou be not dealt with as an offender by Zheng, he will do that State great injury. Respectfulness is an essential thing for the people. If a man cast it away, how shall he keep [the family] he has received from his ancestors? If the people of Zheng do not punish him, they are sure to suffer through him. The duckweed and pondweed, gathered by the banks of shallows and marshes and about standing pools, placed in the ancestral temple, and superintended by the young and elegant ladies, [are accepted] because of the reverence [in the thing] (See the Shi, I. ii. ode IV.). When the duke had reached the Han, king Kang of Chu was dead, and he wished to return. Shuzhong Zhaobo said, "We are going for the sake of the State of Chu, and not on account of one man." Zifu Huibo said, "The superior man is solicitous about what is remote; smaller men act from the impression of what is near. Who has leisure to attend to the future, without considering the [present] hunger and cold? Let us return for the present." Shusun Muzi said, "Shuzhong is to be entirely followed. Zifu's opinion is that of one commencing his learning." Rong Chengbo [also] said, "He who considers the remote is the faithful counsellor." On this the duke went on.
 宋向戌曰．我一人之為．非為楚也．飢寒之不恤．誰能恤楚．姑歸而息民．待其立君而為之備．宋公遂反． 'Xiang Xu said, "[Our journey was] on account of the one man, and not on account of Chu. Who can think of Chu, and not think of the [present] hunger and cold? Let us return for the present and rest our people. When they have settled the question of a new ruler, we can make the necessary preparations." On this the duke of Song returned.'
 楚屈建卒．趙文子喪之如同盟．禮也．  'Qu Jian of Chu died, and Zhao Wenzi wore mourning for him according to the rule for those who had covenanted together;—which was right.'
 王人來告喪．問崩日．以甲寅告．故書之．以徵過也． 'An officer from the court came to announce the king's death. Being asked the day of it, he said it was Jiayin; and so it was recorded, to show the fault [of the late announcement]

Comments