Classic of Documents
商書 Shāng shū
說命上 第二十一 Book Twenty-one · Yuè mìng shàng
王宅憂亮，陰三祀。既免喪，其惟弗言。群臣咸諫于王，曰：「嗚呼！知之曰明哲，明哲實作則。天子惟君萬邦，百官承式。」王言惟作命，不言，臣下罔攸稟令。
The king passed the season of sorrow in the mourning shed for three years, and when he had ceased mourning, he still did not speak. The ministers all remonstrated with him, saying, “The man of quick knowledge is said to be intelligent; and the intelligent man forms a model. The emperor rules over the myriad regions, and all the officers depend on and reverence him. When the king speaks, his words form the commands for them; if he do not speak, the ministers have no way to receive their orders.”
王庸作書以誥曰：「以台正于四方，台恐德弗類，茲故弗言。恭默思道，夢帝賚予良弼，其代予言。」
The king on this made a writing, and informed them, saying, “As it is mine to secure what is right in the four quarters of the empire, I have been afraid that my virtue is not equal to that of my predecessors, and therefore have not spoken. But while I was respectfully and silently thinking of the right way, I dreamt that God gave me a good assistant, who should speak for me.”
乃審厥象，俾以形旁求于天下。說築傅巖之野，惟肖。
He then minutely described the appearance of the person, and caused search to be made for him by means of a figure throughout the empire. Yuĕ, a builder in the country of Foo-yen, was found like.
爰立作相，王置諸其左右。
On this the king raised and made him his prime minister, keeping him also at his side.
命之曰：「朝夕納誨，以輔台德。
He charged him, saying, “Morning and evening present your instructions to aid my virtue.
「若金，用汝作礪；若濟巨川，用汝作舟楫；若歲大旱，用汝作霖雨。
Suppose me a weapon of steel;—I will use you for a whetstone. Suppose me crossing a great stream;—I will use you for a boat with its oars. Suppose me in a year of great drought;—I will use you as a copious rain.
「啟乃心，沃朕心。
Open your mind, and enrich my mind.
「若藥弗瞑眩，厥疾弗瘳。若跣弗視地，厥足用傷。
Be you like medicine, which, if it do not distress the patient, will not cure his sickness. Think of me as one walking barefoot, whose feet are sure to be wounded, if he do not see the ground.
「惟暨乃僚，罔不同心，以匡乃辟。俾率先王，迪我高后，以康兆民。
“Do you and your companions cherish all the same mind to assist your Sovereign, that I may follow my royal predecessors, and tread in the steps of my High ancestor, to give repose to the millions of the people.
「嗚呼！欽予時命，其惟有終。」
Oh! respect this charge of mine;—so shall you bring your work to a good end.”
說復于王曰：「惟木從繩則正，后從諫則聖。后克聖，臣不命其承，疇敢不祗若王之休命！」
Yuĕ replied to the king, saying, “Wood by the use of the line is made straight; and the sovereign who follows reproof becomes sage. When the sovereign can thus make himself sage, his ministers, without being charged, anticipate his orders;—who would dare not to act in respectful compliance with this excellent charge of your Majesty?”