Classic of Documents
周書 Zhōu shū
泰誓上 第二十七 Book Twenty-seven · Tài shì shàng
惟十有三年，春，大會于孟津。
In the spring of the thirteenth year, there was a great assembly at Măng-tsin.
王曰：「嗟我友邦冢君，越我御事庶士，明聽誓。
The king said, “Ah! ye hereditary rulers of my friendly States, and all ye my officers, managers of my affairs, listen clearly to my declaration.
「惟天地，萬物父母；惟人，萬物之靈。亶聰明，作元后，元后作民父母。
“Heaven and Earth is the parent of all creatures; and of all creatures man is the most highly endowed. The sincere, intelligent, and perspicacious among men becomes the great sovereign; and the great sovereign is the parent of the people.
「今商王受，弗敬上天，降災下民。
But now, Show, the king of Shang, does not reverence Heaven above, and inflicts calamities on the people below.
「沈湎冒色，敢行暴虐。罪人以族，官人以世。惟宮室、臺榭、陂池、侈服，以殘害于爾萬姓。焚炙忠良，刳剔孕婦。皇天震怒，命我文考，肅將天威，大勳未集。
He has been abandoned to drunkenness, and reckless in lust. He has dared to exercise cruel oppression. Along with criminals he has punished all their relatives. He has put men into office on the hereditary principle. He has made it his pursuit to have palaces, towers, pavilions, embankments, ponds, and all other extravagances, to the most painful injury of you, the myriad people. He has burned and roasted the loyal and good. He has ripped up pregnant women. Great Heaven was moved with indignation, and charged my deceased father Wăn reverently to display its majesty; but he died before the work was completed.
「肆予小子發，以爾友邦冢君，觀政于商，惟受罔有悛心，乃夷居，弗事上帝神祗，遺厥先宗廟弗祀。犧牲粢盛，既于凶盜。乃曰：『吾有民有命，罔懲其侮。』
“On this account I, Fă, who am but a little child, have by means of you, the hereditary rulers of my friendly States, contemplated the government of Shang; but Show has no repentant heart. He abides squatting on his heels, not serving God or the spirits of heaven and earth, neglecting also the temple of his ancestors, and not sacrificing in it. The victims and the vessels of millet all become the prey of wicked robbers; and still he says, ‘The people are mine: the decree is mine,’ never trying to correct his contemptuous mind.
「天佑下民，作之君、作之師。惟其克相上帝，寵綏四方。有罪無罪，予曷敢有越厥志？
Now Heaven, to protect the inferior people, made for them rulers, and made for them instructors, that they might be able to be aiding to God, and secure the tranquillity of the four quarters of the empire. In regard to who are criminals and who are not, how dare I give any allowance to my own wishes?
「同力度德，同德度義，受有臣億萬，惟億萬心。予有臣三千，惟一心。
‘Where the strength is the same, measure the virtue of the parties; where the virtue is the same, measure their righteousness.’ Show has hundreds of thousands and myriads of ministers, but they have hundreds of thousands and myriads of minds; I have three thousand ministers, but they have one mind.
「商罪貫盈，天命誅之，予弗順天，厥罪惟鈞。
The iniquity of Shang is full. Heaven gives command to destroy it. If I did not comply with Heaven, my iniquity would be as great.
「予小子夙夜祗懼，受命文考，類于上帝，宜于冢土，以爾有眾，底天之罰。
“I, who am a little child, early and late am filled with apprehensions. I have received charge from my deceased father Wăn; I have offered special sacrifice to God; I have performed the due services to the great Earth;—and I lead the multitude of you to execute the punishment appointed by Heaven.
「天矜于民，民之所欲，天必從之。爾尚弼予一人，永清四海。時哉！弗可失。」
Heaven compassionates the people. What the people desire, Heaven will be found to give effect to. Do you aid me, the one man, to cleanse for ever all within the four seas. Now is the time!—it may not be lost.”