Classic of Documents
周書 Zhōu shū
泰誓中 第二十八 Book Twenty-eight · Tài shì zhōng
惟戊午，王次于河朔。群后以師畢會。王乃徇師而誓。
On the day mow-woo, the king halted on the north of the River. When all the chiefs with their hosts were assembled,
曰：「嗚呼！西土有眾，咸聽朕言。
the king reviewed the hosts, and made the following declaration, saying, “Ah! ye multitudes of the West, listen all to my words.
「我聞：吉人為善，惟日不足；凶人為不善，亦惟日不足。今商王受，力行無度，播棄犁老，昵比罪人。淫酗肆虐，臣下化之。朋家作仇，脅權相滅，無辜籲天，穢德彰聞。
“I have heard that the good man, doing good, finds the day insufficient, and that the evil man, doing evil, likewise finds the day insufficient. Now Show, the king of Shang, with strength pursues his lawless way. He has cast away the time-worn sires, and cultivates intimacies with wicked men. Dissolute, intemperate, reckless, oppressive, his ministers have become assimilated to him; and they form parties, and contract animosities, and depend on the emperors power to exterminate one another. The innocent cry to Heaven. The odour of such a state is plainly felt on high.
「惟天惠民，惟辟奉天。有夏桀，弗克若天，流毒下國，天乃佑命成湯，降黜夏命。
“Heaven loves the people, and the sovereign should reverence this mind of Heaven. Këĕ, the sovereign of Hea, could not follow the example of Heaven, but sent forth his poisonous injuries through the States of the empire:—Heaven favoured and charged T‘ang, the Successful, to make an end of the decree of Hea.
「惟受罪浮于桀，剝喪元良，賊虐諫輔，謂已有天命，謂敬不足行，謂祭無益，謂暴無傷，厥鑒惟不遠，在彼夏王。天其以予乂民，朕夢協朕卜，襲于休祥，戎商必克。
But the crimes of Show exceed those of Këĕ. He has stript and degraded the greatly good man; he has behaved with cruel tyranny to his reprover and helper. He says that his is the decree of Heaven; he says that a reverent care of his conduct is not worth observing; he says that sacrifice is of no use; he says that tyranny is no matter. The case for his inspection was not remote;—in that king of Hea. It would seem that Heaven is going by means of me to rule the people. My dreams coincide with my divinations; the auspicious omen is double. My attack on Shang must succeed.
「受有億兆夷人，離心離德，予有亂臣十人，同心同德。雖有周親，不如仁人。
“Show has hundreds of thousands and millions of ordinary men, divided in heart and divided in practice;—I have of ministers capable of government ten men, one in heart and one in practice. Although he has his nearest relatives with him, they are not like my virtuous men.
「天視自我民視，天聽自我民聽。百姓有過，在予一人。今朕必往。
Heaven sees as my people see; Heaven hears as my people hear. The people are blaming me, the one man, for my delay;—I must now go forward.
「我武惟揚，侵于之疆，取彼凶殘，我伐用張，于湯有光。
My military prowess is displayed, and I enter his territories, to take the wicked tyrant. My punishment of evil will be shown more glorious than that of T‘ang.
「勖哉夫子，罔或無畏，寧執非敵。百姓懍懍，若崩厥角。嗚呼！乃一德一心，立定厥功，惟克永世。」
Rouse ye, my heroes! Do not think that he is not to be feared;—better think that he cannot be withstood. His people stand in trembling awe of him, as if the horns were falling from their heads. Oh! unite your energies, unite your hearts;—so shall you forthwith surely accomplish the work to last for all ages.”