Classic of Documents
周書 Zhōu shū
牧誓 第三十 Book Thirty · Mù shì
時甲子昧爽，王朝至於商郊牧野，乃誓。王左杖黃鉞，右秉白旄以麾，曰：「逖矣西土之人。」
The time was the grey dawn of the day keă-tsze. On that morning the king came to the open country of Muh in the borders of Shang, and addressed his army. In his left hand he carried a battle-axe, yellow with gold, and in his right he held a white ensign, which he brandished, saying, “Far are ye come, ye men of the western regions!”
王曰：「嗟！我友邦冢君，御事、司徒、司馬、司空、亞、旅、師氏、千夫長、百夫長。
He added, “Ah! ye hereditary rulers of my friendly States; ye managers of affairs, the ministers of instruction, of war, and of public works: the many officers subordinate to them: the master of my body-guards: the captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds;
「及庸、蜀、羌、髳、微、盧、彭、濮人。
and ye, O men of Yung, Shuh, Këang, Maou, Wei, Loo, P‘ang, and Pŏ;—
「稱爾戈，比爾干，立爾矛，予其誓。」
lift up your lances, join your shields, raise your spears:—I have a speech to make.”
王曰：「古人有言：曰『牝雞無晨。牝雞之晨，惟家之索。』
The king said, “The ancients have said, ‘The hen does not announce the morning. The crowing of a hen in the morning indicates the subversion of the family.’
「今商王受，惟婦言是用。昏棄厥肆祀，弗答；昏棄厥遺王父母弟，不迪。乃惟四方之多罪逋逃，是崇是長，是信是使，是以為大夫卿士；俾暴虐于百姓，以姦宄于商邑。
Now Show, the king of Shang, follows only the words of his wife. He has blindly thrown away the sacrifices which he should present, and makes no response for the favours which he has received; he has blindly thrown away his paternal and maternal relatives, not treating them properly. They are only the vagabonds of the empire, loaded with crimes, whom he honours and exalts, whom he employs and trusts, making them great officers and nobles, so that they can tyrannize over the people, exercising their villainies in the city of Shang.
「今予發，惟恭行天之罰。今日之事，不愆于六步、七步，乃止齊焉。夫子勖哉！
“Now I, Fă, am simply executing respectfully the punishment appointed by Heaven. In to-day’s business do not advance more than six or seven steps; and then stop and adjust your ranks:—my brave men, be energetic!
「不愆于四伐、五伐、六伐、七伐，乃止齊焉。勖哉夫子！
Do not exceed four blows, five blows, six blows, or seven blows; and then stop and adjust your ranks:—my brave men, be energetic!
「尚桓桓，如虎、如貔、如熊、如羆，于商郊；弗迓克奔，以役西土。勖哉夫子！
Display a martial bearing. Be like tigers and panthers, like bears, and grisly bears;—here in the border of Shang. Do not rush on those who fly to us in submission, but receive them to serve our western land:—my brave men, be energetic!
「爾所弗勖，其于爾躬有戮。」
If you are not thus energetic, you will bring destruction on yourselves.”