Classic of Documents
周書 Zhōu shū
無逸 第四十三 Book Forty-three · Wú yì
周公曰：「嗚呼！君子所其無逸。
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! the superior man rests in this,—that he will have no luxurious ease.
「先知稼穡之艱難，乃逸，則知小人之依。
He first understands the painful toil of sowing and reaping, how it conducts to ease, and thus he understands the law of the support of the inferior people.
「相小人，厥父母勤勞稼穡，厥子乃不知稼穡之艱難，乃逸乃諺，既誕，否則侮厥父母曰：『昔之人無聞知！』」
I have observed among the inferior people, that where the parents have diligently laboured in sowing and reaping, their sons often do not understand this painful toil, and abandon themselves to ease, and to village slang, and become quite disorderly. Or where they do not do so, they throw contempt on their parents, saying, ‘Those old people have heard nothing and know nothing.’”
周公曰：「嗚呼！我聞曰：昔在殷王中宗，嚴恭寅畏，天命自度，治民祗懼，不敢荒寧。肆中宗之享國，七十有五年。
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! I have heard that aforetime the emperor of Yin, Chung-tsung, was grave, humble, reverential, and fearful. He measured himself with reference to the appointment of Heaven, and cherished a reverent apprehension in governing the people, not daring to indulge in useless ease. It was thus that Chung-tsung enjoyed the throne for seventy and five years.
「其在高宗，時舊勞于外，爰暨小人。作其即位，乃或亮陰，三年不言；其惟不言，言乃雍。不敢荒寧，嘉靖殷邦。至于小大，無時或怨。肆高宗之享國，五十有九年。
“If we come to the time of Kaou-tsung, he toiled at first away from the court, and was among the inferior people. When he came to the throne, it may be said that, while he was in the mourning shed, for three years he did not speak. Afterwards he was still inclined not to speak; but when he did speak, his words were full of harmonious wisdom. He did not dare to indulge in useless and easy ways, but admirably and tranquilly presided over the empire of Yin, till in all its States, great and small, there was not a single murmur. It was thus that Kaou-tsung enjoyed the throne for fifty and nine years.”
「其在祖甲，不義惟王，舊為小人。作其即位，爰知小人之依，能保惠于庶民，不敢侮鰥寡。肆祖甲之享國，三十有三年。
In the case of Tsoo-këă, he would not unrighteously be emperor, and was at first one of the inferior people. When he came to the throne, he understood the law of the support of the inferior people, and was able to exercise a protecting kindness towards their masses, and did not dare to treat with contempt the widower and widows. Thus it was that Tsoo-këă enjoyed the throne for thirty and three years.
「自時厥後，立王生則逸；生則逸，不知稼穡之艱難，不聞小人之勞，惟耽樂之從。自時厥後，亦罔或克壽，或十年，或七八年，或五六年，或四三年。」
“The emperors which arose after these all their life-time enjoyed ease. From their birth enjoying ease, they did not understand the painful toil of sowing and reaping, nor hear of the hard labours of the inferior people. They only sought after excessive pleasures, and so not one of them enjoyed the throne for a long period. They continued for ten years, for seven or eight, for five or six, or perhaps only for three or four.”
周公曰：「嗚呼！厥亦惟我周太王、王季，克自抑畏。
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! there likewise were king T‘ae and king Ke of our own Chow, who attained to humility and reverential awe.
「文王卑服，即康功田功。
King Wăn dressed meanly, and gave himself to the work of tranquillization, and to that of husbandry.
「徽柔懿恭，懷保小民，惠鮮鰥寡。自朝至于日中昃，不遑暇食，用咸和萬民。
Admirably mild and beautifully humble, he cherished and protected the inferior people, and showed a fostering kindness to the widower and widows. From morning to midday, and from midday to sundown, he did not allow himself time to eat;—thus seeking to secure the happy harmony of the myriads of the people.
「文王不敢盤于遊田，以庶邦惟正之供。文王受命惟中身，厥享國五十年。」
King Wăn did not dare to go to any excess in his excursions or his hunting, and from the various States he received only the correct amount of contribution. He received the appointment of Heaven in the middle of his life, and enjoyed the throne for fifty years.”
周公曰：「嗚呼！繼自今嗣王，則其無淫于觀、于逸、于遊、于田，以萬民惟正之供。
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! from this time forward, do you who have succeeded to the throne imitate his avoiding of excess in his sights, his ease, his excursions, his hunting; and from the myriads of the people receive only the correct amount of contribution. Do not allow yourself the leisure to say, ‘To-day I will indulge in pleasure.’
「無皇曰：『今日耽樂。』乃非民攸訓，非天攸若，時人丕則有愆。無若殷王受之迷亂，酗于酒德哉！」
This is not holding out a lesson to the people, nor the way to secure the favour of Heaven. Men will on the contrary greatly imitate you, and practise evil. Become not like Show, the king of Yin, who went quite astray, and was abandoned to the practice of drunkenness.”
周公曰：「嗚呼！我聞曰：『古之人猶胥訓告，胥保惠，胥教誨；民無或胥譸張為幻。』
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! I have heard it said that, in the case of the ancients, their ministers discharged their functions in warning and admonishing them, in protecting and loving them, in teaching and instructing them; and among their people there was hardly one who would impose on them by extravagant language or deceiving tricks.
「此厥不聽，人乃訓之，乃變亂先王之正刑，至于小大。民否則厥心違怨，否則厥口詛祝。」
If you will not listen to this and profit by it, your ministers will imitate you, and so the correct laws of the former kings, both small and great, will be changed and disordered. The people blaming you will disobey and rebel in their hearts;—yea, they will curse you with their mouths.”
周公曰：「嗚呼！自殷王中宗，及高宗，及祖甲，及我周文王，茲四人迪哲。
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! those kings of Yin, Chung-tsung, Kaou-tsung, and Tsoo-këă, with king Wăn of our Chow,—these four men carried their knowledge into practice.
「厥或告之曰：『小人怨汝詈汝。』則皇自敬德。厥愆，曰：『朕之愆，允若時。』不啻不敢含怒。
If it was told them—‘The inferior people murmur against you, and revile you,’ then they paid great and reverent attention to their conduct; and with reference to the faults imputed to them they said, ‘Our faults are really so.’ They acted thus, not simply not daring to cherish anger.
「此厥不聽，人乃或譸張為幻。曰：『小人怨汝詈汝。』則信之。則若時，不永念厥辟，不寬綽厥心，亂罰無罪，殺無辜。怨有同，是叢于厥身。」
If you will not listen to this and profit by it, when men with extravagant language and deceptive tricks say to you, ‘The inferior people are murmuring against you and reviling you,’ you will believe them. Doing this, you will not be always thinking of your princely duties, and will not cultivate a large and generous heart. You will confusedly punish the crimeless, and put the innocent to death. There will be a general murmuring, which will be concentrated upon your person.”
周公曰：「嗚呼！嗣王其監于茲！」
The duke of Chow said, “Oh! you king, who have succeeded to the throne, make a study of these things.”