Classic of Documents
周書 Zhōu shū
君牙 第五十三 Book Fifty-three · Jūn Yá
王若曰：「嗚呼！君牙，惟乃祖乃父，世篤忠貞，服勞王家，厥有成績，紀于太常。
The king spoke thus:—“Oh! Keun-ya, your grandfather and your father, one after the other, with a true loyalty and honesty, laboured in the service of the royal House, accomplishing a merit which was recorded on the grand banner.
「惟予小子，嗣守文、武、成、康遺緒，亦惟先王之臣，克左右亂四方。心之憂危，若蹈虎尾，涉于春冰。
I, who am but a little child, have inherited the charge of the line of government transmitted from Wăn and Woo, from Ching and from K‘ang, and keep also thinking of their ministers who were able to aid them in the good government of the four quarters of the empire;—the trembling anxiety of my mind makes me feel as if I were treading on a tiger’s tail, or walking upon spring ice.
「今命爾予翼，作股肱心膂。纘乃舊服，無忝祖考。
I now give you charge to assist me; be as my limbs to me, as my heart and back-bone. Continue their old service, and do not disgrace your grandfather and father.
「弘敷五典，式和民則。爾身克正，罔敢弗正，民心罔中，惟爾之中。
“Diffuse widely the knowledge of the five invariable relations of society, and reverently seek to produce a harmonious observance of the duties belonging to them among the people. If you can be correct in your own person, none will dare to be but correct. The minds of the people cannot attain to the right Mean of duty;—they must be guided by your attaining it.
「夏暑雨，小民惟曰怨咨。冬祁寒，小民亦惟曰怨咨。厥惟艱哉！思其艱以圖其易，民乃寧。
In the heat and rains of summer, the inferior people may be described as murmuring and sighing. And so it is with them in the great cold of winter. How great are their hardships! Think of their hardships in order to seek to promote their ease, and the people will be tranquil.
「嗚呼！丕顯哉，文王謨；丕承哉，武王烈。啟佑我後人，咸以正罔缺。爾惟敬明乃訓，用奉若于先王。對揚文、武之光命，追配于前人。」
Oh! how great and splendid were the plans of king Wăn! How greatly were they carried out by the energy of king Woo. They are for the help and guidance of us their descendants;—all in principle correct and deficient in nothing! Do you with reverence illustrate your instructions, and enable me to honour and follow the example of my immediate predecessors, to respond to and display the bright decree conferred on Wăn and Woo:—so shall you be the mate of your by-gone fathers.”
王若曰：「君牙，乃惟由先正，舊典時式，民之治亂在茲。率乃祖考之攸行，昭乃辟之有乂。」
The king spoke thus:—“Keun-ya, do you take for your rule the lessons afforded by the former courses of your excellent fathers. The good order or the bad of the people depends on this. You will thus follow the practice of your grandfather and father, and make the good government of your prince illustrious.”