TEXT 6-8 (HT 6.2) Flashcards
禹出
Yu went on an excursion.
見罪人
He saw a convict.
下車問而泣之
He got down from his cart, inquired about the convict’s offence and wept.
左右曰 “夫罪人不順道”
Those who are with him said, “A convict does not follow the correct Way.”
“故使然焉”
“This is what brings the convict to this state.”
君王何為痛之至於此也？
Why does Your Majesty grieve to this extent?
禹曰 “堯舜之人 皆以堯舜之心為心”
Yu said, “The subjects of Yao and Shun all took the minds of Yao and Shun as their own minds.”
“今寡人為君也 百姓各自以其心為心”
Now that I have become the ruler, each of the common people take their personal will as their minds.
“是以痛之”
“This is why I grieve.”
書曰 百姓有罪 在予一人
As said in the Book of Documents, ‘When the common people are guilty, this should all attribute to me alone.’
紂為長夜之飲 懽以失日
Zhou indulged in over-night drinking. Through the pleasure, he forgot the date of the day.
問其左右 盡不知也
He asked his attendants. None of them knew it.
乃使人問箕子
So he sent someone to ask Jizi.
箕子謂其徒曰
Jizi said to his followers,
“為天下主 而一國皆失日”
“He acts as the ruler of all-under-Heaven and everyone in the whole state forget the date.”
“天下其危矣”
“All-under-heaven may be in danger.”
“一國皆不知 而我獨知之”
“Everyone in the whole state do not know the date and I alone am aware of it.”
“吾其危矣”
“I may be in danger.”
“辭以醉而不知”
“He refused by claiming to be drunk and ignorant of it.”
或謂趙簡子曰 “君何不更乎?”
Someone told Lord Jian of Zhao, “Why don’t you change your ways?”
簡子曰 “諾”
Lord Jian said, “I will.”
左右曰 “君未有過 何更”
His attendants said, “Your lordship has no faults. What is there to be changed?”
君曰 “吾謂是諾 未必有過也”
The Lord said, “I made this agreement. This does not necessarily mean I had faults.”
“吾將求以來諫者也”
“This is because I am seeking people who will come to me with admonishments.”
