Book of Xia: Oath at Gan, Part Two

啟與有扈戰於甘之野，作《甘誓》。

Qi fought the Youhu clan in the plains of Gan, and composed the Oath at Gan.

大戰於甘，乃召六卿。

At the great battle at Gan, he then summoned the six ministers.

王曰：“嗟！六事之人，予誓告汝：有扈氏威侮五行，怠棄三正，天用剿絕其命，今予惟恭行天之罰。左不攻於左，汝不恭命；右不攻於右，汝不恭命；御非其馬之正，汝不恭命。用命，賞於祖；弗用命，戮於社，予則孥戮汝。”

The king said: "Ah! You who manage the six affairs, I swear and tell you: the Youhu clan treats the five phases with contempt and has neglected and abandoned the three right orders (one view takes these as the right ways of Heaven, Earth and humanity, another as the three calendar starting points of the zi, chou and yin months), and Heaven therefore means to cut off his life, and now I reverently carry out Heaven's punishment. If the man on the left of the chariot does not attack on the left, it is you who do not respect the order; if the man on the right does not attack on the right, it is you who do not respect the order; if the driver does not follow the rules of driving the horses, it is you who do not respect the order. Those who obey the order will be rewarded in the ancestral temple; those who do not obey will be executed at the altar of the earth, and I will also execute your wives and children together with you."

太康失邦，昆弟五人須於洛汭，作《五子之歌》。

Taikang lost the state, and five brothers waited at the bend of the Luo River and composed the Song of the Five Sons.

太康尸位，以逸豫滅厥德，黎民鹹貳，乃盤遊無度，畋於有洛之表，十旬弗反。有窮后羿因民弗忍，距於河，厥弟五人御其母以從，徯於洛之汭。五子鹹怨，述大禹之戒以作歌。

Taikang held the throne in vain, lost his virtue through ease and pleasure, and all the people had divided hearts; and so he roamed and hunted without restraint, hunting beyond the Luo River, and did not return in a hundred days. Yi, lord of the Youqiong state, took advantage of the people's being unable to bear it and resisted him at the river bank, and Taikang's five younger brothers followed with their mother and waited at the bend of the Luo. The five sons all resented it, and set out the warnings of Yu the Great as a song.

其一曰：“皇祖有訓，民可近，不可下，民惟邦本，本固邦寧。予視天下愚夫愚婦一能勝予，一人三失，怨豈在明，不見是圖。予臨兆民，懍乎若朽索之馭六馬，為人上者，奈何不敬？”其二曰：“訓有之，內作色荒，外作禽荒。甘酒嗜音，峻宇雕牆。有一於此，未或不亡。”

The first song says: "The great ancestor had a warning: the people may be drawn close and may not be looked down on; the people are the root of the state, and when the root is firm the state is at peace. I look at the world, and even foolish men and women can surpass me; one man commits many errors, but resentment does not wait to be evident, and must be planned for before it shows. Facing the hundred millions of people, I am as fearful as one driving six horses with rotten reins; how can one above the people not be reverent?" The second song says: "In the teaching there are these words: within, to be lost in women's beauty; without, to be lost in the hunt. To crave sweet wine and music, and have high halls and carved walls. If there is one of these, there is none that does not perish."

其三曰：“惟彼陶唐，有此冀方。今失厥道，亂其紀綱，乃厎滅亡。”

The third song says: "That house of Tao Tang held the realm of this Jizhou. Now the Way has been lost and the discipline thrown into disorder, and so it has gone to ruin."

其四曰：“明明我祖，萬邦之君。有典有則，貽厥子孫。關石和鈞，王府則有。荒墜厥緒，覆宗絕祀！”其五曰：“嗚呼曷歸？予懷之悲。萬姓仇予，予將疇依？鬱陶乎予心，顏厚有忸怩。弗慎厥德，雖悔可追？”夏書胤徵第四

The fourth song says: "My glorious ancestor was lord of the myriad states. There were statutes and standards, left for his descendants. When the guan, shi and jun measures are fair (taxes and measures equitable), the royal treasury is full. If the ancestors' legacy is neglected and falls, the ancestral temple will be overturned and the sacrifices cut off!" The fifth song says: "Alas, where can I return? My heart is grieved. The ten thousand clans hate me; on whom shall I rely? Worry and thought gather in my heart, and though my face is thick it still feels shame. If one is not careful with virtue, even if one regrets, can it be caught up with?" (At the end of this section the base text appends "Book of Xia, Punitive Expedition of Yin, Part Four," a title of the next chapter that has slipped into the text.)

羲和湎淫，廢時亂日，胤往徵之，作《胤徵》。

Xi and He indulged in drink and licentiousness, abandoned the seasons and threw the calendar into disorder, and the Marquis of Yin went to punish them, and composed the Punitive Expedition of Yin.

惟仲康肇位四海，胤侯命掌六師。羲和廢厥職，酒荒於厥邑，胤後承王命徂徵。告於眾曰：“嗟予有眾，聖有謨訓，明徵定保，先王克謹天戒，臣人克有常憲，百官修輔，厥後惟明明，每歲孟春，遒人以木鐸徇於路，官師相規，工執藝事以諫，其或不恭，邦有常刑。”“惟時羲和顛覆厥德，沈亂於酒，畔官離次，俶擾天紀，遐棄厥司，乃季秋月朔，辰弗集於房，瞽奏鼓，嗇夫馳，庶人走，羲和屍厥官罔聞知，昏迷於天象，以幹先王之誅，《政典》曰：‘先時者殺無赦，不及時者殺無赦。’今予以爾有眾，奉將天罰。爾眾士同力王室，尚弼予欽承天子威命。火炎昆岡，玉石俱焚。天吏逸德，烈於猛火。殲厥渠魁，脅從罔治，舊染汙俗，鹹與惟新。嗚呼！威克厥愛，允濟；愛克厥威，允罔功。其爾眾士懋戒哉！”〖帝告釐沃〗自契至於成湯八遷，湯始居亳，從先王居。作《帝告》、《釐沃》。

Zhong Kang began to rule over the four seas, and the Marquis of Yin was commissioned to command the six armies. Xi and He neglected their duties and in their own fief ruined themselves with wine, and the Marquis of Yin, by royal command, went to punish them. He announced to the multitude: "Ah, my people! The sages had counsel and warnings, and with clear proof they could be at peace and keep their state. The former kings could be careful toward Heaven's warnings, and the ministers kept the constant laws; the hundred officials attended to their duties and assisted, and so their rulers were very wise. Every first month of spring, the crier goes about the roads shaking a wooden-tongued bell and proclaiming, the heads of offices correct one another, the hundred artisans offer remonstrance through their crafts, and if anyone is disrespectful, the state has regular punishments." "At this time Xi and He overturned their own virtue, were lost in confusion from wine, betrayed their offices and left their posts, began to disturb the discipline of Heaven's seasons, and cast far away their duties. And so on the first day of the ninth month, the sun and moon did not meet at the Fang lodge (an eclipse), the music officers beat drums, the stewards galloped, and the commoners ran about, while Xi and He, holding office in vain, knew nothing at all, were dim and unaware of the signs of Heaven, and thus broke the former kings' punishments. The Government Statutes say: 'Those who are ahead of the time, kill without pardon; those who are behind the time, kill without pardon.' Now I lead you, the multitude, to carry out Heaven's punishment. You, officers and men, together support the royal house, and should also help me reverently carry out the Son of Heaven's awe-inspiring command. When fire burns Mount Kun, jade and stone burn together. If the officials of Heaven are unrestrained in virtue, they are fiercer than a raging fire. Destroy the ringleader; those compelled to follow will not be prosecuted; the old defilements of bad customs are all given a chance to renew themselves. Alas! When severity overcomes private affection, one can truly accomplish things; when private affection overcomes severity, one will surely achieve nothing. You, officers and men, strive and be on guard!" [Proclamation of the Emperor, Lifu] From Xie to Cheng Tang they moved eight times, and Tang began to live at Bo, following the dwelling of the former kings. He composed the Proclamation of the Emperor and the Li Wo.

〖湯徵〗湯徵諸侯，葛伯不祀，湯始徵之，作《湯徵》。

[Campaign of Tang] Tang campaigned against the lords; the Earl of Ge did not sacrifice, and Tang began to attack him, and composed the Campaign of Tang.

〖汝鳩汝方〗伊尹去亳適夏，既醜有夏，復歸於亳。入自北門，乃遇汝鳩、汝方。作《汝鳩》、《汝方》。

[Ru Jiu and Ru Fang] Yi Yin left Bo for Xia, and having come to loathe the house of Xia, returned to Bo. Entering from the north gate, he then met Ru Jiu and Ru Fang. He composed the Ru Jiu and the Ru Fang.

伊尹相湯伐桀，升自陑，遂與桀戰於鳴條之野，作《湯誓》。

Yi Yin assisted Tang in attacking Jie, ascended from Er, and then fought Jie in the fields at Mingtiao, and composed the Oath of Tang.

王曰：“格爾眾庶，悉聽朕言，非臺小子，敢行稱亂！有夏多罪，天命殛之。

The king said: "Come, all of you, listen to my words. It is not that I, this young man, dare to start a rebellion! The house of Xia has many crimes, and Heaven commands that he be destroyed.

今爾有眾，汝曰：‘我後不恤我眾，舍我穡事而割正夏？’予惟聞汝眾言，夏氏有罪，予畏上帝，不敢不正。今汝其曰：‘夏罪其如臺？’夏王率遏眾力，率割夏邑。有眾率怠弗協，曰：‘時日曷喪？予及汝皆亡。’夏德若茲，今朕必往。”

(King Tang continued:) Now you, the multitude, will say: 'Our lord does not take pity on us, and abandons our farm work to go campaign against Xia?' I have heard the words of you, the multitude; the house of Xia is guilty, and I fear the Lord on High and dare not fail to campaign against them. Now you may perhaps say: 'What exactly are Xia's crimes?' The king of Xia exhausts the strength of the multitude and exploits the town of Xia. The people are all slack and not in harmony, and say: 'When will this sun perish? I would gladly perish together with you.' Xia's virtue is already like this, and now I must go."

“爾尚輔予一人，致天之罰，予其大賚汝！爾無不信，朕不食言。爾不從誓言，予則孥戮汝，罔有攸赦。”

"You should assist me, the one man, to carry out Heaven's punishment, and I will reward you greatly! Do not disbelieve; I do not go back on my word. If you do not follow the oath, I will execute you together with your wives and children, with no pardon."

〖夏社疑至臣扈〗湯既勝夏，欲遷其社，不可。作《夏社》、《疑至》、《臣扈》。

[Altar of Xia, Doubts Arrive, Minister Hu] When Tang had defeated Xia, he wanted to move the altar of Xia, but could not. He composed the Altar of Xia, the Doubts Arrive and the Minister Hu.

〖典寶〗夏師敗績，湯遂從之，遂伐三朡，俘厥寶玉。誼伯、仲伯作《典寶》。

[Management of Treasures] The Xia army was greatly defeated, and Tang pursued, then attacked Sanzong and took their treasures of jade. Yi Bo and Zhong Bo composed the Management of Treasures.

湯歸自夏，至於大坰，仲虺作誥。

Tang returned from Xia, reached Daqiong, and Zhong Hui composed a proclamation.

成湯放桀於南巢，惟有慚德。曰：“予恐來世以臺為口實。”

Cheng Tang exiled Jie to Nanchao, yet felt a sense of shame in his virtue. He said: "I fear that later generations will take me as a topic of talk."

仲虺乃作誥，曰：“嗚呼！惟天生民有欲，無主乃亂，惟天生聰明時乂，有夏昏德，民墜塗炭，天乃錫王勇智，表正萬邦，纘禹舊服。茲率厥典，奉若天命。

Zhong Hui then composed a proclamation, saying: "Alas! Heaven gives birth to the people with desires, and without a ruler they would be in disorder, so Heaven sends down the wise to govern them. The house of Xia was dark and disordered in its virtue, and the people fell into mud and burning coals, and so Heaven gave the king courage and wisdom to serve as the model and standard of the myriad states, to inherit Yu's former duty. Now we follow those constant statutes, and obey and comply with Heaven's mandate.

夏王有罪，矯誣上天，以布命於下。帝用不臧，式商受命，用爽厥師。簡賢附勢，實繁有徒。肇我邦於有夏，若苗之有莠，若粟之有秕。小大戰戰，罔不懼於非辜。

(Zhong Hui continued:) The king of Xia was guilty, and falsely claimed and deceived Heaven in order to issue commands to those below. The Lord on High therefore considered this not good, and used Shang to receive the mandate, to make his people bright. Those who neglect the worthy and attach themselves to power truly have many followers. Our state arose amid the house of Xia, like weeds among seedlings or chaff among millet. High and low were all trembling, and none did not fear receiving disaster though innocent.

矧予之德，言足聽聞。惟王不邇聲色，不殖貨利。德懋懋官，功懋懋賞。用人惟己，改過不吝。克寬克仁，彰信兆民。乃葛伯仇餉，初征自葛，東征，西夷怨；南征，北狄怨，曰：‘奚獨後予？’攸徂之民，室家相慶，曰：‘徯予後，後來其蘇。’民之戴商，厥惟舊哉！佑賢輔德，顯忠遂良，兼弱攻昧，取亂侮亡，推亡固存，邦乃其昌。德日新，萬邦惟懷；志自滿，九族乃離。王懋昭大德，建中於民，以義制事，以禮制心，垂裕後昆。予聞曰：‘能自得師者王，謂人莫已若者亡。好問則裕，自用則小’。嗚呼！慎厥終，惟其始。殖有禮，覆昏暴。欽崇天道，永保天命。”

(Zhong Hui continued:) Moreover, the virtue of our Shang is such that our reputation is already enough to be heard. The king does not draw close to music and women and does not accumulate goods and profit. For those of great virtue he urges that they be given office, and for those of great merit he urges that they be rewarded. He uses people as he uses himself, and does not begrudge correcting errors. He is able to be generous and humane (humaneness: the original heart of loving people and extending to things), and shows good faith to the hundred millions of people. Thus the Earl of Ge became an enemy of those who brought him provisions, and the first campaign began at Ge; going east, the western Yi complained; going south, the northern Di complained, saying: 'Why do you put us alone behind?' The people wherever he went congratulated one another, family after family, saying: 'We wait for our lord, and when the lord comes we revive.' The people have long supported Shang! Help the worthy, assist those of virtue, display the loyal and good, promote the good, absorb the weak and small, attack the dark and confused, take the disordered and treat with contempt those about to perish, overthrow those who ought to perish and secure those who ought to survive, and the state will flourish. When virtue is renewed daily, the myriad states will turn to you; when the heart is self-satisfied, the nine kinds of kin will turn away. The king must strive to make great virtue shine, establish the middle way among the people, regulate affairs with righteousness and regulate the heart with ritual, and leave generosity to later generations. I have heard: 'One who can seek teachers for himself will be king; one who thinks others are all worse than himself will perish. Liking to ask brings generosity; self-will brings narrowness.' Alas! Be careful of the end, from the beginning. Support those with ritual, and overturn the dark and violent. Revere the Way of Heaven, and forever keep Heaven's mandate."

湯既黜夏命，復歸於亳，作《湯誥》。

Tang had already deposed Xia's mandate and returned to Bo, and composed the Proclamation of Tang.

王歸自克夏，至於亳，誕告萬方。王曰：“嗟！爾萬方有眾，明聽予一人誥。

The king, having returned from defeating Xia, reached Bo and made a great proclamation to the ten thousand quarters. The king said: "Ah! All you of the ten thousand quarters, hear clearly the proclamation of me, the one man.

惟皇上帝，降衷於下民。若有恆性，克綏厥猷惟後。夏王滅德作威，以敷虐於爾萬方百姓。爾萬方百姓，罹其兇害，弗忍荼毒，並告無辜於上下神祗。天道福善禍淫，降災於夏，以彰厥罪。肆臺小子，將天命明威，不敢赦。敢用玄牡，敢昭告於上天神後，請罪有夏。聿求元聖，與之戮力，以與爾有眾請命。上天孚佑下民，罪人黜伏，天命弗僣，賁若草木，兆民允殖。俾予一人輯寧爾邦家，茲朕未知獲戾於上下，慄慄危懼，若將隕於深淵。凡我造邦，無從匪彝，無即慆淫，各守爾典，以承天休。爾有善，朕弗敢蔽；罪當朕躬，弗敢自赦，惟簡在上帝之心。其爾萬方有罪，在予一人；予一人有罪，無以爾萬方。嗚呼！尚克時忱，乃亦有終。”

(King Tang continued:) The great Lord on High has sent down sincerity to the people below. One who follows the constant nature and can settle that Way is the ruler. The king of Xia destroyed virtue and made great use of awe and cruelty, and spread his tyranny upon you, the people of the ten thousand quarters. You people of the ten thousand quarters suffered his cruelty and could not bear the poison, and together you told the spirits above and below of your innocence. The Way of Heaven blesses the good and sends misfortune on the licentious, and sent disaster to Xia to make plain his crime. So I, this young man, carrying the bright majesty of Heaven's mandate, dared not forgive. I dared to use a black bull, and clearly announced to Heaven and Earth, asking about Xia's crimes. Then I sought a great sage, and joined strength with him to ask for the lives of you, the multitude. Heaven truly protects the people below, the guilty are deposed and subdued, Heaven's mandate has no error, the splendor is as lush as grass and trees, and the hundred millions of people can truly multiply. In order that I, the one man, may bring peace and harmony to your states and houses, at this time I do not yet know whether I have offended above or below, and I tremble, as if about to fall into a deep abyss. All the states I enfeoff must not follow what is unlawful, must not turn to laxity and licentiousness, but each keep your constant statutes in order to receive Heaven's fine gift. If you have good, I do not dare conceal it; if the guilt is on me, I do not dare to pardon myself, but let it be examined in the Lord on High's own heart. If you of the ten thousand quarters have guilt, the responsibility is mine, the one man; if I, the one man, have guilt, do not lay it on you of the ten thousand quarters. Alas! May we be truly sincere in this way, and so have a good end."

〖明居〗咎單作《明居》。

[Bright Dwelling] Jiu Dan composed the Bright Dwelling.

成湯既沒，太甲元年，伊尹作《伊訓》、《肆命》、《徂後》。

Cheng Tang had died, and in the first year of Taijia, Yi Yin composed the Instructions of Yi, the Sixth Command, and the Going to the Ruler.

惟元祀十有二月乙丑，伊尹祠於先王。奉嗣王祗見厥祖，侯、甸群后鹹在，百官緫己以聽冢宰。伊尹乃明言烈祖之成德，以訓於王。曰：“嗚呼！古有夏先後，方懋厥德，罔有天災。山川鬼神，亦莫不寧，暨鳥獸魚鱉鹹若。於其子孫弗率，皇天降災，假手於我有命，造攻自鳴條，朕哉自亳。惟我商王，布昭聖武，代虐以寬，兆民允懷。今王嗣厥德，罔不在初，立愛惟親，立敬惟長，始於家邦，終於四海。嗚呼！先王肇修人紀，從諫弗咈，先民時若。居上克明，為下克忠，與人不求備，檢身若不及，以至於有萬邦，茲惟艱哉！敷求哲人，俾輔於爾後嗣，制官刑，儆於有位。曰：‘敢有恆舞於宮，酣歌於室，時謂巫風，敢有殉於貨色，恆於遊畋，時謂淫風。敢有侮聖言，逆忠直，遠耆德，比頑童，時謂亂風。惟茲三風十愆，卿士有一於身，家必喪；邦君有一於身，國必亡。臣下不匡，其刑墨，具訓於蒙士。’嗚呼！嗣王祗厥身，念哉！聖謨洋洋，嘉言孔彰。惟上帝不常，作善降之百祥，作不善降之百殃。爾惟德罔小，萬邦惟慶；爾惟不德罔大，墜厥宗。”

On the yichou day of the twelfth month of the first year, Yi Yin made a sacrifice in the temple of the former king. Bearing the successor king, he reverently presented him to his ancestors, with the lords of the Hou and Dian zones from all quarters present, and the hundred officials under the chief steward listening for orders. Yi Yin then clearly proclaimed the accomplished virtue of the glorious ancestors, to admonish the successor king. He said: "Alas! In ancient times, the former rulers of the house of Xia were diligent in cultivating virtue, and there were no disasters from Heaven. The spirits of the mountains and rivers were all at peace, and even birds, beasts, fish and turtles were at ease. When their descendants did not follow, August Heaven sent down calamity, using our hands who received the mandate, and the attack began from Mingtiao, and our Shang began from Bo. Our king of Shang made plain his sacred martial power, replaced cruelty with generosity, and the hundred millions of people truly cherished him. Now the king inherits that virtue, and there is nothing that is not in the beginning: to establish love, start from one's kin; to establish respect, start from one's elders; start from the family and state, and finally reach the four seas. Alas! The former king began by making clear the guiding principles of human conduct, accepted remonstrance without opposing it, and followed those who came before. Above he was able to be perceptive, below he was able to be loyal; in dealing with others he did not demand perfection, and in checking himself he seemed always afraid of falling short, until he came to possess the ten thousand states; this was hard! Seek widely for the wise to assist your successors; establish official punishments to warn those in office. Say: 'If anyone dares constantly to dance in the palace, or to drink and sing in the rooms, this is called the shaman's habit; if anyone dares to covet goods and women or constantly to roam and hunt, this is called the licentious habit; if anyone dares to insult the words of the sages, resist the loyal and upright, keep far from the old and virtuous and be close to stubborn youths, this is called the disorderly habit. If a minister has one of these three habits and ten faults, his family will certainly be lost; if a lord of a state has one, his state will certainly perish. If subordinates do not correct it, they are punished with the brand; these are all taught to the lower officers.' Alas! Successor king, be reverent in yourself and remember this! The sage's counsel is vast and its fine words are very clear. The Lord on High is not constant: do good and he sends down many blessings; do not do good and he sends down many calamities. If you cultivate virtue, however small, the ten thousand states will rejoice; if you do not cultivate virtue, however great, you will fall into the ruin of your own ancestral temple."

太甲既立，不明，伊尹放諸桐。三年復歸於亳，思庸，伊尹作《太甲》三篇。

Taijia, having acceded to the throne, did not understand the principles of things, and Yi Yin exiled him to Tong. After three years he returned to Bo, thinking of the constant Way, and Yi Yin composed the three chapters of Taijia.

惟嗣王不惠於阿衡，伊尹作書曰：“先王顧諟天之明命，以承上下神祗。

The successor king did not follow Aheng (Yi Yin), and Yi Yin wrote: "The former king looked to Heaven's bright command, in order to serve the spirits above and below.

社稷宗廟，罔不祗肅。天監厥德，用集大命，撫綏萬方。惟尹躬克左右厥闢，宅師，肆嗣王丕承基緒。惟尹躬先見於西邑夏，自周有終。相亦惟終；其後嗣王罔克有終，相亦罔終，嗣王戒哉！祗爾厥闢，闢不闢，忝厥祖。”

(Yi Yin continued:) The altars of the state and the ancestral temples, none were not treated with reverence and solemnity. Heaven observed that virtue, and so concentrated its great command and gave peace to the ten thousand quarters. I, Yi Yin, was able to support my lord and settle the multitude, so the successor king was able to greatly inherit the foundation and line. I, Yi Yin, saw first of all that the Xia of the western town, being loyal and trustworthy, had an end ("zhou" here is read as loyal and trustworthy), and its ministers also had an end; the later successor kings could not have an end, and their ministers could not have an end, so the successor king should be on guard! Be reverent in the duties of a ruler; a ruler who is not like a ruler will disgrace his ancestors."

王惟庸罔念聞。伊尹乃言曰：“先王昧爽丕顯，坐以待旦。旁求俊彥，啟迪後人，無越厥命以自覆。慎乃儉德，惟懷永圖。若虞機張，往省括於度則釋。欽厥止，率乃祖攸行，惟朕以懌，萬世有辭。”

The king was merely mediocre, not thinking and not listening. Yi Yin then said: "The former king, before dawn, brightly displayed his radiance and sat waiting for daylight. He sought widely for the eminent, to guide later generations, and did not overstep that command and thereby overturn himself. Be careful of your virtue of thrift, and hold only long-term plans. Like the gamekeeper who draws the crossbow and checks that the notch matches the standard before shooting. Be reverent in the place where you should stop, follow what your ancestors did, and I will be pleased, and for ten thousand generations there will be fine words."

王未克變。伊尹曰：“茲乃不義，習與性成。予弗狎於弗順，營於桐宮，密邇先王其訓，無俾世迷。王徂桐宮居憂，克終允德。”

The king still could not change. Yi Yin said: "This is unrighteous; habit and nature are formed together. I cannot be close to one who does not comply; build a dwelling at the palace at Tong, near the former king, to receive instruction, so that he is not confused all his life. When the king goes to the palace at Tong to keep mourning and anxiety, he can then accomplish the virtue of sincerity."

惟三祀十有二月朔，伊尹以冕服奉嗣王歸於亳，作書曰：“民非後，罔克胥匡以生；後非民，罔以闢四方。皇天眷佑有商，俾嗣王克終厥德，實萬世無疆之休。”

On the first day of the twelfth month of the third year, Yi Yin brought the successor king back to Bo in ceremonial robes, and wrote: "Without a ruler, the people cannot correct one another and survive; without the people, the ruler cannot rule the four quarters. August Heaven looks on and protects Shang, enabling the successor king to accomplish that virtue; truly it is a fine matter of ten thousand generations without limit."

王拜手稽首曰：“予小子不明於德，自厎不類。欲敗度，縱敗禮，以速戾於厥躬。天作孽，猶可違；自作孽，不可逭。既往背師保之訓，弗克於厥初，尚賴匡救之德，圖惟厥終。”

The king knelt and bowed with his forehead to the ground, saying: "I, this young man, did not understand virtue, and by myself came to be unworthy. Desire ruined the law and indulgence ruined ritual, and so I soon brought guilt upon myself. A disaster sent down by Heaven can still be avoided; evil done by oneself cannot be escaped. In the past I went against the warnings of my teacher and guardian, and could not do well from the start, and still I hope for the virtue of correction and rescue, to seek a good end."

伊尹拜手稽首曰：“修厥身，允德協於下，惟明後。先王子惠困窮，民服厥命，罔有不悅。並其有邦厥鄰，乃曰：‘徯我後，後來無罰。’王懋乃德，視乃厥祖，無時豫怠。奉先思孝，接下思恭。視遠惟明；聽德惟聰。朕承王之休無斁。”

Yi Yin knelt and bowed with his forehead to the ground, saying: "To cultivate oneself so that the virtue of sincerity harmonizes with those below is what makes a wise ruler. The former king loved the poor and needy, and the people obeyed his orders, and none were not pleased. Even his neighboring states all said: 'We wait for our lord, and when he comes there will be no punishment.' King, strive in your virtue, follow your ancestors, and let there be no moment of idleness or laziness. In serving your forebears think of filial piety, in receiving ministers think of respect. In looking far be clear-sighted; in hearing virtue be acute. I receive the king's fine gifts without weariness."

伊尹申誥於王曰：“嗚呼！惟天無親，克敬惟親。民罔常懷，懷於有仁。鬼神無常享，享於克誠。天位艱哉！德惟治，否德亂。與治同道，罔不興；與亂同事，罔不亡。終始慎厥與，惟明明後。先王惟時懋敬厥德，克配上帝。今王嗣有令緒，尚監茲哉。若升高，必自下，若陟遐，必自邇。無輕民事，惟難；無安厥位，惟危。慎終於始。有言逆於汝心，必求諸道；有言遜於汝志，必求諸非道。

Yi Yin again admonished the king, saying: "Alas! Heaven has no private kin; it draws close to those who are reverent. The people have no fixed object of longing; they long for those who are benevolent. Ghosts and spirits have no fixed object of enjoyment; they enjoy those who are sincere. The position of Son of Heaven is hard! With virtue one can govern, and without virtue there is disorder. Those who follow the same Way as a well-governed age never fail to flourish; those who do the same things as a disordered age never fail to perish. To be careful about whom one allies with, from beginning to end, is the mark of a truly wise ruler. The former king therefore strove to be reverent about that virtue, and was able to match the Lord on High. Now the king inherits a fine legacy, and should observe these things. To ascend high, one must begin from below; to go far, one must begin from near. Do not treat the people's affairs as easy, but see them as difficult; do not be at ease in your position, but see it as dangerous. Be careful of the end at the beginning. When there are words that go against your heart, you must seek confirmation through the Way; when there are words that follow your will, you must seek confirmation from the side of what is not the Way.

嗚呼！弗慮胡獲？弗為胡成？一人元良，萬邦以貞。君罔以辯言亂舊政，臣罔以寵利居成功，邦其永孚於休。”

(Yi Yin continued:) Alas! Without thinking, how can one gain? Without acting, how can one succeed? When the Son of Heaven, the one man, is greatly good, the ten thousand states are set right. Let the ruler not use clever argument to disturb the old government, and let ministers not claim merit on the basis of favor and gain, and the state can forever be sincere in goodness."

伊尹作《咸有一德》。

Yi Yin composed All Have Pure Virtue.

伊尹既復政厥闢，將告歸，乃陳戒於德。曰：“嗚呼！天難諶，命靡常。常厥德，保厥位。厥德匪常，九有以亡。夏王弗克庸德，慢神虐民。皇天弗保，監於萬方，啟迪有命，眷求一德，俾作神主。惟尹躬暨湯，咸有一德，克享天心，受天明命，以有九有之師，爰革夏正。非天私我有商，惟天佑於一德；非商求於下民，惟民歸於一德。德惟一，動罔不吉；德二三，動罔不兇。惟吉凶不僣在人，惟天降災祥在德。今嗣王新服厥命，惟新厥德。終始惟一，時乃日新。任官惟賢材，左右惟其人。臣為上為德，為下為民。其難其慎，惟和惟一。德無常師，主善為師。善無常主，協於克一。俾萬姓鹹曰：‘大哉王言。’又曰：‘一哉王心’。

Yi Yin had already returned the government to the ruler, and was about to take his leave, and so set out his admonition concerning virtue. He said: "Alas! Heaven is hard to trust, and the mandate is not constant. Only by constantly keeping that virtue can one keep one's position. If that virtue cannot be constant, the nine provinces will be lost because of it. The king of Xia could not constantly cultivate virtue, was disrespectful to the spirits and tyrannical to the people. August Heaven did not protect him, but looked over the ten thousand quarters, guided the one who would receive the mandate, and looked for one who had a pure virtue, to make him the master of the spirits. I, Yi Yin, and Tang both had a pure virtue, were able to accord with Heaven's heart, and received Heaven's bright command, and so held the multitudes of the nine provinces, and changed Xia's calendar. It was not that Heaven was partial to our Shang, but only that Heaven protects pure virtue; it was not that Shang sought the people below, but only that the people turn to pure virtue. If virtue is pure, no action is without good fortune; if virtue is fickle, no action is without misfortune. That fortune and misfortune are without error lies in people; that Heaven sends down calamity or blessing lies in virtue. Now the successor king has newly received that mandate, and must renew his virtue. Be pure from beginning to end, and only then can you renew it day by day. In appointing officials, use only the worthy; for those at your sides, only the suitable. A minister serves, above, for virtue, and below, for the people. Be difficult, be careful, be harmonious, be pure. Virtue has no fixed teacher; taking the good as master is the teacher. The good has no fixed master; what accords with purity is the master. Let the ten thousand clans say: 'How great are the king's words.' And say: 'How pure is the king's heart.'

克綏先王之祿，永厎烝民之生。嗚呼！七世之廟，可以觀德。萬夫之長，可以觀政。後非民罔使；民非後罔事。無自廣以狹人，匹夫匹婦，不獲自盡，民主罔與成厥功。”

(Yi Yin continued:) Only in this way can the former king's position be settled, and the life of the multitudes be forever accomplished. Alas! In the ancestral temples of seven generations, one can see virtue; in the head of ten thousand men, one can see government. A ruler without people has no one to command; people without a ruler have no one to serve. Do not regard yourself as great and others as small; if ordinary men and women cannot fully express what is in their hearts, the master of the people will have no one to accomplish merit with him."

〖沃丁〗沃丁既葬伊尹於亳，咎單遂訓伊尹事，作《沃丁》。

[Wo Ding] Wo Ding had buried Yi Yin at Bo, and Jiu Dan then recounted Yi Yin's deeds in instruction, and composed the Wo Ding.

〖鹹乂〗伊陟相大戊，亳有祥桑谷共生於朝。伊陟贊於巫咸，作《鹹乂》四篇。

[Xian Yi] Yi Zhi assisted Taiwu, and at Bo there was an auspicious wonder: mulberry and grain grew together in the court. Yi Zhi told Wu Xian, and composed the four chapters of Xian Yi.

〖伊陟原命〗太戊贊於伊陟，作《伊陟》、《原命》。

[Yi Zhi, Origin of the Command] Taiwu praised Yi Zhi, and composed the Yi Zhi and the Origin of the Command.

〖仲丁〗仲丁遷於囂，作《仲丁》。

[Zhong Ding] Zhong Ding moved to Ao, and composed the Zhong Ding.

〖河亶甲〗河亶甲居相，作《河亶甲》。

[He Danjia] He Danjia lived at Xiang, and composed the He Danjia.

〖祖乙〗祖乙圯於耿，作《祖乙》。

[Zu Yi] In the time of Zu Yi, Geng collapsed, and he composed the Zu Yi.