Duke Min
（經十七四）九月，公至自會。
(Classic, 17.4) In the ninth month, Duke Xi returned from the meeting.
（經十七五）十有二月乙亥，齊侯小白卒。
(Classic, 17.5) In the twelfth month, on yihai, Xiao Bai, Marquis of Qi, died.
僖公（經十八一）十有八年
春，王正月，宋公會曹伯、衛人、邾婁人伐齊。
In spring, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, the Duke of Song joined the Earl of Cao, the men of Wei and the men of Zhulou in attacking Qi.
（經十八二）夏，師救齊。五月戊寅，宋師及齊師戰於甗，齊師敗績。
(Classic, 18.2) In summer, our army went to rescue Qi. In the fifth month, on wuyin, the army of Song and the army of Qi fought at Yan, and the army of Qi was greatly defeated.
（傳）戰不言伐，此其言伐何？宋公與伐而不與戰，故言伐。《春秋》伐者為客，伐者為主。曷為不使齊主之？與襄公之徵齊也。曷為與襄公之徵齊？桓公死，豎刁、易牙爭權不葬，為是故伐之也。
(Commentary) A battle is not written as "attack"; here it is written as "attack"; why? The Duke of Song took part in the attack but did not take part in the battle, so it is written "attack." In the Spring and Autumn Annals, the attacker is the guest and the attacked is the host. Why not let Qi be the host? To approve of Duke Xiang's campaign against Qi. Why approve of Duke Xiang's campaign against Qi? When Duke Huan died, Shu Diao and Yi Ya struggled for power and did not allow the burial, and for this reason he attacked.
（經十八三）狄救齊。
(Classic, 18.3) The Di rescued Qi.
（經十八四）秋，八月丁亥，葬齊桓公。
(Classic, 18.4) In autumn, in the eighth month, on dinghai, Duke Huan of Qi was buried.
（經十八五）冬，邢人、狄人伐衛。
(Classic, 18.5) In winter, the men of Xing and the Di attacked Wei.
僖公（經十九一）十有九年
春，王三月，宋人執滕子嬰齊。
In spring, in the third month of the Zhou calendar, the men of Song seized Yingqi, Viscount of Teng.
（經十九二）夏，六月，宋人、曹人、邾婁人盟於曹南。鄫子會盟於邾婁。
(Classic, 19.2) In summer, in the sixth month, the men of Song, the men of Cao and the men of Zhulou made a covenant at Caonan. The Viscount of Zeng went to Zhulou to join the covenant.
（傳）其言會盟何？後會也。
(Commentary) Why is it written "met in covenant"? Because he arrived late and joined the meeting afterward.
（經十九三）己酉，邾婁人執鄫子用之。
(Classic, 19.3) On jiyou, the men of Zhulou seized the Viscount of Zeng and used him.
（傳）惡乎用之？用之社也。其用之社奈何？蓋叩其鼻以血社也。
(Commentary) Where was he used? At the altar of the soil. How was he used at the altar? Probably they struck his nose and used the blood to sacrifice at the altar.
（經十九四）秋，宋人圍曹。
(Classic, 19.4) In autumn, the men of Song besieged Cao.
（經十九五）衛人伐邢。
(Classic, 19.5) The men of Wei attacked Xing.
（經十九六）冬，公會陳人、蔡人、楚人、鄭人盟於齊。梁亡。
(Classic, 19.6) In winter, Duke Xi met the men of Chen, the men of Cai, the men of Chu and the men of Zheng in a covenant at Qi. Liang perished.
（傳）此未有伐者，其言梁亡何？自亡也。其自亡奈何？魚爛而亡也。
(Commentary) No one had come to attack before, so why does it say "Liang perished"? It perished of itself. How does one perish of oneself? Like a fish that rots from within its belly.
僖公（經二十一）二十年
春，新作南門。
In spring, the South Gate was newly rebuilt.
（傳）何以書？譏。何譏爾？門有古常也。
(Commentary) Why is it recorded? As a criticism. What is criticized? The gate had an ancient fixed form.
（經二十二）夏，郜子來朝。
(Classic, 20.2) In summer, the Viscount of Gao came to court.
（傳）郜子者何？失地之君也。何以不名？兄弟辭也。
(Commentary) Who was the Viscount of Gao? A ruler who had lost his land. Why is his name not given? This is the wording used among brothers.
（經二十三）五月乙巳，西宮災。
(Classic, 20.3) In the fifth month, on yisi, the West Palace caught fire.
（傳）西宮者何？小寢也。小寢則曷為謂之西宮？有西宮則有東宮矣。魯子曰：「以有西宮，亦知諸侯之有三宮也。」西宮災，何以書？記災也。
(Commentary) What was the West Palace? It was the small side chamber. If it was a small side chamber, why was it called the West Palace? If there is a West Palace, there is an East Palace. Master Lu said: "Because there was a West Palace, we also know that a lord has three palaces." Why is the fire of the West Palace recorded? To record a disaster.
（經二十四）鄭人入滑。
(Classic, 20.4) The men of Zheng entered Hua.
（經二十五）秋，齊人、狄人盟於邢。
(Classic, 20.5) In autumn, the men of Qi and the Di made a covenant at Xing.
（經二十六）冬，楚人伐隨。
(Classic, 20.6) In winter, the men of Chu attacked Sui.
僖公（經二一一）二十有一年
春，狄侵衛。宋人、齊人、楚人盟於鹿上。
In spring, the Di invaded Wei. The men of Song, the men of Qi and the men of Chu made a covenant at Lushang.
（經二一二）夏，大旱。
(Classic, 21.2) In summer, there was a great drought.
（傳）何以書？記災也。
(Commentary) Why is it recorded? To record a disaster.
（經二一三）秋，宋公、楚子、陳侯、蔡侯、鄭伯、許男、曹伯會於霍，執宋公以伐宋。
(Classic, 21.3) In autumn, the Duke of Song, the Viscount of Chu, the Marquis of Chen, the Marquis of Cai, the Earl of Zheng, the Baron of Xu and the Earl of Cao met at Yu, and seized the Duke of Song in order to attack Song.
（傳）孰執之？楚子執之。曷為不言楚子執之？不與夷狄之執中國也。
(Commentary) Who seized him? The Viscount of Chu seized him. Why does the text not say the Viscount of Chu seized him? Because it disapproves of barbarians seizing a man of the central states.
（經二一四）冬，公伐邾婁。
(Classic, 21.4) In winter, Duke Xi attacked Zhulou.
（經二一五）楚人使宜申來獻捷。
(Classic, 21.5) The men of Chu sent Yi Shen to present spoils of war.
（傳）此楚子也，其稱人何？貶。曷為貶？為執宋公貶。曷為為執宋公貶？宋公與楚子期以乘車之會，公子目夷諫曰：「楚，夷國也，強而無義，請君以兵車之會往。」宋公曰：「不可。吾與之約以乘車之會，自我為之，自我墮之，曰不可。」終以乘車之會往，楚人果伏兵車，執宋公以伐宋。宋公謂公子目夷曰：「子歸守國矣。國，子之國也。吾不從子之言，以至乎此。」公子目夷復曰：「君雖不言國，國固臣之國也。」於是歸設守械而守國。楚人謂宋人曰：「子不與我國，吾將殺子君矣。」宋人應之曰：「吾賴社稷之神靈，吾國已有君矣。」楚人知雖殺宋公，猶不得宋國，於是釋宋公。宋公釋乎執，走之衛。公子目夷復曰：「國為君守之，君曷為不入？」然後逆襄公歸。惡乎捷？捷乎宋。曷為不言捷乎宋？為襄公諱也。此圍辭也，曷為不言其圍？為公子目夷諱也。
(Commentary) This was the Viscount of Chu; why is he called "the men of"? It is a demotion. Why a demotion? Because he seized the Duke of Song. Why demote him for seizing the Duke of Song? The Duke of Song and the Viscount of Chu agreed to meet in carriages, and Prince Mu Yi remonstrated, saying: "Chu is a barbarian state, violent and without righteousness; I ask my lord to go with a force of war chariots." The Duke of Song said: "No. I agreed with him on a meeting in carriages; I made the agreement, and if I were then to break it, that would be unacceptable." In the end he went with the carriage meeting, and the men of Chu indeed hid war chariots in ambush and seized the Duke of Song to attack Song. The Duke of Song said to Prince Mu Yi: "Go back and guard the state. The state is yours. Because I did not listen to you, it has come to this." Prince Mu Yi replied: "Even if my lord had not spoken of the state, the state is originally my state." So he went back and set up defenses to guard the state. The men of Chu said to the men of Song: "If you do not give us the state, we will kill your ruler." The men of Song answered: "By the grace of the spirits of the altars, our state already has a ruler." The men of Chu knew that even if they killed the Duke of Song they would not obtain Song, so they released him. The Duke of Song, freed from capture, fled to Wei. Prince Mu Yi again said: "The state is being guarded for my lord; why does my lord not come in?" Then he welcomed Duke Xiang back. From where did the spoils of war come? From Song. Why does the text not say spoils from Song? To conceal it for Duke Xiang. This was originally the wording for a siege; why is a siege not written? To conceal it for Prince Mu Yi.
（經二一六）十有二月癸丑，公會諸侯盟於薄。釋宋公。
(Classic, 21.6) In the twelfth month, on guichou, Duke Xi met the lords in a covenant at Bo. The Duke of Song was released.
（傳）執未有言釋之者，此其言釋之何？公與為爾也。公與為爾奈何？公與議爾也。
(Commentary) Seizure is never written as "release"; here it is written "release"; why? Because Duke Xi took part in this matter. How did Duke Xi take part? Duke Xi took part in the deliberation.
僖公（經二二一）二十有二年
春，公伐邾婁，取須朐。
In spring, Duke Xi attacked Zhulou and took Xuqu.
（經二二二）夏，宋公、衛侯、許男、滕子伐鄭。
(Classic, 22.2) In summer, the Duke of Song, the Marquis of Wei, the Baron of Xu and the Viscount of Teng attacked Zheng.
（經二二三）秋，八月丁未，及邾婁人戰於升陘。
(Classic, 22.3) In autumn, in the eighth month, on dingwei, fought the men of Zhulou at Shengjing.
（經二二四）冬，十有一月己巳朔，宋公及楚人戰於泓，宋師敗績。
(Classic, 22.4) In winter, in the eleventh month, on the first day, jisi, the Duke of Song fought the men of Chu at Hong, and the army of Song was greatly defeated.
（傳）偏戰者日爾，此其言朔何？《春秋》辭繁而不殺者，正也。何正爾？宋公與楚人期，戰於泓之陽。楚人濟泓而來。有司復曰：「請迨其未畢濟而系之。」宋公曰：「不可。吾聞之也：君子不厄人。吾雖喪國之餘，寡人不忍行也。」既濟，未畢陳，有司復曰：「請迨其未畢陳而擊之。」宋公曰：「不可。吾聞之也：君子不鼓不成列。」已陳，然後襄公鼓之，宋師大敗。故君子大其不鼓不成列，臨大事而不忘大禮，有君而無臣，以為雖文王之戰，亦不過此也。
(Commentary) For a battle fought at an agreed time, only the day is recorded; why is "first day" written here? When the Spring and Autumn Annals' wording is elaborate and not reduced, that is the correct form. Where is the correctness? The Duke of Song agreed with the men of Chu to fight on the north bank of the Hong. The men of Chu crossed the Hong and came. The officer reported: "Please stop them before they have finished crossing." The Duke of Song said: "No. I have heard that a gentleman does not drive people into straits. Though I am the remnant of a fallen house, I cannot bear to do that." When they had finished crossing and had not yet formed their ranks, the officer reported: "Please attack them before they have formed their ranks." The Duke of Song said: "No. I have heard that a gentleman does not beat the drum to advance against those who have not formed ranks." Only after they had formed ranks did Duke Xiang beat the drum, and the army of Song was greatly defeated. So the gentleman values that he did not beat the drum against those not in formation, and that in the face of a great matter he did not forget the great rite. Having such a ruler but not such ministers, it is held that even the battles of King Wen would have been no different.
僖公（經二三一）二十有三年
春，齊侯伐宋圍緡。
In spring, the Marquis of Qi attacked Song and besieged Min.
（傳）邑不言圍，此其言圍何？疾重故也。
(Commentary) A walled town is usually not written as "besieged"; here it is written "besieged"; why? Because he is hated for having done the matter too heavily.
（經二三二）夏，五月庚寅，宋公慈父卒。
(Classic, 23.2) In summer, in the fifth month, on gengyin, Cifu, Duke of Song, died.
（傳）何以不書葬？盈乎諱也。
(Commentary) Why is the burial not recorded? The concealment was already complete.
（經二三三）秋，楚人伐陳。
(Classic, 23.3) In autumn, the men of Chu attacked Chen.
（經二三四）冬，十有一月，杞子卒。
(Classic, 23.4) In winter, in the eleventh month, the Viscount of Qi died.
僖公（經二四一）二十有四年
春，王正月。
In spring, in the first month of the Zhou calendar.
（經二四二）夏，狄伐鄭。
(Classic, 24.2) In summer, the Di attacked Zheng.
（經二四三）秋，七月。
(Classic, 24.3) In autumn, in the seventh month.
（經二四四）冬，天王出居於鄭。
(Classic, 24.4) In winter, the Son of Heaven went out and stayed in Zheng.
（傳）王者無外，此其言出何？不能乎母也。魯子曰：「是王也，不能乎母者，其諸此之謂與？」
(Commentary) A true king has no "outside"; here it is written "went out"; why? Because he could not serve his mother. Master Lu said: "This Son of Heaven could not serve his mother; probably this is what is meant."
（經二四五）晉侯夷吾卒。
(Classic, 24.5) Yi Wu, Marquis of Jin, died.