Duke Wen

春，王正月，公即位。

In spring, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, Duke Wen took the throne.

（經一二）二月癸亥朔，日有食之。

(Classic, 1.2) In the second month, on the first day, guihai, there was a solar eclipse.

（經一三）天王使叔服來會葬。

(Classic, 1.3) The Son of Heaven sent Shu Fu to attend the funeral.

（傳）其言來會葬何？會葬禮也。

(Commentary) What does "came to attend the funeral" mean? Attending a funeral is proper.

（經一四）夏，四月丁巳，葬我君僖公。天王使毛伯來錫公命。

(Classic, 1.4) In summer, in the fourth month, on dingsi, our ruler Duke Xi of Lu was buried. The Son of Heaven sent Mao Bo to bestow the ceremonial robes of appointment on Duke Wen.

（傳）錫者何？賜也。命者何？加我服也。

(Commentary) What does "bestow" mean? It means to give. What does "appointment" mean? It means conferring the ceremonial robes of appointment on me.

（經一五）晉侯伐衛。

(Classic, 1.5) The Marquis of Jin attacked Wei.

（經一六）叔孫得臣如京師。

(Classic, 1.6) Shusun Dechen went to the capital.

（經一七）衛人伐晉。

(Classic, 1.7) The men of Wei attacked Jin.

（經一八）秋，公孫敖會晉侯於戚。

(Classic, 1.8) In autumn, Gongsun Ao met the Marquis of Jin at Qi.

（經一九）冬，十月丁未，楚世子商臣弒其君髡。

(Classic, 1.9) In winter, in the tenth month, on dingwei, Shangchen, heir of Chu, killed his ruler Kun.

（經一十）公孫敖如齊。

(Classic, 1.10) Gongsun Ao went to Qi.

春，王二月甲子，晉侯及秦師戰於彭衙，秦師敗績。

In spring, in the second month of the Zhou calendar, on jiazi, the Marquis of Jin fought the army of Qin at Pengya, and the army of Qin was greatly defeated.

（經二二）丁丑，作僖公主。

(Classic, 2.2) On dingchou, the spirit tablet of Duke Xi was made.

（傳）作僖公主者何？為僖公作主也。主者曷用？虞主用桑，練主用栗。用栗者，藏主也。作僖公主，何以書？譏。何譏爾？不時也。其不時奈何？欲久喪而後不能也。

(Commentary) What does "made the tablet of Duke Xi" mean? It means making a spirit tablet for Duke Xi. What is the tablet made of? The tablet for the yu sacrifice is of mulberry wood and the tablet for the lian sacrifice is of chestnut wood. One made of chestnut is the tablet to be stored in the temple. Why is the making of Duke Xi's tablet recorded? As a criticism. What is criticized? That it was not timely. How was it not timely? He had meant to extend the mourning period very long, and afterward could not carry it out.

（經二三）三月乙巳，及晉處父盟。

(Classic, 2.3) In the third month, on yisi, made a covenant with Chufu of Jin.

（傳）此晉陽處父也，何以不氏？諱與大夫盟也。

(Commentary) This was Yang Chufu of Jin; why is his clan name not written? To conceal a covenant with a grand master.

（經二四）夏，六月，公孫敖會宋公、陳侯、鄭伯、晉士縠，盟於垂斂。

(Classic, 2.4) In summer, in the sixth month, Gongsun Ao met the Duke of Song, the Marquis of Chen, the Earl of Zheng and Shi Hu of Jin, and made a covenant at Chuilian.

（經二五）自十有二月不雨，至於秋七月。

(Classic, 2.5) From the twelfth month there was no rain, until autumn, the seventh month.

（傳）何以書？記異也。大旱以災書，此亦旱也，曷為以異書？大旱之日短而云災，故以災書；此不雨之日長而無災，故以異書也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? To record an anomaly. A great drought is recorded as a disaster, and this is also a drought; why is it recorded as an anomaly? A great drought of short duration is called a disaster, so it is recorded as a disaster; here the days without rain were long but it did not become a calamity, so it is recorded as an anomaly.

（經二六）八月丁卯，大事於太廟，躋僖公。

(Classic, 2.6) In the eighth month, on dingmao, the great sacrifice was held in the Grand Temple, and Duke Xi was raised in rank.

（傳）大事者何？大祫也。大祫者何？合祭也。其合祭奈何？毀廟之主，陳於太祖；未毀廟之主皆升，合食於太祖，五年而再殷祭。躋者何？升也。何言乎升僖公？譏。何譏爾？逆祀也。其逆祀奈何？先禰而後祖也。

(Commentary) What is the "great affair"? It is the great xia sacrifice. What is the great xia? It is the combined sacrifice. How is the combined sacrifice performed? The tablets of those whose temples have been removed are displayed in the temple of the Grand Ancestor; the tablets not yet removed are all raised up and receive sacrifice together in the temple of the Grand Ancestor, and every five years a grand combined sacrifice is held again. What does "xian" mean? It means to raise. Why is it said that Duke Xi was raised? As a criticism. What is criticized? The inversion of the sacrifice. How was the sacrifice inverted? The father was placed in front and the grandfather behind.

（經二七）冬，晉人、宋人、陳人、鄭人伐秦。

(Classic, 2.7) In winter, the men of Jin, the men of Song, the men of Chen and the men of Zheng attacked Qin.

（經二八）公子遂如齊納幣。

(Classic, 2.8) Prince Sui went to Qi to deliver betrothal gifts.

（傳）納幣不書，此何以書？譏。何譏爾？譏喪娶也。娶在三年之外，則何譏乎喪娶？三年之內不圖婚。吉禘於莊公，譏。然則曷為不於祭焉譏？三年之恩疾矣，非虛加之也，以人心為皆有之。以人心為皆有之，則曷為獨於娶焉譏？娶者，大吉也，非常吉也。其為吉者主於己，以為有人心焉者，則宜於此焉變矣！

(Commentary) Delivering betrothal gifts is usually not recorded; why is it recorded here? As a criticism. What is criticized? Taking a wife during the mourning period. The marriage was after the three years, so why criticize marrying during mourning? Within the three years one should not plan a marriage. The auspicious di sacrifice held in the temple of Duke Zhuang was also criticized. Then why was it not criticized at the sacrifice? The grace of the three years is deeply felt, and is not artificially added, for the human heart all has this grace. If the human heart all has this grace, why criticize it only on taking a wife? Taking a wife is a great auspicious event, not an ordinary one. This auspicious event is for oneself; those held to have a human heart should change something here!

春，王正月，叔孫得臣會晉人、宋人、陳人、衛人、鄭人伐沈，沈潰。

In spring, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, Shusun Dechen joined the men of Jin, the men of Song, the men of Chen, the men of Wei and the men of Zheng in attacking Shen, and Shen collapsed (the people scattered).

（經三二）夏，五月，王子虎卒。

(Classic, 3.2) In summer, in the fifth month, Prince Hu died.

（傳）王子虎者何？天子之大夫也。外大夫不卒，此何以卒？新使乎我也。

(Commentary) Who was Prince Hu? A grand master of the Son of Heaven. The deaths of outside grand masters are usually not recorded; why is it recorded here? Because he had recently been on a mission to Lu.

（經三三）秦人伐晉。

(Classic, 3.3) The men of Qin attacked Jin.

（經三四）秋，楚人圍江。

(Classic, 3.4) In autumn, the men of Chu besieged Jiang.

（經三五）雨螽於宋。

(Classic, 3.5) Gadflies fell like rain in Song.

（傳）雨螽者何？死而墜也。何以書？記異也。外異不書，此何以書？為王者之後記異也。

(Commentary) What does "rained gadflies" mean? They died and fell. Why is it recorded? To record an anomaly. Anomalies outside the state are usually not recorded; why is this one recorded? Because Song is the descendant of a former royal house, so its anomalies are recorded.

（經三六）冬，公如晉。

(Classic, 3.6) In winter, Duke Wen went to Jin.

（經三七）十有二月己巳，公及晉侯盟。

(Classic, 3.7) In the twelfth month, on jisi, Duke Wen made a covenant with the Marquis of Jin.

（經三八）晉陽處父帥師伐楚救江。

(Classic, 3.8) Yang Chufu of Jin led an army to attack Chu in order to rescue Jiang.

（傳）此伐楚也，其言救江何？為諼也。其為諼奈何？伐楚為救江也。

(Commentary) This was an attack on Chu; why is "rescue Jiang" written? It was deception. How was it deception? On the surface he attacked Chu, but in fact it was to rescue Jiang.

春，公至自晉。

In spring, Duke Wen returned from Jin.

（經四二）夏，逆婦姜於齊。

(Classic, 4.2) In summer, he went to Qi to fetch the wife, Jiang.

（傳）其謂之逆婦姜於齊何？略之也。高子曰：「娶乎大夫者，略之也。」

(Commentary) Why is it written "fetched the wife Jiang from Qi"? To abbreviate it. Gao Zi said: "The woman taken was the daughter of a grand master, so it is abbreviated."

（經四三）狄侵齊。

(Classic, 4.3) The Di invaded Qi.

（經四四）秋，楚人滅江。

(Classic, 4.4) In autumn, the men of Chu destroyed Jiang.

（經四五）晉侯伐秦。

(Classic, 4.5) The Marquis of Jin attacked Qin.

（經四六）衛侯使寧俞來聘。

(Classic, 4.6) The Marquis of Wei sent Ning Yu to pay a visit.

（經四七）冬，十有一月壬寅，夫人風氏薨。

(Classic, 4.7) In winter, in the eleventh month, on renyin, Lady Feng died.

春，王正月，王使榮叔歸含且賵。

In spring, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, the Son of Heaven sent Rong Shu to bring the funerary jade for the mouth and the funerary carriage gifts.

（傳）含者何？口實也。其言歸含且賵何？兼之。兼之非禮也。

(Commentary) What is "han"? It is what is placed in the mouth. What does "brought han and also feng" mean? Two matters are combined. Combining them is improper.

（經五二）三月辛亥，葬我小君成風。

(Classic, 5.2) In the third month, on xinhai, our small ruler Cheng Feng was buried.

（傳）成風者何？僖公之母也。

(Commentary) Who was Cheng Feng? She was the mother of Duke Xi.

（經五三）王使召伯來會葬。

(Classic, 5.3) The Son of Heaven sent Shao Bo to attend the funeral.

（經五四）夏，公孫敖如晉。

(Classic, 5.4) In summer, Gongsun Ao went to Jin.

（經五五）秦人入鄀。

(Classic, 5.5) The men of Qin entered Ruo.

（經五六）秋，楚人滅六。

(Classic, 5.6) In autumn, the men of Chu destroyed Liu.

（經五七）冬，十月甲申，許男業卒。

(Classic, 5.7) In winter, in the tenth month, on jiashen, Ye, Baron of Xu, died.

春，葬許僖公。

In spring, Duke Xi of Xu was buried.