Duke Ai

春，鄭軒達帥師取宋於嵒。

In spring, Xuan Da of Zheng led troops and took the Song army at Yan.

（傳）其言取之何？易也。其易奈何？詐反也。

(Commentary) Why is it written 'took'? Because it was easy. How was it easy? He turned the deceit back on them.

（經十三二）夏，許男戌卒。

(Classic 13.2) In summer, Xu, Baron of Xu, died.

（經十三三）公會晉侯及吳子於黃池。

(Classic 13.3) Duke Ai met the Marquis of Jin and the Viscount of Wu at Huangchi.

（傳）吳何以稱子？吳主會也。吳主會則曷為先言晉侯？不與夷狄之主中國也。其言及吳子何？會兩伯之辭也。不與夷狄之主中國，則曷為以會兩伯之辭言之？重吳也。曷為重吳？吳在是則天下諸侯莫敢不至也。

(Commentary) Why is Wu called 'Viscount'? Because Wu presided over the covenant. When Wu presided over the covenant, why is the Marquis of Jin written first? It does not approve of barbarians being master of the Central States. Why is it written 'and the Viscount of Wu'? It is wording for a meeting of two hegemons. If it does not approve of barbarians being master of the Central States, why use wording for a meeting of two hegemons? It gives weight to Wu. Why give weight to Wu? With Wu present there, none of the lords under Heaven dared not to come.

（經十三四）楚公子申帥師伐陳。

(Classic 13.4) Prince Shen of Chu led troops to attack Chen.

（經十三五）于越入吳。

(Classic 13.5) Yue entered Wu.

（經十三六）秋，公至自會。

(Classic 13.6) In autumn, Duke Ai returned from the covenant.

（經十三七）晉魏多帥師侵衛。

(Classic 13.7) Wei Duo of Jin led troops to attack Wei.

（傳）此晉魏曼多也，曷為謂之晉魏多？譏二名，二名非禮也。

(Commentary) This was Wei Manduo of Jin; why is he called 'Wei Duo of Jin'? It criticizes the two-character name; a two-character name is not in accordance with ritual.

（經十三八）葬許元公。

(Classic 13.8) Duke Yuan of Xu was buried.

（經十三九）九月，螽。

(Classic 13.9) In the ninth month, there were gadflies.

（經十三十）冬，十有一月，有星孛於東方。

(Classic 13.10) In winter, in the eleventh month, a comet appeared in the east.

（傳）孛者何？彗星也。其言於東方何？見於旦也。何以書？記異也。

(Commentary) What is a bo? It is a comet. Why is it written 'in the east'? It was seen at dawn. Why is it recorded? It records an anomaly.

（經十三十一）盜殺陳夏彄夫。

(Classic 13.11) Bandits killed Xia Kuifu of Chen.

（經十三十二）十有二月，螽。

(Classic 13.12) In the twelfth month, there were gadflies.

春，西狩獲麟。

In spring, a hunt was held in the western suburbs and a unicorn was captured.

（傳）何以書？記異也。何異爾？非中國之獸也。然則孰狩之？薪採者也。薪採者則微者也，曷為以狩言之？大之也。曷為大之？為獲麟大之也。曷為獲麟大之？麟者仁獸也。有王者則至，無王者則不至。有以告者曰：「有麇而角者。」孔子曰：「孰為來哉！孰為來哉！」反袂拭面，涕沾袍。顏淵死，子曰：「噫！天喪予。」子路死，子曰：「噫！天祝予。」西狩獲麟，孔子曰：「吾道窮矣！」《春秋》何以始乎隱？祖之所逮聞也。所見異辭，所聞異辭，所傳聞異辭。何以終乎哀十四年？曰：備矣！君子曷為為《春秋》？撥亂世，反諸正，莫近諸《春秋》。則未知其為是與？其諸君子樂道堯舜之道與？末不亦樂乎堯舜之知君子也？制《春秋》之義以俟後聖，以君子之為，亦有樂乎此也。

(Commentary) Why is it recorded? It records an anomaly. What is the anomaly? It was not a beast of the Central States. Then who caught it? A woodcutter. A woodcutter is a lowly person; why is it described with the word 'hunt'? To magnify the event. Why magnify it? Because a unicorn was captured. Why magnify because a unicorn was captured? The unicorn is a benevolent beast. It comes only when there is a true king, and does not come when there is none. Someone came and reported, 'There is a river deer, but it has horns.' Confucius said, 'For whom has it come! For whom has it come!' He turned his sleeve to wipe his face, and tears wet his robe. When Yan Yuan died, Confucius said, 'Alas! Heaven is destroying me.' When Zilu died, Confucius said, 'Alas! Heaven is cutting me off.' When the hunt in the western suburbs captured a unicorn, Confucius said, 'My Way is exhausted!' Why does the Spring and Autumn begin with Duke Yin? It is what the grandfather could hear. The wording for what was seen differs, the wording for what was heard differs, and the wording for what was transmitted by hearsay differs. Why does it stop at the fourteenth year of Duke Ai? The answer is: it is complete! Why did the gentleman compose the Spring and Autumn? To set right a disordered age and return it to the correct way, nothing is closer than the Spring and Autumn. Is it not known whether this was for that purpose? Or did the gentleman delight in praising the Way of Yao and Shun? In the end, was it not also his delight that Yao and Shun should know the gentleman? He fixed the righteousness of the Spring and Autumn to await the sages of later ages, and by the gentleman's undertaking, there was also delight in this.