Duke Zhuang
秋，公子結媵陳人之婦於鄄，遂及齊侯、宋公盟。媵，淺事也，不志；此其志何也？闢要盟也。何以見其闢要盟也？媵，禮之輕者也；盟，國之重也。以輕事遂乎國重無說，其曰陳人之婦，略之也。其不日，數渝，惡之也。
In autumn, Gongzi Jie escorted the bride's attendants to Juan to serve as secondary wives for the new bride of the men of Chen, and then made a covenant with the Marquis of Qi and the Duke of Song. Escorting secondary wives was a trivial matter, which the text normally does not record; here it records, why? To avoid the matter of being coerced into the covenant. How can we see that it avoids the matter of being coerced into the covenant? Escorting secondary wives is the lightest matter in ritual, and making a covenant is the weightiest matter of a state. To accomplish a heavy state matter "thereupon" through a light matter does not make sense. Calling her "the wife of a man of Chen" writes her in a brief way. The day is not recorded because this covenant was broken many times, so it is loathed.
夫人姜氏如莒。婦人既嫁不逾竟，逾竟非正也。
The lady Jiang went to Ju. A woman after marriage should not leave the borders again, and leaving the borders is not in accord with the right way.
冬，齊人、宋人、陳人伐我西鄙。其曰鄙，遠之也。其遠之何也？不以難邇我國也。
In winter, the men of Qi, the men of Song and the men of Chen attacked the western border town of our state of Lu. Calling it "border" makes the war seem far from the capital. Why say it is far? So as not to make the calamity appear to have already pressed close to the heart of our state of Lu.
二十年春，王二月，夫人姜氏如莒。婦人既嫁不逾竟，逾竟非正也。
In spring of the twentieth year, in the second month of the Zhou calendar, the lady Jiang went to Ju. A woman after marriage should not leave the borders again, and leaving the borders is not in accord with the right way.
二十有二年春，王正月，肆大眚。肆，失也。眚，災也。災紀也，失故也，為嫌天子之葬也。
In spring of the twenty-second year, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, there was a great amnesty. "Si" means to pardon, and "sheng" means calamity. Recording the calamity is recording the matter; pardoning old wrongs is to avoid the suspicion of "as if conducting the Son of Heaven's burial".
癸丑，葬我小君文姜。小君非君也，其曰君何也？以其為公配，可以言小君也。
On guichou, our state's lesser sovereign Wen Jiang was buried. A lesser sovereign is not the ruler; why is she also called "sovereign"? Because she is the ruler's consort, and may be called lesser sovereign.
陳人殺其公子禦寇。言公子而不言大夫，公子未命為大夫也；其曰公子，何也？公子之重視大夫，命以執公子。
The men of Chen killed their prince Yukou. He is called "prince" and not "grand master" because this prince had not yet received a commission as grand master. Why is he still called "prince"? A prince's rank is as honored as a grand master's, and when someone is commissioned to execute him, he is still written as a prince.
秋，七月丙申，及齊高傒盟於防。不言公，高傒伉也。
In autumn, the seventh month, bingshen day, he made a covenant at Fang with Gao Xi of Qi. The word "Duke" is not written because Gao Xi put on the airs of an equal to a ruler.
冬，公如齊納幣。納幣，大夫之事也。禮有納采，有問名，有納徵，有告期，四者備而後娶，禮也。公之親納幣，非禮也，故譏之。
In winter, Duke Zhuang went to Qi to deliver the betrothal gifts. Delivering betrothal gifts was properly the business of a grand master. Ritual has the presenting of the proposal, the asking of the name, the sending of the betrothal gifts and the announcing of the date; only when all four are complete and then the bride is fetched is it in accord with ritual. For Duke Zhuang to deliver the gifts in person was not in accord with ritual, and so he is criticized.
祭叔來聘。其不言使，何也？天子之內臣也。不正其外交，故不與使也。
Ji Shu came on a mission to Lu. Why is it not written "sent by the Heavenly King"? Because he was a minister of the Son of Heaven's royal domain. The text does not acknowledge his private diplomacy, and so does not give him the word "sent".
夏，公如齊觀社。常事曰視，非常曰觀。觀，無事之辭也，以是為屍女也，無事不出竟。公至自齊。公如，往時，正也。致月，故也。如往月致，月有懼焉爾。
In summer, Duke Zhuang went to Qi to watch the sacrifice at the altar of the soil. Ordinary matters are written as "see", and those not in accord with the norm are written as "watch". "Watch" means there was no public business to do, and this trip is viewed as him having gone to look at a woman. Without public business one should not leave the borders. Duke Zhuang returned from Qi. If going abroad is recorded by season for the going and by season for the return, that is the regular form; returning with the month recorded is because there was an incident. If the going is recorded by month and the return also by month, there was something to fear in that month.
荊人來聘。善累而後進之。其曰人何也？舉道不待再。
A man of Jing came on a mission. Good deeds accumulate one by one, and only then is he raised one step. Why call him "man"? Once the path of his advancement is set out, there is no need to wait for the next occasion.
公及齊侯遇於谷。及者，內為志焉爾。遇者，志相得也。
Duke Zhuang and the Marquis of Qi met at Gu. Using the word "and" shows that Lu took the initiative. Using the word "meet" shows that the two sides' minds were in accord.
蕭叔朝公。微國之君，未爵命者，其不言來，於外也。朝於廟，正也；於外，非正也。
Xiao Shu paid court to Duke Zhuang. He was the ruler of a small state and had not yet received his rank commission. "Came" is not written because the audience took place outside the state. An audience in the grand temple accords with the right way; an audience outside does not.
秋，丹桓宮楹。禮：天子、諸侯黝堊，大夫倉，士黈。丹楹，非禮也。
In autumn, the pillars of Duke Huan's temple were painted red. By ritual: for the Son of Heaven and lords, pillars are black and white; for grand masters, blue; for scholars, yellow. Painting the pillars red was not in accord with ritual.
二十有四年春，王三月，刻桓宮桷。禮：天子之桷，斲之礱之，加密石焉；諸侯之桷，斲之礱之。大夫斲之，士斲木刻桷，非正也。夫人，所以崇宗廟也。取非禮與非正，而加之於宗廟，以飾夫人，非正也。刻桓宮桷，丹桓宮楹，斥言桓宮，以惡莊也。
In spring of the twenty-fourth year, in the third month of the Zhou calendar, carved decoration was put on the rafters of Duke Huan's temple. By ritual: the Son of Heaven's rafters are cut and ground, then polished with fine stone; the lords' rafters are cut and ground. Grand masters' are only cut, and scholars' are only wood. To carve the rafters was not in accord with the right way. The lady is properly one who honors the ancestral temple. To impose on the ancestral temple practices that are not in accord with ritual or the right way in order to adorn the lady is not in accord with the right way. In carving the rafters of Duke Huan's temple and painting its pillars, the text specially names "Huan's temple", out of loathing for Duke Zhuang.
夏，公如齊逆女。親迎，恆事也，不志，此其志何也？不正其親迎於齊也。
In summer, Duke Zhuang went to Qi to meet his new bride. Meeting the bride in person is the normal thing, and the text normally does not record it; here it records, why? It expresses dissatisfaction with his going to Qi to meet her in person.
秋，公至自齊。迎者，行見諸，舍見諸。先至，非正也。
In autumn, Duke Zhuang returned from Qi. One who goes to meet a bride should see her on the road and see her when stopping for the night. For him to return ahead of her was not in accord with the right way.
八月丁丑，夫人姜氏入。入者，內弗受也。日入，惡入者也。何用不受也？以宗廟弗受也。其以宗廟弗受，何也？娶仇人子弟，以薦舍於前，其義不可受也。
On dingchou of the eighth month, the lady Jiang entered. Using the word "enter" shows that Lu did not receive her. Recording the day is out of loathing for the one who entered. On what ground is it said she was not received? Because the ancestral temple did not receive her. Why did the ancestral temple not receive her? To marry the daughter of an enemy and present and place her before the former ruler cannot be accepted in principle.
戊寅，大夫宗婦，覿用幣。覿，見也。禮：大夫不見夫人，不言及不正，其行婦道，故列數之也。男子之贄，羔雁雉腒；婦人之贄，棗栗鍛修。用幣，非禮也。用者，不宜用者也。大夫，國體也，而行婦道，惡之，故謹而日之也。
On wuyin, the grand masters and the wives of the same clan came to see her, using silks as meeting gifts. "Di" means to have an audience. By ritual, grand masters do not see the lady; "and" is not written here because what they did was not in accord with the right way to begin with, yet they carried out the ritual duties of women, and so they are listed one by one. The meeting gifts of men are lambs, geese, pheasants and dried meat; the meeting gifts of women are jujubes, chestnuts and pounded dried meat strips. Using silks is not in accord with ritual. Using the word "use" precisely shows that they should not have used them. Grand masters are the trunk of the state, yet they carried out women's ritual duties, which the text loathes, so it solemnly records the day.
赤歸於曹郭公。赤蓋，郭公也，何為名也？禮：諸侯無外歸之義。外歸，非正也。
Chi returned to Cao: Guo Gong. Chi is probably Guo Gong; why is he called by name? By ritual, a lord has no principle of fleeing abroad and making another state his refuge. To flee abroad is not in accord with the right way.
二十有五年春，陳侯使女叔來聘。其不名，何也？天子之命大夫也。
In spring of the twenty-fifth year, the Marquis of Chen sent Nü Shu on a mission to Lu. Why is he not called by name? Because he was a grand master appointed by the Son of Heaven.
六月辛未朔，日有食之。言日言朔，食正朔也。
In the sixth month, xinwei, the first day, there was an eclipse of the sun. That both the day and "the first day" are recorded shows that the eclipse happened precisely on the first day.
鼓用牲於社。鼓，禮也；用牲，非禮也。天子救日，置五麾，陳五兵、五鼓；諸侯置三麾，陳三鼓、三兵；大夫擊門，士擊柝，言充其陽也。
Drums were beaten and animals were used to sacrifice at the altar of the soil. Beating drums is in accord with ritual; using animals is not. When rescuing from an eclipse, the Son of Heaven sets up five banners and arrays five weapons and five drums; the lords set up three banners and array three drums and three weapons; grand masters beat on the great gate and scholars beat the wooden clapper, all meaning to fill up the yang qi.
伯姬歸於杞。其不言逆，何也？逆之道微，無足道焉爾。
Boji was married to Qi. Why is it not written that the other side came to fetch her? Because the grade of this fetching was too low to be worth mentioning.
秋，大水，鼓用牲於社於門。高下有水災曰大水。既戒鼓而駭眾，用牲可以已矣。救日以鼓兵，救水以鼓眾。
In autumn, there was a great flood; drums were beaten and animals were used for sacrifice at the altar of the soil and at the city gates. Only when both high and low places have flooding is it called a "great flood". Once the drums have sounded the alarm and roused the people, using animals can stop. In rescuing from an eclipse, drums and weapons are used; in rescuing from a flood, drums are used to gather the multitude.
曹殺其大夫。言大夫而不稱名姓，無命大夫也。無命大夫而曰大夫，賢也。為曹羈崇也。
The men of Cao killed their grand master. He is called "grand master" without his name and surname because Cao had no grand masters commissioned by the Zhou Son of Heaven. Without commissioned grand masters, he is called "grand master" because he was worthy. This is to honor Cao Ji.
夏，六月，公會齊侯、宋公、陳侯、鄭伯，同盟於幽。同者，有同也，同尊周也，於是而後授之諸侯也。其授之諸侯何也？齊侯得眾也。桓會不致，安之也。桓盟不日，信之也。信其信，仁其仁。衣裳之會十有一，未嘗有歃血之盟也
In summer, the sixth month, Duke Zhuang convened with the Marquis of Qi, the Duke of Song, the Marquis of Chen and the Earl of Zheng and made a covenant together at You. "Together" means having a common goal, which is jointly honoring the Zhou house. After this, the affairs of the lords were entrusted to him. Why were they entrusted to him? Because the Marquis of Qi had won the support of the multitude. At meetings presided over by Duke Huan of Qi, the return of the ruler of Lu is not written, because it was thought safe. The covenants he presided over do not record the day, because he was trusted. Trust his trustworthiness and credit his benevolence. There were eleven meetings in ceremonial robes, and not one involved smearing blood in a covenant.
秋，公子友如陳，葬原仲。言葬不言卒，不葬者也。不葬而曰葬，諱出奔也。
In autumn, Gongzi You went to Chen and attended the burial of Yuan Zhong. Only the burial is written and not the death, showing that his burial should not have been recorded. Though it should not have been recorded, it is written as "buried", to conceal that Gongzi You was in fact fleeing.
莒慶來逆叔姬。諸侯之嫁子於大夫，主大夫以與之。來者接內也，不正其接內，故不與夫婦之稱也。
Ju Qing came to fetch Shu Ji. When a lord marries a daughter to a grand master, the grand master takes charge of the exchange. That the other side came in person was a direct dealing with the ducal house of Lu; the text is dissatisfied with this kind of dealing and so does not give them the title of husband and wife.
二十有八年春，王三月甲寅，齊人伐衛，衛人及齊人戰。衛人敗績。於伐與戰，安戰也。戰衛，戰則是師也，其曰人，何也？微之也。何為微之也？今授之諸侯，而後有侵伐之事，故微之也。其人衛，何也？以其人齊，不可不人衛也。衛小齊大，其以衛及之，何也？以其微之，可以言及也。其稱人以敗，何也？不以師敗於人也。
In spring of the twenty-eighth year, on jiayin of the third month of the Zhou calendar, the men of Qi attacked Wei, the men of Wei fought with the men of Qi, and the men of Wei were greatly defeated. To write a battle in the middle of an attack is to ask where the battle was fought. Since Wei was fighting, it should have been an army, yet the text calls them "men"; why? It writes them as lowly. Why write them lowly? Just after the affairs of the lords had been entrusted to the Marquis of Qi, an invasion followed, and so he is written lowly. Why call Wei too "men"? Because Qi has already been written as "men", Wei cannot but also be written as "men". Wei was small and Qi large, yet Wei is used to "reach" Qi; why? Because Qi has already been written lowly, "reach" can be used. Writing "men" in recording a defeat: why? Because it is unwilling to write that an army was defeated by "men".
秋，荊伐鄭。荊者，楚也。其曰荊，州舉之也。
In autumn, Jing attacked Zheng. "Jing" is Chu. Calling it "Jing" is calling it by its province name.
冬，築微。山林藪澤之利，所以與民共也。虞之，非正也。
In winter, a city wall was built at Wei. The produce of mountains, forests, lakes and marshes was originally to be shared with the people. To send people to guard and monopolize it is not in accord with the right way.
大無麥禾。大者，有顧之辭也，於無禾及無麥也。
The wheat and the millet both failed badly. Using "great" is wording that shows consideration, speaking from no millet to no wheat.
臧孫辰告糴於齊。國無三年之畜，曰國非其國也。一年不升，告糴諸侯。告，請也。糴，糴也。不正，故舉臧孫辰以為私行也。國無九年之畜，曰不足；無六年之畜，曰急；無三年之畜，曰國非其國也。諸侯無粟，諸侯相歸粟，正也。臧孫辰告糴於齊，告，然後與之，言內之無外交也。古者稅什一，豐年補敗，不外求而上下皆足也，雖累凶年民弗病也。一年不艾而百姓飢，君子非之。不言如，為內諱也。
Zang Sunchen asked Qi to sell grain. A state without three years of reserves is said to be hardly a state. After one bad year, to ask the lords to sell grain: "gao" means to ask, and "di" means to buy in grain. This was not in accord with the right way, so Zang Sunchen's name is brought out and it is written as a private act. A state without nine years of reserves is called "insufficient", without six years is called "urgent", and without three years is said to be hardly a state. When lords have no grain, lords sending grain to each other is in accord with the right way. Zang Sunchen asked Qi to sell grain, and only after he asked was it given, showing that Lu had no diplomatic relations abroad. In ancient times taxes were one-tenth, and good years made up for bad ones, with no need to seek help abroad, so that high and low had enough, and even with successive disaster years the people did not suffer. If there was no harvest for a year, the people starved, and the gentleman reproached this. "Went to Qi" is not written, to conceal this for Lu.
二十有九年春，新延廄。延廄者，法廄也。其言新有故也。有故則何為書也？古之君人者，必時視民之所勤。民勤於力，則功築罕；民勤於財，則貢賦少；民勤於食，則百事廢矣。冬築微，春新延廄，以其用民力為已悉矣！
In spring of the twenty-ninth year, the Yan stable was renewed. The Yan stable was a stable set up according to the system. It says "new" because there had been an old one. If there was an old one, why record it? In ancient times, a ruler would surely go in the proper season to see what the people were laboring over. When the people's labor was insufficient, he would build little; when the people's means were insufficient, he would levy few tributes; when the people's grain was insufficient, all works stopped. In winter a wall had just been built at Wei, and in spring the Yan stable was renewed, because the people's strength was being used up too far!
夏，師次於成。次，止也，有畏也。欲救鄣而不能也。不言公恥，不能救鄣也。
In summer, the army was stationed at Cheng. "Ci" means to halt, because of some fear. He wished to rescue Zhang but could not. "Duke" is not written because of shame at not being able to rescue Zhang.
秋，七月，齊人降鄣。降，猶下也。鄣，紀之遺邑也。
In autumn, the seventh month, the men of Qi subdued Zhang. "Subdued" is like "took". Zhang was the remaining city of Ji.
八月癸亥，葬紀叔姬。不日卒而日葬，閔紀之亡也。
On guihai of the eighth month, Shu Ji of Ji was buried. Her death is not dated but her burial is dated, out of pity for the fall of Ji.
冬，公及齊侯遇於魯濟。及者，內為志焉爾。遇者，志相得也。
In winter, Duke Zhuang and the Marquis of Qi met at Luji. Using the word "and" shows that Lu took the initiative. Using the word "meet" shows that the two sides' minds were in accord.
齊人伐山戎。齊人者，齊侯也，其曰人，何也？愛齊侯乎！山戎也，其愛之何也？桓內無因國，外無從諸侯，而越千里之險，北伐山戎，危之也，則非之乎，善之也。何善乎爾？燕，周之分子也；貢職不至，山戎為之伐矣。
The men of Qi attacked the Shan Rong. The "men of Qi" were in fact the Marquis of Qi, but the text calls him "men"; why? It is cherishing the Marquis of Qi! In writing the Marquis of Qi as "men" against the Shan Rong, why say it is cherishing him? Duke Huan had no dependent states inside to lean on and no lords following outside, yet he crossed a thousand miles of obstacles to attack the Shan Rong in the north, and the text worries for him; so is it reproaching him? It approves of him. Approves of what? Yan was a descendant branch of the Zhou house; its tribute and services could not get through, the Shan Rong blocked them, and so he went to attack.
六月，齊侯來獻戎捷。齊侯來獻捷者，內齊侯也。不言使，內與同，不言使也。獻戎捷，軍得曰捷，戎菽也。
In the sixth month, the Marquis of Qi came to present the captives from the attack on the Shan Rong. The Marquis of Qi came in person to present the victory, treating the Marquis of Qi as one of our own. "Sent" is not written, because when treating someone as one of one's own and doing things together, "sent" is not written. In presenting the Rong captives, what is obtained in the army is called "victory"; here it refers to the beans of the Rong land.
秋，築臺於秦。不正罷民三時，虞山林藪澤之利。且財盡則怨，力盡則懟，君子危之，故謹而志之也。或曰倚諸桓也。桓外無諸侯之變，內無國事，越千里之險，北伐山戎，為燕闢地。魯外無諸侯之變，內無國事，一年罷民三時，虞山林藪澤之利，惡內也。
In autumn, a terrace was built at Qin. What was not in accord with the right way was making the people have no rest in all three seasons, in order to monopolize the produce of mountains, forests, lakes and marshes. Moreover when resources are exhausted people resent, and when strength is exhausted people hate, and the gentleman worries for him, so it is solemnly recorded. Another view: it is using Duke Huan of Qi as a foil. Duke Huan had no incidents among the lords outside and no affairs of state binding him inside, yet crossed a thousand miles of obstacles to attack the Shan Rong in the north and open up land for Yan. Lu also had no incidents among the lords outside and no affairs of state inside, yet in a single year made the people have no rest for three seasons, in order to monopolize the produce of mountains, forests, lakes and marshes, and the text loathes Lu on this side.
夏，宋公、齊侯遇於梁丘。遇者，志相得也。梁丘在曹、邾之間，去齊八百里，非不能從諸侯而往也。辭所遇，遇所不遇，大齊桓也。
In summer, the Duke of Song and the Marquis of Qi met at Liangqiu. Using the word "meet" shows that the two sides' minds were in accord. Liangqiu lies between Cao and Zhu, eight hundred li from Qi, and it was not that the Marquis of Qi could not have summoned the lords to go together. He declined what he could have met and went to meet what was not easy to meet, and this makes Duke Huan of Qi appear great.
八月癸亥，公薨於路寢。路寢，正寢也。寢疾居正寢，正也。男子不絕於婦人之手，以齊終也。
On guihai of the eighth month, Duke Zhuang died in the main hall. The main hall is the proper chamber. Living in the proper chamber during grave illness is the regular form. A man should not breathe his last in a woman's hands, in order to end his life with dignity.
冬，十月乙未，子般卒。子卒日，正也；不日，故也。有所見則日。
In winter, the tenth month, yiwei day, Zi Ban died. When a son dies, recording the day is the regular form; not recording the day is because there was an incident. When there is something to be shown to people, the day is recorded.
公子慶父如齊。此奔也，其曰如，何也？諱莫如深，深則隱。茍有所見，莫如深也。
Gongzi Qingfu went to Qi. This was in fact fleeing; why is it written as "went to"? In concealment, nothing is more thorough than deep hiding, for deep hiding covers the matter. If there were something to be shown to people, concealment would not be deeper than here.