Duke Min

單伯至自齊。大夫執則致，致則名；此其不名，何也？天子之命大夫也。

Shan Bo returned from Qi. When an official is seized and returns, it should be recorded that he returned, and when it is recorded that he returned, his name should be given; here the name is not given, why? Because he was an official appointed by the Son of Heaven.

秋，齊人侵我西鄙。其曰鄙，遠之也。其遠之，何也？不以難介我國也。

In autumn, the men of Qi invaded the western border town of our state of Lu. Calling it "border" makes the fighting seem far from the capital. Why make it seem far? So as not to let the calamity appear to be wedged in the heartland of our Lu.

十有二月，齊人來歸子叔姬。其曰子叔姬，貴之也。其言來歸，何也？父母之於子，雖有罪，猶欲其免也。

In the twelfth month, the men of Qi sent Zi Shu Ji back to her family. Calling her "Zi Shu Ji" is to honor her. Why is it written "came back to her family"? Parents, toward their children, even if they have faults, still wish them to be free of fault.

十有六年春，季孫行父會齊侯於陽穀。齊侯弗及盟。弗及者，內辭也。行父失命矣，齊得內辭也。

In the spring of the sixteenth year, Ji Sun Xingfu met the Marquis of Qi at Yanggu. The Marquis of Qi would not make a covenant with him. "Did not reach" is wording from the side of Lu. Xingfu had already lost his mission, and Qi in turn gained this way of writing from the side of Lu.

夏，五月，公四不視朔。天子告朔於諸侯，諸侯受乎禰廟，禮也。公四不視朔，公不臣也。以公為厭政以甚矣。

In summer, in the fifth month, Duke Wen did not perform the monthly audience four times. The Son of Heaven announces the new moon's government to the feudal lords, and they receive it in the father's temple, which is proper ritual. That Duke Wen four times did not perform the monthly audience is not acting like a subject. The text holds that Duke Wen was weary of government affairs, which was already too much.

六月戊辰，公子遂及齊侯盟於師丘。復行父之盟也。

In the sixth month, on wuchen, Prince Sui and the Marquis of Qi made a covenant at Shiqiu. This renewed the covenant Xingfu had failed to make.

毀泉臺。喪不貳事；貳事，緩喪也。以文為多失道矣！自古為之，今毀之，不如勿處而已矣。

They tore down the Quan Terrace. In mourning one cannot do a second thing at the same time; to do a second thing is to postpone the mourning. The text holds that Duke Wen had lost the proper way in too many respects! This terrace was built by the ancients, and now to tear it down is not as good as simply not living there.

十有七年春，晉人、衛人、陳人、鄭人伐宋。

In spring of the seventeenth year, the men of Jin, the men of Wei, the men of Chen and the men of Zheng attacked Song.

十有八年春，王二月丁丑，公薨於臺下。臺下，非正也。

In spring of the eighteenth year, in the second month of the Zhou calendar, on dingchou, Duke Wen died at the terrace. To die at the terrace is not the proper way.

秋，公子遂、叔孫得臣如齊。使舉上客，而不稱介。不正其同倫而相介，故列而數之也。

In autumn, Prince Sui and Shusun Dechen went to Qi. In a mission, only the chief envoy is named, not the deputy. It disapproves of them, who were originally of the same rank, acting as each other's deputy, and so counts them out one by one.

夫人姜氏歸於齊。惡宣公也。有不待貶絕，而罪惡見者；有待貶絕，而惡從之者。侄娣者，不孤子之意也。一人有子，三人緩帶。一曰：就賢也。

The Lady Jiang returned to Qi. This is out of hatred for Duke Xuan. Some crimes show themselves without waiting for reproach and severance; others show only once reproach and severance have come. The nieces and younger sisters accompanying the bride was originally meant to keep the principal wife from being alone. When one of them has a son, all three may loosen their belts. Another explanation: she was going to take refuge with a worthy person.

元年春，王正月，公即位。繼故而言即位，與聞乎故也。

In spring of the first year, in the first month of the Zhou calendar, Duke Xuan took the throne. To write "took the throne" after a former ruler who died in an upheaval shows that he was involved in that upheaval.

公子遂如齊逆女。三月，遂以夫人婦姜至自齊。其不言氏，喪未畢，故略之也。其曰婦，緣姑言之之辭也。遂之挈，由上致之也。

Prince Sui went to Qi to bring home a new wife. In the third month, Sui came from Qi bringing the Lady Fu Jiang. The clan name is not written, because the mourning had not yet been completed, so it is written briefly. Calling her "fu" (wife) is wording following the mother-in-law's side. Naming "Sui" alone, by name, is because above he had already been sent.

晉放其大夫胥甲父於衛。放，猶屏也。稱國以放，放無罪也。

Jin banished its great officer Xu Jiafu to Wei. "Banish" is like dismissing. To record a banishment under the state's name shows that the one banished was without guilt.

公會齊侯於平州。公子遂如齊。六月，齊人取濟西田。內不言取，言取，授之也。以是為賂齊也。

Duke Xuan met the Marquis of Qi at Pingzhou. Prince Sui went to Qi. In the sixth month, the men of Qi took the fields west of the Ji. Matters of Lu itself normally do not write "took"; writing "took" means that Lu gave the fields to them. This is regarded as a bribe to Qi.

宋公、陳侯、衛侯、曹伯會晉師於棐林，伐鄭。列數諸侯而會晉趙盾，大趙盾之事也。其曰師，何也？以其大之也。於棐林地，而後伐鄭，疑辭也。此其地何？則著其美也。

The Duke of Song, the Marquis of Chen, the Marquis of Wei and the Earl of Cao joined the army of Jin at Feilin and attacked Zheng. To list the feudal lords one by one as joining Zhao Dun of Jin makes Zhao Dun's affair great. Calling it "army," why? Because he has already been made great. To write the place Feilin first and only then the attack on Zheng is wording with hesitation. Why is the place recorded here? On the contrary, it is to bring out his merit.

二年春，王二月，壬子，宋華元帥師，及鄭公子歸生帥師，戰於大棘。宋師敗績，獲宋華元。獲者，不與之辭也。言盡其眾，以救其將也。以三軍敵華元，華元雖獲，不病矣。

In spring of the second year, in the second month, on renzi, Hua Yuan of Song led an army and fought at Daji with an army led by Gongzi Gui Sheng of Zheng. The Song army was greatly defeated and Hua Yuan was captured. "Captured" is wording of disapproval. It means his subordinates used up their men and horses to rescue their commander. To resist Hua Yuan with the three armies, even if Hua Yuan was captured, it was not a disgrace.

秋，九月乙丑，晉趙盾弒其君夷皋。穿弒也，盾不弒，而曰盾弒，何也？以罪盾也。其以罪盾，何也？曰：靈公朝諸大夫而暴彈之，觀其闢丸也。趙盾入諫，不聽。出亡，至於郊，趙穿弒公，而後反趙盾。史狐書賊曰：「趙盾弒公。」盾曰：「天乎！天乎！予無罪。孰為盾而忍弒其君者乎？」史狐曰：「子為正卿，入諫不聽。出亡不遠，君弒，反不討賊，則志同。志同則書重，非子而誰？故書之曰『晉趙盾弒其君夷皋』者，過在下也。」曰：於盾也，見忠臣之至；於許世子止，見孝子之至。

In autumn, in the ninth month, on yichou, Zhao Dun of Jin killed his ruler Yi Gao. The one who killed was Zhao Chuan; Zhao Dun did not kill, yet it is written as Zhao Dun murdering the ruler, why? It puts the guilt on Dun. Why put the guilt on Dun? The answer is: Duke Ling was holding court with the great officers and suddenly shot pellets at them from a sling, watching them dodge the pellets. Zhao Dun went in to remonstrate, and Duke Ling would not listen. Dun fled, and had gone out to the suburbs when Zhao Chuan killed Duke Ling, and then Zhao Dun came back. The Grand Historian Hu recorded the culprit: "Zhao Dun murdered the duke." Dun said: "Heaven! Heaven! I am without guilt. Who is Zhao Dun, how could he bear to kill his own ruler?" The Grand Historian Hu said: "You are the chief minister; you went in to remonstrate and the ruler would not listen; you fled but did not go far; the ruler was murdered, and you returned but did not punish the killer, which means you were of the same mind. When minds are the same, the heavier one is recorded, and who is it if not you? So it is written 'Zhao Dun of Jin murdered his ruler Yi Gao,' and the fault lies with the person below." One may also say: in Zhao Dun one sees the utmost of a loyal minister; in the crown prince Zhi of Xu one sees the utmost of a filial son.

三年春，王正月，郊牛之口傷。之口，緩辭也，傷自牛作也。

In spring of the third year, in the first month, the ox for the suburban sacrifice had its mouth injured. Writing "the mouth of it" is relaxed wording, meaning the injury arose from the ox itself.

改卜牛，牛死，乃不郊。事之變也。乃者，亡乎人之辭也。

They divined for another ox, and the ox died too, and so the suburban sacrifice was not performed. This was a turn of events. "Then" is wording for what is not within human wishes.

四年春，王正月，公及齊侯平莒及郯，莒人不肯。及者，內為志焉爾。平者，成也。不肯者，可以肯也。

In spring of the fourth year, in the first month, Duke Xuan mediated between Ju and Tan together with the Marquis of Qi, but the men of Ju would not consent. The word "and" shows that this was initiated by Lu. "Mediate" means to make peace. Saying "would not consent" is because they could originally have consented.

公伐莒取向。伐猶可，取向甚矣，莒人辭不受治也。伐莒，義兵也；取向，非也，乘義而為利也。

Duke Xuan attacked Ju and took Xiang. The attack was one thing, but taking Xiang was going too far, and the men of Ju refused to accept such treatment. Attacking Ju was a righteous campaign; taking Xiang was wrong, using righteousness to seek profit.

秋，九月，齊高固來逆子叔姬。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。

In autumn, in the ninth month, Gao Gu of Qi came to bring home Zi Shu Ji. When a feudal lord marries a daughter to an official, the official's own lord handles the arrangement. For the other party to come to the door deals directly with the ducal house of Lu; the text disapproves of such dealings, and so does not give them the titles of husband and wife.

冬，齊高固及子叔姬來。及者，及吾子叔姬也。為使來者，不使得歸之意也。

In winter, Gao Gu of Qi and Zi Shu Ji came. The word "and" means "together with" Zi Shu Ji of our state of Lu. Writing them as coming on a mission is so as not to make her appear to have been sent back to her family.

六年春，晉趙盾、衛孫免侵陳。此帥師也，其不言帥師，何也？不正其敗前事，故不與帥師也。

In spring of the sixth year, Zhao Dun of Jin and Sun Mian of Wei invaded Chen. This was originally leading an army, so why is "led the army" not written? It disapproves of his having ruined an earlier affair, and so does not give him the phrase "led the army."

七年春，衛侯使孫良夫來盟。來盟，前定也。不言及者，以國與之。不言其人，亦以國與之。不日，前定之盟不日。

In spring of the seventh year, the Marquis of Wei sent Sun Liangfu to make a covenant. Coming to make a covenant means it was agreed beforehand. The word "and" is not used, because the state was entrusted to the other side. The other party's person is not written, which also entrusts the state to the other side. The day is not recorded, because a covenant agreed beforehand has no day recorded.

冬，公會晉侯、宋公、衛侯、鄭伯、曹伯於黑壤。

In winter, Duke Xuan met the Marquis of Jin, the Duke of Song, the Marquis of Wei, the Earl of Zheng and the Earl of Cao at Heirang.

夏，六月，公子遂如齊，至黃乃復。乃者，亡乎人之辭也。復者，事畢也，不專公命也。

In summer, in the sixth month, Prince Sui went to Qi, and on reaching Huang, turned back. "Then" is wording for what is not within human wishes. "Returned" means the business was done, and he did not treat the ruler's command as something he could decide himself.

仲遂卒於垂。為若反命而後卒也。此公子也，其曰仲，何也？疏之也。何為疏之也？是不卒者也。不疏，則無用見其不卒也，則其卒之，何也？以譏乎宣也。其譏乎宣，何也？聞大夫之喪，則去樂卒事。

Zhong Sui died at Chui. The text is written as though he had returned and reported before he died. He was a prince, so why is he called "Zhong"? It is to distance him. Why distance him? He was originally someone whose death should not have been recorded. If he were not distanced, there would be no way to see that he should not have been recorded. Then why is his death still recorded? To rebuke Duke Xuan. What is rebuked in Duke Xuan? On hearing of the death of an officer, one should put away the music and complete the affair.

壬午，猶繹。猶者，可以已之辭也。繹者，祭之旦日之享賓也。

On renwu, the yi sacrifice was still performed. "Still" means that it could have been stopped but was still done. The "yi" is the sacrifice at which guests are feasted on the day after the main sacrifice.

冬，十月己丑，葬我小君頃熊。雨不克葬。葬既有日，不為雨止，禮也。雨不克葬，喪不以制也。

In winter, in the tenth month, on jichou, we buried our lady of the state, Qing Xiong. It rained and the burial could not be carried out. Once the day of burial has been fixed, not stopping because of rain is proper ritual. If it rains and the burial cannot be done, the funeral is not being conducted according to rules.

庚寅，日中而克葬。而，緩辭也，足乎日之辭也。

On gengyin, at midday, the burial could finally be done. The word "and" is relaxed wording, and also means that the time that day was still sufficient.

九月，晉侯、宋公、衛侯、鄭伯、曹伯會於扈。

In the ninth month, the Marquis of Jin, the Duke of Song, the Marquis of Wei, the Earl of Zheng and the Earl of Cao met at Hu.

辛酉，晉侯黑臀卒於扈。其地於外也，其日未逾竟也。

On xinyou, Heitun, Marquis of Jin, died at Hu. The place is recorded because he died abroad; the day is recorded because he had not yet left the borders.

冬，十月癸酉，衛侯鄭卒。宋人圍滕。楚子伐鄭。晉郤缺帥師救鄭。

In winter, in the tenth month, on guiyou, Zheng, Marquis of Wei, died. The men of Song besieged Teng. The Viscount of Chu attacked Zheng. Xi Que of Jin led an army to rescue Zheng.

陳殺其大夫洩冶。稱國以殺其大夫，殺無罪也。洩冶之無罪如何？陳靈公通於夏徵舒之家，公孫寧、儀行父，亦通其家。或衣其衣，或衷其襦，以相戲於朝。洩冶聞之，入諫曰：「使國人聞之則猶可，使仁人聞之則不可。」君愧於洩冶，不能用其言而殺之。

Chen killed its great officer Xie Ye. To record the killing of a great officer under the state's name shows that the one killed was without guilt. How was Xie Ye without guilt? Duke Ling of Chen was committing adultery in the house of Xia Zhengshu, and Gongsun Ning and Yi Xingfu were also intimate with that house. Some wore her clothing, some wore her undergarments next to the skin, and they joked with one another in the court. Xie Ye heard of it and went in to remonstrate, saying: "If the people of the state hear of it, it is still barely acceptable; if the benevolent hear of it, it is not." The ruler was ashamed before Xie Ye, but could not use his words and instead killed him.

十年春，公如齊。公至自齊。齊人歸我濟西田。公娶齊，齊由以為兄弟，反之，不言來。公如齊，受之也。

In spring of the tenth year, Duke Xuan went to Qi. Duke Xuan returned from Qi. The men of Qi returned the fields west of the Ji to our state of Lu. Duke Xuan had married a woman of Qi, and so Qi treated him as a brother and returned the fields. "Came" is not written, because Duke Xuan went to Qi to receive them.

秋，天王使王季子來聘。其曰王季，王子也。其曰子，尊之也。聘，問也。

In autumn, the Son of Heaven of Zhou sent Wang Jizi to pay a visit. "Wang Ji" is used because he was the Son of Heaven's son. "Zi" is to honor him. "Visit" means to inquire after.

冬，十月，楚人殺陳夏徵舒。此入而殺也，其不言入，何也？外徵舒於陳也。其外徵舒於陳，何也？明楚之討有罪也。

In winter, in the tenth month, the men of Chu killed Xia Zhengshu of Chen. This was killing him after entering Chen, so why is "entered" not written? It excludes Zhengshu from Chen. Why exclude him from Chen? To make clear that what Chu was punishing was a guilty man.

丁亥，楚子入陳。入者，內弗受也。日入，惡入者也。何用弗受也？不使夷狄為中國也。

On dinghai, the Viscount of Chu entered Chen. The word "entered" shows that the other side did not accept him. The day is recorded out of hatred for the one who went in. On what grounds was he not accepted? Because barbarians should not be made masters of the Central States.

納公孫寧、儀行父於陳。納者，內弗受也。輔人之不能民而討，猶可；入人之國，制人之上下，使不得其君臣之道，不可。

They brought Gongsun Ning and Yi Xingfu into Chen. "Brought in" shows that the other side did not accept them. To help another state attack because it could not give peace to its people is barely acceptable; to enter another's state and control its upper and lower ranks, so that they cannot live together according to the principle of ruler and subject, is not.

夏，六月乙卯，晉荀林父帥師，及楚子戰於邲。晉師敗績。

In summer, in the sixth month, on yimao, Xun Linfu of Jin led an army and fought the Viscount of Chu at Bi, and the Jin army was greatly defeated.

夏，五月，宋人及楚人平。平者，成也，善其量力而反義也。人者，眾辭也。平稱眾，上下欲之也。外平不道，以吾人之存焉道之也。

In summer, in the fifth month, the men of Song made peace with the men of Chu. "Make peace" means to reconcile, and approves of their weighing their own strength and returning to righteousness. "Men" indicates a wording of the multitude. To make peace and call it the multitude means both upper and lower were willing. Peace between foreign states is normally not recorded in the text; because men of our state of Lu were there, it was recorded.

六月，癸卯，晉師滅赤狄潞氏，以潞子嬰兒歸。滅國有三術：中國謹日，卑國月，夷狄不日。其日潞子嬰兒，賢也。

In the sixth month, on guimao, the army of Jin destroyed the Lu clan of the Red Di and took the Viscount of Lu, Ying'er, back. For the destruction of a state there are three ways of recording: for a state of the Central Plains the day is recorded gravely, for a lowly state the month, and for barbarians no day. Here the day is recorded for Ying'er of Lu because he was worthy.

王札子殺召伯、毛伯。王札子者，當上之辭也。殺召伯、毛伯，不言其，何也？兩下相殺也。兩下相殺，不志乎《春秋》，此其志，何也？矯王命以殺之，非忿怒相殺也，故曰：以王命殺也。以王命殺，則何志焉？為天下主者，天也；繼天者，君也；君之所存者，命也。為人臣而侵其君之命而用之，是不臣也；為人君而失其命，是不君也。君不君，臣不臣，此天下所以傾也。

Wang Zhazi killed the Duke of Shao and the Duke of Mao. "Wang Zhazi" is wording for one who sits in the position of ruler. In killing the Duke of Shao and the Duke of Mao, why is "his" not written? Because it was people of equal rank killing each other. When people of equal rank kill each other, the Spring and Autumn normally does not record it; here it is recorded, why? He killed under a false royal command, and it was not a momentary anger of killing one another, so it says: he used a royal command to kill. If he used a royal command to kill, why is it still recorded? What rules the world is Heaven, what continues Heaven is the ruler, and what the ruler depends on to exist is command. For a subject to seize the ruler's command and use it is not acting like a subject; for a ruler to lose his own command is not acting like a ruler. When the ruler is not like a ruler and the subject not like a subject, the world is overturned because of this.

初稅畝。初者，始也。古者什一，藉而不稅。初稅畝，非正也。古者三百步為裡，名曰井田。井田者，九百畝，公田居一。私田稼不善，則非吏；公田稼不善，則非民。初稅畝者，非公之去公田，而履畝十取一也，以公之與民為已悉矣！古者公田為居，井灶蔥韭盡取焉。

They began to levy tax by the mu of land. "Began" means started. In ancient times one-tenth was collected, with the people's labor borrowed to farm the public field, and no further tax on the fields was collected. To begin taxing by the mu is not the proper way. In ancient times three hundred paces made one li, called a well-field. A well-field was nine hundred mu, with the public field taking one share of it. If the crops in the private fields were poor, the officials were blamed; if the crops in the public field were poor, the people were blamed. To begin taxing by the mu was not the ruler abolishing the public field and changing to taking one-tenth by the mu, but the ruler demanding from the people already too completely! In ancient times people also lived in the public field, and wells, stoves, scallions and chives were all taken from there.

冬，蝝生。蝝，非災也。其曰蝝，非稅畝之災也。

In winter, yuan insects were born. Yuan are not a calamity. The text writes "yuan" to say that this was not a calamity brought on by taxing by the mu.

十有六年春，王正月，晉人滅赤狄甲氏，及留籲。

In spring of the sixteenth year, in the first month, the men of Jin destroyed the Jiashi clan of the Red Di, and Liuyu.

夏，成周宣榭災。周災，不志也；其曰宣榭，何也？以樂器之所藏目之也。

In summer, the Xuan Pavilion of Chengzhou caught fire. Calamities of the Zhou house are normally not recorded; here it says "Xuan Pavilion," why? Because it was the place where musical instruments were stored, so it is pointed out.

己未，公會晉侯、衛侯、曹伯、邾子，同盟於斷道。同者，有同也，同外楚也。

On jiwei, Duke Xuan met the Marquis of Jin, the Marquis of Wei, the Earl of Cao and the Viscount of Zhu, and they swore a joint covenant at Duandao. "Joint" means a shared aim, that is, jointly resisting Chu.

冬，十有一月壬午，公弟叔肹卒。其曰公弟叔肹，賢之也。其賢之，何也？宣弒而非之也。非之，則胡為不去也？曰：兄弟也，何去而之？與之財，則曰：「我足矣！」織屨而食，終身不食宣公之食。君子以是為通恩也，以取貴乎《春秋》。

In winter, in the eleventh month, on renwu, Duke Xuan's younger brother Shu Xi died. Calling him "the duke's younger brother Shu Xi" is to regard him as worthy. Why regard him as worthy? Duke Xuan murdered his ruler, and he did not approve. If he did not approve, why did he not leave? The answer is: he was a brother, and if he left, where could he go? When he was given goods, he said: "I have enough!" He lived by weaving straw sandals, and for the rest of his life did not eat Duke Xuan's food. The gentleman regards this as carrying kindness and righteousness through, and for this reason he gained honor in the Spring and Autumn.

秋，七月，邾人戕繒子於繒。戕，猶殘也，梲殺也。

In autumn, in the seventh month, the men of Zhu butchered the Viscount of Zeng at Zeng. "Butcher" is like "maim," a sudden cruel killing.

甲戌，楚子呂卒。夷狄不卒；卒，少進也。卒而不日；日，少進也。日而不言正；不正，簡之也。

On jiaxu, Lu, Viscount of Chu, died. Barbarians normally do not have deaths recorded; when recorded, they have advanced a little in rank. His death was recorded but not the day; when the day is recorded, they advance a little further. When the day is recorded but it is not said whether he was proper or not, it writes him briefly.

歸父還自晉。還者，事未畢也。自晉，事畢也。與人之子，守其父之殯。捐殯而奔其父之使者，是以奔父也。

Gui Fu returned from Jin. "Returned" means the affair was not yet complete; writing "from Jin" means the affair was done. To have another's son guard his father's coffin, abandoning the funeral rites oneself, and further to drive his father's envoy to flee, is equivalent to fleeing to avoid one's father.