Xin Xu (新序) · Volume 4

昔者，楚丘先生行年七十，披裘帶索，往見孟嘗君，欲趨不能進。孟嘗君曰："先生老矣，春秋高矣，何以教之？"楚丘先生曰："噫！將我而老乎？噫！將使我追車而赴馬乎？投石而超距乎？逐麋鹿而搏虎豹乎？吾已死矣！何暇老哉！噫！將使我出正辭而當諸侯乎？決嫌疑而定猶豫乎？吾始壯矣，何老之有！"孟嘗君逡巡避席，面有愧色。詩曰："老夫灌灌，小子蹻蹻。"言老夫欲盡其謀，而少者驕而不受也。秦穆公所以敗其師，殷紂所以亡天下也。故書曰："黃髮之言，則無所愆。"詩曰："壽胥與試。"美用老人之言以安國也。

In the past, Master Chu Qiu, seventy years old, wearing a fur coat and tied with a rope, went to see Lord Mengchang. He wanted to hurry forward but could not advance. Lord Mengchang said: "Master, you are old and advanced in years; what can you teach me?" Master Chu Qiu said: "Ah! Do you take me to be old? Ah! Would you have me chase carriages and drive horses? Throw stones and leap long distances? Pursue deer and fight tigers and leopards? Then I am already dead! How could I think of being old! Ah! Would you have me put forth correct words to answer the feudal lords? Decide doubtful cases and settle uncertainties? I am only just in my prime; where is the old age?" Lord Mengchang hesitated and moved off his mat, with a look of shame on his face. The Book of Songs says: "The old man is earnest and sincere, while the young are arrogant and rash." This means that the old man wants to exhaust all his counsel, but the young are proud and do not accept it. This is why Duke Mu of Qin had his army defeated, and why King Zhou of Yin lost the world. Hence the Book of Documents says: "The words of the yellow-haired elders leave no fault." The Book of Songs says: "Let the long-lived all be tried and used." This praises using the words of the old to bring peace to the state.

齊有閭丘邛年十八，道鞍宣王曰："家貧親老，願得小仕。"宣王曰："子年尚稚，未可也。"閭丘邛曰："不然，昔有顓頊行年十二而治天下，秦項橐七歲為聖人師，由此觀之，邛不肖耳，年不稚矣。"宣王曰："未有咫角驂駒而能服重致遠者也，由此觀之，夫士亦華髮墮顛而後可用耳。"閭丘邛曰："不然。夫尺有所短，寸有所長，驊騮綠驥，天下之俊馬也，使之與狸鼬試於釜灶之間，其疾未必能過狸鼬也；黃鵠白鶴，一舉千里，使之與燕服翼，試之堂廡之下，廬室之間，其便未必能過燕服翼也。闢閭巨闕，天下之利器也，擊石不缺，刺石不銼，使之與管槁決目出眯，其便未必能過管槁也，由此觀之，華髮墮顛與邛，何以異哉？"宣王曰："善。子有善言，何見寡人之晚也？"邛對曰："夫雞處讙嗷，則奪鐘鼓之音；雲霞充咽則奪日月之明，讒人在側，是見晚也。詩曰：'聽言則對，□言則退。’庸得進乎？"宣王拊軾曰："寡人有過。"遂載與之俱歸而用焉。故孔子曰："後生可畏，安知來者之不如今？"此之謂也。

In Qi there was Lüqiu Qiong, eighteen years old, who stopped King Xuan of Qi on the road and said: "My family is poor and my parents are old; I wish to obtain a minor post." King Xuan said: "You are still young; it is not yet possible." Lüqiu Qiong said: "Not so. In the past Zhuanxu governed the world at the age of twelve, and Xiang Tuo of Qin became the teacher of a sage at seven. Seen in this light, I may simply be unworthy, but my youth is not the problem." King Xuan said: "There is no colt whose horns have only just begun to grow that can carry a heavy load a long way. Seen in this light, a gentleman too must have his hair turn gray and the top of his head grow bare before he can be used." Lüqiu Qiong said: "Not so. A foot has its shortcomings and an inch has its strengths. Hualiu and Lüji are the finest horses of the world, but set them to race against a weasel between the pots and stoves, and their speed will not necessarily surpass the weasel's; yellow swans and white cranes can fly a thousand li in one flight, but set them to race against swallows and bats beneath the eaves of a hall or within a hut, and their agility will not necessarily surpass the swallows' and bats'. Pilü and Juque are the sharpest blades in the world, which strike stone without chipping and pierce stone without dulling, but set them to compete with a bamboo tube in removing a speck from an eye, and their handiness will not necessarily surpass the bamboo tube's. Seen in this light, what difference is there between gray hair and a bald head, and me?" King Xuan said: "Good. You have fine words; why did you come to see me so late?" Qiong replied: "When a rooster is among the din, it drowns out the sound of bells and drums; when clouds and mists clog the throat of the sky, they rob the sun and moon of their light. Slanderers were at your side, and so I came late. The Book of Songs says: 'Good words are answered; slander is rebuffed.' (a character is missing in the base text) How could I get through?" King Xuan struck the crossbar of his carriage and said: "It was my fault." So he took him in his carriage, returned together, and employed him. Hence Confucius said: "The young are to be held in awe; how do you know that those who come later will not equal those of today?" This is what it means.

荊人卞和得玉璞而獻之荊厲王，使玉尹相之曰："石也。"王以為慢，而斷其左足。厲王薨，武王即位，和復捧玉璞而獻之武王。武王使玉尹相之曰："石也。"又以為慢，而斷其右足。武王薨，共王即位，和乃奉玉璞而哭於荊山中，三日三夜，泣盡，而繼之以血，共王聞之，使人問之曰："天下刑之者眾矣，子刑何哭之悲也？"對曰："寶玉而名之曰石，貞士而戮之以慢，此臣之所以悲也。"共王曰："惜矣，吾先王之聽難，剖石而易，斬人之足！夫死者不可生，斷者不可屬，何聽之殊也？"乃使人理其璞而得寶焉。故名之曰和氏之璧。故曰珠玉者，人主之所貴也，和雖獻寶，而美未為玉尹用也。進寶且若彼之難也，況進賢人乎？賢人與奸臣，猶仇讎也，於庸君意不合。夫欲使奸臣進其讎於不合意之君，其難萬倍於和氏之璧，又無斷兩足之臣以推其難，猶拔山也，千歲一合，若繼踵，然後霸王之君興焉。其賢而不用，不可勝載，故有道者之不戮也，宜白玉之璞未獻耳。

Bian He of Jing found an uncut jade and presented it to King Li of Jing, who had the jade-worker examine it. The jade-worker said: "It is a stone." The King thought he was being deceptive and had Bian He's left foot cut off. When King Li died and King Wu took the throne, Bian He again presented the jade to King Wu. King Wu had the jade-worker examine it, and he said: "It is a stone." Again the King thought he was being deceptive and had his right foot cut off. When King Wu died and King Gong took the throne, Bian He then held the jade in his arms and wept in the Jing mountains for three days and nights, until his tears were spent and then flowed as blood. King Gong heard of it and sent someone to ask: "Many in the world have suffered punishments; why do you weep so sorrowfully over yours?" He replied: "A precious jade is called a stone, and a man of integrity is punished as a deceiver; this is what grieves me." King Gong said: "What a pity! My former kings gave credence to the difficult, when it would have been easy to cut open the stone, and instead they cut off a man's feet! The dead cannot be brought back to life, and what is severed cannot be rejoined. How different would it have been to listen!" So he sent someone to work the uncut jade, and obtained a treasure. Hence it was called the Jade Disc of He. Thus it is said that pearls and jade are what rulers prize, and though Bian He presented a treasure, its beauty was not yet recognized by the jade-worker. Presenting a treasure was already so difficult; how much more difficult presenting a worthy man! A worthy man and a treacherous minister are like enemies, and a worthy man does not share the mind of a mediocre ruler. To expect a treacherous minister to recommend his enemy to a ruler who does not share his mind is ten thousand times harder than the Jade Disc of He, and there is no minister who has had both feet cut off to push forward that hard task; it is like pulling up a mountain, a meeting that comes once in a thousand years, and if such meetings came one upon another, then a ruler fit for the hegemony or kingship would arise. Those who were worthy and yet not employed cannot all be recorded; therefore those who hold the Way are not mutilated, and it must simply be that their white jade has not yet been presented.

桀作瑤臺，罷民力，殫民財，為酒池糟堤，縱靡靡之樂，一鼓而牛飲者三千人，群臣相持歌曰："江水沛沛兮，舟楫敗兮，我王廢兮，趣歸薄兮，薄亦大兮。"又曰："樂兮樂兮，四牡蹻兮，六轡沃兮，去不善而從善，何不樂兮？"伊尹知天命之至，舉觴而告桀曰："君王不聽臣之言，亡無日矣。"桀拍然而作，唾然而笑曰："子何妖言，吾有天下，如天之有日也，日有亡乎？日亡吾亦亡矣。"於是接履而趣，遂適湯，湯立為相。故伊尹去官入殷，殷王而夏亡。

Jie built the Jade Terrace, exhausting the people's strength and draining their wealth. He made a pond of wine and an embankment of dregs, and indulged in decadent music; at one beat of the drum, three thousand men drank like oxen. His ministers, supporting one another, sang: "The river flows in full flood, the boat's oars are broken; our king has cast us off; hasten to Bo, hasten to Bo, for Bo is great." They also sang: "Joy, joy! The four stallions are spirited, the six reins are soft and glossy; leave what is not good and follow what is good; why should we not be happy?" Yi Yin knew that the Mandate of Heaven had come, raised his goblet and said to Jie: "If Your Majesty will not listen to your servant's words, your ruin is only a few days away." Jie rose abruptly, spat and laughed, saying: "What wild talk is this? I possess the world as Heaven has the sun; can the sun perish? When the sun perishes, I shall perish." So Yi Yin picked up his shoes and hurried away, and so went to Tang, who made him chancellor. Therefore Yi Yin left office to enter Yin; Yin became king and Xia was destroyed.

紂為鹿臺，七年而成，其大三里，高千尺，臨望雲雨。作炮烙之刑，戮無辜，奪民力。冤暴施於百姓，慘毒加於大臣，天下叛之，願臣文王。及周師至，令不行於左右。悲乎！當是時，求為匹夫不可得也，紂自取之也。

Zhou built the Deer Terrace, which took seven years to complete, three li in size and a thousand feet high, overlooking the clouds and rain. He devised the punishment of the roasting pillar, killed the innocent and seized the people's strength. Wrongs and cruelty were visited on the common people, and bitter poison on the great ministers; the world rebelled and wished to submit to King Wen. When the Zhou army arrived, his commands could no longer be carried out even among those at his side. How sad! At that time, he could not even have been a commoner if he sought it; Zhou brought it upon himself.

魏王將起中天台，令曰："敢諫者死。"許綰負虆操鍤入曰："聞大王將起中天台，臣願加一力。"王曰："子何力有加？"綰曰："雖無力，能商臺。"王曰："若何？"曰："臣聞天與地相去萬五千裡，今王因而半之，當起七千五百里之臺，高既如是，其趾須方八千里，盡王之地，不足以為臺趾。古者堯舜建諸侯，地方五千裡，王必起此臺，先以兵伐諸侯，盡有其地猶不足，又伐四夷，得方八千里乃足以為臺趾，材木之積，人徒之眾，倉廩之儲，數以萬億度。八千里以外，當盡農畝之地，足以奉給王之臺者，臺具以備，乃可以作。"魏王默然無以應，乃罷起臺。

The King of Wei was about to build the Zhongtian Terrace and issued an order: "Anyone who dares to remonstrate shall be put to death." Xu Wan, carrying a basket of earth on his back and holding a spade, went in and said: "I have heard that Your Majesty will build the Zhongtian Terrace; I wish to add my strength." The King said: "What strength do you have to add?" Xu Wan said: "Though I have no strength, I can discuss the terrace." The King said: "How so?" He said: "I have heard that Heaven and Earth are fifteen thousand li apart. Now Your Majesty takes half of that, so should build a terrace seven thousand five hundred li high. Being so high, the base of the terrace must be eight thousand li square, and all of Your Majesty's land would not suffice for the base. In ancient times, when Yao and Shun enfeoffed the feudal lords, their territory was five thousand li square. If Your Majesty must build this terrace, you will first have to attack the feudal lords with troops, and even possessing all their land would not be enough; then you will have to attack the four barbarian tribes, and only when you have obtained eight thousand li square will there be enough for the base. The timber to be stockpiled, the number of laborers and the grain to be stored must be reckoned in tens of thousands of millions. Beyond eight thousand li, all the farmland would have to be used up before there would be enough to supply Your Majesty's terrace. Only when the terrace's materials are fully prepared can work begin." The King of Wei was silent and had no reply, and so he stopped building the terrace.

衛靈公以天寒鑿池，宛春諫曰："天寒起役，恐傷民。"公曰："天寒乎？"宛春曰："君衣狐裘，坐熊席，隩隅有灶，是以不寒，今民衣弊不補，履決不苴。君則不寒，民則寒矣。"公曰："善。"令罷役。左右諫曰："君鑿池不知天寒，以宛春知而罷役，是德歸宛春，怨歸於君。"公曰："不然。宛春，魯國之匹夫，吾舉之，民未有見焉，今將令民，以此見之。且春也有善，寡人有春之善，非寡人之善與？"靈公論宛春，可謂知君之道矣。

Duke Ling of Wei, because the weather was cold, had a pond dug. Wan Chun remonstrated: "Calling out labor in cold weather may harm the people." The Duke said: "Is it cold?" Wan Chun said: "My lord wears a fox fur, sits on a bear-skin mat, and has a stove in a warm corner, so you do not feel the cold. But now the people's clothes are torn and not mended, and their shoes are split and not sewn. My lord is not cold, but the people are cold." The Duke said: "Good." He ordered the labor stopped. His attendants remonstrated: "My lord dug the pond not knowing it was cold; because Wan Chun made it known, the labor was stopped. In this way, the virtue goes to Wan Chun and the resentment to my lord." The Duke said: "Not so. Wan Chun is a commoner of the state of Lu; I promoted him, but the people have not yet seen it. Now I shall let the people see him through this. Moreover, if Wan Chun has goodness, and I possess Wan Chun's goodness, is it not my own goodness?" Duke Ling's assessment of Wan Chun shows that he can be said to have understood the way of being a ruler.

齊宣王為大室，大蓋百畝，堂上三百戶，以齊國之大，具之三年而未能成，群臣莫敢諫者。香居問宣王曰："荊王釋先王之禮樂而為淫樂，敢問荊邦為有主乎？"王曰："為無主。""敢問荊邦為有臣乎？"王曰："為無臣。"居曰："今主為大室，三年不能成，而群臣莫敢諫者，敢問王為有臣乎？"王曰："為無臣。"香居曰："臣請避矣。"趨而出。王曰："香子留，何諫寡人之晚也？"遽召尚書曰："書之，寡人不肖，為大室，香子止寡人也。"

King Xuan of Qi built a great hall, with a roof covering a hundred mu and three hundred doors on its main floor; even with a state as large as Qi, preparations took three years and it was still not finished, and none of the ministers dared to remonstrate. Xiang Ju asked King Xuan: "If the King of Jing set aside the rites and music of the former kings and indulged in licentious music, may I ask whether the state of Jing could be said to have a ruler?" The King said: "It could be said to have none." "May I ask whether the state of Jing could be said to have ministers?" The King said: "It could be said to have none." Xiang Ju said: "Now our ruler is building a great hall which has not been completed in three years, and none of the ministers dares to remonstrate; may I ask whether Your Majesty can be said to have ministers?" The King said: "Can be said to have none." Xiang Ju said: "Then I beg to withdraw." He hurried out. The King said: "Master Xiang, stay. Why did you remonstrate with me so late?" He immediately summoned the secretary and said: "Record this: I was unworthy and built a great hall, and Master Xiang stopped me."

趙襄子飲酒五日五夜，不廢酒，謂侍者曰："我誠邦士也。夫飲酒五日五夜矣，而殊不病。"優莫曰："君勉之，不及紂二日耳。紂七日七夜，今君五日。"襄子懼，謂優莫曰："然則吾亡乎？"優莫曰："不亡。"襄子曰："不及紂二日耳，不亡何待？"優莫曰："桀紂之亡也遇湯武，今天下盡桀也，而君紂也，桀紂並世，焉能相亡，然亦殆矣。"

Zhao Xiangzi drank for five days and five nights without stopping the wine, and said to his attendants: "I am truly a gentleman of the state! I have drunk five days and five nights and am not the least bit ill." Youmo said: "My lord, make an effort; you are only two days short of Zhou. Zhou did seven days and seven nights, and now you have done five." Xiangzi, frightened, said to Youmo: "Then am I going to perish?" Youmo said: "You will not perish." Xiangzi said: "I am only two days short of Zhou; if I will not perish, what is there to wait for?" Youmo said: "Jie and Zhou were destroyed because they met Tang and Wu. Now all the world is Jie, and my lord is Zhou; with Jie and Zhou living at the same time, how could they destroy one another? Yet even so, it is dangerous."

齊景公飲酒而樂，釋衣冠自鼓缶，謂侍者曰："仁人亦樂是夫？"梁丘子曰："仁人耳目亦猶人也？奚為獨不樂此也。"公曰："速駕迎晏子。"晏子朝服以至。公曰："寡人甚樂此樂也，願與夫子共之，請去禮。"晏子對曰："君之言過矣，齊國五尺之童子，力盡勝嬰而又勝君，所以不敢亂者，畏禮也。上若無禮，無以使其下；下若無禮，無以事其上。夫麋鹿唯無禮，故父子同塵。人之所以貴於禽獸者，以有禮也，詩曰：'人而無禮，胡不遄死？’故禮不可去也。"公曰："寡人無良，左右淫琨寡人，以至於此，請殺之。"晏子曰："左右無罪，君若好禮，左右有禮者至，無禮者去。君若惡禮，亦將如之。"公曰："善。請革衣冠，更受命。"乃廢酒而更尊朝服而坐，觴三行，晏子趨出。

Duke Jing of Qi was drinking merrily; he took off his robe and cap and beat a earthenware drum himself, and said to his attendants: "Do benevolent men also enjoy this kind of pleasure?" Liangqiu Zi said: "Benevolent men's ears and eyes are surely the same as other people's, are they not? Why should they alone not enjoy this?" The Duke said: "Quick, yoke a carriage and fetch Master Yan." Master Yan arrived in court dress. The Duke said: "I am enjoying this pleasure greatly and wish to share it with you, sir; please let us dispense with ritual." Master Yan replied: "My lord's words are mistaken. A boy of five feet in Qi has strength enough to overcome Ying and also my lord, yet he does not dare to rebel because he fears ritual. If those above are without ritual, they have nothing to use to command those below; if those below are without ritual, they have nothing to use to serve those above. Deer and stags, only because they have no ritual, live together as father and son. That people are more valuable than birds and beasts is because they have ritual. The Book of Songs says: 'A man without ritual, why does he not hurry to die?' Therefore ritual cannot be dispensed with." The Duke said: "I have done badly. My attendants led me astray with licentiousness until it came to this; please have them killed." Master Yan said: "Your attendants are not guilty. If my lord loves ritual, those with ritual will come and those without it will leave. If my lord hates ritual, it will be the same the other way." The Duke said: "Good. Please let me change my robe and cap and receive your instruction again." So he cleared away the wine and changed the seating, sat down in court dress, and the goblet went around three times, after which Master Yan hurried out.

魏文侯見箕季其牆壞而不築，文侯曰："何為不築？"對曰："不時，其牆枉而不端。"問曰："何不端？"曰："固然。"從者食其園之桃，箕季禁之。少焉日晏，進糲餐之食，瓜瓠之羹。文侯出，其僕曰："君亦無得於箕季矣。曩者進食，臣竊窺之，糲餐之食，瓜瓠之羹。"文侯曰："吾何無得於季也？吾一見季而得四焉。其牆壞不築，雲待時者，教我無奪農時也。牆枉而不端，對曰固然者，是教我無侵封疆也。從者食園桃，箕季禁之，豈愛桃哉！是教我下無侵上也。食我以糲餐者，季豈不能具五味哉！教我無多歛於百姓，以省飲食之養也。"

Marquis Wen of Wei went to see Ji of the Ji clan, whose wall had collapsed and was not being repaired. Marquis Wen said: "Why do you not repair it?" He replied: "It is not the season. And that wall is crooked and not straight." He asked: "Why is it not straight?" He said: "It was so from the beginning." The Marquis's attendants ate peaches from his orchard, and Ji forbade it. After a while it grew late, and he served coarse rice and a soup of gourd. When Marquis Wen went out, his driver said: "My lord got nothing from Ji. When the meal was served just now, I peeked in privately, and it was coarse rice and gourd soup." Marquis Wen said: "How did I get nothing from Ji? From a single meeting with Ji I obtained four things. That the wall had collapsed and was not repaired, and that he said he was waiting for the season, taught me not to seize the farming season. That the wall was crooked and not straight, and that he answered it was so from the beginning, taught me not to encroach on boundaries. That my attendants ate peaches from his orchard and Ji forbade it: how could that be love of peaches! It taught me that those below must not encroach on those above. That he gave me coarse rice to eat: how could Ji be unable to provide the five flavors! It taught me not to levy heavy taxes on the people, in order to economize on food and drink."

士尹池為荊使於宋，司城子罕止而觴之，南家之牆，擁於前而不直，西家之潦，經其宮而不止。士尹池問其故，司城子罕曰："南家，工人也，為鞔者也，吾將徙之，其父曰：'吾特為鞔，已食三世矣，今徙，是宋邦之束鞔者，不知吾處也，吾將不食，願相國之憂吾不食也。’為是故吾不徙。西家高，吾宮卑，潦之經吾宮也利，為是故不禁也。"士尹池歸荊，適興兵欲攻宋，士尹池諫於王曰："宋不可攻也，其主賢，其相仁。賢者能得民，仁者能用人，攻之無功，為天下笑。"楚釋宋而攻鄭。孔子聞之曰："夫修之於廟堂之上，而折沖於千里之外者，司城子罕之謂也"。

Shi Yinchi was sent by Jing on a mission to Song, and Sicheng Zihan kept him there and invited him to drink. The wall of the southern neighbor jutted out in front and was not straight, and the standing water from the western neighbor flowed past his residence and did not drain away. Shi Yinchi asked the reason, and Sicheng Zihan said: "The southern neighbors are artisans who make leather shoes. I was going to move them, but the father said: 'I only make shoes, and my family has lived off this trade for three generations. If we move now, the people of Song who buy shoes will not know where I live, and I will have nothing to eat. I hope the Chancellor will worry on my behalf that I have nothing to eat.' For this reason I did not move them. The western neighbor is on high ground and my residence is low, so the water running through my residence benefits them, and for this reason I do not stop it." Shi Yinchi returned to Jing just as troops were being raised to attack Song, and he remonstrated with the king: "Song cannot be attacked. Its ruler is worthy and its chancellor is humane. A worthy man can win the people, and a humane man can employ others. Attacking it will bring no merit and the whole world will laugh at you." Chu set Song aside and attacked Zheng instead. Confucius heard of it and said: "One who cultivates himself in the temple hall and yet repels enemies a thousand li away: this speaks of Sicheng Zihan."

魯孟獻子聘於晉，宣子觴之三徙，鍾石之縣，不移而具。獻子曰："富哉冢！"宣子曰："子之家庸與我家富？"獻子曰："吾家甚貧，惟有二士，曰顏回，茲無靈者，使吾邦家安平，百姓和協，惟此二者耳！吾盡於此矣。"客出，宣子曰："彼君子也，以養賢為富。我鄙人也，以鍾石金玉為富。"孔子曰："孟獻子之富，可著於春秋。"

Meng Xianzi of Lu paid a diplomatic visit to Jin, and Xuanzi invited him to drink, changing seats three times, with the bells and chime stones all in place without being moved. Xianzi said: "How rich this house is!" Xuanzi said: "How can your house be as rich as mine?" Xianzi said: "My house is very poor. I have only two scholars, Yan Hui and Zi Wuling, who keep our state and house safe and peaceful and the people in harmony. These two alone, that is all! I have everything right here." After the guest left, Xuanzi said: "He is a gentleman, who counts the nurturing of the worthy as wealth. I am a petty man, who counts bells, chime stones, gold and jade as wealth." Confucius said: "The wealth of Meng Xianzi deserves to be recorded in the Spring and Autumn Annals."

鄒穆公有令食鳧鷹必以秕，無得以粟，於是倉無秕，而求易於民，二石粟而得一石秕，吏以為費，請以粟食之。穆公曰："去，非汝所知也！夫百姓飽牛而耕，暴背而耘，勤而不惰者，豈為鳥獸哉？粟米，人之上食，奈何其以養鳥？且爾知小計，不知大會。周諺曰：'囊漏貯中。’而獨不聞歟？夫君者，民之父母，取食之粟，移之於民，此非吾之粟乎？鳥苟食鄒之秕，不害鄒之粟也，粟之在倉與在民，於我何擇？"鄒民聞之，皆知私積與公家為一體也，此之謂知富邦。

Duke Mu of Zou issued an order that ducks and geese must be fed with husks and not with millet. So the granary had no husks, and they were exchanged from the people, two shi of millet being needed to get one shi of husks. The officials thought it wasteful and asked to feed them millet. Duke Mu said: "Go away, this is not something you understand! The people feed their oxen well to plow, bake their backs in the sun to weed, and work hard without slacking; is it for the sake of birds and beasts? Millet is the finest food of humans, so how can it be used to feed birds? Besides, you know only the small calculation and not the great reckoning. A Zhou proverb says: 'A leaking bag is still in the storehouse.' Have you not heard it? The ruler is the parent of the people; if I take the millet that would be eaten and transfer it to the people, is that not still my millet? If the birds eat Zou's husks, they do not harm Zou's millet. What difference does it make to me whether the millet is in the granary or with the people?" When the people of Zou heard this, they all understood that private stores and the public stores are one body, and this is what it means to know how to enrich a state.

堯治天下，伯成子高立為諸侯焉。堯授舜，舜授禹，伯成子高辭為諸侯而耕，禹往見之，則耕在野，禹趨就下位而問焉，曰："昔者堯治天下，吾子立為諸侯焉，堯授舜，吾子猶存焉。及吾在位，子辭諸侯而耕，何故？"伯成子高曰："昔堯之治天下，舉天下而傳之他人，至無慾也，擇賢而與之其位，至公也。以至無慾至公之行示天下，故不賞而民勸，不罰而民畏，舜亦猶然。今君賞罰而民欲且多私，是君之所懷者私也，百姓知之，貪爭之端，自此始矣。德至此衰，刑自此繁矣，吾不忍見，以是野處也。今君又何求而見我？君行矣，無留吾事。"耕而不顧。書曰："旁施象，刑維明，及禹不能。"春秋曰："五帝不告誓。"信厚也。

When Yao governed the world, Boch'eng Zigao was made a feudal lord. Yao handed over to Shun, and Shun handed over to Yu; Boch'eng Zigao resigned as feudal lord and took up farming. Yu went to see him, and he was plowing in the fields. Yu hurried down to the lower place and asked: "Long ago, when Yao governed the world, you were made a feudal lord; when Yao handed over to Shun, you remained. By the time I took the throne, you resigned as feudal lord and took up plowing. Why?" Boch'eng Zigao said: "Long ago, when Yao governed the world, he lifted up the world and passed it to another, which was the utmost freedom from desire; he chose a worthy man and gave him the throne, which was the utmost impartiality. By showing the world conduct of utmost freedom from desire and utmost impartiality, the people were diligent without rewards and fearful without punishments, and Shun was still the same. Now you reward and punish, yet the people have many desires and much selfishness; this means what the ruler holds in his heart is selfishness, and once the people know it, the beginnings of greedy contention start from here. Virtue declines at this point, and punishments become numerous from here. I cannot bear to see it, and so I stay in the fields. Now what do you seek in coming to see me? Go away, sir, do not stay and hinder my work." He kept on plowing and did not look back. The Book of Documents says: "Punishments were shown by symbols everywhere, and the penalties were clear; by Yu's time even this could not be done." The Spring and Autumn Annals says: "The Five Emperors did not swear oaths." This was because good faith was generous.

桀為酒池，足以鉉舟，糟丘，足以望七里，一鼓而牛飲者三千人。關龍逢進諫曰："為人君，身行禮義，愛民節財，故國安而身壽也。今君用財若無盡，用人恐不能死，不革，天禍必降，而誅必至矣，君其革之。"立而不去朝，桀因囚拘之，君子聞之曰："天之命矣夫。"

Jie made a pond of wine large enough to float a boat, and a mound of dregs from which one could see seven li, and at one beat of the drum three thousand men drank like oxen. Guan Longfeng remonstrated: "A ruler of men should practice ritual and righteousness himself, love the people and economize on wealth, and so the state is secure and he himself lives long. Now you spend wealth as though it had no end, and use people for fear they will not die for you. If you do not correct yourself, Heaven's calamity will surely descend and execution will surely arrive. Please correct yourself." He stood in the court and would not leave, and for this Jie imprisoned him. When a gentleman heard of it, he said: "This is the decree of Heaven."

紂作炮烙之刑，王子比干曰："主暴不諫，非忠臣也；畏死不言，非勇士也。見過則諫，不用則死，忠之至也。"遂進諫，三日不去朝，紂因而殺之。詩曰："昊天太憮，予慎無辜。"無辜而死，不亦哀哉！

When Zhou made the punishment of the roasting pillar, Prince Bi Gan said: "If the lord is cruel and one does not remonstrate, one is not a loyal minister; if one fears death and does not speak, one is not a brave man. To see a fault and remonstrate, and if not heeded to die, is the utmost of loyalty." So he remonstrated, and did not leave the court for three days, and for this Zhou killed him. The Book of Songs says: "Great Heaven is too confused; I am careful, yet I am innocent." To die innocent, is that not sad!

曹公子喜時，字子臧，曹宣公子也。宣公與諸侯伐秦，卒於師，曹人使子臧迎喪，使公子負芻，與太子留守，負芻殺太子而自立，子臧見負芻之當主也，宣公即葬，子臧將亡，國人皆從之，負芻立，是為曹成公，成公懼，告罪，且請子臧，子臧乃返，成公遂為君。其後晉侯會諸侯，執曹成公，歸之京師，將見子臧於周天子而立之。子臧曰："前記有之，聖達節，次守節，下失節，為君非吾節也，雖不能聖，敢失守乎？"遂亡奔宋，曹人數請晉侯謂："子臧返國，吾歸爾君。"於是子臧返國，晉乃言天子歸成公於曹，子臧遂以國致成公，成公為君，子臧不出，曹國乃安，子臧讓千乘之國，可謂賢矣，故春秋賢而褒其後。

Prince Xi of Cao, styled Zizang, was a son of Duke Xuan of Cao. Duke Xuan joined the feudal lords in attacking Qin and died in the army. The people of Cao sent Zizang to receive the funeral, leaving Prince Fuchu and the crown prince to stay behind, and Fuchu killed the crown prince and set himself up. Zizang saw that Fuchu would have to be master, and when Duke Xuan had been buried, Zizang was about to flee into exile, and the people of the state all followed him. Fuchu took the throne; this was Duke Cheng of Cao. Duke Cheng was afraid, confessed his guilt, and begged Zizang to return, and only then did Zizang come back, and Duke Cheng became ruler. Later the Marquis of Jin met with the feudal lords, seized Duke Cheng of Cao, and sent him to the capital, intending to have Zizang presented to the Zhou king and installed. Zizang said: "An earlier record has this: 'The sage comprehends propriety, the next best keeps to propriety, and the lowest loses propriety.' To be ruler is not my propriety. Although I cannot be a sage, how dare I lose my hold on it?" So he fled into exile to Song. The people of Cao repeatedly begged the Marquis of Jin: "If Zizang returns to the state, we will return your ruler to you." Then Zizang returned to the state, and Jin told the Son of Heaven to return Duke Cheng to Cao. Zizang handed the state to Duke Cheng, and Duke Cheng became ruler, and Zizang did not come forward again, and only then was Cao settled. Zizang yielded a state of a thousand chariots and can be called worthy, and so the Spring and Autumn Annals honored him and praised his descendants.

延陵季子者，吳王之子也，嫡同母昆弟四人，長曰遏，次曰餘祭，次曰夷昧，次曰札。札即曰季子，最小而賢，兄弟皆愛之。既除喪，將立季子，季子辭曰："曹宣公之卒也，諸侯與曹人不義曹君，將立子臧，子臧去之，遂不為也，以成曹君，君子曰能守節義。君義嗣也，誰敢幹君？有國非吾節也。札雖不才，願附臧，以無失節。"固立之，棄其室而耕，乃舍之。遏曰："今若是迮而與季子，季子必不受，請無與子而與弟，弟兄迭為君而致諸侯乎季子。"皆曰："諾。"故諸其為君者皆輕死為勇，飲食必祝曰："天若有吾國，必疾有禍於身。"故遏也死，餘祭立；餘祭死，夷昧立；夷昧死，而國宜之季子也，季子使而未還。僚者，長子之庶兄也，自立為吳王，季子使而還，至則君適之。遏之子曰王子光，號曰闔閭。不悅曰："先君所為，不與子而與弟者，凡為季子也，將從先君之命，則國宜之季子也，如不從先君之命而與子，我宜當立者也，僚惡得為君？"於是使專諸刺僚，而致國乎季子。季子曰："爾殺吾君，吾授爾國，是吾與爾為亂也。爾殺我兄，吾又殺爾，是父子兄弟相殺，終身無已也。"去而之延陵，終身不入吳國，故號曰延陵季子。君子以其不受國為義，以其不殺為仁，是以春秋賢季子而尊貴之也。

Jizi of Yanling was a son of the King of Wu. There were four brothers born of the same mother, the eldest named E, the next Yuji, the next Yimei, and the next Zha. Zha was Jizi, the youngest and worthy, and his brothers all loved him. When the mourning had ended, they were about to set up Jizi, and Jizi declined: "When Duke Xuan of Cao died, the feudal lords and the people of Cao thought the ruler of Cao unrighteous and were about to set up Zizang. Zizang left and so did not take the throne, and thereby brought about the Cao ruler's success, and the gentleman said he could keep his propriety. The ruler is the heir of righteousness, so who dares to offend the ruler? To have a state is not my propriety. Although Zha is untalented, I wish to follow Zizang so as not to lose my propriety." They insisted on setting him up, and he abandoned his home to go plowing, and so they let it drop. E said: "If we press Jizi so urgently now, Jizi will surely not accept. Let us not give the throne to our sons but to our brothers, and let brothers take turns being ruler until the feudal throne is delivered to Jizi." All said: "Yes." So those who were rulers all made light of death and acted bravely, and at every meal they prayed: "If Heaven will preserve our state, let it quickly bring disaster upon me." So when E died, Yuji was set up; when Yuji died, Yimei was set up; when Yimei died, the state should have gone to Jizi, but Jizi was away on a mission and had not returned. Liao, a half-brother of the eldest son, set himself up as King of Wu. When Jizi returned from his mission, he arrived and treated him with the rites due a ruler. E's son was called Prince Guang, titled Helu. He was displeased and said: "The reason the former ruler gave the throne not to his sons but to his brothers was all for Jizi. If we are to follow the former ruler's command, then the state should go to Jizi; if we are not to follow the former ruler's command and give it to a son, then I should be set up, so how can Liao be ruler?" So he sent Zhuan Zhu to stab Liao, and handed the state to Jizi. Jizi said: "You killed my ruler, and if I accept the state from you, then I and you are conspiring in disorder. You killed my brother and I would in turn kill you, so fathers, sons and brothers would kill one another with no end for life." He left for Yanling and for his whole life did not enter Wu, and so is called Jizi of Yanling. The gentleman regarded his refusal of the state as righteousness and his refusal to kill as humaneness, and so the Spring and Autumn Annals honored Jizi and esteemed him.

延陵季子將西聘晉，帶寶劍以過徐君，徐君觀劍，不言而色慾之。延陵季子為有上國之使，未獻也，然其心許之矣，使於晉，顧反，則徐君死於楚，於是脫劍致之嗣君。從者止之曰："此吳國之寶，非所以贈也。"延陵季子曰："吾非贈之也，先日吾來，徐君觀吾劍，不言而其色慾之，吾為上國之使，未獻也。雖然，吾心許之矣。今死而不進，是欺心也。愛劍偽心，廉者不為也。"遂脫劍致之嗣君。嗣君曰："先君無命，孤不敢受劍。"於是季子以劍帶徐君墓即去。徐人嘉而歌之曰："延陵季子兮不忘故，脫千金之劍兮帶丘墓。"

Jizi of Yanling was about to go west on a diplomatic mission to Jin, and passed the Lord of Xu while carrying his precious sword. The Lord of Xu looked at the sword and said nothing, but his face showed that he wanted it. Because Jizi of Yanling was on a mission to a great state, he did not offer it, but in his heart he had already promised it. After his mission to Jin, on the way back, the Lord of Xu had already died in Chu, so he took off the sword and handed it to the heir. His attendants stopped him: "This is a treasure of Wu, and not for giving away." Jizi of Yanling said: "I am not giving it away. When I came before, the Lord of Xu looked at my sword and said nothing, but his face showed he wanted it, and because I was an envoy to a great state, I did not offer it. Even so, I had already promised it in my heart. Now that he is dead, if I do not present it, I deceive my own heart. To love the sword and be false to one's heart is something an honest man does not do." So he took off the sword and handed it to the heir. The heir said: "The former lord gave no command, and I dare not accept the sword." So Jizi hung the sword on the tree over the grave of the Lord of Xu and left. The people of Xu praised him in song: "Jizi of Yanling, who did not forget old friends; he took off a sword worth a thousand in gold and hung it on the grave mound."

許悼公疾瘧，飲藥毒而死，太子止自責不嘗藥，不立其位。與其弟緯專哭泣，啜餰粥，嗌不容粒，痛己之不嘗藥，未逾年而死，故春秋義之。

Duke Dao of Xu was sick with malaria and died from poisoning by the medicine he drank. Crown Prince Zhi blamed himself for not having tasted the medicine and did not take the ducal seat. With his younger brother Wei he wept wholeheartedly and drank only thin gruel, his throat unable to take a grain of rice, grieving that he had not tasted the medicine, and before a year had passed he died, and so the Spring and Autumn Annals regarded him as righteous.

衛宣公之子急也，壽也，朔也。急前母子也。壽與朔後母子也，壽之母與朔謀，欲殺太子急而立壽，使人與急乘舟於河中，將沈而殺之，壽知不能止也，因與之同舟，舟人不得殺急。方乘舟時，急傅母恐其死也，閔而作詩，二子乘舟之詩是也。其詩曰："二子乘舟，泛泛其景，顧言思子，中心養養。"於是壽閔其兄之且見害，作憂思之詩，黍離之詩是也。其詩曰："行邁靡靡，中心搖搖，知我者謂我心憂；不知我者，謂我何求？悠悠蒼天，此何人哉？"又使急之齊，將使，盜見載旌，要而殺之，壽止急，急曰："棄父之節，非子道也，不可。"壽又與之偕行，壽之母不能止也，因戒之曰："壽無為前也。"壽又為前，竊急旌以先行，幾及齊矣，盜見而殺之，急至，見壽之死，痛其代己死，涕泣悲哀，遂載其屍還，至境而自殺，兄弟俱死，故君子義此二人，而傷宣公之聽讒也。

The sons of Duke Xuan of Wei were Ji, Shou and Shuo. Ji was the son of the first wife. Shou and Shuo were sons of the later wife. Shou's mother plotted with Shuo, wishing to kill Crown Prince Ji and set up Shou, and sent men to have Ji ride in a boat on the river, intending to sink the boat and kill him. Shou knew he could not stop it, so he rode in the same boat, and the boatman could not kill Ji. While Ji was in the boat, his tutor-nurse, fearing he would die, grieved and composed a poem, namely the poem Two Sons Board a Boat. That poem says: "Two sons board a boat, their shadows drifting and swaying; I look back and think of the sons, and my heart is troubled and unsettled." Then Shou grieved that his brother was about to be harmed and made a poem of anxious longing, namely the poem Millet Ripening. That poem says: "I walk on slowly, my heart wavering; those who know me say my heart is sorrowful, and those who do not know me ask what I seek. Distant blue Heaven, what manner of man is this?" Then Ji was sent to Qi, and robbers were to see the banner he carried, block the road and kill him. Shou tried to stop Ji, but Ji said: "To cast aside my father's command is not the way of a son; I cannot." Shou went along with him again. Shou's mother could not stop him and so warned: "Shou, do not walk in front." Shou again walked in front, and stole Ji's banner and went ahead, and nearly at Qi, the robbers saw him and killed him. When Ji arrived and saw that Shou was dead, he grieved that he had died in his place, wept and mourned, and carried the body back, and at the border killed himself. The brothers both died, and so the gentleman regarded these two as righteous and grieved that Duke Xuan had listened to slander.

魯宣公者，魯文公之子也，文公薨，文公之子赤立，為魯侯。宣公殺子赤而奪之國，立為魯侯。公子肸者，宣公之同母弟也，宣公殺子赤而肸非之，宣公與之祿，則曰："我足矣！何以兄之食為哉？"織履而食，終身不食宣公之食，其仁恩厚矣，其守節固矣，故春秋美而貴之。

Duke Xuan of Lu was a son of Duke Wen of Lu. When Duke Wen died, Duke Wen's son Chi was set up as Marquis of Lu. Duke Xuan killed Zichi and seized the state and was set up as Marquis of Lu. Prince Xi was the full brother of Duke Xuan, and when Duke Xuan killed Zichi, Xi criticized him. When Duke Xuan gave him a salary, he said: "I have enough! What would I do with my brother's food?" He wove sandals to eat, and for his whole life did not eat Duke Xuan's food. His humane kindness was generous and his keeping of integrity firm, and so the Spring and Autumn Annals praised him and held him in esteem.

晉獻公太子之至靈臺，蛇繞左輪，御曰："太子下拜。吾聞國君之子蛇，繞左輪者速得國。"太子遂不行，返乎舍。御人見太子，太子曰："吾聞為人子者，盡和順於君，不行私慾；恭嚴承命，不逆君安。今吾得國，是君失安也，見國之利而忘君安，非子道也；聞得國而拜其孽，非君欲也。廢子道，不孝；逆君欲，不忠。而使我行之，殆欲吾國之危明也。"拔劍將死。御止之曰："夫禨祥妖孽天之道也；恭嚴承命，人之行也。拜祥戒孽，禮也；恭嚴承命，不以身恨君，孝也。今太子見福不拜，失禮；殺身恨君，失孝。從僻心，棄正行，非臣之所聞也。"太子曰："不然，我得國，君之孽也。拜君之孽，不可謂禮。見禨祥而忘君之安，國之賊也，懷賊心以事國，不可謂孝。挾偽意以御天下，懷賊心以事君，邪之大者也，而使我行之，是欲國之危明也。"遂伏劍而死。君子曰："晉太子徒御使之拜蛇，祥猶惡之，至於自殺者，為見疑於欲國也，己之不欲國以安君，亦以明矣。為一愚御過言之故，至於身死，廢子道，絕祭祀，不可謂孝，可謂遠嫌，一節之士也。"

The crown prince of Duke Xian of Jin went to the Spirit Terrace, and a snake coiled around the left wheel of his carriage. The driver said: "Crown Prince, get down and bow. I have heard that when a snake coils around the left wheel of a ruler's son, he soon gains the state." The crown prince then did not go forward but returned to his lodging. The driver came to see the crown prince, and the crown prince said: "I have heard that one who is a son, toward his lord, is wholly harmonious and compliant and does not act on private desire; he receives commands with reverence and does not go against his lord's security. Now if I gain the state, it is because the lord loses his security. To see the benefit of a state and forget the lord's security is not the way of a son; to hear of gaining the state and bow to that omen is not what the lord wishes. To abandon the way of a son is unfilial; to go against the lord's wish is disloyal. That I am being made to do this is probably clear evidence that someone wants my state in danger." He drew his sword and was about to die. The driver stopped him: "Omens of good and ill fortune are the way of Heaven; receiving commands with reverence is the conduct of men. To bow to an auspicious sign and to be wary of an ominous one is rite; to receive commands with reverence and not to resent the lord on one's own account is filial piety. Now the crown prince sees good fortune and does not bow, which is a loss of rite; to kill yourself and resent the lord is a loss of filial piety. To follow a crooked heart and cast away upright conduct is not what I have heard." The crown prince said: "No. If I gain the state, it is the lord's misfortune. To bow to the lord's misfortune cannot be called rite. To see an auspicious sign and forget the lord's security is to be a thief of the state, and to serve the state with a thief's heart cannot be called filial. To hold a false intent to drive the world and to serve the lord with a thief's heart is the greatest of evils, and that I am made to do this is clear evidence that someone wants the state in danger." So he fell on his sword and died. The gentleman said: "The driver of the crown prince of Jin told him to bow to the snake. Even an auspicious sign he disliked, to the point of killing himself, because he was suspected of wanting the state. That he himself did not want the state and wanted to keep the lord secure is already clear. Because of one foolish driver's mistaken words he came to die, abandoned the way of a son and cut off the sacrifices, which cannot be called filial, but he can be called one who kept far from suspicion, a scholar who kept to one principle."

申包胥者，楚人也。吳敗楚兵於柏舉，遂入郢，昭王出亡在隨，申包胥不受命而赴於秦乞師，曰："吳為無道行，封豕長蛇，蠶食天下，從上國始於楚，寡君失社稷，越在草莽，使下臣告急曰：'吳，夷狄也。夷狄之求無厭，滅楚則西與君接境，若鄰於君，疆埸之患也，逮吳之未定，君其圖之，若得君之靈，存撫楚國，世以事君。’"秦伯使辭焉。曰："寡君聞命矣，子其就館，將圖而告子。"對曰："寡君越在草莽，未獲所休，下臣何敢即安。"倚於庭牆立哭，日夜不絕聲，水漿不入口，七日七夜。秦哀公為賦無衣之詩，言兵今出。包胥九頓首而坐，秦哀公曰："楚有臣若此而亡，吾無臣若此，吾亡無日矣。"於是乃出師救楚。申包胥以秦師至楚，秦大夫子滿，子虎帥車五百乘，子滿曰："吾未知吳道。"使楚人先與吳人戰而會之。大敗吳師，吳師既退，昭王復國，而賞始於包胥。包胥曰："輔君安國，非為身也；救急除害，非為名也，功成而受賞，是賣勇也。君既定，又何求焉？"遂逃賞，終身不見。君子曰："申子之不受命赴秦，忠矣，七日七夜不絕聲，厚矣，不受賞，不伐矣。然賞所以勸善也，辭賞，亦非常法。"

Shen Baoxu was a man of Chu. Wu defeated the Chu army at Boju and then entered Ying, and King Zhao fled into exile at Sui. Shen Baoxu, without receiving orders, hurried to Qin to beg for troops, saying: "Wu is acting without the Way, like a huge pig and a long snake, eating away the world like silkworms, beginning with Chu among the great states. My lord has lost his altars of state and is wandering in the wilds, and has sent your servant to report the emergency: 'Wu is a barbarian. Barbarian demands are never satisfied; if Chu is destroyed, they will border you on the west, and if they are your neighbors, they will be a threat on your frontiers. While Wu has not yet settled in, let you consider it. If we can have the benefit of your majesty and spiritual power, to preserve and comfort Chu, we will serve you for generations.'" The Earl of Qin sent a man to decline, saying: "Your lord's command has been heard. Go to your lodging, and we will deliberate and then inform you." He answered: "My lord is wandering in the wilds and has not yet found a place to rest; how would your servant dare to be at ease?" He leaned against the courtyard wall and wept, his voice not ceasing day or night, and no water or broth passing his lips for seven days and seven nights. Duke Ai of Qin recited for him the poem Without Clothes, saying that troops would now go out. Baoxu bowed with his head to the ground nine times and then sat down. Duke Ai of Qin said: "Chu has a minister like this and yet was ruined; I have no minister like this, and my ruin will not be many days off." So he sent out troops to rescue Chu. Shen Baoxu led the Qin army to Chu, and the Qin senior officers Zi Man and Zi Hu led five hundred chariots. Zi Man said: "I do not yet know how Wu fights." He had the men of Chu fight the Wu men first and then joined them. They greatly defeated the Wu army, and when the Wu army had withdrawn and King Zhao had recovered his state, rewards began with Baoxu. Baoxu said: "To help the ruler pacify the state was not for myself; to rescue from urgency and remove harm was not for fame. To accept reward after success is to sell my courage. The ruler is already secure, so what more would I seek?" So he avoided the reward and never appeared again for the rest of his life. The gentleman said: "That Master Shen hurried to Qin without orders was loyalty; that his voice did not cease for seven days and nights was devotion; that he did not accept a reward was not boasting. But rewards are for repaying and encouraging the good, and to decline a reward is also not the constant rule."

齊崔杼者，齊之相也，弒莊公。止太史無書君弒及賊，太史不聽，遂書賊曰："崔杼弒其君。"崔子殺之，其弟又嗣書之，崔子又殺之，死者二人，其弟又嗣復書之，乃舍之。南史氏是其族也，聞太史盡死，執簡以往，將復書之，聞既書矣，乃還。君子曰："古之良史。"

Cui Zhu of Qi was the chancellor of Qi and murdered Duke Zhuang. He forbade the Grand Historian to write that the ruler had been murdered or who the culprit was, but the Grand Historian would not listen and wrote of the culprit: "Cui Zhu murdered his ruler." Master Cui killed him. His younger brother followed and wrote it again, and Master Cui killed him again, and two died. His younger brother followed once more and wrote it a third time, and only then was he let go. Historian Nan was a member of the same clan, and hearing that the Grand Historian had all died, he went with his bamboo slips to write it again, and on hearing that it had already been written, he returned. The gentleman said: "These were the good historians of antiquity."

齊攻魯，求岑鼎，魯公載他鼎往，齊侯不信而反之，以為非也，使人告魯君，柳下惠以為是，因請受之，魯君請於柳下惠，柳下惠對曰："君子欲以為岑鼎也，以免國也，臣亦有國於此，破臣之國，以免君之國，此臣所難也。"魯君乃以真鼎往。柳下惠可謂守信矣，非獨存己之國也，又存魯君之國。信之於人，重矣，猶輿之輗軏也。故孔子曰："大車無輗，小車無軏，其何以行之哉！"此之謂也。

Qi attacked Lu and demanded the Cen cauldron. The Duke of Lu went carrying a different cauldron, but the Marquis of Qi did not believe it and sent it back, thinking it was not the real one, and sent a man to tell the ruler of Lu that only if Liuxia Hui said it was genuine would he accept it. The ruler of Lu asked Liuxia Hui, who answered: "The gentleman wishes to pass this off as the Cen cauldron to escape his state's calamity. I too have a state here, and to destroy my state to save my lord's state is what I find difficult." The ruler of Lu then went with the genuine cauldron. Liuxia Hui can be called one who kept good faith, for he not only preserved his own state but also preserved the Lu ruler's state. Good faith in a person is as important as the linchpin to a carriage. So Confucius said: "A large cart without a yoke-pin, a small cart without a yoke-pin, how can it go?" This is what is meant.

宋人有得玉者，獻諸司城子罕，子罕不受。獻玉者曰："以示玉人，玉人以為寶，故敢獻之。"子罕曰："我以不貪為寶，爾以為寶，若與我者，皆喪寶也，不若人有其寶。"故宋國之長者曰："子罕非無寶也，所寶者異也。今以白金與摶黍以示兒子，兒子必取摶黍矣；以和氏之璧與百金以示鄙人，鄙人必取百金矣，以和氏之璧與道德之至言，以示賢者，賢者必取至言矣。其知彌精，其取彌精；其知彌觕，其取彌觕。子罕之所寶者至矣。"

A man of Song who had found a piece of jade presented it to Sicheng Zihan, but Zihan would not accept it. The man who offered the jade said: "I showed it to a jade-cutter, and the jade-cutter thought it a treasure, so I dared to offer it." Zihan said: "I treat not being greedy as my treasure, and you treat the jade as your treasure; if you give it to me, we will both lose our treasures, so it is better for each to keep his own." So an elder of Song said: "It is not that Zihan has no treasure; what he treasures is different. Now if you show a child white gold and a ball of rolled millet, the child will surely take the millet; if you show a rude person the Bian He jade and a hundred pieces of gold, he will surely take the hundred gold; if you show a worthy man the Bian He jade and the supreme words of the Way and virtue, he will surely take the supreme words. The finer his understanding, the finer what he takes; the coarser his understanding, the coarser what he takes. What Zihan treasured was at the utmost."

昔者，有饋魚於鄭相者，鄭相不受。或謂鄭相曰："子嗜魚，何故不受？"對曰："吾以嗜魚，故不受魚。受魚失祿，無以食魚；不受得祿，終身食魚。"

Long ago, someone sent a fish to the chancellor of Zheng, and the chancellor of Zheng would not accept it. Someone said to the chancellor of Zheng: "You are fond of fish, so why not accept it?" He answered: "It is because I am fond of fish that I do not accept it. If I accept the fish, I lose my salary and will have nothing to buy fish with; if I do not accept it, I keep my salary and will eat fish all my life."

原憲居魯，環堵之室，茨以生蒿，蓬戶甕牖，揉桑以為樞，上漏下溼，匡坐而絃歌。子髖聞之，乘肥馬，衣輕裘，中紺而表素，軒車不容巷，往見原憲。原憲冠桑葉冠，杖藜杖而應門，正冠則纓絕，衽襟則肘見，納履則踵決。子髖曰："嘻，先生何病也？"原憲仰而應之曰："憲聞之無財謂之貧，學而不能行謂之病。憲貧也，非病也。若夫希世而行，此周而交，學以為人，教以為己，仁義之慝，輿馬之飭，憲不忍為也。"子髖逡巡，面有愧色，不辭而去。原憲曳杖拖履，行歌商頌而反，聲滿天地，如出金石，天子不得而臣也，諸侯不得而友也。故養志者忘身，身且不愛，庸能累之。詩曰："我心匪石，不可轉也；我心匪席，不可卷也。"此之謂也。

Yuan Xian lived in Lu in a house of walls only ten feet square, roofed with green wormwood, with a door of woven brushwood, windows made from jar mouths, and door pivots of bent mulberry; it leaked from above and was damp below, yet he sat upright playing the zither and singing. Zigong heard of it, and, riding a fat horse and wearing a light fur coat, dark blue inside and plain white outside, with a carriage too wide for the lane, he went to see Yuan Xian. Yuan Xian, wearing a cap of mulberry leaves and leaning on a staff of goosefoot, answered the door; when he straightened his cap the cap strings broke, when he arranged his robe his elbows showed, and when he put on his shoes his heels split. Zigong said: "Ah, sir, what illness do you have?" Yuan Xian raised his head and answered: "I have heard that to have no wealth is called poverty, and to study and not be able to practice it is called illness. I am poor, not ill. As for bending with the age, forming cliques to make friends, studying to be seen by others and teaching for oneself, the hypocrisy of benevolence and righteousness, and the show of carriages and horses, I cannot bear to do such things." Zigong hesitated and drew back, with a look of shame on his face, and left without taking his leave. Yuan Xian dragged his staff and pulled on his shoes, and returned singing the Odes of Shang, his voice filling heaven and earth as though it came from bronze and stone; the Son of Heaven could not make him a subject, and the feudal lords could not befriend him. So one who nurtures his will forgets his own person, and if he does not even cherish his person, how can anything burden him? The Book of Songs says: "My heart is not a stone, it cannot be rolled about; my heart is not a mat, it cannot be rolled up." This is what is meant.

晏子之晉，見披裘負芻息於途者，以為君子也，使人問焉。曰："曷為而至此？"對曰："齊人累之。吾名越石甫。"晏子曰："嘻。"遽解左驂以贖之，載而與歸，至舍，不辭而入，越石甫怒而請絕，晏子使人應之曰："嬰未嘗得交也，今免子於患，吾於子猶未可邪？"越石甫曰："吾聞君子詘乎不知己，而信乎知己者，吾是以請絕也。"晏子乃出見之曰："向也見客之容，而今見客之意。嬰聞察實者不留聲，觀行者不幾辭，嬰可以辭而無棄乎？"越石甫曰："夫子禮之，敢不敬從。"晏子遂以為上客。俗人之有功則德，德則驕。晏子有功，免人於危，而反詘下之，其去俗亦遠矣，此全功之道也。

When Master Yan went to Jin, he saw a man wearing a fur coat and carrying fodder resting on the road, and thought him a gentleman, so he sent someone to ask. He said: "Why did you come to this?" The man answered: "Men of Qi burdened me. My name is Yue Shifu." Master Yan said: "Ah." He at once unyoked the left outer horse of his team to ransom him, and took him home in his carriage. On arriving at the lodging, he went in without taking his leave, and Yue Shifu in anger asked to cut off relations. Master Yan sent someone to reply: "I never had the chance to befriend you, and now that I have freed you from distress, am I still not to be allowed this with you?" Yue Shifu said: "I have heard that a gentleman is bent before those who do not know him and stands straight before those who know him, and so I ask to part." Master Yan then came out and saw him and said: "Just now I saw the guest's appearance, and now I see the guest's heart. I have heard that one who examines the substance does not stay on the sound, and one who observes conduct does not mind the words. May I take my leave without being cast off?" Yue Shifu said: "If you treat me with ritual propriety, how dare I not respectfully follow." Master Yan then treated him as a chief guest. Ordinary people think that having merit means having virtue, and having virtue means being proud. Master Yan had merit and rescued a man from danger, but instead lowered himself, far from the common way, and this is the principle of preserving merit.

子列子窮容貌，有飢色。客有言於鄭子陽者曰："子列子禦寇，蓋有道之士也，居君之國而窮，君乃為不好士乎？"子陽令官遺之粟數十秉，子列子出見使者，再拜而辭。使者去，子列子入，其妻望而拊心曰："聞為有道者，妻子皆佚樂，今妻皆有飢色矣，君過而遺先生食，先生又辭，豈非命也哉！"子列子笑而謂之曰："君非自知我者也，以人之言而知我，以人之言以遺我粟也，其罪我也，又將以人之言，此吾所以不受也。且受人之養，不死其難，不義也；死其難，是死無道之人，豈義哉！"其後，民果作難，殺子陽。子列子之見微除不義遠矣。且子列子內有飢寒之憂，猶不苟取，見得思義，見利思害，況其在富貴乎？故子列子通乎性命之情，可謂能守節矣。

Master Liezi was in poverty and his face showed hunger. A guest said to Zheng Ziyang: "Master Lie Yukou is probably a man who has the Way, yet he lives in your state in poverty. Is it that you do not like scholars?" Ziyang ordered an official to send him several dozen bushels of millet. Master Liezi came out to see the messenger, bowed twice and declined. After the messenger left, Master Liezi went in, and his wife, gazing at him and pressing her hand to her heart, said: "I have heard that the wives and children of one who has the Way are all at ease and happy. Now your wife and children have the look of hunger, and the lord has come to send you food, and you decline it; is this not fate?" Master Liezi smiled and said to her: "The lord did not know me by himself; he knew me through someone's words, and it was through someone's words that he sent me millet. When he blames me, it will likewise be through someone's words, and this is why I did not accept it. Moreover, to accept another's support and not die in his hour of difficulty is unrighteous, and to die in his hour of difficulty is to die for a man without the Way, so how could that be righteous?" Later the people indeed rose in revolt and killed Ziyang. Master Liezi saw the faint signs and avoided the unrighteous, and so was far from harm. Moreover, even with the worry of hunger and cold within, he would not take carelessly; seeing a gain he thought of righteousness and seeing profit he thought of harm, so how much more so in wealth and rank? So Master Liezi understood the true nature of destiny and may be called one able to keep his principles.

屈原者，名平，楚之同姓大夫。有博通之知，清潔之行，懷王用之。秦欲吞滅諸侯，幷兼天下。屈原為楚東使於齊，以結強黨。秦國患之，使張儀之楚，貨楚貴臣上官大夫靳尚之屬，上及令子闌，司馬子椒；內賂夫人鄭袖，共譖屈原。屈原遂放於外，乃作離騷。張儀因使楚絕齊，許謝地六百里，懷王信左右之奸謀，聽張儀之邪說，遂絕強齊之大輔。楚既絕齊，而秦欺以六里。懷王大怒，舉兵伐秦，大戰者數，秦兵大敗楚師，斬首數萬級。秦使人願以漢中地謝懷王，不聽，願得張儀而甘心焉。張儀曰："以一儀而易漢中地，何愛儀！"請行，遂至楚，楚囚之。上官大夫之屬共言之王，王歸之。是時懷王悔不用屈原之策，以至於此，於是複用屈原。屈原使齊，還聞張儀已去，大為王言張儀之罪，懷王使人追之，不及。後秦嫁女於楚，與懷王歡，為藍田之會，屈原以為秦不可信，願勿會，群臣皆以為可會，懷王遂會，果見囚拘，客死於秦，為天下笑。懷王子頃襄王，亦知群臣諂誤懷王，不察其罪，反聽群讒之口，復放屈原。屈原疾闇王亂俗，汶汶嘿嘿，以是為非，以清為瘻，不忍見於世，將自投於淵，漁父止之。屈原曰："世皆醉，我獨醒；世皆瘻，我獨清。吾獨聞之，新浴者必振衣，新沐者必彈冠。又惡能以其冷冷，更世事之嘿嘿者哉？吾寧投淵而死。"遂自投湘水汨羅之中而死。

Qu Yuan, named Ping, was a senior officer of Chu of the same surname as the royal house. He had broad and penetrating knowledge and pure conduct, and King Huai employed him. Qin wished to swallow up the feudal lords and annex all under Heaven. Qu Yuan went east as Chu's envoy to Qi to form an alliance with a strong ally. The state of Qin was troubled and sent Zhang Yi to Chu, bribing Chu's noble ministers such as the senior officer Shangguan and Jin Shang, and above them the chief minister Zilan and the commander Zijiao; and within the palace he bribed the consort Zheng Xiu, and together they slandered Qu Yuan. Qu Yuan was then banished abroad, and wrote the Li Sao. Zhang Yi then had Chu break relations with Qi, promising six hundred li of land as an apology. King Huai believed the schemes of those about him and listened to Zhang Yi's deceitful talk, and so cut off the great support of powerful Qi. After Chu had broken with Qi, Qin cheated and gave only six li. King Huai was furious and raised troops to attack Qin, and after several great battles the Qin troops greatly defeated the Chu army, beheading tens of thousands. Qin sent men offering to apologize to King Huai with the land of Hanzhong, but he would not listen and wished only to get Zhang Yi to be satisfied. Zhang Yi said: "To exchange one Zhang Yi for the land of Hanzhong, why should I be spared?" He asked to go and so came to Chu, and Chu imprisoned him. Shangguan and the others spoke together to the king, and the king let him go back. At that time King Huai regretted that he had not used Qu Yuan's plan, which had brought things to this, and so employed Qu Yuan again. Qu Yuan went as envoy to Qi, and on returning heard that Zhang Yi had already left, and strongly told the king of Zhang Yi's crimes; King Huai sent men to pursue him but they did not catch up. Later Qin married a daughter to Chu and made friendly relations with King Huai and held a meeting at Lantian. Qu Yuan thought Qin could not be trusted and hoped the king would not go to the meeting, but the ministers all thought he could, so King Huai went to the meeting and was indeed imprisoned, died as a guest in Qin, and was laughed at by the world. King Huai's son, King Qingxiang, also knew that the ministers had misled King Huai by flattery, but did not examine their crimes and instead listened to the mouths of the slanderers and banished Qu Yuan again. Qu Yuan grieved at the benighted ruler and disordered customs, in which all was dim and murky, right was taken for wrong and clear for muddy, and he could not bear to appear in the world and was about to throw himself into the deep, but a fisherman stopped him. Qu Yuan said: "All the world is drunk and I alone am sober; all the world is muddy and I alone am clear. I alone have heard that one who has newly bathed must shake out his clothes, and one who has newly washed his hair must flick his cap. How could I take my own clearness and exchange it for the murkiness of worldly affairs? I would rather throw myself into the deep and die." So he threw himself into the Miluo River of the Xiang and died.

楚昭王有士曰石奢，其為人也，公正而好義，王使為理，於是廷有殺人者，石奢追之，則其父也，遂反於廷曰："殺人者，僕之父也，以父成政，不孝，不行君法，不忠。弛罪廢法而伏其辜，僕之所守也。伏斧鑕命在君。"君曰："追而不及。庸有罪乎？子其治事矣。"石奢曰："不私其父，非孝也；不行君法，非忠也；以死罪生，非廉也。君赦之，上之惠也，臣不敢失法，下之行也。"遂不離鈇鑕。刎頭而死於廷中。君子聞之曰："貞夫法哉！"孔子曰："子為父隱，父為子隱，直在其中矣。"詩曰："彼己之子，邦之司直。"石子之謂也。

King Zhao of Chu had a scholar named Shi She, who was upright and loved righteousness, and the king made him a judge. Then someone in the court committed murder, and Shi She pursued him, and it turned out to be his own father, so he returned to the court and said: "The murderer is your servant's father. To use my father to accomplish my official work is unfilial; not to carry out the ruler's law is disloyal. To let off the crime, abandon the law and bear the guilt myself is what I hold to. I prostrate myself on the axe and block, and my fate is in the ruler's hands." The ruler said: "You pursued him but did not catch him, so what guilt is there? Please go on managing affairs." Shi She said: "Not to favor one's father is not filial; not to carry out the ruler's law is not loyal; to exchange a capital sentence for life is not honorable. That the ruler pardons me is the kindness of one above; that a subject dares not lose the law is the conduct of one below." So he did not leave the chopping block and slit his throat and died in the court. The gentleman heard of it and said: "How firmly he kept to the law!" Confucius said: "A son conceals for his father, and a father conceals for his son, and uprightness lies within this." The Book of Songs says: "That man is the upholder of rightness in the state." This speaks of Master Shi.

晉文公反國，李離為大理，過殺不辜，自系曰："臣之罪當死。"文公令之曰："官有上下，罰有輕重，是下吏之罪也，非子之過也。"李離曰："臣居官為長，不與下讓位；受祿為多，不與下分利。過聽殺無辜，委下畏死，非義也，臣之罪當死矣。"文公曰："子必自以為有罪，則寡人亦有過矣。"李離曰："君量能而授官，臣奉職而任事，臣受印綬之日，君命曰：'必以仁義輔政，寧過於生，無失於殺。’臣受命不稱，壅惠蔽恩，如臣之罪乃當死，君何過之有？且理有法，失生即生，失殺即死，君以臣為能聽微決疑，故任臣以理，今離刻深，不顧仁義，信文墨，不察是非，聽他辭，不精事實，掠服無罪，使百姓怨，天下聞之，必議吾君，諸侯聞之，必輕吾國。積怨於百姓，惡揚於天下，權輕於諸侯，如臣之罪，是當重死。"文公曰："吾聞之也，直而不枉，不可與往；方而不圓，不可與長存，願子以此聽寡人也。"李離曰："吾以所私害公法，殺無罪而生當死，二者非所以教於國也，離不敢受命。"文公曰："子獨不聞管仲之為人臣邪？身辱而君肆，行汙而霸成。"李離曰："臣無管仲之賢，而有辱汙之名，無霸王之功，而有射鉤之累。夫無能以臨官，借汙名以治人，君雖不忍加之於法，臣亦不敢汙官亂治以生，臣聞命矣。"遂伏劍而死。

After Duke Wen of Jin returned to his state, Li Li served as Grand Judge, and mistakenly executed an innocent man, and bound himself and said: "Your servant's crime deserves death." Duke Wen ordered: "Offices have higher and lower ranks and punishments are heavier or lighter; this is the fault of a subordinate official, not your error." Li Li said: "Your servant holds office as head and does not yield his place to those below; he receives a large salary and does not share the profit with those below. If I mistakenly listened and killed an innocent man and then pushed the blame to my subordinates for fear of death, it would be unrighteous. Your servant's crime deserves death." Duke Wen said: "If you must consider yourself guilty, then I too am at fault." Li Li said: "The ruler weighs ability and gives office, and your servant accepts the duty and takes up the task. On the day your servant received the seal and ribbon, the ruler ordered: 'You must assist government with benevolence and righteousness; better to err on the side of letting a man live than on the side of killing a man.' Your servant received the command but was not equal to it and blocked the ruler's kindness. For a crime like your servant's, he deserves to die, so what fault is there in the ruler? Moreover, a judge has the law: if he errs in letting a man live, he himself lives; if he errs in killing a man, he himself dies. The ruler thought your servant could hear the subtle and decide the doubtful, and so gave the post of judge to your servant. Now Li has been harsh and severe, ignoring benevolence and righteousness, trusting documents and not examining right and wrong, listening to others' words and not carefully examining the facts, and by torture has made an innocent man confess, causing the people to resent it. When the world hears of it, they will surely criticize our lord, and when the feudal lords hear of it, they will surely look down on our state. Resentment is piled up among the people, wickedness spread through the world, and authority belittled by the feudal lords; for such a crime as your servant's, the death penalty should be made heavier." Duke Wen said: "I have heard that one who is straight and does not bend cannot go along with others, and one who is square and not round cannot last long with others. I hope you will therefore listen to me." Li Li said: "If I harm public law by what I privately favor, killing the innocent and letting the one who deserves death live, these two things are not how to teach a state, and Li dares not accept your command." Duke Wen said: "Have you not heard how Guan Zhong acted as a minister? He himself was disgraced and his lord let him go, his conduct was stained, and yet his hegemony was achieved." Li Li said: "Your servant has not Guan Zhong's worth yet has a name for disgrace; I have not the merit of a hegemon yet bear the burden of having shot the belt-hook. Without ability to hold office, I would borrow a tainted name to govern others; although the ruler cannot bear to apply the law to me, your servant too dares not stain office and disorder government in order to live. Your servant has heard your command." So he fell on his sword and died.

晉文公反，酌士大夫酒，召咎犯而將之，召艾陵而相之，授田百萬。介子推無爵齒而就位，觴三行，介子推奉觴而起曰："有龍繅繅，將失其所，有蛇從之，周流天下，龍既入深淵，得其安所，蛇脂盡幹，獨不得甘雨，此何謂也？"文公曰："嘻！是寡人之過也。吾為子爵，與待旦之朝也；吾為子田，與河東陽之間。"介子推曰："推聞君子之道，謁而得位，道士不居也；爭而得財，廉士不受也。"文公曰："使我得反國者，子也，吾將以成子之名。"介子推曰："推聞君子之道，為人子而不能成其父者，則不敢當其後；為人臣而不見察於其君者，則不敢立於其朝，然推亦無索於天下矣。"遂去而之介山之上。文公使人求之不得，為之避寢三月，號呼期年。詩曰："逝將去汝，適彼樂郊，誰之永號。"此之謂也。文公待之不肯出，求之不能得，以謂焚其山宜出，及焚其山，遂不出而焚死。

After Duke Wen of Jin returned, he poured wine for the officers, summoned Jiu Fan to use him, and summoned Ai Ling to use him as chancellor, and granted a million fields. Jie Zhitui took his place without rank or seniority. When the cup had gone around three times, Jie Zhitui raised his cup and stood and said: "There was a dragon who coiled about and was about to lose his dwelling, and a snake followed him and traveled all over the world. The dragon has now entered the deep pool and found a secure dwelling, while the snake's fat has all dried up and he alone gets no sweet rain; what does this mean?" Duke Wen said: "Ah! This is my fault. When I give you rank, it will be like the morning that awaits the dawn; when I give you land, it will be between Hedong and Yang." Jie Zhitui said: "I have heard that in the way of the gentleman, if one seeks an audience and gains a position, a scholar of the Way does not hold it; if one contends and gains wealth, an honest scholar does not accept it." Duke Wen said: "The one who enabled me to return to my state is you, and I will make your name." Jie Zhitui said: "I have heard that in the way of the gentleman, one who is a son and cannot make his father successful does not dare to be his heir; one who is a minister and is not recognized by his ruler does not dare stand in his court. But I seek nothing more from the world." So he left and went up Mount Jie. Duke Wen sent men to look for him but could not find him, and for this avoided the main hall for three months and cried out for a whole year. The Book of Songs says: "I will leave you and go to that happy land; who will still wail aloud there?" This is what is meant. Duke Wen waited for him but he would not come out, and sought him but could not find him, and thinking that burning the mountain would bring him out, burned it, and in the end he did not come out and was burned to death.

申徒狄非其世，將自投於河，崔嘉聞而止之曰："吾聞聖人仁士之於天地之間，民之父母也，今為濡足之故，不救溺人，可乎？"申徒狄曰："不然。昔者，桀殺關龍逢，紂殺王子比干而亡天下；吳殺子胥，陳殺洩治而滅其國。故亡國殘家，非無聖智也，不用故也。"遂負石沈於河。君子聞之曰："廉矣乎，如仁與智，吾未見也。"詩曰："天實為之，謂之何哉？"此之謂也。

Shentu Di criticized his age and was about to throw himself into the river. Cui Jia heard of it and stopped him, saying: "I have heard that a sage and humane man, between Heaven and Earth, is a parent of the people. Now because of wetting your feet, to not save the drowning, is that acceptable?" Shentu Di said: "Not so. Long ago, Jie killed Guan Longfeng and Zhou killed Prince Bi Gan and lost the world; Wu killed Zixu and Chen killed Xie Ye and so ruined their states. So the ruin of states and destruction of families is not for lack of sages and wise men, but because they were not employed." So he carried a stone and sank into the river. When the gentleman heard of it, he said: "Honest indeed, but as for benevolence and wisdom, I do not see them." The Book of Songs says: "Heaven truly did this; what can one call it?" This is what is meant.

齊大飢，黔敖為食於路，以待飢者而食之，有飢者蒙袂接履貿貿然來，黔敖左奉食，右執飲曰："嗟！來食！"餓者揚其目而視之曰："予唯不食嗟來之食，以至於此也。"從而謝焉，終不食而死。曾子聞之曰："微與，其嗟也可去，其謝也可食。"

There was a great famine in Qi, and Qian Ao prepared food by the roadside to wait for the hungry and give it to them. A hungry man came, covering his face with his sleeve, dragging his shoes, dazed and unsteady. Qian Ao held the food in his left hand and the drink in his right and said: "Hey! Come and eat!" The starving man raised his eyes and looked at him and said: "It is only because I would not eat food given with a 'Hey!' that I have come to this." Then he apologized, but in the end would not eat and died. Zengzi heard of it and said: "It need not have been so. When the one said 'Hey,' he could have left; when the other apologized, he could have eaten."

東方有士曰袁旌目，將有所適，而飢於道，孤父之盜丘人也見之，下壺餐以與之。袁旌目三餔而能視，仰而問焉。曰："子誰也？"曰："我孤父之盜丘人也。"袁旌目曰："嘻！汝乃盜也，何為而食我？以吾不食也。"兩手●地而歐之，不出，喀喀然，遂伏地而死。縣名為勝母，曾子不入，邑號朝歌，墨子回車。故孔子席不正不坐，割不正不食，不飲盜泉之水，積正也。旌目不食而死，潔之至也。

In the east there was a scholar called Yuan Jingmu, who was about to go somewhere and grew hungry on the road. A robber of Gufu called Qiu saw him and put down a pot of food to give to him. Yuan Jingmu ate three mouthfuls before he could see, and raised his head and asked: "Who are you?" He said: "I am Qiu, the robber of Gufu." Yuan Jingmu said: "Ah! You are a robber, so why did you give me food? I will not eat it." With both hands pressed to the ground he tried to vomit (a character is missing in the source text), but could not bring it up, and retched, and then fell prostrate and died. There was a county called Victory over Mother, and Zengzi would not enter it; there was a town named Morning Song, and Mozi turned his carriage around. So Confucius would not sit if the mat was not straight, would not eat meat that was not cut straight, and would not drink the water of Robber Spring, which is an accumulation of uprightness. That Jingmu would not eat and died was the utmost of purity.

鮑焦衣弊膚見，挈畚將蔬，遇子貢將於道。子貢曰："吾子何以至此也？"焦曰："天下之遺德教者眾矣！吾何以不至於此也。吾聞之，世不己知，而行之不己者，是爽行也；上不己知，而幹之不止者，是毀廉也。行爽廉毀，然且不捨，惑於利者也。"子貢曰："吾聞之，非其世者不生其利，汙其君者，不履其土。今吾子汙其君而履其土，非其而將其蔬，此諸之有哉？"鮑焦曰："嗚呼！吾聞賢者重進而輕退，廉者易醜而輕死。"乃棄其蔬而立，槁死於洛水之上。君子聞之曰："廉夫剛哉！夫山銳則不高，水狹而不深，行特者其德不厚，志與天地疑者，其為人不祥。鮑子可謂不祥矣，其節度深淺，適至而止矣。"詩曰："已焉哉！天實為之，謂之何哉？"。

Bao Jiao's clothes were torn and his skin showed through, and carrying a basket he was about to gather vegetables when he met Zigong on the road. Zigong said: "Why have you come to this?" Bao Jiao said: "There are many in the world who have abandoned virtue and teaching! Why should I not come to this? I have heard that if the age does not know oneself and yet one's conduct does not stop, it goes against one's character; if those above do not know oneself and yet one's seeking advancement does not stop, it ruins one's integrity. To have one's character violated and integrity ruined and yet not give up is the way of those deluded by profit." Zigong said: "I have heard that one who criticizes the age does not live off its profit, and one who despises his ruler does not tread on his soil. Now you despise the ruler yet tread on his soil, criticize the age yet gather its vegetables; where is the reason in that?" Bao Jiao said: "Alas! I have heard that a worthy man takes advancement seriously and retirement lightly, and an honest man is quick to feel shame and makes light of death." So he abandoned the vegetables and stood, and withered to death beside the Luo River. The gentleman heard of it and said: "Honest and unbending! When a mountain is sharp it is not high, and when water is narrow it is not deep; one whose conduct is singular has thin virtue, and one whose will compares itself to Heaven and Earth is inauspicious as a person. Master Bao can be called inauspicious; the measure of his principles, deep or shallow, stopped when it was just right." The Book of Songs says: "It is over! Heaven truly did this; what can one call it?"

公孫杵臼，程嬰者，晉大夫趙朔客也。晉趙穿弒靈公，趙盾時為貴大夫，亡不出境，還不討賊，故春秋責之，以盾為弒君。屠岸賈者，幸於靈公，晉景公時，賈為司寇，欲討靈公之賊，盾已死，欲誅盾之子趙朔，遍告諸將曰："盾雖不知，猶為賊首，賊乃弒君，子孫在朝，何以懲罰？請誅之。"韓厥曰："靈公遇賊，趙盾在外，吾先君以為無罪，故不誅。今請君將妄誅，妄誅謂之亂臣，有大事君不聞，是無君也。"屠岸賈不聽，韓厥告趙朔趣亡，趙朔不肯。曰："子必不絕趙祀，予死不恨。"韓厥許諾，稱疾不出。賈不請而擅與諸將攻趙氏於下宮，殺趙朔，趙同，趙括，趙嬰齊，皆滅其族。趙朔妻成公姊，有遺腹，走公宮匿。公孫杵臼謂程嬰曰："胡不死。"嬰曰："朔之妻有遺腹，若幸而男，吾奉之，即女也，吾徐死耳。"無何而朔妻免生男。屠岸賈聞之，索於宮，朔妻置兒□中，祝曰："趙宗滅乎，若號；即不滅乎，若無聲。"及索，兒竟無聲。已脫，程嬰謂杵臼曰："今一索不得，後必且復之，奈何？"杵臼曰："立孤與死，庸難？"嬰曰："立孤亦難耳！"杵臼曰："趙氏先君遇子厚，子強為其難者，吾為其易者，吾請先死。"而二人謀取他嬰兒，負以文褓匿山中。嬰謂諸將曰："嬰不肖，不能立孤，誰能予吾千金，吾告趙氏孤處。"諸將皆喜，許之，發師隨嬰攻杵臼。杵臼曰："小人哉程嬰！下宮之難不能死，與我謀匿趙氏孤兒，今又賣之。縱不能立孤兒，忍賣之乎？"抱而呼天曰："趙氏孤兒何罪？請活之，獨殺杵臼也。"諸將不許，遂幷殺杵臼與兒。

Gongsun Chujiu and Cheng Ying were retainers of Zhao Shuo, a senior officer of Jin. Zhao Chuan of Jin murdered Duke Ling, and Zhao Dun, then a noble senior officer, went into exile but did not leave the borders, and on returning did not punish the culprit, so the Spring and Autumn Annals blamed him and counted Dun as having murdered the ruler. Tu'an Gu had gained favor with Duke Ling, and in the time of Duke Jing of Jin, Gu served as Minister of Justice and wished to punish the culprits of Duke Ling's murder. Dun had already died, so he wished to execute Dun's son Zhao Shuo, and announced to all the generals: "Although Dun did not know of it, he was still the head of the culprits. The culprit murdered his ruler yet his descendants are in court; how is this to be punished? I ask to execute them." Han Jue said: "When Duke Ling met with the culprit, Zhao Dun was outside, and our former ruler considered him blameless and so did not execute him. Now if you, generals, are going to execute recklessly, reckless execution is called disorderly ministers. To have a great undertaking and not inform the ruler is to have no ruler." Tu'an Gu would not listen. Han Jue told Zhao Shuo to flee quickly, but Zhao Shuo would not. He said: "If you will not let the Zhao sacrifices be cut off, I will die without regret." Han Jue promised, and pleaded illness and did not go out. Gu, without asking, on his own with the generals attacked the Zhao clan at the Lower Palace and killed Zhao Shuo, Zhao Tong, Zhao Kuo and Zhao Yingqi, wiping out all their clans. The wife of Zhao Shuo was an elder sister of Duke Cheng, and she was pregnant with a posthumous child and fled to the ducal palace and hid. Gongsun Chujiu said to Cheng Ying: "Why do you not die?" Cheng Ying said: "Shuo's wife is pregnant with a posthumous child; if by good fortune it is a boy, I will raise him; if it is a girl, I will die slowly." Not long after, Shuo's wife gave birth to a boy. Tu'an Gu heard of it and searched the palace. Shuo's wife placed the child in her trousers (a character is missing in the source text) and prayed: "If the house of Zhao is to be destroyed, then cry; if it is not to be destroyed, then make no sound." When the search came, the child indeed made no sound. After they had escaped, Cheng Ying said to Chujiu: "Now that one search has not found him, they will surely come again; what shall we do?" Chujiu said: "Which is harder, raising the orphan or dying?" Cheng Ying said: "Raising the orphan is harder!" Chujiu said: "The former lord of Zhao treated you generously. You take on the hard task and I will take the easy one; let me die first." The two planned to take another person's infant, carry it in embroidered swaddling clothes and hide it in the mountains. Cheng Ying said to the generals: "I, Ying, am unworthy and cannot raise the orphan; whoever can give me a thousand in gold, I will tell where the orphan of Zhao is." The generals were all pleased and agreed, and sent troops to follow Cheng Ying to attack Chujiu. Chujiu said: "What a petty man Cheng Ying is! When the disaster at the Lower Palace came you could not die, and you planned with me to hide the orphan of Zhao, and now you sell him out. Even if you could not raise the orphan, can you bear to sell him out?" Holding the child he cried out to Heaven: "What crime has the orphan of Zhao committed? Please let him live and kill only Chujiu." The generals would not allow it, and killed Chujiu and the child together.

諸將以為趙氏孤兒已死，皆喜。然趙氏真孤兒乃在，程嬰卒與俱匿山中，居十五年。晉景公病，卜之，大業之胄者為祟，景公問韓厥，韓厥知趙孤存，乃曰："大業之後，在晉絕祀者，其趙氏乎？夫自中行衍皆嬴姓也。中行衍人面鳥嶵，降佐帝大戊及周天子，皆有明德，下及幽厲無道，而叔帶去周適晉，事先君繆侯，至於成公，世有立功，未嘗絕祀。今及吾君，獨滅之趙宗，國人哀之，故見龜筴出現，唯君圖之。"景公問趙尚有後子孫乎？韓厥具以實告。景公乃以韓厥謀立趙氏孤兒，召匿之宮中。諸將入問病，景公因韓厥之眾以脅諸將，而見趙氏孤兒，孤兒名武，諸將不得已乃曰："昔下宮之難，屠岸賈為之，繅以君命，幷命群臣。非然，庸敢作難？微君之病，群臣固將請立趙後，今君有命，群臣願之。"於是乃召趙武，程嬰遍拜諸將，遂俱與程嬰趙氏攻屠岸賈，滅其族。復興趙氏田邑如故。趙武冠為成人，程嬰乃辭大夫，謂趙武曰："昔下宮之難皆能死，我非不能死，思立趙氏後，今子既立為成人，趙宗復故，我將下報趙孟與公孫杵臼。"趙武號泣，固請曰："武願苦筋骨以報子至死，而子忍棄我而死乎？"程嬰曰："不可，彼以我為能成事故，皆先我死，今我不下報之，是以我事為不成也。"遂以殺。趙武服哀三年，為祭邑，春秋祠之，世不絕。君子曰："程嬰公孫杵臼，可謂信交厚士矣。嬰之自殺下報亦過矣。"

The generals all believed the orphan of the Zhao clan was dead and were delighted. But the true orphan of the Zhao clan was still alive, and Cheng Ying in the end hid with him in the mountains, where they lived for fifteen years. Duke Jing of Jin fell ill and had divination done; the descendants of Daye were causing the affliction. Duke Jing asked Han Jue, and Han Jue, who knew the Zhao orphan was still alive, said: "Of the descendants of Daye, those whose sacrifices have been cut off in Jin, is it not the Zhao clan? From Zhongyan on they were all of the Ying surname. Zhongyan had a human face and a bird's beak; his descendants came down to assist Emperor Dawu and the Zhou kings, and all had bright virtue, down to Kings You and Li, who lacked the Way, whereupon Shudai left Zhou for Jin and served the former lord Marquis Miao; down to Duke Cheng, generation after generation they rendered merit and their sacrifices were never cut off. Now, in the time of our lord, the Zhao line alone was wiped out, the people of the state grieve, and so it shows in the tortoise and yarrow; I only ask that my lord consider it." Duke Jing asked whether Zhao had any descendants left, and Han Jue reported everything truthfully. Duke Jing then planned with Han Jue to establish the Zhao orphan, and had him summoned and hidden in the palace. When the generals came in to inquire after his illness, Duke Jing relied on Han Jue's troops to coerce the generals and received the Zhao orphan, whose name was Wu. The generals, having no choice, said: "The calamity at Xiagong long ago was the doing of Tu'an Gu, who falsely claimed the ruler's command and ordered all the ministers along with him. Otherwise, how would we have dared to make trouble? Had it not been for the ruler's illness, the ministers would have asked to establish an heir for Zhao; now that the ruler has commanded it, the ministers are willing." Then they summoned Zhao Wu and Cheng Ying, who bowed to each of the generals, and together with Cheng Ying and the Zhao clan they attacked Tu'an Gu and wiped out his clan. The fields and towns of the Zhao clan were restored as before. When Zhao Wu was capped and became an adult, Cheng Ying took leave of the grandees and said to Zhao Wu: "At the calamity of Xiagong long ago, all could have died; it was not that I could not die, but that I wanted to establish an heir for the Zhao clan. Now you have been established as an adult and the Zhao lineage is restored; I shall go below to report to Zhao Meng and Gongsun Chujiu." Zhao Wu wept aloud and begged firmly: "I wish to toil with sinew and bone to repay you until I die; can you bear to abandon me and die?" Cheng Ying said: "I cannot. They thought I could accomplish the task, and so they all died before me. If I do not die now to report to them, it will mean I think my task was not accomplished." He then killed himself. Zhao Wu mourned for three years, set up a sacrificial estate, and offered sacrifices in spring and autumn, never cut off through the generations. The gentleman said: "Cheng Ying and Gongsun Chujiu can be called gentlemen who were sincere and loyal in friendship and generous of character. Cheng Ying's killing himself to report to them went too far, though."

吳有士曰張胥鄙，譚夫吾，前交而後絕。張胥鄙有罪，拘將死。譚夫吾合徒而取之，出至於道，而後乃知其夫吾也。輟行而辭曰："義不同於子，故前交而後絕。吾聞之君子不以安肆志，不為危易行，今吾從子，是安則肆志，危則易行也。與吾因子而生，不若反拘而死。"闔閭聞之，令吏釋之。張胥鄙曰："吾義不同於譚夫吾，故不受其任矣，今吏以是出我，以譚夫吾故免也，吾庸遽受之乎？"遂觸牆而死。譚夫吾聞之曰："我任而不受，佞也；不知而出之，愚也。佞不可以接士，愚不可以事君，吾行虛矣。人惡以吾力生，吾亦恥以此立於世。"乃絕頸而死。君子曰："譚夫吾其以失士矣，張胥鄙亦為未得也，可謂剛勇矣，未可謂得節也。"

In Wu there were two gentlemen, Zhang Xubi and Tan Fuwu, who had at first been friends and later broke off. Zhang Xubi was found guilty and was detained and about to die. Tan Fuwu gathered a band of followers to seize him by force, and only after they had gone out onto the road did Zhang Xubi realize it was Fuwu. He stopped and declined, saying: "Our sense of right is not the same as yours, and so we were friends at first and then broke off. I have heard that the gentleman does not let his will go loose because of safety, and does not change his conduct because of danger. Now if I follow you, then in safety I would let my will go loose and in danger change my conduct. Rather than live by relying on you, I would sooner return to detention and die." Helu heard of this and ordered the officials to release him. Zhang Xubi said: "My sense of right is not the same as Tan Fuwu's, so I did not accept his taking responsibility. Now the officials are releasing me because of this, which means I am being pardoned on account of Tan Fuwu; how can I accept it?" He then struck his head against a wall and died. When Tan Fuwu heard of it he said: "I took responsibility and was not accepted, which makes me an obsequious flatterer; I released him without knowing him, which makes me a fool. A flatterer cannot associate with gentlemen, and a fool cannot serve a ruler; my conduct has come to nothing. Others hate living by my strength, and I too am ashamed to stand in the world by it." He then cut his own throat and died. The gentleman said: "Tan Fuwu probably lost a gentleman because of this, and Zhang Xubi, too, may be said not to have gained one. They may be called firm and brave, but not said to have kept their integrity."