抑
抑抑[1]威仪,
维德之隅。
人亦有言:
“靡哲不愚。”
庶人之愚,
亦职维疾。
哲人之愚,
亦维斯戾[2]。
无竞[3]维人,
四方其训之。
有觉[4]德行,
四国顺之。
谟[5]定命,
远犹辰告。
敬慎威仪,
维民之则。
其在于今,
兴迷乱于政。
颠覆厥德,
荒湛[6]于酒。
女虽湛乐从,
弗念厥绍。
罔敷求先王,
克共[7]明刑。
肆皇天弗尚,
如彼泉流,
无沦胥以亡。
夙兴夜寐,
洒扫廷内,
维民之章。
修尔车马,
弓矢戎兵。
用戒戎[8]作,
用逷[9]蛮方。
质尔人民,
谨尔侯度,
用戒不虞[10]。
慎尔出话,
敬尔威仪,
无不柔嘉。
白圭之玷[11],
尚可磨也。
斯言之玷,
不可为也!
无易由言,
无曰苟矣,
莫扪朕舌,
言不可逝矣。
无言不雠[12],
无德不报。
惠于朋友,
庶民小子。
子孙绳绳[13],
万民靡不承。
视尔友君子,
辑柔尔颜,
不遐有愆。
相在尔室,
尚不愧于屋漏[14]。
无曰“不显,
莫予云觏”。
神之格思,
不可度思,
矧[15]可射[16]思。
辟尔为德,
俾臧俾嘉。
淑慎尔止,
不愆于仪。
不僭[17]不贼[18],
鲜不为则。
投我以桃,
报之以李。
彼童[19]而角,
实虹[20]小子。
荏染[21]柔木,
言缗[22]之丝。
温温恭人,
维德之基。
其维哲人,
告之话言,
顺德之行。
其维愚人,
覆谓我僭[23],
民各有心。
於乎小子,
未知臧否。
匪手携之,
言示之事。
匪面命之,
言提其耳。
借曰未知,
亦既抱子。
民之靡盈,
谁夙知而莫成?
昊天孔昭,
我生靡乐。
视尔梦梦[24],
我心惨惨[25]。
诲尔谆谆,
听我藐藐[26]。
匪用为教,
覆用为虐。
借曰未知,
亦聿既耄[27]!
於乎小子,
告尔旧止。
听用我谋,
庶无大悔。
天方艰难,
曰丧厥国。
取譬不远,
昊天不忒。
回遹[28]其德,
俾民大棘!
仪容美好礼彬彬,
为人品德端庄正。
古人有话说得好:
“大智看来似愚笨。”
常人平时显得笨,
也许天生有毛病。
智者看似不聪明,
那是装傻避罪名。
为政最要是贤人,
四方诸侯有教训。
国君德行很正大,
天下人民归顺他。
雄才大略定方针,
长远国策告人民。
行为举止要谨慎,
人民以此为标准。
形势发展到如今,
国政混乱不堪论。
君臣德行都败坏,
沉湎酒色醉醺醺。
只知纵情贪欢乐,
祖宗帝业不关心。
先王治道不讲求,
国家法度怎执行。
如今皇天不保佑,
好像泉水向下流,
相与沉沦都灭亡。
早早起床深夜睡,
洒扫堂屋除灰尘,
为民做出好榜样。
车辆马匹准备好,
弓箭兵器认真修。
预防一旦战祸生,
驱逐蛮夷功千秋。
安定你的众百姓,
遵守法度要认真。
警惕祸事突然生,
开口说话要谨慎。
行为举止要端敬,
处处温和得安宁。
白玉上面有污点,
尚可琢磨除干净。
言论如果有差错,
要想挽回不可能!
不要轻率乱发言,
说话做事莫随便,
没人把我舌头拴,
一言既出弥补难。
言语不会无反应,
施德总有福添。
朋友群臣要爱护,
平民百姓须安抚。
子孙谨慎不怠慢,
万民没有不顺服。
见你招待君子人,
态度和蔼笑盈盈,
小心过错莫发生。
看你一人在室内,
面对神明无愧惭。
别说“室内光线暗,
没人能把我看见”。
神灵来去无踪影,
何时降临难猜测,
哪能心里厌倦神。
修明德行养情操,
使它高尚更美好。
言谈举止要慎重,
不可马虎失礼仪。
不犯过错不害人,
很少不被人效法。
别人送我一个桃,
我用李子来回报。
羊崽无角说有角,
实是乱你周王朝。
有株树木很柔韧,
配上丝弦做成琴。
态度温和谦恭人,
品德高尚根基深。
如果你是聪明人,
善言劝告你能听,
顺应道德去实行。
如果你是天性笨,
反说我话不可信,
人不相同各有心。
啊呀小子太年轻,
好事坏事分不清。
非只用手相搀扶,
而且教你办事情。
不但当面教导你,
提着耳朵要你听。
假使年幼不懂事,
已把儿子抱在怀。
为人应该不自满,
谁说早慧却晚成?
老天在上最明白,
我的生活多烦忧。
看你糊涂不懂事,
我的心里实在痛。
谆谆耐心教导你,
你既不听态度傲。
不肯把它作教训,
反而当成大玩笑。
难道说你没知识,
真的年龄也不小!
啊呀你这年轻人,
告你先王旧典章。
你能听用我主张,
没有大错大懊丧。
上天正在降灾难,
国势危险要灭亡。
让我就近打比方,
上天赏罚不冤枉。
邪辟品行若不改,
百姓危急要遭殃!
注释:
[1] 抑抑:静密。
[2] 戾:罪也。
[3] 竞:强,最重要的。
[4] 觉:正直。
[5] 谟:大计划,谋略。
[6] 荒湛:荒耽。
[7] 共(gǒng):执行。
[8] 戒戎:戒备兵事。
[9] 逷:通“逖”,远。
[10] 虞:料想。
[11] 玷:缺点。
[12] 雠:反应,应验。
[13] 绳绳:慎戒。
[14] 屋漏:屋子的西北角,指暗处。
[15] 矧(shěn):况且。
[16] 射:厌倦。
[17] 僭:差错。
[18] 贼:伤害。
[19] 童:没有长角的羊。
[20] 虹:溃乱,败坏。
[21] 荏染:柔软。
[22] 缗:安上。
[23] 僭:不相信。
[24] 梦梦:混乱。
[25] 惨惨:悲伤,不快乐。
[26] 藐藐:态度傲慢,听不进去的样子。
[27] 耄:八九十岁曰耄。
[28] 遹:邪辟。
Admonition by Duke Wu of Wei[1]
What appears dignified
Reveals a good inside.
You know as people say:
There’re no sages but stray.
When people have done wrong,
It shows their sight not long.
When sages make mistakes,
It shows their wisdom breaks.
If a leader is good,
He’ll tame the neighborhood.
If his virtue is great,
He’ll rule o’er every state,
When he gives orders,
They’ll reach the borders.
As he is dignified,
He’s obeyed far and wide.
Look at the present state:
Political chaos’ great.
Subverted the virtue fine,
You are besotted by wine.
You wish your pleasure last
And think not of the past.
Enforce the laws laid down
By kings who wore a crown!
Or Heaven won’t bless you
Like water lost to view,
Till you’re ruined and dead.
Rise early, late to bed!
Try to sweep the floor clean;
Let your pattern be seen.
Keep cars and steeds in rows
And your arrows and bows.
If on alert you stand,
None dare invade your land.
Do people real good;
Make laws against falsehood.
Beware of what’s unforeseen;
Say rightly what you mean.
Try to be dignified;
Be kind and mild outside.
A flaw in white jade found,
Away it may be ground;
A flaw in what you say
Will leave its influence to stay.
Don’t lightly say a word
Nor think it won’t be heard.
Your tongue is held by none;
Your uttered words will run.
Each word will answered be;
No deed is done for free.
If you do good to friend
And people without end,
You’ll have sons in a string
And people will obey you as king.
Treat your friends with good grace;
Show them a kindly face.
You should do nothing wrong
E’en when far from the throng.
Be good when you’re alone;
No wrong is done but known.
Think not you are unseen
The sight of God is keen.
You know not what is in his mind,
Let alone what’s behind
When you do what is good,
Be worthy of manhood.
With people get along;
In manners do no wrong.
Making no mistakes small,
You’ll be pattern for all.
For a peach thrown on you,
Return a plum as due.
Seeking horns where there’s none,
You make a childish fun.
The soft, elastic wood
For stringed lute is good.
A mild, respectful man
Will do good when he can.
If you meet a man wise,
At what you say he tries
To do what he thinks good.
But a foolish man would
Think what you say untrue:
Diferent is his view.
Alas! Young man, how could
You tell evil from good?
I’ll lead you by the hand
And show you where you stand.
I’ll teach you face to face
So that you can keep pace.
l’ll hold you by the ear,
You too have a son dear.
If you are not content,
In vain your youth is spent.
Great Heaven fair and bright,
I live without delight.
Seeing you dream all day,
My heart will pine away.
I tell you now and again,
But I advise you in vain.
You think me useless one;
Of my words you make fun.
Can you say you don’t know
How old today you grow?
Alas! Young man, I pray,
Don’t you know ancient way?
Listen to my advice,
And you’ll be free from vice.
If Heaven’s ire come down,
Our state would be o’erthrown.
Just take example near by,
You’ll see justice on high.
If far astray you go,
You’ll plunge people in woe.
[1] This ode was made by Duke Wu of Wei at ninety to admonish himself and King Ping who was still young. It was the earliest proverbial ode in Chinese poetry.