《周颂·维清》是中国古代第一部诗歌总集《诗经》中的一首诗。这是一首在祭祀仪式现场所诵唱的诗歌。此诗是周成王歌颂周文王之德的。而文王之德,就是正确地描述出了上天的运行规律,从而破除了殷商朝的“宿命论”。从文王始,祭祀的权力也从商纣王转到诸侯君主手里,人们再也不必只是在商王祭祀时参与配祭。人们能够自己举行祭祀仪式,表明了人们渴望自由的思想,渴望自己能够自由地向上天祈福。这在使用宗主神严密统治的古代是一件极大的事情。全诗一章,共五句,篇幅短小而意旨深远。
维清
维清缉熙[1],
文王之典[2]。
肇禋[3],
迄用有成,
维周之祯[4]。
周朝政治多清明,
文王真是能征善战。
祭天征伐由他始,
直到武王成功业,
这正是周朝的祥瑞。
注释:
[1] 缉熙:光明。
[2] 典:当指文王用兵打仗之兵法。
[3] 肇禋(yīn):开始祭天。
[4] 祯:祥瑞。
King Wen’s Statutes[1]
The world is clear and bright;
King Wen’s statutes shed light.
Begin by sacrificial rite
And end by victory great.
God, bless Zhou’s State!
[1] This was the third hymn appropriate at some sacrifice to King Wen and celebrating his statutes. It was sung to accompany the performance of the dance of King Wen, which consisted in going through a number of bodily movements and evolutions, intending to illustrate the style of fighting introduced by Wen in his various Wars.