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周書 康誥 Zhou Shu - Announcement to the Prince of Kang
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惟三月，哉生魄，周公初基作新大邑于東國洛；四方民大和會，侯甸男邦采衛，百工播民，和見士于周？周公咸勤，乃洪大誥治。[On the third month, when the moon began to wane, the duke of Zhou commenced the foundations, and proceeded to build the new great city of Lo, of the eastern states. The people from every quarter assembled in great harmony. From the Hou, Dian, Nan, Cai, and Wei domains, the various officers stimulated this harmony of the people, and introduced them to the business there was to be done for Zhou. The duke encouraged all to diligence, and made a great announcement about the performance (of the works).]
王若曰：「孟侯，朕其弟，小子封。惟乃丕顯考文王，克明德慎罰，不敢侮鰥寡，庸庸、祗祗、威威、顯民。用肇造我區夏；越我一二邦，以修我西土。惟時怙，冒聞于上帝，帝休。天乃大命文王，殪戎殷，誕受厥命。越厥邦厥民，惟時敘。乃寡兄勖，肆汝小子封，在茲東土。」
The king speaks to this effect: 'Head of the princes, and my younger brother, little one, Feng, it was your greatly distinguished father, the king Wen, who was able to illustrate his virtue and be careful in the use of punishments. He did not dare to treat with contempt (even) wifeless men and widows. He employed the employable, and revered the reverend; he was terrible to those who needed to be awed - so getting distinction among the people. It was thus he laid the foundations of (the sway of) our small portion of the kingdom, and the one or two (neighbouring) regions were brought under, his improving influence, until throughout our western land all placed in him their reliance. The fame, of him ascended up to the high God, and God approved. Heaven accordingly gave a grand charge to king Wen, to exterminate the great (dynasty of) Yin, and grandly receive its appointment, so that the various countries belonging to it and their peoples were brought to an orderly condition. Then your unworthy elder brother exerted himself; and thus it is that you Feng, the little one, are here in this eastern region.'
王曰：「嗚呼！封。汝念哉！今民將在祗遹乃文考，紹聞衣德言，往敷求于殷先哲王，用保乂民。汝丕遠惟商耇成人，宅心知訓。別求聞由古先哲王，用康保民，弘于天若。德裕乃身，不廢在王命。」
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, bear these things in mind. Now (your success in the management of) the people will depend on your reverently following your father Wen; do you carry out his virtuous words which you have heard, and clothe yourself with them. (Moreover), where you go, seek out among (the traces of) the former wise kings of Yin what you may use in protecting and regulating their people. (Again), you must in the remote distance study the (ways of) the old accomplished men of Shang, that you may establish your heart, and know how to instruct (the people). (Further still), you must search out besides what is to be learned of the wise kings of antiquity, and employ it in tranquillizing and protecting the people. (Finally), enlarge (your thoughts) to (the comprehension of all) heavenly (principles), and virtue will be richly displayed in your person, so that you will not render nugatory the king's charge.'
王曰：「嗚呼！小子封。恫瘝乃身，敬哉！天畏棐忱，民情大可見。小人難保；往盡乃心，無康好逸豫，乃其乂民。我聞曰：『怨不在大，亦不在小；惠不惠，懋不懋。』
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, the little one, be respectfully careful, as if you were suffering from a disease. Awful though Heaven be, it yet helps the sincere. The feelings of the people can for the most part be discerned; but it is difficult to preserve (the attachment of) the lower classes. Where you go, employ all your heart. Do not seek repose, nor be fond of ease and pleasure. I have read the saying, "Dissatisfaction is caused not so much by great things, or by small things, as by (a ruler's) observance of principle or the reverse, and by his energy of conduct or the reverse."
已，汝惟小子，乃服惟弘王，應保殷民；亦惟助王宅天命，作新民。」
Yes, it is yours, O little one, it is your business to enlarge the royal (influence), and to protect the people of Yin in harmony with their feelings. Thus also shall, you assist the king, consolidating the appointment of Heaven, and renovating the people.'
王曰：「嗚呼！封。敬明乃罰。人有小罪非眚，乃惟終，自作不典；式爾，有厥罪小，乃不可不殺。乃有大罪非終，乃惟眚災適爾，既道極厥辜，時乃不可殺。」
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, deal reverently and intelligently in your infliction of punishments. When men commit small crimes, which are not mischances, but purposed, they of themselves doing what is contrary to the laws intentionally, though their crimes be but small, you may not but put them to death. But in the case of great crimes, which were not purposed, but from mischance and misfortune, accidental, if the transgressors confess their guilt without reserve, you must not put them to death.'
王曰：「嗚呼！封。有敘時，乃大明服，惟民其敕懋和。若有疾，惟民其畢棄咎。若保赤子，惟民其康乂。非汝封刑人殺人，無或刑人殺人；非汝封又曰劓刵人，無或劓刵人。」
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, there must be the orderly regulation (of this matter). When you show a great discrimination, subduing (men's hearts), the people will admonish one another, and strive to be obedient. (Deal firmly yet tenderly with evil), as if it were a disease in your own person, and the people will entirely put away their faults;. (Deal with them) as if you were protecting your own infants, and the people will be tranquil and orderly. It is not you, O Feng, who (can presume to) inflict a (severe) punishment or death upon a man; do not, to please yourself, so punish a man or put him to death.' Moreover, he says, 'It is not you, O Feng, who (can presume to inflict a lighter punishment), cutting off a man's nose or ears; do not, to please yourself, cause a man's nose or ears to be cut off.'
王曰：「外事，汝陳時臬司，師茲殷罰有倫。」
又曰：「要囚，服念五六日，至于旬時，丕蔽要囚。」
The king says, 'In things beyond (your immediate supervision), have laws set forth which the officers may observe, and these should be the penal laws of Yin which were rightly ordered.' He also says, 'In examining the evidence in (criminal) cases, reflect upon it for five or six days, yea, for ten days or three months. You may then boldly come to a decision in such cases.'
王曰：「汝陳時臬事，罰蔽殷彝，用其義刑義殺，勿庸以次汝封。乃汝盡遜，曰時敘；惟曰未有遜事。
The king says, 'In setting forth the business of the laws, the punishments will be determined by (what were) the regular laws of Yin. But you must see that those punishments, and (especially) the penalty of death, be righteous. And you must not let them be warped to agree with your own inclinations, O Feng. Then shall they be entirely accordant with right, and you may say, "They are properly ordered;" yet you must say (at the same time), "Perhaps they are not yet entirely accordant with right."
已，汝惟小子，未其有若汝封之心；朕心朕德惟乃知。
Yes, though you are the little one, who has a heart like you, O Feng? My heart and my virtue are also known to you.
凡民自得罪，寇攘奸宄，殺越人于貨，昏不畏死：罔弗憝。」
'All who of themselves commit crimes, robbing, stealing, practising villainy and treachery, and who kill men or violently assault them to take their property, being reckless and fearless of death - these are abhorred by all.'
王曰：「封。元惡大憝，矧惟不孝不友。子弗祗服厥父事，大傷厥考心；于父不能字厥子，乃疾厥子。于弟弗念天顯，乃弗克恭厥兄；兄亦不念鞠子哀，大不友于弟。惟吊茲，不于我政人得罪；天惟與我民彝大泯亂；曰乃其速由文王作罰，刑茲無赦。
The king says, 'O Feng, such great criminals are greatly abhorred, and how much more (detestable) are the unfilial and unbrotherly! - as the son who does not reverently discharge his duty to his father, but greatly wounds his father's heart, and the father who can (no longer) love his son, but hates him; as the younger brother who does not think of the manifest will of Heaven, and refuses to respect his elder brother, and the elder brother who does not think of the toil of their parents in bringing up their children, and is very unfriendly to his junior. If we who are charged with government do not treat parties who proceed to such wickedness as offenders, the laws (of our nature) given by Heaven to our people will be thrown into great disorder and destroyed. You must resolve to deal speedily with such according to the penal laws of king Wen, punishing them severely and not pardoning.
不率大戛，矧惟外庶子訓人、惟厥正人、越小臣、諸節，乃別播敷，造民大譽，弗念弗庸，瘝厥君；時乃引惡，惟朕憝。已，汝乃其速由茲義率殺。
'Those who are disobedient (to natural principles) are to be thus subjected to the laws; how much more the officers employed in your state as the instructors of the youth, the heads of the official departments, and the smaller officers charged with their several commissions, when they propagate other lessons, seeking the praise of the people, not thinking (of their duty), nor using (the rules for their offices), but distressing their ruler! These lead on (the people) to wickedness, and are an abomination to me. Shall they be let alone? Do you speedily, according to what is right, put them to death.
亦惟君惟長，不能厥家人、越厥小臣外正，惟威惟虐，大放王命：乃非德用乂。汝亦罔不克敬典，乃由裕民；惟文王之敬忌，乃裕民。曰：『我惟有及。』則予一人以懌。」
'And you will be yourself ruler and president; if you cannot manage your own household, with your smaller officers, and the heads of departments in the state, but use only terror and violence, you will greatly set aside the royal charge, and be trying to regulate your state contrary to virtue. You must in everything reverence the statutes, and proceed by them to the happy rule of the people. There were the reverence of king Wen and his caution; in proceeding by them to the happy rule of the people, say, "If I could only attain to them." So will you make me, the One man, to rejoice.'
王曰：「封！爽惟民，迪吉康。我時其惟殷先哲王德，用康乂民作求。矧今民罔迪不適，不迪則罔政在厥邦。」
The king says, 'O Feng, when I think clearly of the people, I see that they should be led (by example) to happiness and tranquillity. I think of the virtue of the former wise kings of Yin, whereby they tranquillized and regulated the people, and rouse myself to make it my own. Moreover, the people now are sure to follow a leader. If one do not lead them, he cannot be said to exercise a government in their state.'
王曰：「封！予惟不可不監，告汝德之說，于罰之行。今惟民不靜，未戾厥心，迪屢未同。爽惟天其罰殛我，我其不怨。惟厥罪無在大，亦無在多，矧曰其尚顯聞于天。」
The king says, 'O Feng, I can not dispense with the inspection (of the ancients),;and I make this declaration to you about virtue in the use of punishments. Now the people are not quiet; they have not yet stilled their minds; notwithstanding my leading of them, they have not come to accord (with my government). I clearly consider that severe as are the inflictions of Heaven on me, I dare not murmur. The crimes (of the people), though they were not great or many, (would all be chargeable on me), and how much more shall this be said when the report of them goes up so manifestly to heaven!'
王曰：「嗚呼！封，敬哉！無作怨，勿用非謀非彝蔽時忱，丕則敏德。用康乃心，顧乃德，遠乃猷裕，乃以民寧，不汝瑕殄。」
The king says, 'Oh! Feng, be reverent! Do not what will cause murmurings; and do not use bad counsels and uncommon ways. With the determination of sincerity, give yourself to imitate the active virtue (of the ancients). Hereby give repose to your mind, examine your virtue, send far forward your plans; and thus by your generous forbearance you will make the people repose in what is good, and I shall not have to blame you or cast you off.'
王曰：「嗚呼！肆汝小子封。惟命不于常；汝念哉，無我殄享，明乃服命，高乃聽，用康乂民。」
The king says, 'Oh! you, Feng, the little one, (Heaven's) appointments are not unchanging." Think of this, and do not make me deprive you of your dignity. Make illustrious the charge which you have received; exalt (the instructions) which you have heard, and tranquillize and regulate the people accordingly.'
王若曰：「往哉封。勿替敬典！聽朕告汝，乃以殷民世享。」
The king speaks to this effect: 'Go, Feng. Do not disregard the statutes you should reverence; hearken to what I have told you; so shall you among the people of Yin enjoy (your dignity), and hand it down to your posterity.'
本作品在全世界都属于公有领域，因为作者逝世已经超过100年，并且于1923年1月1日之前出版。
English translation: James Legge
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