The Book of Songs 詩經
大雅‧生民之什‧民勞 Greater odes of the kingdom - Decade Of Sheng Min - Min Lu
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毛詩序：「《民勞》，召穆公刺厲王也。」民勞
民亦勞止，汔可小康。惠此中國，以綏四方。
無縱詭隨，以謹無良。式遏寇虐，憯不畏明。柔遠能邇，以定我王。[1]
The people indeed are heavily burdened,
But perhaps a little ease may be got for them.
Let us cherish this centre of the kingdom,
To secure the repose of the four quarters of it.
Let us give no indulgence to the wily and obsequious,
In order to make the unconscientious careful,
And to repress robbers and oppressors,
Who have no fear of the clear will [of Heaven].
Then let us show kindness to those who are distant, and help those who are near; -
Thus establishing [the throne of] our king.
民亦勞止，汔可小休。惠此中國，以為民逑。
無縱詭隨，以謹惛怓。式遏寇虐，無俾民憂。無棄爾勞，以為王休。[2][3][4]
The people indeed are heavily burdened,
But perhaps a little rest may be got for them.
Let us cherish this centre of the kingdom,
And make it a gathering-place for the people.
Let us give no indulgence to the wily and obsequious,
In order to make the noisy braggarts careful,
And to repress robbers and oppressors; -
So the people shall not have such sorrow.
Do not cast away your [former] service,
But secure the quiet of the king.
民亦勞止，汔可小息。惠此京師，以綏四國。
無縱詭隨，以謹罔極。式遏寇虐，無俾作慝。敬慎威儀，以近有德。
The people indeed are heavily burdened,
But perhaps a little relief may be got for them.
Let us cherish this capital,
To secure the repose of the States in the four quarters.
Let us give no indulgence to the wily and obsequious,
To make careful those who set no limit to themselves,
And to repress robbers and oppressors; -
Not allowing them to act out their evil.
Then let us be reverently careful of our demeanour,
To cultivate association with the virtuous.
民亦勞止，汔可小愒。惠此中國，俾民憂泄。
無縱詭隨，以謹醜厲。式遏寇虐，無俾正敗。戎雖小子，而式弘大。
The people indeed are heavily burdened,
But perhaps a little repose may be got for them.
Let us cherish this centre of the kingdom,
That the sorrow of the people may be dispelled.
Let us give no indulgence to the wily and obsequious,
In order to make the multitudes of the evil careful,
And to repress robbers and oppressors,
So that the right shall not be over thrown.
Though you may be [but as] little children,
Your work is vast and great.
民亦勞止，汔可小安。惠此中國，國無有殘。
無縱詭隨，以謹繾綣。式遏寇虐，無俾正反。王欲玉女，是用大諫。[5][6]
The people indeed are heavily burdened,
But perhaps a little tranquillity may be got for them.
Let us cherish this centre of the kingdom,
That it may not everywhere suffer such wounds.
Let us give no indulgence to the wily and obsequious,
In order to make the parasites careful,
And to repress robbers and oppressors,
So that the right shall not be reversed.
The king wishes to hold you as [sceptres of] jade,
And therefore I thus strongly admonish you.
《民勞》，五章，章十句。
註解
憯，《延文本》作慘。
惛，一作惽。
棄，《唐石經》作弃。
休，《延文本》作烋。
女，《延文本》作汝。
用，一作以。
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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