The Book of Songs 詩經
大雅‧蕩之什‧抑 Greater odes of the kingdom - Decade Of Dang - Yi
Click on any word to see more details.
毛詩序：「《抑》，衞武公刺厲王，亦以自警也。」抑
抑抑威儀，維德之隅。人亦有言，靡哲不愚。
庶人之愚，亦職維疾。哲人之愚，亦維斯戾。
An outward demeanour, cautious and grave,
Is an indication of the [inward] virtue.
People have the saying,
'There is no wise man who is not [also] stupid. '
The stupidity of the ordinary man,
Is determined by his [natural] defects.
The stupidity of the wise man,
Is from his doing violence [to his natural character].
無競維人，四方其訓之。有覺德行，四國順之。
訏謨定命，遠猶辰告。敬慎威儀，維民之則。
What is most powerful is the being the man; -
In all quarters [of the State] men are influenced by it.
To an upright virtuous conduct,
All in the four quarters of the State render obedient homage.
With great counsels and determinate orders,
With far-reaching plans and timely announcements,
And with reverent care of his outward demeanour,
One will become the pattern of the people.
其在于今，興迷亂于政。顛覆厥德，荒湛于酒。
女雖湛樂從，弗念厥紹；罔敷求先王，克共明刑。
As for the circumstances of the present time,
You are bent on error and confusion in your government.
Your virtue is subverted;
You are besotted by drink.
Although you thus pursue nothing but pleasure,
How is it you do not think of your relation to the past,
And do not widely study the former kings,
That you might hold fast their wise laws?
肆皇天弗尚，如彼泉流，無淪胥以亡。
夙興夜寐，洒埽庭內，維民之章。
脩爾車馬，弓矢戎兵，用戒戎作，用逷蠻方。
Shall not those whom great Heaven does not approve of,
Surely as the waters flow from a spring,
Sink down together to ruin?
Rise early and go to bed late,
Sprinkle and sweep your court-yard; -
So as to be a pattern to the people.
Have in good order your chariots and horses,
Your bows and arrows, and [other] weapons of war; -
To be prepared for warlike action,
To keep at a distance [the hordes of] the South.
質爾人民，謹爾侯度，用戒不虞。
慎爾出話，敬爾威儀，無不柔嘉。
白圭之玷，尚可磨也。斯言之玷，不可為也。
Perfect what concerns your officers and people;
Be careful of your duties as a prince [of the kingdom]; -
To be prepared for unforeseen dangers.
Be cautious of what you say;
Be reverently careful of your outward demeanour;
In all things be mild and correct.
A flaw in a mace of white jade,
May be ground away,
But for a flaw in speech,
Nothing can be done.
無易由言，無曰苟矣。莫捫朕舌，言不可逝矣。
無言不讎，無德不報。惠于朋友，庶民小子。
子孫繩繩，萬民靡不承。
Do not speak lightly; - your words are your own:
Do not say, ' This is of little importance. '
No one can hold my tongue for me;
Words are not to be cast away.
Every word finds its answer;
Every good deed has its recompense.
If you are gracious among your friends,
And to the people, as if they were your children,
Your descendants will continue in unbroken line,
And all the people will surely be obedient to you.
視爾友君子，輯柔爾顏，不遐有愆。
相在爾室，尚不愧于屋漏。無曰不顯，莫予云覯。
神之格思，不可度思，矧可射思。
Looked at in friendly intercourse with superior men,
You make your countenance harmonious and mild; -
Anxious not to do anything wrong.
Looked at in your chamber,
You ought to be equally free from shame before the light which shines in.
Do not say, ' This place is not public;
No one can see me here. '
The approaches of spiritual Beings,
Cannot be calculated [beforehand];
But the more should they not be slighted.
辟爾為德，俾臧俾嘉。淑慎爾止，不愆于儀。
不僭不賊，鮮不為則。[1]
投我以桃，報之以李。彼童而角，實虹小子。
O prince, let your practice of virtue,
Be entirely good and admirable.
Watch well over your behaviour,
And allow nothing wrong in your demeanour.
Committing no excess, doing nothing injurious; -
There are few who will not in such a case take you for their pattern.
When one throws to me a peach,
I return to him a plum.
To look for horns on a young ram,
Will only weary you, my son.
荏染柔木，言緡之絲。溫溫恭人，維德之基。
其維哲人，告之話言，順德之行。
其維愚人，覆謂我僭，民各有心。
The soft and elastic wood,
Can be fitted with the silken string.
The mild and the respectful man,
Possesses the foundation of virtue.
There is a wise man; -
I tell him [good] words,
And he yields to them the practice of docile virtue.
There is a stupid man; -
He says on the contrary that my words are not true:
So different are people's minds.
於乎小子，未知臧否。
匪手攜之，言示之事。匪面命之，言提其耳。
借曰未知，亦既抱子。民之靡盈，誰夙知而莫成。
Oh! my son,
When you did not know what was good, and what was not good,
Not [only] did I lead you on by the hand,
But I showed the difference by appealing to affairs.
Not [only] did I charge you face to face,
But I held you by the ears.
And still perhaps you do not know,
Although you have held a son in your arms.
If people are not self-sufficient,
Who comes [only] to a late maturity after early instruction?
昊天孔昭，我生靡樂。視爾夢夢，我心慘慘。
誨爾諄諄，聽我藐藐，匪用為教，覆用為虐。
借曰未知，亦聿既耄。
Great Heaven is very intelligent,
And I pass my life without pleasure.
When I see you so dark and stupid,
My heart is full of pain.
I taught you with assiduous repetition,
And you listened to me with contempt.
You would not consider me your teacher,
But regarded me as troublesome.
Still perhaps you do not know; -
But you are very old.
於乎小子，告爾舊止。
聽用我謀，庶無大悔。天方艱難，曰喪厥國。
取譬不遠，昊天不忒。回遹其德，俾民大棘。
Oh! my son,
I have told you the old ways.
Hear and follow my counsels; -
Then shall you have no cause for great regret.
Heaven is now inflicting calamities,
And is destroying the State.
My illustrations are not taken from things remote; -
Great Heaven makes no mistakes.
If you go on to deteriorate in your virtue,
You will bring the people to great distress.
《抑》，十二章：三章，章八句；九章，章十句。
註解
僭，《延文本》作譖。下同。
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
Dictionary cache status: not loaded