不可及也、猶天之不可階而升也。【四節】夫子之得邦家者、所謂立之斯立、 道之期行、綏之期來、動之斯和、其生也榮、其死也哀、如之何其可及也。 4. 'Were our Master in the position of the ruler of a State or the chief of a Family, we should find verified the description which has been given of a sage's rule:-- he would plant the people, and forthwith they would be established; he would lead them on, and forthwith they would follow him; he would make them happy, and forthwith multitudes would resort to his dominions; he would stimulate them, and forthwith they would be harmonious. While he lived, he would be glorious. When he died, he would be bitterly lamented. How is it possible for him to be attained to?' 堯曰第二十 BOOK XX. YAO YUEH. 【第一章】【一節】堯曰、咨、爾舜、天之曆數在爾躬、允執其中、四海困 窮、天祿永終。【二節】舜亦以命禹。【三節】曰、予小子履、敢用玄牡、 敢昭告于皇皇后帝、有罪不敢赦、帝臣不蔽、簡在帝心、朕躬有罪、無以萬 方、萬方有罪、 CHAP. I. 1. Yao said, 'Oh! you, Shun, the Heaven- determined order of succession now rests in your person. Sincerely hold fast the due Mean. If there shall be distress and want within the four seas, the Heavenly revenue will come to a perpetual end.' 2. Shun also used the same language in giving charge to Yu. 3. T'ang said, 'I the child Li, presume to use a dark- coloured victim, and presume to announce to Thee, O most great and sovereign God, that the sinner I dare not pardon, and thy ministers, O God, I do not keep in obscurity. The examination of them is by thy mind, O God. If, in my person, I commit offences, they are not to be attributed to you, the people of the myriad regions. If you in the myriad regions commit offences, these offences must rest on my person.' 罪在朕躬。【四節】周有大賚、善人是富。【五節】雖有周親、不如仁人、 百姓有過、在予一人。【六節】謹權量、審法度、修廢官、四方之政行焉。 【七節】興滅國、繼絕世、舉逸民、天下之民歸心焉。【八節】所重民、食、 喪、祭。【九節】寬則得眾、信、則民任焉、敏、則有功、公則說。 4. Chau conferred great gifts, and the good were enriched. 5. 'Although he has his near relatives, they are not equal to my virtuous men. The people are throwing blame upon me, the One man.' 6. He carefully attended to the weights and measures, examined the body of the laws, restored the discarded officers, and the good government of the kingdom took its course. 7. He revived States that had been extinguished, restored families whose line of succession had been broken, and called to office those who had retired into obscurity, so that throughout the kingdom the hearts of the people turned towards him. 8. What he attached chief importance to, were the food of the people, the duties of mourning, and sacrifices. 9. By his generosity, he won all. By his sincerity, he made the people repose trust in him. By his earnest activity, his achievements were great. By his justice, all were delighted.