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武王有疾，周公作《》。 |
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既克商二年，王有疾，弗豫。二公曰：「我其為王穆卜。」周公曰：「未可以戚我先王？」公乃自以為功，為三壇同墠。為壇於南方，北面，周公立焉。植璧秉珪，乃告太王、王季、文王。 |
| Metal-bound Coffer: |
Two years after the conquest of Shang, the king fell ill, and was quite disconsolate. The two (other great) dukes said, 'Let us reverently consult the tortoise-shell about the king;' but the duke of Zhou said, 'You must not so distress our former kings.' He then took the business on himself, and reared three altars of earth on the same cleared space; and having made another altar on the south of these, and facing the north, he took there his own position. Having put a round symbol of jade (on each of the three altars), and holding in his bands the lengthened symbol (of his own rank), he addressed the kings Tai, Ji, and Wen. |
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史乃冊，祝曰：「惟爾元孫某，遘厲虐疾。若爾三王是有丕子之責于天，以旦代某之身。予仁若考能，多材多藝，能事鬼神。乃元孫不若旦多材多藝，不能事鬼神。乃命于帝庭，敷佑四方，用能定爾子孫于下地。四方之民罔不祗畏。嗚呼！無墜天之降寶命，我先王亦永有依歸。今我即命于元龜，爾之許我，我其以璧與珪歸俟爾命；爾不許我，我乃屏璧與珪。」 |
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The (grand) historiographer had written on tablets his prayer, which was to this effect: 'A. B., your great descendant, is suffering from a severe and violent disease; if you three kings have in heaven the charge of (watching over) him, (Heaven's) great son, let me Dan be a substitute for his person. I was lovingly obedient to my father; I am possessed of many abilities and arts, which fit me to serve spiritual beings. Your great descendant, on the other hand, has not so many abilities and arts as I, and is not so capable of serving spiritual beings. And moreover he was appointed in the hall of God to extend his aid all over the kingdom, so that he might establish your descendants in this lower earth. The people of the four quarters all stand in reverent awe of him. Oh! do not let that precious Heaven-conferred appointment fall to the ground, and (all the long line of) our former kings will also have one in whom they can ever rest at our sacrifices. I will now seek for your determination (in this matter) from the great tortoise-shell. If you grant me (my request), I will take these symbols and this mace, and return and wait for your orders. If you do not grant it, I will put them by.' |
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乃卜三龜，一習吉。啟籥見書，乃並是吉。公曰：「體！王其罔害。予小子新命于三王，惟永終是圖；茲攸俟，能念予一人。」 |
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The duke then divined with the three tortoise-shells, and all were favourable. He opened with a key the place where the (oracular) responses were kept, and looked at them, and they also were favourable. He said, 'According to the form (of the prognostic) the king will take no injury. I, the little child, have got the renewal of his appointment from the three kings, by whom a long futurity has been consulted for. I have now to wait for the issue. They can provide for our One man.' |
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公歸，乃納冊于金滕之匱中。王翼日乃瘳。 |
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When the duke returned, he placed the tablets (of the prayer) in a metal-bound coffer, and next day the king got better. |
| | 金滕: |
武王既喪，管叔及其群弟乃流言於國，曰：「公將不利於孺子。」周公乃告二公曰：「我之弗辟，我無以告我先王。」周公居東二年，則罪人斯得。于後，公乃為詩以貽王，名之曰《鴟鴞》。王亦未敢誚公。 |
| Metal-bound Coffer: |
(Afterwards), upon the death of king Wu, (the duke's) elder brother, he of Guan, and his younger brothers, spread a baseless report through the kingdom, to the effect that the duke would do no good to the (king's) young son. On this the duke said to the two (other great) dukes, 'If I do not take the law (to these men), I shall not be able to make my report to the former kings.' He resided (accordingly) in the east for two years, when the criminals were taken (and brought to justice). Afterwards he made a poem to present to the king, and called it 'the Owl.' The King on his part did not dare to blame the duke. |
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秋，大熟，未獲，天大雷電以風，禾盡偃，大木斯拔，邦人大恐。王與大夫盡弁以啟金滕之書，乃得周公所自以為功代武王之說。二公及王乃問諸史與百執事。對曰：「信。噫！公命我勿敢言。」 |
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In the autumn, when the grain was abundant and ripe, but before it was reaped, Heaven sent a great storm of thunder and lightning, along with wind, by which the grain was all broken down, and great trees torn up. The people were greatly terrified; and the king and great officers, all in their caps of state, proceeded to open the metal-bound coffer and examine the writings in it, where they found the words of the duke when he took on himself the business of being a substitute for king Wu. The two (great) dukes and the king asked the historiographer and all the other officers (acquainted with the transaction) about the thing, and they replied, 'It was really thus; but ah! the duke charged us that we should not presume to speak about it.' |
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王執書以泣，曰：「其勿穆卜！昔公勤勞王家，惟予沖人弗及知。今天動威以彰周公之德，惟朕小子其新逆，我國家禮亦宜之。」王出郊，天乃雨，反風，禾則盡起。二公命邦人凡大木所偃，盡起而築之。歲則大熟。 |
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The king held the writing in his hand, and wept, saying, 'We need not (now) go on reverently to divine. Formerly the duke was thus earnest for the royal House, but I, being a child, did not know it. Now Heaven has moved its terrors to display his virtue. That I, the little child, (now) go with my new views and feelings to meet him, is what the rules of propriety of our kingdom require.' The king then went out to the borders (to meet the duke), when Heaven sent down rain, and, by virtue of a contrary wind, the grain all rose up. The two (great) dukes gave orders to the people to take up the trees that had fallen and replace them. The year then turned out very fruitful. |
