Chinese Text Project |
堯治天下, | When Yao was ruling the world, |
伯成子高立為諸侯。 | Bo-cheng Zi-Gao was appointed by him prince of one of the states. |
堯授舜, | From Yao (afterwards) the throne passed to Shun, |
舜授禹, | and from Shun (again) to Yu; |
伯成子高辭為諸侯而耕。 | and (then) Bo-cheng Zi-Gao resigned his principality and began to cultivate the ground. |
禹往見之, | Yu went to see him, |
則耕在野。 | and found him ploughing in the open country. |
禹趨就下風, | Hurrying to him, and bowing low in acknowledgment of his superiority, |
立而問焉, | Yu then stood up, and asked him, |
曰: | saying, |
「昔堯治天下, | 'Formerly, when Yao was ruling the world, |
吾子立為諸侯; | you, Sir, were appointed prince of a state. |
堯授舜, | He gave his sovereignty to Shun, |
舜授予, | and Shun gave his to me, |
而吾子辭為諸侯而耕。 | when you, Sir, resigned your dignity, and are (now) ploughing (here) |
敢問其故何也?」 | - I venture to ask the reason of your conduct.' |
子高曰: | Zi-Gao said, |
「昔堯治天下, | 'When Yao ruled the world, |
不賞而民勸, | the people stimulated one another (to what was right) without his offering them rewards, |
不罰而民畏。 | and stood in awe (of doing wrong) without his threatening them with punishments. |
今子賞罰而民且不仁, | Now you employ both rewards and punishments, and the people notwithstanding are not good. |
德自此衰, | Their virtue will from this time decay; |
刑自此立, | punishments will from this time prevail; |
後世之亂自此始矣。 | the disorder of future ages will from this time begin. |
夫子闔行邪? | Why do you, my master, not go away, |
無落吾事!」 | and not interrupt my work?' |
俋俋乎耕而不顧。 | With this he resumed his ploughing with his head bent down, and did not (again) look round. |
Character | Composition | Variants | Reading | Meaning | Hanyu | Kangxi | Cihai |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
堯 | 土+9 | 𡋰 尧 | yáo ㄧㄠˊ | a legendary ancient emperor-sage | v1,p0459#14 | p.234#01 | p.324r3c02 |
治 | 水+5 | 乿 | zhì ㄓˋ | Rule, administer. / Well ruled, peaceful and orderly. / Punish, execute. / Cure, treat (an illness). / Prepare. / Construct. / Research, study. | v3,p1599#06 | p.614#07 | p.776r5c02 |
天下 | 大+1 一+2 | 𠀡 𠀘 𦴞 兲 靝 𠕹 丅 厥 𠄟 | tiān xià ㄊㄧㄢ ㄒㄧㄚˋ | 世界。 "All under heaven", the world. | v1,p0522#01 v1,p0007#01 | p.248#04 p.76#10 | p.358r4c01 p.28r1c01 |
伯成子高 | 人+5 戈+2 子+0 高+0 | 𢦩 㜽 𢀈 𢀉 𡐫 𣕓 只 髙 | bó chéng zǐ gāo ㄅㄛˊ ㄔㄥˊ ㄗˇ ㄍㄠ | [人名] [Name of a person] | v1,p0136#02 v2,p1399#01 v2,p1006#06 v7,p4593#01 | p.96#16 p.411#11 p.277#01 p.1451#26 | p.93r5c03 p.395r1c01 p.1514r4c03 |
立 | 立+0 | 立 | lì ㄌㄧˋ | Stand. / Erect, raise. / Establish, found. / Fix, set. / Determine, decide. / Become independent. / Exist. / Take office. / Become ruler, enthrone. / Stop, prevent from moving. / Immediately. | v4,p2706#01 | p.870#17 | p.1002r5c01 |
為 | 火+5 | 爲 为 | wéi ㄨㄟˊ | Create, make. / Build, construct. / Do. / Plant, grow. / Govern. / Research, study. / Serve as. / Change into, become. / As, in the role of. / Count as, be considered as. / Called, named. / Expresses judgement: is. / Make, cause (to). / Have. / Take part in. / Write, author. / Connective: if. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to move forward the object. / Modal particle used at the end of a sentence to express a rhetorical question. | v3,p2198#11 | p.669#10 | p.844r4c03 |
wèi ㄨㄟˋ | Help, assist. / Preposition: for, on behalf of. / Preposition: by (passive). / Preposition: because of, due to. / Preposition: with, together with. / Connective: because. / Say. / False, fake. | ||||||
諸侯 | 言+9 人+7 | 𢒕 诸 𥎦 | zhū hóu ㄓㄨ ㄏㄡˊ | 古代帝王分封的各國國君,規定要服從王命,定期朝貢述職。 Ruler of a vassal state during the Zhou dynasty. | v6,p3982#03 v1,p0167#01 | p.1172#04 p.103#07 | p.104r3c06 |
授 | 手+8 | shòu ㄕㄡˋ | give to, transmit; confer | v3,p1901#02 | p.436#19 | p.579r1c02 | |
舜 | 舛+6 | 𡐩 𡳈 𡳉 | shùn ㄕㄨㄣˋ | legendary ruler | v3,p2035#02 | p.1008#10 | p.1116r5c02 |
禹 | 禸+4 | 𢁰 𥜼 | yǔ ㄩˇ | legendary hsia dynasty founder | v1,p0039#11 | p.848#02 | p.986r2c06 |
辭 | 辛+12 | 辞 辤 𤔧 | cí ㄘˊ | Confession. / Speech, phrase, language. / Excuse, reason. / Tell, explain. / Refuse, not accept. / Dispatch, expel. / Bid farewell. / A form of writing in ancient China. | v6,p4043#13 | p.1252#08 | p.1310r3c02 |
而 | 而+0 | ér ㄦˊ | Whiskers. / Like, similar to. / Pronoun: you. / Pronoun: this, like this. / Connective: and, with. / Connective: and, then. / Connective: if, supposing. / Connective: yet, however. / Connective: therefore, hence. / Connective: expresses method or state. / Particle: of. / Expressive particle. | v4,p2810#01 | p.961#18 | p.1080r2c03 | |
néng ㄋㄥˊ | Same as 「能(3)」 néng ㄋㄥˊ: Able to, competent. / Same as 「能(2.1)」 néng ㄋㄥˊ: Ability, talent. | ||||||
耕 | 耒+4 | 畊 簡 | gēng ㄍㄥ | plow, cultivate | v4,p2770#10 | p.962#23 | p.1080r5c02 |
往 | 彳+5 | 徃 𢔎 𨓹 | wǎng wàng ㄨㄤˇ ㄨㄤˋ | go, depart; past, formerly | v2,p0817#06 | p.365#32 | p.509r6c03 |
見 | 見+0 | 現 见 | jiàn ㄐㄧㄢˋ | See, catch sight of. / Feel, perceive. / Meet, come across. / Meet with, see. / Meet in battle. / Go to see. / Have come to see, have visit. / Grant an interview. / Recommend, introduce. / Introduce, present. / Hear. / Know, understand. / Experience, insight. / Intent, plan. / Used before a verb to indicate passive tense. / Used before a verb to indicate one is the receipient of anothers actions. / Particle used after a verb to indicate simultaneous action. / Coffin clothes. / Mix, mingle. | v6,p3663#01 | p.1133#01 | p.1229r1c01 |
xiàn ㄒㄧㄢˋ | Appear, become visible. / Manifest, make evident. / Now, at present. / Existing, ready prepared. | ||||||
之 | 丿+3 | 㞢 | zhī ㄓ | Towards; go to. / Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Third person pronoun: him, her, it. / Auxiliary word: of. / Auxiliary word: used between subject and predicate, cancels independence of a clause. / Auxiliary word: used in a sentence for aesthetic purpose only, no meaning. | v1,p0043#01 | p.82#04 | p.47r2c02 |
則 | 刀+7 | 𠟻 𠟭 𠞋 𠟔 则 | zé ㄗㄜˊ | Method, rule. / Mimic, emulate. / Level, grade. / Adverb used to emphasize an assertion. / Adverb used to express scope: only. / Connective expressing continuation: then, and then. / Connective emphasizing comparison. / Connective expressing contrast. / Connective expressing allowance: yet, even so. / Connective expressing unexpected turn of events. / Connective expressing suppostion: if. | v1,p0340#06 | p.139#31 | p.183r5c05 |
在 | 土+3 | zài ㄗㄞˋ | Exist, be alive. / Be in a certain place. / Inquire after, pay one's respects to. / Preposition: due to, being that. / Preposition: specifies location or time of an action - in, at. | v1,p0418#07 | p.223#10 | p.312r2c07 | |
野 | 里+4 | 埜 𡐨 | yě ㄧㄝˇ | open country, field; wilderness | v6,p3683#01 | p.1291#05 | p.1360r2c01 |
趨 | 走+10 | 趍 趋 | qū cù qù cǒu ㄑㄩ ㄘㄨˋ ㄑㄩˋ ㄘㄡˇ | hasten, hurry; be attracted to | v5,p3497#03 | p.1219#30 | p.1287r3c03 |
就 | 尢+9 | jiù ㄐㄧㄡˋ | just, simply; to come, go to; to approach, near | v1,p0555#11 | p.299#05 | p.445r1c05 | |
下 | 一+2 | 丅 厥 𠄟 | xià ㄒㄧㄚˋ | under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down | v1,p0007#01 | p.76#10 | p.28r1c01 |
風 | 風+0 | 𠙊 𠙈 凬 飌 檒 风 | fēng fěng fèng ㄈㄥ ㄈㄥˇ ㄈㄥˋ | wind; air; manners, atmosphere | v7,p4480#01 | p.1411#01 | p.1483r6c02 |
問 | 口+8 | 𠳅 问 | wèn ㄨㄣˋ | Ask, inquire. / Investigate, look into. / Inquire after, give regards to. / Interrogate, question. / Visit (another states). / Research, investigate. / Give, present with. / Tell. / Sound. / Same as 「聞(7)」 wèn ㄨㄣˋ: Reputation, fame. | v7,p4284#03 | p.195#10 | p.279r3c03 |
焉 | 火+7 | yān ㄧㄢ | Same as 「之(2)」 zhī ㄓ: Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Same as 「之(3)」 zhī ㄓ: Third person pronoun: him, her, it. / Demonstrative pronoun and modal particle: than this. / Interrogative pronoun: how, where. / Interrogative pronoun: what. / Connective: and, then. / Preposition: in. / Modal particle. / Adjectival or adverbal suffix. | v3,p2206#14 | p.672#21 | p.847r5c01 | |
曰 | 曰+0 | yuē ㄩㄝ | (1) 說。 Say, speak. | v2,p1482#02 | p.502#01 | p.648r3c03 | |
昔 | 日+4 | xī cuò xí ㄒㄧ ㄘㄨㄛˋ ㄒㄧˊ | formerly; ancient; in beginning | v2,p1488#11 | p.492#05 | p.634r5c01 | |
吾 | 口+4 | 𠮣 | wú ㄨˊ | First person pronoun: I, we. / Defend, resist. | v1,p0585#13 | p.180#03 | p.260r5c01 |
yú ㄩˊ | See 吾吾. | ||||||
yá ㄧㄚˊ | Yunyu, an ancient district. | ||||||
子 | 子+0 | 㜽 𢀈 𢀉 𡐫 𣕓 只 | zǐ ㄗˇ | Child, heir. Refers to both sons and daughters. / Love, charity. / Respectful term for a man. / People in general. / Fourth of the five levels of nobility. / First of the twelve earthly branches of the zodiac. | v2,p1006#06 | p.277#01 | p.395r1c01 |
予 | 亅+3 | 豫 余 | yǔ ㄩˇ | Give, bestow. / Praise, admire. / Preposition: with. | v1,p0052#02 | p.85#16 | p.58r2c03 |
yú ㄩˊ | First-person pronoun: I, me. | ||||||
敢 | 攴+8 | 𠭖 𢽤 𣪏 | gǎn ㄍㄢˇ | to dare, venture; bold, brave | v2,p1463#09 | p.472#26 | p.605r4c02 |
其 | 八+6 | 丌 亓 | qí ㄑㄧˊ | Third-person possessive pronoun: his, her, its, their. / Demonstrative pronoun: that, those. / Adverb expressing estimation or guess. / Adverb expressing imperative. / Adverb expressing rhetorical question. / Adverb expressing future tense. / Connective expressing hypothesis: if, supposing. / Connective expressing choice: or. / Connective expressing concession: even if. / Particle used after an adjective. / Particle: of. / Particle used for emphasis after single-character adjectives or onomatopoeia. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to alter the tempo. | v1,p0245#01 | p.127#18 | p.162r5c01 |
jì ㄐㄧˋ | Particle used after bi and he. | ||||||
jī ㄐㄧ | Modal particle expressing interrogative tone. / A year. | ||||||
故 | 攴+5 | gù ㄍㄨˋ | (1) 緣故,原因。 Cause. | v2,p1453#05 | p.469#25 | p.601r5c01 | |
何 | 人+5 | hé ㄏㄜˊ | Ask, enquire. / What. / Who, which one. / How, in what way. / Why, for what reason. / Where, in what place. / How much, to what extent. | v1,p0130#04 | p.98#15 | p.97r2c04 | |
hē ㄏㄜ | Criticize, condemn. | ||||||
hè ㄏㄜˋ | Carry on one's back. / Bear, carry a burden. | ||||||
也 | 乙+2 | 𠃟 匜 | yě ㄧㄝˇ | Modal particle used at the end of a sentence, expressing assertion and affirmation. / Modal particle used at the end of a question for emphasis. / Modal particle used at the end of a cause-effect sentence to express explanation. / Modal particle used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause. | v1,p0050#05 | p.84#04 | p.55r1c01 |
高 | 高+0 | 髙 | gāo gào ㄍㄠ ㄍㄠˋ | high, tall; lofty, elevated | v7,p4593#01 | p.1451#26 | p.1514r4c03 |
不 | 一+3 | 不 𠀚 𠙐 | bù ㄅㄨˋ | Not have. / To not be. / Negational adverb, used before verbs, adjectives, etc. to indicate negation. / Negational adverb expressing prohibition: do not. / Negational adverb expressing rhetorical question: is not...? | v1,p0011#06 | p.76#15 | p.30r1c01 |
fǒu ㄈㄡˇ | Same as 「否(1.2)」 fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used together with an affirmative word, expressing its negative or opposite. / Same as 「否(1.3)」 fǒu ㄈㄡˇ: Adverb used at the end of a question to form a yes-no question. | ||||||
fū ㄈㄨ | Sepal of a flower. | ||||||
pī ㄆㄧ | Same as 「丕(1)」 pī ㄆㄧ: Large. | ||||||
bǐ ㄅㄧˇ | Show disdain for. | ||||||
賞 | 貝+8 | 赏 | shǎng ㄕㄤˇ | reward, grant, bestow; appreciate | v6,p3647#07 | p.1209#19 | p.1276r4c01 |
民 | 氏+1 | 𠘽 | mín ㄇㄧㄣˊ | people, subjects, citizens | v3,p2131#01 | p.598#01 | p.750r3c01 |
勸 | 力+18 | 勧 劝 | quàn ㄑㄩㄢˋ | recommend, advise, urge | v1,p0382#18 | p.150#12 | p.200r1c04 |
罰 | 网+9 | 罸 罚 | fá ㄈㄚˊ | penalty, fine; punish, penalize | v4,p2923#03 | p.948#33 | p.1065r5c04 |
畏 | 田+4 | 𤰲 𤰣 | wèi ㄨㄟˋ | Fear. / Make fear, scare. / Revere, respect. / Worry. / Detain, restrain. / Die. / Curved part of a bow. | v4,p2532#03 | p.760#22 | p.913r1c01 |
wēi ㄨㄟ | Might, power. | ||||||
今 | 人+2 | jīn ㄐㄧㄣ | now, today, modern era | v1,p0105#05 | p.91#18 | p.83r5c02 | |
且 | 一+4 | 𠀇 𠀃 | qiě ㄑㄧㄝˇ | This. / Connective: both, also. / Connective: and. / Connective: not only that, furthermore. / Connective: or. / Connective: not only, even. / Connective: if. / Adverb: will. / Adverb: briefly. / Adverb: almost. / Particle used at the start of a sentence. | v1,p0015#05 | p.77#07 | p.34r6c02 |
jū ㄐㄩ | Appearance of a great many. / Exclamation. / Alternative name for the sixth month. | ||||||
cú ㄘㄨˊ | Go. | ||||||
仁 | 人+2 | 忈 忎 𡰥 | rén ㄖㄣˊ | humaneness, benevolence, kindness | v1,p0107#01 | p.91#07 | |
德 | 彳+12 | 惪 悳 | dé ㄉㄜˊ | Morals, morality. / Good deeds. / Good fortune. / Reward kindness, thank. / Heart, feelings. / Same as 「得(1.1)」 dé ㄉㄜˊ: Get, obtain. | v2,p0841#17 | p.371#08 | p.518r3c01 |
自 | 自+0 | 𦣹 鼻 | zì ㄗˋ | Oneself. / Begin, beginning. / From. / Originally. / Natural, naturally. / Supposing, if. / Even, even if. | v5,p3046#01 | p.1000#07 | p.1108r3c01 |
此 | 止+2 | cǐ ㄘˇ | This. / Like this. / Here. / Adverb: then. | v2,p1438#03 | p.574#10 | p.735r4c01 | |
衰 | 衣+4 | 𠆂 𠌺 | shuāi cuī suō ㄕㄨㄞ ㄘㄨㄟ ㄙㄨㄛ | decline, falter, decrease; weaken | v5,p3076#09 | p.1112#14 | p.1210r2c02 |
刑 | 刀+4 | xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ | Punish. / Kill, put to death. / Harm, disaster. / Law, rules of punishment. / Rule by law. / A die used in casting. / A model, an example. / To emulate, imitate. / Achieve, establish. / Same as 「鉶」 xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ: Porcelain soup bowl. / Same as 「形(1.1)」 xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ: Body, thing with form. / Same as 「形(5)」 xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ: Exhibit, show. | v1,p0324#15 | p.137#11 | p.178r4c02 | |
後 | 彳+6 | 𨒥 𢔏 后 | hòu ㄏㄡˋ | Behind, to the rear of. / To be left behind. / Later in time. / Future. / Descendents, offspring. | v2,p0822#03 | p.366#18 | p.511r2c01 |
世 | 一+4 | 丗 卋 | shì ㄕˋ | generation; world; era | v1,p0014#06 | p.77#11 | p.35r1c02 |
亂 | 乙+12 | 𠧎 𠧏 𠮗 乱 | luàn ㄌㄨㄢˋ | Chaos, disorder. / Confusion, confused state of mind. / Turmoil, unrest, revolt. / Rebellion, uprising. / Disturb, corrupt. / Lecherous, wicked. / Confuse, mix up. / Rule, administer. / Traverse, cross. / Reach, pass. / Last section of a piece of music. / Last words of a piece of writing. / Complete, finish. | v1,p0057#10 | p.84#33 | p.57r5c01 |
始 | 女+5 | 𠃭 乨 兘 𠙉 | shǐ ㄕˇ | begin, start; then, only then | v2,p1041#12 | p.258#16 | p.381r1c02 |
矣 | 矢+2 | 𠤘 | yǐ ㄧˇ | Modal particle used to express declaration. / Modal particle used to express exclamation. / Modal particle used to express an order or request. | v4,p2580#04 | p.823#37 | p.955r5c01 |
夫 | 大+1 | fū ㄈㄨ | General term for adult men. / Adult labourers in particular. / Soldier. / Respectful term for a man. / Husband. / Unit of area equal to one hundred mu. | v1,p0521#01 | p.248#11 | p.367r2c01 | |
fú ㄈㄨˊ | Demonstrative pronoun: this, these. / Modal particle used at the start of a sentence for emphasis or to indicate an assertion. / Modal particle used in the middle of a sentence to soften the tone. / Modal particle used at the end of a sentence to express exclamation. | ||||||
闔 | 門+10 | 閤 阖 | hé gé ㄏㄜˊ ㄍㄜˊ | close; whole, entire; all; leaf | v7,p4312#01 | p.1340#02 | p.1411r5c04 |
行 | 行+0 | 行 | xíng ㄒㄧㄥˊ | Walk, move (on foot). / Advance, move forward. / Leave, exit. / Patrol, go on inspection. / Inspection of the realm by the Son of Heaven. / Be married off. / Flow, circulate. / Channel, guide. / Revolution, circular motion. / Experience. / Luggage, belongings taken on a journey. / Do, carry out. / Actions. / Accomplishments. / Use, utilize. / Take over (an official duty). / Offer, present. / Moral conduct, behaviour. / A type of classical poem. / A piece of music. / Semi-cursive script. / Adverb: will, about to. / Adverb: again, once more. / Adverb: by chance, luckily. / Ambassador (official title). / Measure word for number of pourings of drinks. | v2,p0811#06 | p.1108#31 | p.1203r5c05 |
háng ㄏㄤˊ | Road. / Track, pattern. / Row, line. / Row of soldiers in battle. / Unit of 25 soldiers. / Shaft of a feather (and by extension, wings). / Measure word for things which form rows. / Rank, position. | ||||||
邪 | 邑+4 | 耶 | yé ㄧㄝˊ | (7.1) 語氣詞:表示疑問或反詰。 Particle expressing questioning or a rhetorical question. | v6,p3758#04 | p.1269#14 | p.1336r5c01 |
無 | 火+8 | 𣟒 𣚨 𠘩 无 橆 | wú ㄨˊ | Not have. / Philosophical category referring to absence, non-existence, or vacuity. / Adverb expressing negation: not. / Adverb expressing questioning: or not. / Connective: regardless of. / Connective: even if. / Particle used at the beginning of a sentence, no meaning. / Do not. / Barren, uncultivated. | v3,p2211#15 | p.673#26 | p.848r2c04 |
落 | 艸+9 | 落 | luò là lào luō ㄌㄨㄛˋ ㄌㄚˋ ㄌㄠˋ ㄌㄨㄛ | fall, drop; net income, surplus | v5,p3255#08 | p.1043#11 | p.1151r2c01 |
事 | 亅+7 | 亊 叓 𠭏 | shì ㄕˋ | Office, duty. / Job, career. / Things, affairs. / Accident, incident. / Engage (in), pursue. / Serve. | v1,p0023#03 | p.85#24 | p.58r3c02 |
俋 | 人+7 | yì ㄧˋ | v1,p0162#05 | p.104#16 | p.106r5c04 | ||
乎 | 丿+4 | 虖 | hū ㄏㄨ | Modal particle expressing questioning or a rhetorical question. / Modal particle expressing admiration or exclamation. / Modal particle expressing estimation. / Modal particle expressing request or order. / Modal particle expressing calling. / Modal particle expressing consideration. / Modal particle expressing affirmation. / Particle used after adjectives. / Particle used in the middle of a sentence to express a pause. / Preposition: in, from, to. | v1,p0036#08 | p.82#07 | p.47r3c03 |
顧 | 頁+12 | 頋 𪄮 顾 | gù ㄍㄨˋ | look back; look at; look after | v7,p4392#11 | p.1409#38 | p.1482r1c05 |
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