| | 桓公十一... : |
十有一年春，正月，齊人、衛人、鄭人盟于惡曹。 |
| | In the eleventh year of his reign, spring, first month, people from Qi, Wei, and Zheng formed an alliance at Ecao.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
夏，五月癸未，鄭伯寤生卒。 |
| | Summer, fifth month, Gengwei: Lord Wusheng of Zheng died.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
秋，七月，葬鄭莊公。九月，宋人執鄭祭仲。祭仲者何？鄭相也。何以不名？賢也。何賢乎祭仲？以為知權也。其為知權奈何？古者鄭國處于留。先鄭伯有善于鄶公者，通乎夫人，以取其國而遷鄭焉，而野留。莊公死已葬，祭仲將往省于留，涂出于宋，宋人執之，謂之曰：「為我出忽而立突。」祭仲不從其言，則君必死、國必亡；從其言，則君可以生易死，國可以存易亡。少遼緩之，則突可故出，而忽可故反，是不可得則病，然後有鄭國。古人之有權者，祭仲之權是也。權者何？權者反於經，然後有善者也。權之所設，舍死亡無所設。行權有道，自貶損以行權，不害人以行權。殺人以自生，亡人以自存，君子不為也。 |
| | Autumn, seventh month, Duke Zhuang of Zheng was buried. In the ninth month, Song forces captured Zhai Zhong of Zheng. Who was Zhai Zhong? He was the prime minister of Zheng. Why is he not named? Because he was virtuous. What virtue did Zhai Zhong possess? It is because it was believed that he understood the proper course of action. How did he demonstrate understanding of the proper course of action? In ancient times, the state of Zheng was located at Liu. An earlier Lord of Zheng had a good relationship with Duke Zhuanggong, communicated through the lady-in-waiting, and thus acquired his state and moved Zheng there, leaving Liu as its frontier. After Duke Zhuang's death and burial, Zhai Zhong was about to go to Liu for a visit. On the way through Song, he was captured by the Song people, who told him: "For us, expel Hu and install Tu." If Zhai Zhong did not follow their words, then the lord would certainly die and the state would inevitably be lost; By following their words, the lord could trade death for life, and the state could preserve itself instead of perishing. By slightly delaying and easing the situation, Tu could be installed as ruler by right, while Hu could return to his position; if this was not possible, then illness would follow, but only after that could there be a state of Zheng. The kind of authority seen in ancient times is exemplified by Zhai Zhong's authority. What is "authority"? Authority means going against the norm, and only then can there be goodness. The exercise of authority is established solely to avoid death or destruction; it has no other purpose. Exercising authority follows a principle: one should humble oneself and suffer losses to exercise authority, but must not harm others in doing so. To kill someone for one's own survival or destroy another to preserve oneself is something a gentleman would never do.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
突歸于鄭。突何以名？挈乎祭仲也。其言歸何？順祭仲也。 |
| | Tu returned to Zheng. Why is Tu named? Because he was brought back by Zhai Zhong. What does the term "returned" signify? It signifies compliance with Zhai Zhong's actions.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
鄭忽出奔衛。忽何以名？《春秋》伯、子、男一也，辭無所貶。 |
| | Huo of Zheng fled to Wei. Why is Hu named? In the Spring and Autumn Annals, dukes, marquises, and viscounts are treated equally; there is no derogatory language.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
柔會宋公、陳侯、蔡叔盟于折。柔者何？吾大夫之未命者也。 |
| | Rou met Duke Songgong of Song, Marquis Hou of Chen, and Shu of Cai to form an alliance at She. Who was Rou? He was one of our officials who had not yet received an official title.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
公會宋公于夫童。 |
| | The ruler met Duke Songgong at Futong.
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| | 桓公十一... : |
冬，十有二月，公會宋公于闞。 |
| | Winter, the twelfth month, the ruler met Duke Songgong in Kan.
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