| | 楚莊樊姬: |
樊姬，楚莊王之夫人也。莊王即位，好狩獵。樊姬諫不止，乃不食禽獸之肉，王改過，勤於政事。 |
| | Fan Ji was the wife of King Zhuang of Chu. King Zhuang ascended to the throne and took pleasure in hunting. Fan Ji repeatedly advised him but he did not stop, so she refused to eat the meat of birds and beasts; King Zhuang then repented and devoted himself diligently to state affairs.
|
| | 楚莊樊姬: |
王嘗聽朝罷晏，姬下殿迎曰：「何罷晏也，得無飢倦乎？」王曰：「與賢者語，不知飢倦也。」姬曰：「王之所謂賢者何也？」曰：「虞丘子也。」姬掩口而笑，王曰：「姬之所笑何也？」曰：「虞丘子賢則賢矣，未忠也。」王曰：「何謂也？」對曰：「妾執巾櫛十一年，遣人之鄭衛，求美人進於王。今賢於妾者二人，同列者七人。妾豈不欲擅王之愛寵哉！妾聞『堂上兼女，所以觀人能也。』妾不能以私蔽公，欲王多見知人能也。今虞丘子相楚十餘年，所薦非子弟，則族昆弟，未聞進賢退不肖，是蔽君而塞賢路。知賢不進，是不忠；不知其賢，是不智也。妾之所笑，不亦可乎！」王悅。 |
| | Once, after the king dismissed court late in the day, Lady Ji went down from the palace to meet him and said, "Why have you dismissed court so late? Are you perhaps hungry or tired?" The king replied, "I was talking with virtuous men; I did not realize how hungry and weary I had become." Lady Ji asked, "Who are the virtuous men you speak of?" He replied, "It is Yu Qiuzi." Lady Ji laughed with her hand covering her mouth. The king asked, "What are you laughing at?" She replied, "Yu Qiuzi is indeed virtuous, but he is not loyal." The king asked, "What do you mean?" She replied, "I have served Your Majesty by managing your hair and toilet for eleven years. I sent people to the states of Zheng and Wei to seek beautiful women to present to you." Now there are two who are more virtuous than me, and seven others equal in rank. lords I certainly do not wish to monopolize Your Majesty's love and favor! I have heard that "the presence of many women in the hall is a way to observe one's ability." I cannot let personal feelings obscure public affairs; I wish for Your Majesty to see more and thus be able to discern people better. Now, Yu Qiuzi has served as prime minister of Chu for more than ten years. Those he recommends are either his nephews or relatives; I have never heard him recommend the virtuous and remove the unworthy. This is covering up from you and blocking the path to virtue. Knowing a virtuous man but not recommending him is disloyalty; Not knowing his virtue is lack of wisdom. What I laughed at, was it not justified!" The king was pleased.
|
| | 楚莊樊姬: |
明日，王以姬言告虞丘子，丘子避席，不知所對。於是避舍，使人迎孫叔敖而進之，王以為令尹。治楚三年，而莊王以霸。楚史書曰：「莊王之霸，樊姬之力也。」《》曰：「」其君者，謂女君也。又曰：「溫恭朝夕，執事有恪。」此之謂也。 |
| | The next day, the king told Yu Qiuzi what Lady Ji had said; Yu Qiuzi left his seat in alarm and did not know how to respond. Thus, he vacated his residence, sent people to invite Sun Shuao, and recommended him; the king appointed Sun Shuao as Minister of Works. After governing Chu for three years, King Zhuang became a hegemon. The annals of the state of Chu said: "King Zhuang's hegemony was due to Lady Fan Ji's efforts." The Book of Songs says: "Ministers retire early, so as not to weary the lord." Here, "the lord" refers to a lady. It also says: "With warmth and reverence from morning till night, she performs her duties with diligence." This is what it means.
|
| | 楚莊樊姬: |
頌曰：樊姬謙讓，靡有嫉妒，薦進美人，與己同處，非刺虞丘，蔽賢之路，楚莊用焉，功業遂伯。 |
| | Ode: Lady Fan Ji was modest and yielding, free from jealousy. She recommended beautiful women to be with the king alongside herself. It was not an attack on Yu Qiuzi but a criticism of his blocking the path for virtuous men. King Zhuang heeded her advice, and thus achieved hegemony through his accomplishments.
|
