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Chinese Text Project
Translation setting:[None] [English]

《孫叔敖母 - Mother of Sun Shuao 》

English translation: AI and Chinese Text Project users [?] Library Resources
1 孫叔敖母:
楚令尹孫叔敖之母也。叔敖為嬰兒之時,出遊,見兩頭蛇,殺而埋之。歸見其母而泣焉,母問其故,對曰:「吾聞見兩頭蛇者死,今者出遊見之。」其母曰:「蛇今安在?」對曰:「吾恐他人復見之,殺而埋之矣。」其母曰:「汝不死矣。夫有陰德者,陽報之。德勝不祥,仁除百禍。天之處高而聽卑。書不云乎:『皇天無親,惟德是輔。』爾嘿矣,必興於楚。」及叔敖長,為令尹。君子謂叔敖之母知道德之次。《》云:「母氏聖善。」此之謂也。
She was the mother of Sun Shuao, the Lingyi of Chu. When Sun Shuao was a child and went out to play, he saw a two-headed snake, killed it, and buried it. He returned home and wept before his mother. His mother asked him the reason, and he replied, "I have heard that whoever sees a two-headed snake will die. Today when I went out to play, I saw one." His mother said, "Where is the snake now?" He replied, "I was afraid that others would see it again, so I killed and buried it." His mother said, "You will not die. He who has hidden virtue will be rewarded by Heaven. Virtue overcomes ill omens, and benevolence removes all misfortunes. Heaven is high but listens to the lowly. Is it not said in the Book: "The Supreme Heaven has no relatives; it only assists those with virtue." "You are silent now, but you will surely rise to prominence in Chu." When Sun Shuao grew up, he became the Lingyi. The gentlemen said that Sun Shuao's mother understood the order of virtue and morality. The "Poetry" says: "How virtuous and sage is my mother." This is what it refers to.

2 孫叔敖母:
頌曰:叔敖之母,深知天道,叔敖見蛇,兩頭岐首,殺而埋之,泣恐不及,母曰陰德,不死必壽。
Ode says: The mother of Sun Shuao deeply understood the Way of Heaven. When Sun Shuao saw a snake with two heads, he killed and buried it, weeping in fear that it might be too late. His mother said that his hidden virtue would ensure he did not die but would surely live long.

《文選樓叢書》本《新刊古列女傳》
《文選樓叢書》本《新刊古列女傳》
URN: ctp:lie-nv-zhuan/sun-shu-ao-mu