| Chinese Text Project | |
| Simplified Chinese version |
《汤诰 - Announcement of Tang》 | English translation: James Legge [?] | Books referencing 《汤诰》 Library Resources |
| 汤诰: | 汤既黜夏命，复归于亳，作《汤诰》。 | |
| 1 | 汤诰: | 王归自克夏，至于亳，诞告万方。王曰：“嗟！尔万方有众，明听予一人诰。惟皇上帝，降衷于下民。若有恒性，克绥厥猷惟后。夏王灭德作威，以敷虐于尔万方百姓。尔万方百姓，罹其凶害，弗忍荼毒，并告无辜于上下神祇。天道福善祸淫，降灾于夏，以彰厥罪。肆台小子，将天命明威，不敢赦。敢用玄牡，敢昭告于上天神后，请罪有夏。聿求元圣，与之戮力，以与尔有众请命。上天孚佑下民，罪人黜伏，天命弗僭，贲若草木，兆民允殖。俾予一人辑宁尔邦家，兹朕未知获戾于上下，栗栗危惧，若将陨于深渊。凡我造邦，无从匪彝，无即慆淫，各守尔典，以承天休。尔有善，朕弗敢蔽；罪当朕躬，弗敢自赦，惟简在上帝之心。其尔万方有罪，在予一人；予一人有罪，无以尔万方。呜呼！尚克时忱，乃亦有终。” |
| Announcement of Tang:...: |
When the king returned from vanquishing Xia and came to Bo, he made a grand announcement to the myriad regions. The king said, 'Ah! ye multitudes of the myriad regions, listen clearly to the announcement of me, the One man. The great God has conferred (even) on the inferior people a moral sense, compliance with which would show their nature invariably right. To make them tranquilly pursue the course which it would indicate is the work of the sovereign. The king of Xia extinguished his virtue, and played the tyrant, extending his oppression over you, the people of the myriad regions. Suffering from his cruel injuries, and unable to endure the wormwood and poison, you protested with one accord your innocence to the spirits of heaven and earth." The way of Heaven is to bless the good, and make the bad miserable. It sent down calamities on (the House of) Xia, to make manifest its guilt. Therefore I, the little child, charged with the decree of Heaven and its bright terrors, did not dare to forgive (the criminal). I presumed to use a dark-coloured victim-bull, and, making clear announcement to the Spiritual Sovereign in the high heavens, requested leave to deal with the ruler of Xia as a criminal. Then I sought for the great Sage, with whom I might unite my strength, to request the favour (of Heaven) for you, my multitudes. High Heaven truly showed its favour to the inferior people, and the criminal has been degraded and subjected. What Heaven appoints is without error; brilliantly (now), like the blossoming of plants and trees, the millions of the people show a true reviving. It is given to me, the One man, to secure the harmony and tranquillity of your states and clans and now I know not whether I may not offend against (the Powers) above and below. I am fearful and trembling, as if I were in danger of falling into a deep abyss. Throughout all the regions that enter on a new life under me, do not, (ye princes), follow lawless ways; make no approach to insolence and dissoluteness; let every one be careful to keep his statutes - that so we may receive the favour of Heaven. The good in you I will not dare to keep concealed; and for the evil in me I will not dare to forgive myself. I will examine these things in harmony with the mind of God. When guilt is found anywhere in you who occupy the myriad regions, let it rest on me, the One man. When guilt is found in me, the One man, it shall not attach to you who occupy the myriad regions. Oh! let us attain to be sincere in these things, and so we shall likewise have a (happy) consummation.' | |
| 2 | 汤诰: | 咎单作《明居》。 |
URN: ctp:shang-shu/announcement-of-tang