| | 說命下: |
王曰：「來！汝說。台小子舊學于甘盤，既乃遯于荒野，入宅于河。自河徂亳，暨厥終罔顯。爾惟訓于朕志，若作酒醴，爾惟麴蘖；若作和羹，爾惟鹽梅。爾交修予，罔予棄，予惟克邁乃訓。」 |
| Charge to Yue III: |
The king said, 'Come, O Yue. I, the little one, first learned with Gan Pan. Afterwards I lived concealed among the rude countrymen, and then I went to (the country) inside the He, and lived there. From the He I went to Bo; and the result has been that I am unenlightened. Do you teach me what should be my aims. Be to me as the yeast and the malt in making sweet spirits, as the salt and the prunes in making agreeable soup. Use various methods to cultivate me; do not cast me away - so shall I attain to practise your instructions.' |
| | 說命下: |
說曰：「王，人求多聞，時惟建事，學于古訓乃有獲。事不師古，以克永世，匪說攸聞。惟學，遜志務時敏，厥修乃來。允懷于茲，道積于厥躬。惟斆學半，念終始典于學，厥德脩罔覺。監于先王成憲，其永無愆。惟說式克欽承，旁招俊乂，列于庶位。」 |
| Charge to Yue III: |
Yue said, 'O king, a ruler should seek to learn much (from his ministers), with a view to establish his affairs; but to learn the lessons of the ancients is the way to attain this. That the affairs of one, not making the ancients his masters, can be perpetuated for generations, is what I have not heard. In learning there should be a humble mind and the maintenance of a constant earnestness; in such a case (the learner's) improvement will surely come. He who sincerely cherishes these things will find all truth accumulating in his person. Teaching is the half of learning; when a man's thoughts from first to last are constantly fixed on learning, his virtuous cultivation comes unperceived. Survey the perfect pattern of our first king - so shall you for ever be preserved from error. Then shall I be able reverently to meet your views, and on every side to look out for men of eminence to place in the various offices.' |
| | 說命下: |
王曰：「嗚呼！說，四海之內，咸仰朕德，時乃風。股肱惟人，良臣惟聖。昔先正保衡作我先王，乃曰：『予弗克俾厥后惟堯舜，其心愧恥，若撻于市。』一夫不獲，則曰時予之辜。佑我烈祖，格于皇天。爾尚明保予，罔俾阿衡專美有商。惟后非賢不乂，惟賢非后不食。其爾克紹乃辟于先王，永綏民。」 |
| Charge to Yue III: |
The king said, 'Oh! Yue, that all within the four seas look up to my virtue is owing to you. As his legs and arms form the man, so does a good minister form the sage (king). Formerly, there was the first premier of our dynasty, Bao-heng, who raised up and formed its royal founder. He said, "If I cannot make my sovereign like Yao or Shun, I shall feel ashamed in my heart, as if I were beaten in the market-place." If any common man did not get (all he should desire), he said, "It is my fault." (Thus) he assisted my meritorious ancestor, so that he became equal to great Heaven. Do you give your intelligent and preserving aid to me, and let not A-heng engross all the good service to the House of Shang. The sovereign should share his government with none but worthy officers. The worthy officer should accept his support from none but the proper sovereign. May you now succeed in making your sovereign a (true) successor of the founder of his line, and in securing the lasting happiness of the people!' |
| | 說命下: |
說拜稽首曰：「敢對揚天子之休命。」 |
| Charge to Yue III: |
Yue did obeisance with his head to the ground, and said, 'I will venture to respond to. and display abroad, your Majesty's excellent charge.' |
