| Chinese Text Project | |
| Simplified Chinese version |
《咸有一德 - Common Possession of Pure Virtue》 | English translation: James Legge [?] | Books referencing 《咸有一德》 Library Resources |
| 咸有一德: | 伊尹作《咸有一德》。 | |
| 1 | 咸有一德: | 伊尹既复政厥辟，将告归，乃陈戒于德。曰：“呜呼！天难谌，命靡常。常厥德，保厥位。厥德匪常，九有以亡。夏王弗克庸德，慢神虐民。皇天弗保，监于万方，启迪有命，眷求一德，俾作神主。惟尹躬暨汤，咸有一德，克享天心，受天明命，以有九有之师，爰革夏正。非天私我有商，惟天佑于一德；非商求于下民，惟民归于一德。德惟一，动罔不吉；德二三，动罔不凶。惟吉凶不僭在人，惟天降灾祥在德。今嗣王新服厥命，惟新厥德。终始惟一，时乃日新。任官惟贤材，左右惟其人。臣为上为德，为下为民。其难其慎，惟和惟一。德无常师，主善为师。善无常主，协于克一。俾万姓咸曰：‘大哉王言。’又曰：‘一哉王心’。克绥先王之禄，永砥烝民之生。呜呼！七世之庙，可以观德。万夫之长，可以观政。后非民罔使；民非后罔事。无自广以狭人，匹夫匹妇，不获自尽，民主罔与成厥功。” |
| Common Possession of Pure...: |
Yi Yin, having returned the government into the hands of his sovereign, and being about to announce his retirement, set forth admonitions on the subject of virtue. He said, 'Oh! it is difficult to rely on Heaven;--its appointments are not constant. (But if the sovereign see to it that) his virtue be constant, he will preserve his throne; if his virtue be not constant, the nine provinces will be lost by him. The king of Xia could not maintain the virtue (of his ancestors) unchanged, but contemned the spirits and oppressed the. people. Great Heaven no (longer) extended its protection to him. It looked out among the myriad regions to give its guidance to one who should receive its favouring appointment, fondly seeking (a possessor of) pure virtue; whom it might make lord of all the spirits. Then there were I, Yin, and Tang, both possessed of pure virtue, and able to satisfy the mind of Heaven. He received (in consequence) the bright favour of Heaven, so as to become possessor of the multitudes of the nine provinces, and proceeded to change Xia's commencement of the year. It was not that Heaven had any private partiality for the lord of Shang; it simply gave its favour to pure virtue. It was not that Shang sought (the allegiance of) the lower people; the people simply turned to pure virtue. Where (the sovereign's) virtue is pure, his enterprizes are all fortunate; where his virtue is wavering and uncertain, his enterprizes are all unfortunate. Good and evil do not wrongly befal men, but Heaven sends down misery or happiness according to their conduct.' 'Now, O young king, you are newly entering on your (great) appointment, you should be seeking to make new your virtue. At last, as at first, have this as your one object, so shall you make a daily renovation. Let the officers whom you employ be men of virtue and ability, and let the ministers about you be the right men. The minister, in relation to (his sovereign) above him, has to promote his virtue, and, in relation to the (people) beneath him, has to seek their good. How hard must it be (to find the proper man)! what careful attention must be required! (Thereafter) there must be harmony (cultivated with him), and a oneness (of confidence placed in him). There is no invariable model of virtue; a supreme regard to what is good gives the model of it. There is no invariable characteristic of what is good that is to be supremely regarded; it is found where there is a conformity to the uniform consciousness (in regard to what is good). (Such virtue) will make the people with their myriad surnames all say, How great are the words of the king!" and also, "How single and pure is the king's heart!" It will avail to maintain in tranquillity the rich possession of the former king, and to Secure for ever the (happy) life of the multitudes of the people.' 'Oh! (to retain a place) in the seven-shrined temple of ancestors is a sufficient witness of virtue. To be acknowledged as chief by the myriad heads of families is a sufficient evidence of one's government. The sovereign without the people has none whom he can employ; and the people without the sovereign have none whom they can serve. Do not think yourself so large as to deem others small. If ordinary men and women do not find the opportunity to give full development to their ability, the people's lord will be without the proper aids to complete his merit.' | |
| 2 | 咸有一德: | 沃丁既葬伊尹于亳，咎单遂训伊尹事，作《沃丁》。 |
| 3 | 咸有一德: | 伊陟相大戊，亳有祥桑谷共生于朝。伊陟赞于巫咸，作《咸乂》四篇。 |
| 4 | 咸有一德: | 太戊赞于伊陟，作《伊陟》、《原命》。 |
| 5 | 咸有一德: | 仲丁迁于嚣，作《仲丁》。 |
| 6 | 咸有一德: | 河但甲居相，作《河但甲》。 |
| 7 | 咸有一德: | 祖乙圯于耿，作《祖乙》。 |
URN: ctp:shang-shu/common-possession-of-pure-virtue