| | 大禹謨: |
皋陶矢厥謨，禹成厥功，帝舜申之。作《大禹》、《》、《》。 |
| | 大禹謨: |
曰若稽古大禹，曰文命，敷於四海，祗承于帝。曰：「后克艱厥后，臣克艱厥臣，政乃乂，黎民敏德。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Examining into antiquity, (we find that) the Great Yu was styled Wen-ming. Having arranged and divided (the land), all to the four seas, in reverent response to the Di, he said, 'If the sovereign can realize the difficulty of his sovereignship, and the minister the difficulty of his ministry, the government will be well ordered, and the black-haired people will sedulously seek to be virtuous.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「俞！允若茲，嘉言罔攸伏，野無遺賢，萬邦咸寧。稽于眾，舍己從人，不虐無告，不廢困窮，惟帝時克。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'Yes; let this really be the case, and good words will nowhere lie hidden; no men of virtue and talents will be left neglected, away from court, and the myriad states will all enjoy repose. (But) to obtain the views of all; to give tip one's opinion and follow that of others; to keep from oppressing the helpless, and not to neglect the straitened and poor - it was only the (former) Di who could attain to this.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
益曰：「都，帝德廣運，乃聖乃神，乃武乃文。皇天眷命，奄有四海為天下君。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yi said, 'Oh! your virtue, O Di, is vast and incessant. It is sagely, spirit-like, awe-inspiring, and adorned with all accomplishments. Great Heaven regarded you with its favour, and bestowed on you its appointment. Suddenly you possessed all within the four seas, and became ruler of all under heaven.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
禹曰：「惠迪吉，從逆凶，惟影響。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yu said, 'Accordance with the right leads to good fortune; following what is opposed to it, to bad - the shadow and the echo.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
益曰：「吁！戒哉！儆戒無虞，罔失法度。罔遊于逸，罔淫于樂。任賢勿貳，去邪勿疑。疑謀勿成，百志惟熙。罔違道以干百姓之譽，罔咈百姓以從己之欲。無怠無荒，四夷來王。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yi said, 'Alas! be cautious! Admonish yourself to caution, when there seems to be no occasion for anxiety. Do not fail to observe the laws and ordinances. Do not find your enjoyment in idleness. Do not go to excess in pleasure. In your employment of men of worth, let none come between you and them. Put away evil without hesitation. Do not carry out plans, of (the wisdom of) which you have doubts. Study that all your purposes may be with the light of reason. Do not go against what is right, to get the praise of the people. Do not oppose the people's (wishes), to follow your own desires. (Attend to these things) without idleness or omission, and the barbarous tribes all around will come and acknowledge your sovereignty.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
禹曰：「於！帝念哉！德惟善政，政在養民。水、火、金、木、土、穀，惟修；正德、利用、厚生、惟和。九功惟敘，九敘惟歌。戒之用休，董之用威，勸之以九歌俾勿壞。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yu said, 'Oh! think (of these things), O Di. The virtue (of the ruler) is seen in (his) good government, and that government in the nourishing of the people. There are water, fire, metal, wood, the earth, and grain - these must be duly regulated; there are the rectification of (the people's) virtue, (the tools and other things) that supply the conveniences of life, and the securing abundant means of sustentation - these must be harmoniously attended to. When the nine services (thus indicated) have been orderly accomplished, that accomplishment will be hailed by (the people's) songs. Caution them with gentle (words), correct them with the majesty (of law), stimulate them with the songs on those nine subjects - in order that (your success) may not suffer diminution.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「俞！地平天成，六府三事允治，萬世永賴，時乃功。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'The earth has been reduced to order, and the (influences of) heaven produce their complete effect; those six magazines and three departments of (governmental) action are all truly regulated, and may be depended on for a myriad generations - this is your merit.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「格，汝禹！朕宅帝位三十有三載，耄期倦于勤。汝惟不怠，總朕師。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'Come, you Yu. I have occupied my place for thirty and three years. I am between ninety and a hundred years old, and the laborious duties weary me. Do you, eschewing all indolence, take the leading of my people.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
禹曰：「朕德罔克，民不依。皋陶邁種德，德乃降，黎民懷之。帝念哉！念茲在茲，釋茲在茲，名言茲在茲，允出茲在茲，惟帝念功。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yu replied, 'My virtue is not equal (to the position), and the people will not repose in me. (But there is) Gao-Yao with vigorous activity sowing abroad his virtue, which has descended on the black-haired people, till they cherish him in their hearts. O Di, think of him! When I think of him, (my mind) rests on him (as the man fit for this place); when I would put him out of my thoughts, (my mind still) rests on him; when I name and speak of him, (my mind) rests on him (for this); the sincere outgoing of my thoughts about him is that he is the man. O Di, think of his merits.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「皋陶，惟茲臣庶，罔或干予正。汝作士，明于五刑，以弼五教。期于予治，刑期于無刑，民協于中，時乃功，懋哉。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'Gao-Yao, that of these my ministers and all (my people) hardly one is found to offend against the regulations of the government is owing to your being Minister of Crime, and intelligent in the use of the five punishments, thereby assisting (the inculcation of) the five cardinal duties, with a view to the perfection of my government, and that through punishment there may come to be no punishments, but the people accord with (the path of) the Mean. (Continue to) be strenuous.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
皋陶曰：「帝德罔愆，臨下以簡，御眾以寬；罰弗及嗣，賞延于世。宥過無大，刑故無小；罪疑惟輕，功疑惟重；與其殺不辜，寧失不經；好生之德，洽于民心，茲用不犯于有司。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Gao-Yao replied, 'Your virtue, O Di, is faultless. You condescend to your ministers with a kindly ease; you preside over the multitudes with a generous forbearance. Punishments do not extend to (the criminal's) heirs, while rewards reach to (succeeding) generations. You pardon inadvertent faults, however great, and punish purposed crimes, however small. In cases of doubtful crimes, you deal with them lightly; in cases of doubtful merit, you prefer the high estimation. Rather than put an innocent person to death, you will run the risk of irregularity and error. This life-loving virtue has penetrated the minds of the people, and this is why they do not render themselves liable to be punished by your officers.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「俾予從欲以治，四方風動，惟乃之休。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'That I am able to follow and obtain what I desire in my government, the people responding everywhere as if moved by the wind - this is your excellence.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「來，禹！降水儆予，成允成功，惟汝賢。克勤于邦，克儉于家，不自滿假，惟汝賢。汝惟不矜，天下莫與汝爭能。汝惟不伐，天下莫與汝爭功。予懋乃德，嘉乃丕績，天之歷數在汝躬，汝終陟元后。人心惟危，道心惟微，惟精惟一，允執厥中。無稽之言勿聽，弗詢之謀勿庸。可愛非君？可畏非民？眾非元后，何戴？后非眾，罔與守邦？欽哉！慎乃有位，敬修其可願，四海困窮，天祿永終。惟口出好興戎，朕言不再。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'Come Yu. The inundating waters filled me with dread, when you accomplished truly (all that you had represented), and completed your service - thus showing your superiority to other men. Full of toilsome earnestness in the service of the country, and sparing in your expenditure on your family, and this without being full of yourself and elated - you (again.) show your superiority to other men. You are without any prideful assumption, but no one under heaven can contest with you the palm of ability; you make no boasting, but no one under heaven can contest with you the palm of merit. I see how great is your virtue, how admirable your vast achievements. The determinate appointment of Heaven rests on your person; you must eventually ascend (the throne) of the great sovereign. The mind of man is restless, prone (to err); its affinity to what is right is small. Be discriminating, be uniform (in the pursuit of what is right), that you may sincerely hold fast the Mean, Do not listen to unsubstantiated words; do not follow plans about which you have not sought counsel. Of all who are to be loved, is not the ruler the chief? Of all who are to be feared, are not the people the chief? If the multitude were without their sovereign Head, whom should they sustain aloft? If the sovereign had not the multitude, there would be none to guard the country for him. Be reverential! Carefully maintain the throne which you are to occupy, cultivating (the virtues) that are to be desired in you. If within the four seas there be distress and poverty, your Heaven conferred revenues will come to a perpetual end. It is the mouth which sends forth what is good, and raises up war. I will not alter my words.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
禹曰：「枚卜功臣，惟吉之從。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yu said, 'Submit the meritorious ministers one by one to the trial of divination, and let the favouring indication be followed.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「禹！官占惟先蔽志，昆命于元龜。朕志先定，詢謀僉同，鬼神其依，龜筮協從，卜不習吉。」禹拜稽首，固辭。 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di replied, '(According to the rules for) the regulation of divination, one should first make up his mind, and afterwards refer (his judgment) to the great tortoise-shell. My mind (in this matter) was determined in the first place; I consulted and deliberated with all (my ministers and people), and they were of one accord with me. The spirits signified their assent, and the tortoise-shell and divining stalks concurred. Divination, when fortunate, should not be repeated.' Yu did obeisance with his head to the ground, and firmly declined (the place). |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「毋！惟汝諧。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'You must not do so. It is you who can suitably (occupy my place).' |
| | 大禹謨: |
正月朔旦，受命于神宗，率百官若帝之初。 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
On the first morning of the first month, (Yu) received the appointment in the temple (dedicated by Shun) to the spirits of his ancestors, and took the leading of all the officers, as had been done by the Di at the commencement (of his government). |
| | 大禹謨: |
帝曰：「咨，禹！惟時有苗弗率，汝徂征。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
The Di said, 'Alas! O Yu, there is only the lord of Miao who refuses obedience; do you go and correct him.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
禹乃會群后，誓于師曰；「濟濟有眾，咸聽朕命。蠢茲有苗，昏迷不恭，侮慢自賢，反道敗德，君子在野，小人在位，民棄不保，天降之咎，肆予以爾眾士，奉辭伐罪。爾尚一乃心力，其克有勳。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yu on this assembled all the princes, and made a speech to the host, saying, 'Ye multitudes here arrayed, listen all of you to my orders. Stupid is this lord of Miao, ignorant, erring, and disrespectful. Despiteful and insolent to others, he thinks that all ability and virtue are with himself. A rebel to the right, he destroys (all the obligations of) virtue. Superior men are kept by him in obscurity, and mean men fill (all) the offices. The people reject him and will not protect him. Heaven is sending down calamities upon him. I therefore, along with you, my multitude of gallant men, bear the instructions (of the Di) to punish his crimes. Do you proceed with united heart and strength, so shall our enterprize be crowned with success.' |
| | 大禹謨: |
三旬，苗民逆命。益贊于禹曰：「惟德動天，無遠弗屆。滿招損，謙受益，時乃天道。帝初于歷山，往于田，日號泣于旻天，于父母，負罪引慝。祗載見瞽瞍，夔夔齋慄，瞽亦允若。至諴感神，矧茲有苗。」 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
At the end of three decades, the people of Miao continued rebellious against the commands (issued to them), when Yi came to the help of Yu, saying, 'It is virtue that moves Heaven; there is no distance to which it does not reach. Pride brings loss, and humility receives increase - this is the way of Heaven. In the early time of the Di, when he was living by mount Li, he went into the fields, and daily cried with tears to compassionate Heaven, and to his parents, taking to himself all guilt, and charging himself with (their) wickedness. (At the same time) with respectful service he appeared before Gu-sou, looking grave and awe-struck, till Gu also became transformed by his example. Entire sincerity moves spiritual beings - how much more will it move this lord of Miao!' |
| | 大禹謨: |
禹拜昌言曰：「俞！」班師振旅。帝乃誕敷文德，舞干羽于兩階，七旬有苗格。 |
| Counsels of the Great...: |
Yu did homage to the excellent words, and said, 'Yes.' (Thereupon) he led back his army, having drawn off the troops. The Di set about diffusing on a grand scale the virtuous influences of peace - with shields and feathers they danced between the two staircases (in his courtyard). In seventy days, the lord of Miao came (and made his submission). |
