| | 泰誓上: |
惟十有一年，武王伐殷。一月戊午，師渡孟津，作《》三篇。 |
| | 泰誓上: |
惟十有三年春，大會于孟津。王曰：「嗟！我友邦塚君越我御事庶士，明聽誓。 |
| Great Declaration I: |
In the spring of the thirteenth year there was a great assembly at Meng-jin. The king said, 'Ah! ye hereditary rulers of my friendly states, and all ye my officers, managers of my affairs, hearken clearly to my declaration. |
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惟天地萬物父母，惟人萬物之靈。但聰明，作元后，元后作民父母。今商王受，弗敬上天，降災下民。沈湎冒色，敢行暴虐，罪人以族，官人以世，惟宮室、台榭、陂池、侈服，以殘害于爾萬姓。焚炙忠良，刳剔孕婦。皇天震怒，命我文考，肅將天威，大勳未集。 |
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'Heaven and earth is the parent of all creatures; and of all creatures man is the most highly endowed. The sincerely intelligent (among men) becomes the great sovereign; and the great sovereign is the parent of the people. But now, Shou, the king of Shang, does not reverence Heaven above, and inflicts calamities on the people below. Abandoned to drunkenness and reckless in lust, he has dared to exercise cruel oppression. He has extended the punishment of offenders to all their relatives. He has put men into offices on the hereditary principle. He has made it his pursuit to have palaces, towers, pavilions, embankments, ponds, and all other extravagances, to the most painful injury of you, the myriads of the people. He has burned and roasted the loyal and good. He has ripped up pregnant women. Great Heaven was moved with indignation, and charged my deceased father Wen to display its terrors; but (he died) before the work was completed. |
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肆予小子發，以爾友邦塚君，觀政于商。惟受罔有悛心，乃夷居，弗事上帝神祇，遺厥先宗廟弗祀。犧牲粢盛，既于凶盜。乃曰：『吾有民有命！』罔懲其侮。 |
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'On this account, I, Fa, the little child, have by means of you, the hereditary rulers of my friendly states, contemplated the government of Shang; but Shou has no repentant heart. He sits squatting on his heels, not serving God nor the spirits of heaven and earth, neglecting also the temple of his ancestors, and not sacrificing in it. The victims and the vessels of millet all become the prey of wicked robbers, and still he says, "The people are mine; the (heavenly) appointment is mine," never trying to correct his contemptuous mind. |
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天佑下民，作之君，作之師，惟其克相上帝，寵綏四方。有罪無罪，予曷敢有越厥志？ |
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'Heaven, for the help of the inferior people, made for them rulers, and made for them instructors, that they might be able to be aiding to God, and secure the tranquillity of the four quarters (of the kingdom). In regard to who are criminals and who are not, how dare I give any allowance to my own wishes? |
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同力，度德；同德，度義。受有臣億萬，惟億萬心；予有臣三千，惟一心。商罪貫盈，天命誅之。予弗順天，厥罪惟鈞。 |
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'"Where the strength is the same, measure the virtue of the parties; where the virtue is the same, measure their righteousness." Shou has hundreds of thousands and myriads of officers, but they have hundreds of thousands and myriads of minds; I have (but) three thousand officers, but they have one mind. The iniquity of Shang is full. Heaven gives command to destroy it. If I did not obey Heaven, my iniquity would be as great. |
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予小子夙夜祗懼，受命文考，類于上帝，宜于塚土，以爾有眾，厎天之罰。天矜于民，民之所欲，天必從之。爾尚弼予一人，永清四海，時哉弗可失！」 |
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'I, the little child, early and late am filled with apprehensions. I have received the command of my deceased father Wen; I have offered special sacrifice to God; I have performed the due services to the great earth; and I lead the multitude of you to execute the punishment appointed by Heaven. Heaven compassionates the people. What the people desire, Heaven will be found to give effect to. Do you aid me, the One man, to cleanse for ever (all within) the four seas. Now is the time! It should not be lost.' |
