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《五子之歌 - Songs of the Five Sons》

English translation: James Legge [?]
Books referencing 《五子之歌》 Library Resources
五子之歌:
太康失邦,昆弟五人须于洛汭,作《五子之歌》。

1 五子之歌:
太康尸位,以逸豫灭厥德,黎民咸贰,乃盘游无度,畋于有洛之表,十旬弗反。有穷后羿因民弗忍,距于河,厥弟五人御其母以从,徯于洛之汭。五子咸怨,述大禹之戒以作歌。
Songs of the Five...:
Tai Kang occupied the throne like a personator of the dead. By idleness and dissipation he extinguished his virtue, till the black-haired people all wavered in their allegiance. He, however, pursued his pleasure and wanderings without any self-restraint. He went out to hunt beyond the Luo, and a hundred days elapsed without his returning. (On this) Yi, the prince of Qiong, taking advantage of the discontent of the people, resisted (his return) on (the south of) the He. The (king's) five brothers had attended their mother in following him, and were waiting for him on the north of the Luo; and (when they heard of Yi's movement), all full of dissatisfaction, they related the Cautions of the great Yu in the form of songs.

2 五子之歌:
其一曰:“皇祖有训,民可近,不可下,民惟邦本,本固邦宁。予视天下愚夫愚妇一能胜予,一人三失,怨岂在明,不见是图。予临兆民,懔乎若朽索之驭六马,为人上者,柰何不敬?”
Songs of the Five...:
The first said,
'It was the lesson of our great ancestor:
The people should be cherished,
And not looked down upon.
The people are the root of a country;
The root firm, the country is tranquil.
When I look at all under heaven,
Of the simple men and simple women,
Any one may surpass me.
If the One man err repeatedly,
Should dissatisfaction be waited for till it appears?
Before it is seen, it should be guarded against.
In my dealing with the millions of the people,
I should feel as much anxiety as if I were driving six horses with rotten reins.
The ruler of men -
How should he be but reverent (of his duties)?'

3 五子之歌:
其二曰:“训有之,内作色荒,外作禽荒。甘酒嗜音,峻宇雕墙。有一于此,未或不亡。”
Songs of the Five...:
The second said,
'It is in the Lessons:
When the palace is a wild of lust,
And the country is a wild for hunting;
When spirits are liked, and music is the delight;
When there are lofty roofs and carved walls;
The existence of any one of these things
Has never been but the prelude to ruin.'

4 五子之歌:
其三曰:“惟彼陶唐,有此冀方。今失厥道,乱其纪纲,乃砥灭亡。”
Songs of the Five...:
The third said,
'There was the lord of Tao and Tang
Who possessed this region of Ji.
Now we have fallen from his ways,
And thrown into confusion his rules and laws;
The consequence is extinction and ruin.'

5 五子之歌:
其四曰:“明明我祖,万邦之君。有典有则,贻厥子孙。关石和钧,王府则有。荒坠厥绪,覆宗绝祀!”
Songs of the Five...:
The fourth said,
'Brightly intelligent was our ancestor,
Sovereign of the myriad regions.
He had canons, he had patterns,
Which he transmitted to his posterity.
The standard stone and the equalizing quarter
Were in the royal treasury.
Wildly have we dropt the clue he gave us,
Overturning our temple, and extinguishing our sacrifices.'

6 五子之歌:
其五曰:“呜呼曷归?予怀之悲。万姓仇予,予将畴依?郁陶乎予心,颜厚有忸怩。弗慎厥德,虽悔可追?”
Songs of the Five...:
The fifth said,
'Oh! whither shall we turn?
The thoughts in my breast make me sad
All the people are hostile to us;
On whom can we rely?
Anxieties crowd together in our hearts;
Thick as are our faces, they are covered with blushes.
We have not been careful of our virtue;
And though we repent, we cannot over-take the past.'

URN: ctp:shang-shu/songs-of-the-five-sons