Translation setting:
[None] [English]Post-Han ->
Song-Ming ->
郁離子 ->
Volume 2 -> Caution with Ceremonial Ranks
| | 慎爵: |
郁離子謂執政者曰：「物之所貴於天下者，以其少有而難得也。如使明珠如沙，黃金如土，則人皆得而有之，其何以能貴乎？故服有章，爵有等，使人不可以妄覬，然後王命尊而榮辱行。此鼓舞天下之奇貨也。昔者趙王得于闐之玉以為爵曰：『以飲有功者。』邯鄲之圍解，王跪而執爵進酒，為魏公子壽，公子拜嘉焉。故鄗南之役，王無以為賞，乃以其爵飲將士，將士飲之皆喜。於是趙人之得爵飲，重於得十乘之祿。及其後王遷以爵爵嬖人之舐痔者，於是秦伐趙，李牧擊卻之，王取爵以飲將士，將士皆不飲而怒。故同是爵也，施之一不當，則反好以為惡。不知寶其所貴而已矣。」 |
| | Yu Lizzi said to the chief administrator: "The reason things are valued throughout the world is because they are rare and difficult to obtain." "If pearls were as common as sand, and gold as abundant as dirt, then everyone would be able to possess them; how could they possibly remain valuable?" "Therefore, clothing must have distinctions in patterns, and ranks of nobility must be clearly differentiated, so that people cannot recklessly covet what they are not entitled to. Only then can the king's commands be respected and honor and disgrace properly administered." This is the extraordinary treasure used to inspire and motivate people throughout the world. In ancient times, King Zhao of Zhao obtained a piece of Yutian jade and made it into a ceremonial cup, saying: "This shall be used to drink from by those who have rendered meritorious service." When the siege of Handan was lifted, the king knelt and held up the jade cup to offer wine, presenting it as a toast to Lord Wei's marquis, who then bowed in appreciation. Therefore, during the battle of Gaonan, when the king had nothing else to offer as a reward, he used that jade cup to drink with his generals and soldiers; all who drank from it were delighted. Thus, for the people of Zhao, being honored by drinking from the king's ceremonial cup was valued more highly than receiving a salary sufficient to support ten chariots. But later, when King Qian of Zhao used the ceremonial cup to honor a favored courtier who licked his sores, when Qin attacked Zhao and General Li Mu repelled them, the king took up the cup again to drink with his generals and troops, but none of the soldiers drank, instead becoming angry. Therefore, although it was the same ceremonial cup, when bestowed inappropriately, its value turned from good to evil. "This is because they failed to recognize and cherish what was truly valuable."
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