| | 田子方: |
文王观于臧，见一丈夫钓，而其钓莫钓，非持其钓，有钓者也，常钓也。 |
| Tian Zi-fang: |
King Wen was (once) looking about him at Zang, when he saw an old man fishing. But his fishing was no fishing. It was not the fishing of one whose business is fishing. He was always fishing (as if he had no object in the occupation). |
| | |
文王欲举而授之政，而恐大臣父兄之弗安也；欲终而释之，而不忍百姓之无天也。于是旦而属之夫夫曰：“昔者寡人梦，见良人黑色而髯，乘驳马而偏朱蹄，号曰：‘寓而政于臧丈人，庶几乎民有瘳乎！’”诸大夫蹴然曰：“先君王也。”文王曰：“然则卜之。”诸大夫曰：“先君之命王，其无它，又何卜焉！” |
| |
The king wished to raise him to office, and put the government into his hands, but was afraid that such a step would give dissatisfaction to his great ministers, his uncles, and cousins. He then wished to dismiss the man altogether from his mind, but he could not bear the thought that his people should be without (such a) Heaven (as their Protector). On this, (next) morning, he called together his great officers, and said to them, 'Last night, I dreamt that I saw a good man, with a dark complexion and a beard, riding on a piebald horse, one half of whose hoofs were red, who commanded me, saying, "Lodge your government in the hands of the old man of Zang; and perhaps the evils of your people will be cured."' The great officers said eagerly, 'It was the king, your father.' King Wen said, 'Let us then submit the proposal to the tortoise-shell.' They replied, 'It is the order of your father. Let not your majesty think of any other. Why divine about it?' |
| | |
遂迎臧丈人而授之政。典洗无更，偏令无出。三年，文王观于国，则列士坏植散群，长官者不成德，斔斛不敢入于四竟。列士坏植散群，则尚同也；长官者不成德，则同务也；斔斛不敢入于四竟，则诸侯无二心也。文王于是焉以为大师，北面而问曰：“政可以及天下乎？”臧丈人昧然而不应，泛然而辞，朝令而夜遁，终身无闻。 |
| |
(The king) then met the old man of Zang, and committed the government to him. The statutes and laws were not changed by him; not a one-sided order (of his own) was issued; but when the king made a survey of the kingdom after three years, he found that the officers had destroyed the plantations (which harboured banditti), and dispersed their occupiers, that the superintendents of the official departments did not plume themselves on their successes, and that no unusual grain measures were allowed within the different states. When the officers had destroyed the dangerous plantations and dispersed their occupants, the highest value was set on the common interests; when the chiefs of departments did not plume themselves on their successes, the highest value was set on the common business; when unusual grain measures did not enter the different states, the different princes had no jealousies. On this King Wen made the old man his Grand Preceptor, and asked him, with his own face to the north, whether his government might be extended to all the kingdom. The old man looked perplexed and gave no reply, but with aimless look took his leave. In the morning he had issued his orders, and at night he had gone his way; nor was he heard of again all his life. |
| | |
颜渊问于仲尼曰：“文王其犹未邪？又何以梦为乎？”仲尼曰：“默！汝无言！夫文王尽之也，而又何论刺焉！彼直以循斯须也。” |
| |
Yan Yuan questioned Confucius, saying, 'Was even King Wen unequal to determine his course? What had he to do with resorting to a dream?' Zhongni replied, 'Be silent and do not say a word! King Wen was complete in everything. What have you to do with criticising him? He only had recourse (to the dream) to meet a moment's difficulty.' |
