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文王觀於臧，見一丈夫釣，而其釣莫釣，非持其釣，有釣者也，常釣也。 |
| 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). |
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文王欲舉而授之政，而恐大臣父兄之弗安也；欲終而釋之，而不忍百姓之無天也。於是旦而屬之夫夫曰：「昔者寡人夢，見良人黑色而髯，乘駁馬而偏朱蹄，號曰：『寓而政於臧丈人，庶幾乎民有瘳乎！』」諸大夫蹴然曰：「先君王也。」文王曰：「然則卜之。」諸大夫曰：「先君之命王，其無它，又何卜焉！」 |
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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?' |
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遂迎臧丈人而授之政。典洗無更，偏令無出。三年，文王觀於國，則列士壞植散群，長官者不成德，斔斛不敢入於四竟。列士壞植散群，則尚同也；長官者不成德，則同務也；斔斛不敢入於四竟，則諸侯無二心也。文王於是焉以為大師，北面而問曰：「政可以及天下乎？」臧丈人昧然而不應，泛然而辭，朝令而夜遁，終身無聞。 |
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(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. |
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顏淵問於仲尼曰：「文王其猶未邪？又何以夢為乎？」仲尼曰：「默！汝無言！夫文王盡之也，而又何論刺焉！彼直以循斯須也。」 |
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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.' |
