Guoyu Lu Yu — books four and five of the Discourses of the States

The Discourses of the States (Guoyu) is a collection of speeches and discourses set in the courts of eight states of the Zhou world, from the Western Zhou through the early fifth century BCE. Like the Zuo Commentary, it is traditionally ascribed to Zuo Qiuming, an ascription that cannot be verified from the text itself. These two books, the Discourses of Lu (Lu Yu), follow the state of Confucius's own birth: Cao Gui advising Duke Zhuang before the battle of Changshao, Zang Wenzhong's diplomacy in famine and war, Zhan Qin (also called Liuxia Ji) arguing against sacrificing to a stray sea bird and setting out the proper register of sacrifice, Lige altering a ducal letter and cutting a duke's fishing net out of season, the long series of sayings of the mother of Gongfu Wenbo on toil, ritual, and the separation of men and women, and several anecdotes in which Confucius himself — called here Zhongni or Kong Qiu — is consulted on a strange giant bone, an arrow of foreign make, and a proposed land levy.

Each discourse stands under its own heading naming its speaker and occasion, and the two books proceed roughly from Duke Zhuang's reign to the last years covered by the Guoyu. Wei Zhao's third-century commentary travels with the source text below in its own untranslated layer.

Names of persons and places are given in Hanyu pinyin without tone marks, with Chinese characters supplied at a figure's first appearance. Ranks follow the conventional five — duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron — and 禮 is rendered throughout as ritual propriety.

Translated for the Good Works Library directly from the classical Chinese, which is printed in full below. We know of no complete published English translation of the Discourses of the States; no claim of firstness is made.

Contents

• Book 4 — Discourses of Lu, Part 1 (卷四 魯語上)
  • Cao Gui Asks About the Battle (曹劌問戰)
  • Cao Gui Remonstrates against Duke Zhuang Going to Qi to Watch the Altar Rite (曹劌諫莊公如齊觀社)
  • Qing, Master of Artisans, Remonstrates against Duke Zhuang's Vermilion Pillars and Carved Rafters (匠師慶諫莊公丹楹刻桷)
  • Xiafu Zhan Remonstrates against the Clan Wives Using Silk at Their Audience with Ai Jiang (夏父展諫宗婦覿哀姜用幣)
  • Zang Wenzhong Goes to Qi to Ask Leave to Buy Grain (臧文仲如齊告糴)
  • Zhan Qin Sends Yi Xi to Provision the Army with Ointment (展禽使乙喜以膏沐犒師)
  • Zang Wenzhong Persuades Duke Xi to Ask for the Release of Duke Cheng of Wei (臧文仲說僖公請免衛成公)
  • Zang Wenzhong Asks that the Keeper of the Chong Lodge Be Rewarded (臧文仲請賞重館人)
  • Zhan Qin Argues that Sacrificing to the Yuanju Bird Is Not Fit Government (展禽論祭爰居非政之宜)
  • Duke Wen Wishes to Pull Down the Residences of Meng Wenzi and Hou Jingzi (文公欲弛孟文子與郈敬子之宅)
  • Xiafu Fuji Alters the Constant Order of Zhao and Mu (夏父弗忌改昭穆之常)
  • Lige Alters the Letter and Expels Pu, Heir Apparent of Ju (里革更書逐莒太子僕)
  • Lige Cuts Duke Xuan's Net and Throws It Away (里革斷宣公罟而棄之)
  • Zishu Shengbo Declines a Town (子叔聲伯辭邑)
  • Lige on the Ruler's Faults (里革論君之過)
  • Ji Wenzi on Concubines and Horses (季文子論妾馬)
• Book 5 — Discourses of Lu, Part 2 (卷五 魯語下)
  • Shusun Muzi's Diplomatic Visit to Jin (叔孫穆子聘於晉)
  • Shusun Muzi Remonstrates against Ji Wuzi's Making Three Armies (叔孫穆子諫季武子為三軍)
  • The Lords Attack Qin, and the Men of Lu Cross First with the Men of Ju (諸侯伐秦魯人以莒人先濟)
  • Duke Xiang Goes to Chu (襄公如楚)
  • Ji Ye Returns His Emolument (季冶致祿)
  • Shusun Muzi Knows that Prince Wei of Chu Means to Usurp the State (叔孫穆子知楚公子圍有篡國之心)
  • Shusun Muzi Will Not Buy His Own Release (叔孫穆子不以貨私免)
  • Zifu Huibo Accompanies Ji Pingzi to Jin (子服惠伯從季平子如晉)
  • Ji Huanzi Digs a Well and Gets a Sheep (季桓子穿井獲羊)
  • The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Answers Ji Kangzi's Question (公父文伯之母對季康子問)
  • Gongfu Wenbo Gives Nangong Jingshu a Wine Party (公父文伯飲南宮敬叔酒)
  • The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo on the Inner Court and the Outer Court (公父文伯之母論內朝與外朝)
  • The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo on the Inner Court and the Outer Court (公父文伯之母論內朝與外朝)
  • The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo on Toil and Ease (公父文伯之母論勞逸)
  • The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Keeps the Separation of Men and Women (公父文伯之母別於男女之禮)
  • The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Wishes to Find Wenbo a Wife (公父文伯之母欲室文伯)
  • Gongfu Wenbo Dies and His Mother Instructs His Concubines (公父文伯卒其母戒其妾)
  • Kong Qiu Says the Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Knows the Rites (孔丘謂公父文伯之母知禮)
  • Kong Qiu on the Great Bone (孔丘論大骨)
  • Kong Qiu on the Hu-Wood Arrow (孔丘論楛矢)
  • Min Mafu Laughs at Zifu Jingbo (閔馬父笑子服景伯)
  • Kong Qiu Objects to Ji Kangzi's Land Levy (孔丘非難季康子以田賦)

Translation

Book 4 — Discourses of Lu, Part 1 (卷四 魯語上)

Cao Gui Asks About the Battle (曹劌問戰)

At the campaign of Changshao, Cao Gui (曹劌) asked Duke Zhuang (莊公) by what means he meant to fight.

The duke said: "I have not been sparing of clothing and food toward the people, nor sparing of victims and jade toward the spirits."

He replied: "Kindness must be rooted before the people turn their hearts to you; the people must be in harmony before the spirits send down blessing. If you spread virtue among the people and make your government even-handed, so that the noble devote themselves to good order and the common people to their labor; if your undertakings do not violate the seasons and your expenditure does not exceed its measure; if goods and resources are not exhausted, then there is no one who cannot be brought to join in the sacrifices. Therefore, when you employ the people, none fail to obey; when you seek blessing, none of it fails to be abundant.

"Now you would show kindness by small gifts and sacrifice with a reverence that is your own alone. Small gifts do not reach everyone; a solitary reverence is not ample. Not reaching everyone, the people will not turn to you; not being ample, the spirits will not bless you. With what, then, will you fight? What the people seek is that their goods not run short; what the spirits seek is abundance in what they receive. Therefore one cannot but go to the root."

The duke said: "In hearing lawsuits, though I cannot examine every one, I always decide by the true circumstances."

He replied: "That will do. Know that if in your inmost heart you plan for the people, then though your wisdom fall short, you will surely arrive there."

Cao Gui Remonstrates against Duke Zhuang Going to Qi to Watch the Altar Rite (曹劌諫莊公如齊觀社)

Duke Zhuang went to Qi to watch the sacrifice at the altar of the soil.

Cao Gui remonstrated: "You must not. Rites are the means by which the people are set straight. Therefore the former kings regulated the feudal lords, making them in five years render four services to the king and pay one court visit among themselves. When that is done, they rehearse the rites at the assembly, so as to set right the meaning of the ranking of titles, to follow the order of elder and younger, to instruct in the norms of high and low, and to fix the measure of expenditure; and in the intervals there is no occasion for neglect or sloth.

"Now Qi has cast aside the statutes of the Grand Duke and puts the people on display at the altar of the soil; and my lord makes this his errand and goes to watch it. This is not the established business of a ruler. With what will you instruct the people? When the soil stirs, one sacrifices at the altar: this assists the season. When the gleaning is gathered in, one holds the winter offering: this presents the reckoning of the harvest. Now Qi holds its altar rite and you go to watch the crowd: this is not the teaching of the former kings.

"The Son of Heaven sacrifices to the High God, and the feudal lords assemble at it and receive his commands there. The feudal lords sacrifice to the former kings and former dukes, and the ministers and grandees assist at it and receive their charges there. I have not heard of the feudal lords assembling at one another's sacrifices — and this sacrifice, moreover, is not according to statute. Whatever a ruler undertakes is written down; and if what is written is not according to statute, what will his posterity look to?"

The duke did not listen, and went to Qi.

Qing, Master of Artisans, Remonstrates against Duke Zhuang's Vermilion Pillars and Carved Rafters (匠師慶諫莊公丹楹刻桷)

Duke Zhuang painted vermilion the pillars of Duke Huan's temple and carved its rafter-ends.

Qing, the master of artisans, said to the duke: "Your servant has heard that the sage kings and dukes who were first enfeoffed left a standard to those who came after them, so that they should not fall into evil. They made later generations show forth the good repute of those before them, and so kept them long taking warning from the world; and thus their houses were able to hold firm without slackening and to endure. Now the former lord was frugal and my lord is extravagant: fine virtue is being effaced."

The duke said: "I merely wish to beautify it."

He replied: "It brings my lord no benefit, and it effaces the fine virtue of those before him. That is why your servant says it had best be stopped."

The duke did not listen.

Xiafu Zhan Remonstrates against the Clan Wives Using Silk at Their Audience with Ai Jiang (夏父展諫宗婦覿哀姜用幣)

When Ai Jiang arrived, the duke had the grandees and the wives of the ducal clan present themselves to her with gifts of silk.

Xiafu Zhan (夏父展), the officer of the ancestral temple, said: "This is not the established practice."

The duke said: "The ruler makes the practice."

He replied: "If what the ruler does accords with rite, then it becomes the practice; if it goes against rite, then the contravention too is written down. Your servant follows the officers in charge, and fears that a contravention will stand written for later ages; therefore I dare not fail to speak. A woman's gift of introduction does not go beyond jujubes and chestnuts, by which she declares her reverence. A man's is jade, silk, beasts, and birds, by which the distinctions of rank are made manifest. Now the wives hold silk: this means there is no distinction between men and women. The distinction of men and women is a great regulation of the state, and cannot be dispensed with."

The duke did not listen.

Zang Wenzhong Goes to Qi to Ask Leave to Buy Grain (臧文仲如齊告糴)

Lu suffered famine. Zang Wenzhong (臧文仲) said to Duke Zhuang: "To make supports of the four neighboring states, to knit together the trust of the feudal lords, to weight it with marriage alliances and reinforce it with covenants and oaths — all this is done precisely against the state's times of hardship and urgency. To cast famed vessels and store precious goods is precisely to be ready for when the people are destitute and starving. Now the state is starving. Why does my lord not use the famed vessels to ask leave to buy grain from Qi?"

The duke said: "Whom shall I send?"

He replied: "When a state has famine, a minister goes out to ask leave to buy grain: that is the institution of antiquity. Chen fills the place of a minister; Chen asks leave to go to Qi."

The duke sent him.

His attendants said: "The ruler did not command you, sir, and you asked for it yourself. Is this not choosing your own duty?"

Wenzhong said: "The worthy man hurries to what is hard and yields what is easy. He who holds office does not shun difficulty when a matter comes to him; he who occupies a post grieves over the people's troubles. Thus in state and household nothing goes amiss. If I do not go to Qi now, that is not hurrying to what is hard. To stand above and not grieve for those below, to hold office and be slack — that is not serving one's ruler."

Wenzhong went to Qi with the libation sceptre and the jade chime to ask leave to buy grain, and said: "Heaven's calamity moves abroad and has come upon our poor city. Famine has descended again and again; the people are weakened and near their end. We greatly fear that we shall fall short in the sacrifices commanded of the Duke of Zhou and the Grand Duke, and that in our appointed tribute and the business of our office we shall fail in diligence and so incur guilt. With the meagre offering vessels of our former lords, we venture to speak of your long-stored grain, so as to relieve your officers of it, and so to rescue our poor city and make it able to be diligent in its duty. Not only will our unworthy ruler and his few servants truly receive your lordship's gift: the Duke of Zhou, the Grand Duke, the hundred rulers, and the spirits of Heaven and Earth will truly enjoy it forever and depend upon it."

The men of Qi returned his jades and granted him the grain.

Zhan Qin Sends Yi Xi to Provision the Army with Ointment (展禽使乙喜以膏沐犒師)

Duke Xiao of Qi came to attack Lu. Zang Wenzhong wished to plead with him in words, but was at a loss how to do it, and asked Zhan Qin (展禽).

He replied: "Huo has heard that when one dwells as a great state one instructs the small, and when one dwells as a small state one serves the great: this is how disorder is warded off. I have not heard of doing it with words. If, being small, one exalts oneself and thereby angers a great state, so that it brings violence upon one, then the trouble is already before you. What good will words do?"

Wenzhong said: "The state is in extremity. Of all the hundred things, whatever will serve — there is none I would not run to. I should like to use your words in carrying a bribe. Can he be bribed?"

Zhan Qin sent Yi Xi (乙喜) to provision the army with ointment, saying: "Our unworthy ruler is without ability and could not serve the officers of your borders, and has brought your lordship to great anger, so that you lie exposed in the fields of our poor city. I venture to bring provisions to your host."

The Marquis of Qi received the envoy and said: "Is the state of Lu afraid?"

He replied: "The small men are afraid; the noble men are not."

The duke said: "Your chambers are as bare as a hanging chime-stone, and in your fields there is no green grass. On what do you rely, that you are not afraid?"

He replied: "We rely on the charge given to our two former lords. In old days King Cheng commanded our former lord the Duke of Zhou and Qi's former lord the Grand Duke, saying: 'You shall be thigh and arm to the house of Zhou, and shall flank and support the former king. I grant you land, and pledge it with sacrificial victims: generation after generation your sons and grandsons shall not harm one another.' Your lordship has now come to punish the offense of our poor city; surely you will make us obey and then release us, and will not wipe out our altars of soil and grain. How should you covet our soil and cast aside the command of the former king? With what then would you steady and soothe the feudal lords? On this we rely, and are not afraid."

The Marquis of Qi thereupon agreed to make peace and turned back.

Zang Wenzhong Persuades Duke Xi to Ask for the Release of Duke Cheng of Wei (臧文仲說僖公請免衛成公)

At the meeting at Wen, the men of Jin seized Duke Cheng of Wei and delivered him to the Zhou court. They had a physician poison him; he did not die, and the physician was not put to death either.

Zang Wenzhong said to Duke Xi: "The ruler of Wei is very likely without guilt. There are five punishments and no more, and none of them is hidden; to hide is to conceal something shameful. The greatest punishment uses armor and weapons; next to it, the axe and the battle-axe. The middle punishment uses the knife and the saw; next to it, the awl and the branding-needle. The light punishment uses the whip and the rod. By these the people are held in awe. Therefore the great ones are displayed in the open country and the lesser ones carried out in the market or at court. Five punishments and three places: in these there is nothing hidden.

"Now the men of Jin poisoned the Marquis of Wei and he did not die, and they did not punish the man they sent: they conceal it, and are unwilling to kill him openly. If the feudal lords make a request, they will certainly release him. Your servant has heard: those of the same rank grieve for one another, and so are able to have kinship. That the feudal lords should grieve over the troubles of the feudal lords is the way the people are instructed. Why does my lord not ask for the ruler of Wei, so as to show kinship toward the feudal lords, and at the same time to move Jin? Jin has newly won the feudal lords, and will say: 'Lu does not abandon its kin; neither may we treat it badly.'"

The duke was pleased, sent twenty pairs of jade, and so the Marquis of Wei was released.

From this time on, when Jin made a diplomatic visit to Lu it went one degree beyond what it did for the other feudal lords; and where the rank was the same, it made its gifts of friendship generous. When the Marquis of Wei learned that this was Zang Wenzhong's doing, he sent to present him with a gift. He declined it, saying: "The words of another state's servant do not cross the border; I dare not let them reach your lordship."

Zang Wenzhong Asks that the Keeper of the Chong Lodge Be Rewarded (臧文仲請賞重館人)

Duke Wen of Jin pared away the land of Cao to divide among the feudal lords. Duke Xi sent Zang Wenzhong to go, and he lodged at the post-house of Chong.

The keeper of the Chong lodge told him: "Jin has newly become hegemon and wishes to bind the feudal lords fast; therefore it pares away the land of the guilty to divide among them. Not one of the lords but hopes for a share and wants to be close to Jin; all will contend to be first. Jin will not go by fixed rank, but will certainly favor those who come first. You, sir, must not fail to travel fast. Lu's rank is senior, and if it is first as well, which of the lords could hope to match it? If you take your ease a little, I fear you will not be in time."

He followed this, and got more land than the other lords. On his return, when he had made his report, he made a request on the man's behalf, saying: "That the land is so much is the doing of the keeper of the Chong lodge. Your servant has heard it said: 'Where good is manifest, reward it though the man be lowly; where evil shows its crack, punish it though the man be noble.' Now with one word he has widened our borders: what he has shown is great indeed. I ask that he be rewarded."

Thereupon the man was taken out of servile status and given rank.

Zhan Qin Argues that Sacrificing to the Yuanju Bird Is Not Fit Government (展禽論祭爰居非政之宜)

A sea bird called the yuanju settled outside the eastern gate of Lu for three days, and Zang Wenzhong had the people of the capital sacrifice to it.

Zhan Qin said: "Wide of the mark indeed is Zangsun's conduct of government! Sacrifice is a great regulation of the state, and regulation is what brings government to completion. Therefore one is careful in ordering sacrifices, and makes them the statutes of the state. To add to the statutes now without cause is not fit government.

"When the sage kings ordered sacrifices: if a man's institutions were extended to the people, they sacrificed to him; if he toiled at his charge until death, they sacrificed to him; if by his labor he settled the state, they sacrificed to him; if he could ward off a great calamity, they sacrificed to him; if he could hold back a great affliction, they sacrificed to him. Those not of these kinds have no place in the register of sacrifices.

"Long ago, when the Lieshan clan possessed all under Heaven, his son was called Zhu, who could make the hundred grains and the hundred vegetables grow. When Xia arose, Qi of Zhou continued his work; therefore they sacrificed to him as the god of grain. When the Gonggong clan was overlord of the Nine Regions, his son was called Houtu, who could level the nine soils; therefore they sacrificed to him as the god of the soil. The Yellow Emperor could complete the naming of the hundred things, and thereby enlighten the people and furnish their goods; Zhuanxu could carry it on. Emperor Ku could set in order the three luminaries and so make the people secure. Yao could exhaust himself in evening out punishments and laws and so make the people good. Shun toiled at the people's affairs and died in the wilds. Gun dammed the great flood and died a punished man. Yu was able by virtue to bring Gun's work to completion. Xie was minister of education and the people were made concordant. Ming toiled at his office and died in the waters. Tang governed the people with liberality and removed what was crooked in them. Ji toiled at the hundred grains and died in the mountains. King Wen shone by his cultivation. King Wu took away the people's foulness.

"Therefore the Youyu clan made the di offering to the Yellow Emperor and held Zhuanxu as founder, made the jiao offering to Yao and held Shun as their honored one; the Xiahou clan made the di offering to the Yellow Emperor and held Zhuanxu as founder, made the jiao offering to Gun and held Yu as their honored one; the men of Shang made the di offering to Shun and held Xie as founder, made the jiao offering to Ming and held Tang as their honored one; the men of Zhou made the di offering to Ku and the jiao offering to Ji, and held King Wen as founder and King Wu as their honored one. Mu could follow after Zhuanxu, and the Youyu clan made him the requital offering; Zhu could follow after Yu, and the Xiahou clan made him the requital offering; Shangjia Wei could follow after Xie, and the men of Shang made him the requital offering; Gaoyu and the Great King could follow after Ji, and the men of Zhou made them the requital offering. The di, the jiao, the founder's rite, the honored one's rite, and the requital — these five are the statutory sacrifices of a state.

"To these are added the spirits of the altars of soil and grain and of the mountains and rivers, all of whom have merit and achievement toward the people; and the wise men of former times of fine virtue, who serve as clear pledges; and the three luminaries of Heaven, to which the people lift their eyes; and the five agents of Earth, by which things are born and grow; and the famed mountains, rivers, and marshes of the Nine Regions, out of which come goods and use. What is not of these has no place in the register of sacrifices.

"Now a sea bird has come; not knowing what it is, he sacrifices to it and makes it a statute of the state. It is hard to call this humane and wise. The humane man weighs merit, and the wise man puts things in their places. To sacrifice to what has no merit is not humane; not to know and be unable to ask is not wise. Will there not be some calamity at sea this year? The birds and beasts of the wide waters always know how to avoid a calamity."

That year there were many great winds at sea, and the winter was warm. When Wenzhong heard the words of Liuxia Ji, he said: "Truly it was my fault. Ji's words must be taken as a standard." And he had them written out as three bamboo documents.

Duke Wen Wishes to Pull Down the Residences of Meng Wenzi and Hou Jingzi (文公欲弛孟文子與郈敬子之宅)

Duke Wen wished to pull down the residence of Meng Wenzi, and sent to tell him: "I wish to benefit you with a roomier place outside."

He replied: "Rank is what government is built upon; the office-post is the outward mark of rank; carriage and robes are the emblem of that mark; the residence is the station belonging to the emblem; the emolument is the food of that station. The ruler deliberates these five in order to establish his government, for the reason that they are not to be altered. Now the officer in charge comes with a command to change your servant's post and his carriage and robes, saying, 'We shall change your station, for the sake of room and benefit.' But the post is where morning and evening one reverently attends the ruler's commands. Your servant stands in the post of his forebears and wears their carriage and robes; to change his station for the sake of benefit would be to disgrace the ruler's command. I dare not receive the order. If it is a matter of guilt, then I ask leave to hand back the emolument and the carriage and robes and to quit the post, and to take whatever station the ward officer assigns me."

The duke did not take it. Zang Wenzhong heard of it and said: "Mengsun keeps his charge well. He may well cover over Mubo and keep his line in Lu!"

The duke wished to pull down the residence of Hou Jingzi, and did the same with him.

He replied: "Your servant's forebear Huibo held this by command of the officer of wards. The generations are many in which the ruler's sacrificial meat has been brought here at the chang, di, zheng, and xiang offerings; and the generations are many, too, in which, on missions out and in, the silk of commission has been received here to deliver the ruler's commands. Now your servant is commanded to shift his station outside; but since the officers in charge assign duties by rank, would this not be too far removed? I ask leave to follow the minister of education and shift my station according to rank."

The duke did not take that one either.

Xiafu Fuji Alters the Constant Order of Zhao and Mu (夏父弗忌改昭穆之常)

Xiafu Fuji was master of the ancestral temple, and at the winter offering was about to raise Duke Xi above his place.

The officers of the temple said: "That is not the zhao and mu order."

He said: "I am the master of ancestral rites. The illustrious one is zhao and the one after him is mu. What constant order is there?"

The officers said: "That the ancestral temple has zhao and mu is in order to set the generations in the sequence of elder and younger and to grade the descendants by nearness and distance. Sacrifice makes filial devotion manifest, and that each should bring his purified reverence to his august ancestor is the utmost of manifest filial devotion. Therefore the musicians and scribes record the generations and the master of rites and the invocator record the zhao and mu — and still they fear that one may overstep another. Now you would put the illustrious first and the ancestor after. From the Dark King down to Zhugui there was none like Tang; from Ji down to King Ji there were none like Wen and Wu. Yet in the winter offerings of Shang and Zhou, Tang and Wen and Wu were never raised up, so that none should overstep another. Lu is not the equal of Shang and Zhou, and yet would alter its constant order. Surely this cannot be done?"

He did not listen, and raised him up.

Zhan Qin said: "Xiafu Fuji will surely meet with calamity. The words of the temple officers were in accord with rite, and Xi moreover had nothing illustrious about him. To offend against what accords is inauspicious; to instruct the people by what goes against is also inauspicious; to change the ranking of the spirits is also inauspicious; to raise up one who is not illustrious is also inauspicious. He has offended twice against the way of the spirits and twice against the way of men. Can he escape calamity?"

An attendant said: "If calamity comes, where will it lie? Will it be punishment and execution, or dying untimely of pestilence?"

He said: "That cannot yet be known. If his blood and breath are strong and firm, he may live long and keep his favor and reach his end; but though he live long and reach his end, it will not mean that he has escaped calamity."

When he had been buried, the coffin burned, and the smoke reached up to the sky.

Lige Alters the Letter and Expels Pu, Heir Apparent of Ju (里革更書逐莒太子僕)

Pu, heir apparent of Ju, assassinated Duke Ji and fled here with his treasures.

Duke Xuan had an attendant carry a written order to Ji Wenzi, saying: "The heir apparent of Ju did not shrink from killing his ruler on my account, and has come with his treasures: his love for me is great indeed. Give him a town on my behalf. It must be handed over this very day; do not go against the command."

Lige (里革) met the man and altered the letter to read: "The heir apparent of Ju killed his ruler, stole his treasures, and came here. Not knowing that he is at the end of his resources and cast aside, he seeks besides to settle himself close at hand. Banish him among the Yi on my behalf. It must be carried through this very day; do not go against the command."

The next day the officer in charge reported back. The duke questioned him, and the attendant answered that it was Lige's doing. The duke had him seized and said: "As for one who disobeys his ruler's command — have you too heard of that?"

He replied: "Your servant plied the brush at the risk of death — how should I have merely heard of it! Your servant has heard it said: 'He who ruins the norms is a brigand; he who covers a brigand is a harborer; he who steals treasures is a rogue within; he who uses a rogue's goods is a knave.' What would make my lord a harborer and a knave could not but be got rid of; and your servant, who disobeyed his ruler's command, cannot but be put to death."

The duke said: "It was I who was covetous; the fault is not yours." And he released him.

Lige Cuts Duke Xuan's Net and Throws It Away (里革斷宣公罟而棄之)

In summer Duke Xuan sank his nets in the deeps of the Si. Lige cut his net and threw it away, saying:

"In antiquity, when the great cold had come down and the creatures hidden in the earth were stirring, the warden of waters then made ready the great nets and the fish-baskets, took the large fish and brought up the river creatures, offered them at the temple sleeping-chamber, and spread the practice through the state, so as to help the vapors go forth. When the birds and beasts were with young and the water creatures had come to their growth, the warden of beasts then forbade the hare-net and the bird-net and speared fish and turtles to be dried for the summer stores, so as to help life increase. When the birds and beasts had come to their growth and the water creatures were with young, the warden of waters then forbade the great nets and the small nets and set out pitfalls and traps, so as to fill the temple kitchen and store up the yield for use.

"Moreover, in the hills the shoots from cut stumps were not hacked; in the marshes the young growth was not felled; among fish, the spawn and the fry were forbidden; among beasts, the fawns of deer and elk were let grow; among birds, the nestlings and the eggs were let come to wing; among insects, the ant-eggs and the young locusts were spared. Thus the many creatures were made to multiply. This is the teaching of antiquity. Now the fish have just parted to spawn; instead of letting the fish grow, you ply nets besides. This is greed without measure."

The duke heard of it and said: "I was in the wrong and Lige corrected me — is that not good? This is a fine net, for through it I have got a rule. Let the officer in charge store it away, so that I do not forget the admonition."

The music master Cun was in attendance and said: "Storing the net is not so sure a way of not forgetting as setting Lige at your side."

Zishu Shengbo Declines a Town (子叔聲伯辭邑)

Zishu Shengbo went to Jin to make apology and plead for Ji Wenzi. Xi Chou wished to give him a town, and he would not accept it.

On his return Bao Guo said to him: "Why did you decline Kucheng Shu's town? Did you wish to carry through your deference, or did you know that it could not last?"

He replied: "I have heard that unless a ridgepole is stout it cannot bear a heavy load. Nothing is so heavy as a state; no ridgepole is like virtue. The house of Kucheng Shu wishes to carry two states and has no great virtue. It will not endure; its ruin is only days away. It is like a plague, and I fear the infection. The Kucheng clan has three causes of ruin: little virtue and much favor; a low position and a wish for the highest government; no great merit and a wish for great emolument. All are storehouses of resentment. Their ruler is arrogant and has many favorites; when he comes home from beating the enemy he will certainly set up new houses. To set up new houses he cannot remove the old ones without relying on the people; and if he relies on the people, then without much resentment they would have nowhere to begin. To be three storehouses of resentment may indeed be called much. He cannot make his own person secure — how can he give another man a town?"

Bao Guo said: "I am truly not your equal. If the Bao clan had a crack in it, I should not have foreseen it. Now you plan far ahead and decline a town: you will surely stand secure for good."

Lige on the Ruler's Faults (里革論君之過)

The men of Jin killed Duke Li. The border officers reported it, and Duke Cheng was at court.

The duke said: "A servant kills his ruler — whose fault is it?"

None of the grandees answered. Lige said: "It is the ruler's fault. He who rules over men — his awe is great. To lose that awe and come to be killed, his faults must have been many. Moreover, a ruler is one who shepherds the people and sets straight what is crooked in them. If a ruler gives rein to private crookedness and casts aside the people's business, then when wickedness is all about the people he has no way of examining it, and the crookedness increases greatly. If he faces the people with crookedness, so that they sink and are not rescued, and if he will not be single-minded in employing the good, then he cannot direct them; and when it comes to their being wiped out with no one grieving for them, what use is he? Jie fled to Nanchao; Zhou fell dead in the capital; Li was banished to Zhi; You perished at Xi. All of these went by this same road. A ruler is the river and marsh of the people: as it runs they follow it, and whether they are good or bad comes from the ruler. What can the people do about it?"

Ji Wenzi on Concubines and Horses (季文子論妾馬)

Ji Wenzi was chancellor under Dukes Xuan and Cheng, and had no concubine clothed in silk and no horse fed on grain.

Zhongsun Tuo remonstrated: "You are the chief minister of Lu and have been chancellor to two rulers. Your concubines wear no silk and your horses eat no grain. Will men not think you miserly? And does it not fail to give the state splendor?"

Wenzi said: "I too should like that. But when I look at the people of the state, those whose fathers and elder brothers eat coarse food and wear poor clothes are still many, and therefore I dare not. When other men's fathers and elder brothers eat coarse food and wear poor clothes, and I make my concubines and horses fine, would that not be unworthy of one who serves as another's chancellor? Besides, I have heard that the glory of virtue is what gives a state splendor; I have not heard that it is concubines and horses."

Wenzi told this to Meng Xianzi, and Xianzi confined him for seven days. From that time Zifu's concubines wore no cloth finer than seven sheng, and his horses were fed on nothing better than weeds and darnel. When Wenzi heard of it he said: "One who errs and can correct himself is the best of men." And he had him made a senior grandee.

Book 5 — Discourses of Lu, Part 2 (卷五 魯語下)

Shusun Muzi's Diplomatic Visit to Jin (叔孫穆子聘於晉)

Shusun Muzi (叔孫穆子) made a diplomatic visit to Jin, and Duke Dao of Jin gave him a banquet. Only when the music reached the three pieces of The Deer Cry (鹿鳴) did he then bow three times for the music.

The Marquis of Jin had his envoy-master ask him: "You come with your ruler's command to steady and soothe our poor city. With the meagre rites of our former lords we have troubled your attendants, and with meagre music we have given them their measure. Yet you, sir, set aside the great and pay ceremony to the small. May I ask what rite this is?"

He replied: "Our unworthy ruler sent Bao to continue the friendship of the former lords, and your lordship, for the sake of the feudal lords, has bestowed great ceremony upon your servant the envoy. The first music, sounded upon the bells — the Sixia (肆夏) pieces Fan, E, and Qu — is that with which the Son of Heaven feasts a chief marquis; and the singing of King Wen (文王), Great Brightness (大明), and Unbroken (綿) is the music for two rulers meeting each other. Both make fine virtue manifest and join in friendship, and neither is what your servant the envoy dares to receive. Your servant took it that the musicians were practicing their craft and had come upon them, and therefore he did not dare bow.

"Now the musicians with pipe and voice have reached the three pieces of The Deer Cry, which is your lordship's bestowal upon your servant the envoy: dare your servant not bow for the bestowal? The Deer Cry is your lordship's commendation of the friendship of our former lords: dare I not bow for the commendation? The Four Steeds (四牡) is your lordship's making manifest of the envoy's toil: dare I not bow for that manifesting? Splendid Are the Flowers (皇皇者華) is your lordship's instruction to the envoy, saying: 'Each cherishing his own, he falls short; in consulting, planning, deliberating, and inquiring, always take counsel of the loyal and true.' Dare I not bow for the instruction? Your servant has heard it said: 'To cherish one's own ease is "each cherishing"; to take counsel about talent is zou; to take counsel about affairs is mou; to take counsel about what is right is duo; to take counsel with kin is xun; loyalty and good faith are zhou.' Your lordship has bestowed great ceremony upon your servant the envoy and weighted it with the six virtues: dare I not bow a second time?"

Shusun Muzi Remonstrates against Ji Wuzi's Making Three Armies (叔孫穆子諫季武子為三軍)

Ji Wuzi (季武子) created three armies. Shusun Muzi said: "You must not. The Son of Heaven raises the host and a duke commands it, to chastise those without virtue. A chief marquis raises a host and a minister commands it, in service of the Son of Heaven. A lord of the second order has ministers but no armies, and leads his trained guards to assist a chief marquis. From the earls, viscounts, and barons downward there are grandees but no royally appointed ministers, and they lead their levies to follow the greater lords. Thus the higher can chastise the lower, and among the lower there is no wickedness.

"Now we are a small marquisate set between great states. Even keeping our tribute and levies in repair to supply those we follow, we still fear punishment. If we do what a chief marquis does, and thereby anger the great states, surely that cannot be right?"

He was not heeded, and the middle army was formed. From this time Qi and Chu took turns punishing Lu, and Dukes Xiang and Zhao both went to Chu.

The Lords Attack Qin, and the Men of Lu Cross First with the Men of Ju (諸侯伐秦魯人以莒人先濟)

The feudal lords attacked Qin. They reached the Jing, and none would cross.

Shuxiang of Jin saw Shusun Muzi and said: "The lords said Qin was not respectful and came to punish it. If they reach the Jing and stop, what does that accomplish against Qin?"

Muzi said: "Bao's studies have got as far as The Gourd Has Bitter Leaves (匏有苦葉); of anything else I know nothing."

Shuxiang withdrew, summoned the warden of boats and the marshal, and said: "The bitter gourd is of no use to men for food; it serves only to help one across. Shusun of Lu has recited The Gourd Has Bitter Leaves: he will certainly ford. Make the boats ready and clear the roads; failure to have them ready carries a penalty."

On that campaign the men of Lu, taking the men of Ju with them, crossed first, and the lords followed them.

Duke Xiang Goes to Chu (襄公如楚)

Duke Xiang went to Chu. When he reached the Han and heard that King Kang had died, he wished to turn back.

Shuzhong Zhaobo said: "My lord came not for one man's sake, but for that state's name and its numbers. Now the king is dead, but its name is unchanged and its numbers are unbroken. Why turn back?"

All the grandees wished to turn back. Zifu Huibo said: "We do not know what to do; for the present let us follow the ruler."

Shuzhong said: "You came not to make yourselves comfortable but for the good of state and house; therefore you did not shrink from the toil of distance and gave ear to Chu. It is not that you held Chu righteous: you feared its name and its numbers. One who deals rightly by a man will certainly congratulate him in his joy and condole with him in his sorrow — how much more one who fears him and submits to him? To go when you heard of what you feared, and turn back when you heard of a death — if the Mi surname does indeed continue its line, who is to take on the mourning in their stead? The king's heir apparent is grown, and those who hold power are unchanged. We came for the sake of their former ruler; if at his death we go off, which of them would admit to being less than the former ruler? Had we been about to set out on account of a death, and then turned back on hearing of the death, who would not call it contempt? They serve their ruler and take up his government: which of them would let us break away? Seeking to wipe out the contempt shown them, and pressing harder than the men before them, will they not make the enmity greater? In wiping out contempt they will not be soft; those who hold power will not be of two minds; and if they lead a great enmity to trouble a small state, who is to withstand them? If following the ruler means running into disaster, it would be better to go against the ruler and avoid the trouble. Moreover the noble man reckons it out before he acts. Have you gentlemen reckoned? If you have a means of resisting Chu and preparations for holding the state, then well and good; if you have not, it is better to go on."

So they went on.

On the return, when they reached Fangcheng, they heard that Ji Wuzi had seized Bian. The duke wished to turn back, to bring out the army of Chu and attack Lu.

Rong Chengbo said: "You must not. A ruler's awe over his servants is great. If you cannot give commands in your own state and instead rely upon the feudal lords, which of the lords will hold you close? If you get the army of Chu and attack Lu, then since Lu did not oppose Su's taking of Bian it will surely obey his commands, and its defense will be firm. And if Chu overcomes Lu, the other Ji-surnamed states will not get so much as a look at it — how much less my lord? They too will install their own kinsmen there in order to subdue the Eastern Yi and push back the states of Xia on a great scale, meaning to be kings over all under Heaven. What favor do they owe my lord, that they should give it to him? And if they do not overcome Lu, then my lord, having attacked it with Man and Yi, would still be asking to be let in: you would certainly not obtain it. It is better to give it to him. Su in serving my lord will not dare fail to mend his ways. Angry when drunk, glad when sober — what harm is there in that? Let my lord go in!"

So he went home.

Ji Ye Returns His Emolument (季冶致祿)

While Duke Xiang was in Chu, Ji Wuzi took Bian. He sent Ji Ye to meet the duke, and pursued him to hand him a sealed letter, reporting: "The people of Bian were about to revolt; your servant punished them and has now taken the place."

Before the duke could speak, Rong Chengzi said: "You are thigh and arm to the state of Lu; in the affairs of the altars of soil and grain it is you who decide. Whatever profits you — why must it be Bian? Bian was guilty and you chastised it; it is your own servant. Why report it at all?"

Ziye went home, gave back his emolument, and did not come forth again, saying: "He made me deceive my ruler, and called me capable. Having deceived my ruler, dare I enjoy his emolument and stand in his court?"

Shusun Muzi Knows that Prince Wei of Chu Means to Usurp the State (叔孫穆子知楚公子圍有篡國之心)

At the meeting at Guo, Prince Wei of Chu had two men bearing dagger-axes go before him.

Gongsun Guisheng of Cai and Han Hu of Zheng saw Shusun Muzi. Muzi said: "The prince of Chu is very splendid: he is no longer a grandee, but rather a ruler."

Zipi of Zheng said: "He has dagger-axe bearers before him; that puzzles me."

Zijia of Cai said: "Chu is a great state, and Prince Wei is its chief minister. Is it not permissible for him to have dagger-axe bearers before him?"

Muzi said: "Not so. The Son of Heaven has his tiger guards, for practicing the discipline of arms; the feudal lords have their marching guards, to ward off harm; grandees have a second chariot, to be ready to carry out their charges; officers have an attendant rider, to convey their errands. Now a grandee sets out the array of a feudal lord: he has the intent within him. If he had not the intent, would he dare set out such an array to appear before the grandees of the lords? He will not go back in as a grandee. Array is the outward figure of the heart, as with a tortoise-shell: burn its inside, and the pattern must show without. If the prince of Chu does not become ruler, he will surely die; he will not meet with the lords again."

Prince Wei went back, killed Jia Ao, and took his place.

Shusun Muzi Will Not Buy His Own Release (叔孫穆子不以貨私免)

At the meeting at Guo, the grandees of the lords were renewing the covenant and had not yet dispersed. Ji Wuzi attacked Ju and took Yun. The men of Ju complained to the meeting, and the men of Chu were about to make Shusun Muzi the one to be executed.

Yue Wangfu of Jin sought goods from Muzi, saying: "I will plead for you with Chu." Muzi would not give them.

Liang Qijing said to Muzi: "Goods exist to guard the person. If parting with goods can free you, why should you begrudge them?"

Muzi said: "This is not for you to understand. I received my ruler's command to attend a great affair; my state has done wrong, and if I use goods to free myself privately, then I came to the meeting on my own private business. If that were so, might one then part with goods to accomplish one's private desires? Even if it could free me, what should I do about the business of the lords? Someone would certainly follow the precedent and say: 'There was a case in which a minister of the lords did this.' Then in seeking safety for myself I should have made a rule for the lords. It is on this account that the noble man is anxious about what he sets in motion: if what he sets in motion is not centered, someone will make a road of it, and that makes his want of centeredness manifest. It is not that I begrudge the goods; I hate what is not centered. Besides, the offense did not come from me. What harm if I am put to death?"

The men of Chu then pardoned him.

Muzi went home, and Wuzi came to console him; till midday he did not come out.

His man said: "You may come out now."

Muzi said: "I did not shrink from being put to death, so as to nourish our ridgepole. When the ridgepole breaks, the rafters come down, and I feared being crushed. Therefore I said: even to die abroad, if it shelters the clan at home, is acceptable. Now that I have escaped a great disgrace, if I cannot bear a small vexation, can that be called capable?"

And he went out to see him.

Zifu Huibo Accompanies Ji Pingzi to Jin (子服惠伯從季平子如晉)

At the meeting at Pingqiu, Duke Zhao of Jin had Shuxiang decline Duke Zhao of Lu and did not admit him to the covenant.

Zifu Huibo said: "Jin trusts the Man and the Yi and casts aside its brothers: those who hold power there are of two minds. A divided heart must lose the feudal lords, and not Lu only. He who loses his government will certainly do harm to others, and Lu fears it will reach us; we cannot but be respectful. We must send our chief minister to attend him."

Ji Pingzi said: "Then it must be Yiru! If I go, Jin will certainly make trouble for me. Who is to be my second?"

Zifu Huibo said: "Jiao has said it; dare he flee the danger? Jiao asks to go along."

The men of Jin seized Pingzi. Zifu Huibo saw Han Xuanzi and said: "A covenant is the binding of good faith. Jin is master of the covenant, and so is master of good faith. If you covenant and cast aside the Marquis of Lu, then good faith is impaired. Long ago, in the disorder of the Luan clan, the men of Qi watched for Jin's misfortune and attacked and took Zhaoge. Our former lord Duke Xiang did not dare rest easy, but sent Shusun Bao with the whole of our poor levy — the halt and the lame went out with the rest, and no one stayed behind — to follow your army officers and encamp at Yongyu; and together with Sheng of Handan he struck the left wing of the army of Qi and seized Yan Lai from the rear, and only when the army of Qi withdrew did he dare return. It was not that we sought distant exploits: Lu lies close beside Qi, and is besides a small state; if Qi yokes its chariots in the morning, by evening it reaches Lu. We did not dare shrink from that trouble, but shared Jin's cares, saying, 'Perhaps it will profit the state of Lu.' Now you trust the Man and the Yi and cast us aside. Where will the lords who exert themselves for your ruler find their encouragement? If casting off Lu would truly bind the lords fast, would your servants dare shrink from execution? Among the lords who serve Jin, Lu has been the most diligent. If for the sake of the Man and the Yi you cast it aside, will you not gain the Man and the Yi and lose the trust of the feudal lords? Reckon where the advantage lies, sir; a small state will respectfully obey."

Xuanzi was pleased, and sent Pingzi home.

Ji Huanzi Digs a Well and Gets a Sheep (季桓子穿井獲羊)

Ji Huanzi was digging a well and got something like an earthen jar, with a sheep inside it. He sent to ask Zhongni: "I dug a well and got a dog. What is it?"

He replied: "By what Qiu has heard, it is a sheep. Qiu has heard that the uncanny things of wood and stone are the kui and the wangliang; that the uncanny things of water are the dragon and the wangxiang; and that the uncanny thing of earth is the fenyang."

The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Answers Ji Kangzi's Question (公父文伯之母對季康子問)

Ji Kangzi asked the mother of Gongfu Wenbo (公父文伯): "Surely, madam, you have something to say to Fei."

She replied: "I can only grow old; what have I to say to you?"

Kangzi said: "Even so, Fei would like to hear something from you."

She replied: "I heard it from my late mother-in-law: 'When the noble man can toil, later generations have continuance.'"

Zixia heard of it and said: "Well said! Shang has heard it said: 'In antiquity, a bride who did not come in time to know her husband's father and mother was called unfortunate.' A wife learns from her husband's father and mother."

Gongfu Wenbo Gives Nangong Jingshu a Wine Party (公父文伯飲南宮敬叔酒)

Gongfu Wenbo gave a wine party for Nangong Jingshu, with Lu Dufu as guest of honor. A turtle was served, and it was small. Dufu was angry, and when the guests invited one another to eat the turtle he declined, saying: "I shall let the turtle grow up, and eat it then." And he went out.

Wenbo's mother heard of it and said in anger: "I heard it from my late father-in-law: 'At a sacrifice one nourishes the impersonator of the dead; at a feast one nourishes the chief guest.' What has a turtle to do with it, that you should make the man angry!" And she drove him out. After five days the grandees of Lu pleaded for him and he was restored.

The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo on the Inner Court and the Outer Court (公父文伯之母論內朝與外朝)

The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo on the Inner Court and the Outer Court (公父文伯之母論內朝與外朝)

The mother of Gongfu Wenbo went to the house of the Ji. Kangzi was in his court, and spoke to her; she did not answer him. He followed her as far as the door of the private apartments, and she went in without letting him come forward. Kangzi excused himself at the court and went in to see her, saying, "Fei has not been allowed to hear your command. Is the fault not mine?"

She said: "Have you not heard? The Son of Heaven and the feudal lords bring together the business of the people in the outer court, and the business of the spirits in the inner court; from the ministers downward, men bring together the duties of office in the outer court, and the affairs of the household in the inner court. Within the door of the private apartments, women manage their own work. From the highest to the lowest it is the same. Now in the outer court you are to carry on the duties of your ruler's offices, and in the inner court you are to order the government of the house of Ji. Neither of them is a place where I dare speak."

The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo on Toil and Ease (公父文伯之母論勞逸)

Gongfu Wenbo came home from court and paid his respects to his mother, and his mother was spinning hemp. Wenbo said, "In a household such as Chu's, for my lady still to spin! I am afraid it will rouse Jisun's anger — he will think that Chu cannot serve his lady."

His mother sighed and said: "Is Lu about to perish? To fill an office with a boy, and he has never heard of these things! Sit down; I will tell you.

"In antiquity, when the sage kings settled the people, they chose poor land and settled them upon it; they made their people toil, and so employed them; and therefore they ruled the world as kings for long ages. When people toil they reflect, and reflecting, a good heart is born in them; when they are at ease they grow dissolute, and growing dissolute they forget the good, and forgetting the good, an evil heart is born in them. The people of rich land are of little worth, and it is ease that makes them so; among the people of poor land there is none who does not turn toward righteousness, and it is toil that makes them so.

"Therefore the Son of Heaven, in the robes of the greater colors, goes out to greet the sun, and with the Three Dukes and the Nine Ministers rehearses and comes to know the virtue of the earth. At midday he examines the government, together with the governing business of the hundred offices, and the chief officers marshal the body of officers, the shepherds of the regions, and the ministers of the states, to spread abroad and set in order the business of the people. In the robes of the lesser colors he goes out to greet the moon, and with the Grand Scribe and the officer of the heavens attends with reverence upon the punishments of Heaven. At sundown he oversees the nine attendants of the inner chambers, having them present in purity the grain offerings for the di and the jiao sacrifices; and only then does he go to his rest.

"The feudal lords in the morning attend to the tasks and commands of the Son of Heaven; by day they examine the offices of their states; in the evening they review their standing laws; at night they warn the hundred officers, so that there shall be no slackness or dissoluteness; and only then do they go to their rest. Ministers and grandees in the morning examine their duties; by day they take counsel on the several matters of government; in the evening they set their tasks in order; at night they order the affairs of their households; and only then do they go to their rest. Officers in the morning receive their tasks; by day they discuss and practice them; in the evening they go over them again; at night they reckon up their faults until there is nothing left to regret; and only then do they go to their rest. From the common people downward, they stir at first light and rest at dark, and there is no day on which they are idle.

"The queen herself weaves the black cords from which the ear-plugs hang; the wives of dukes and marquises add to these the cap-strings and the cap-cover; the principal wife of a minister makes the great girdle; the wives of grandees complete the sacrificial robes; the wives of the ranked officers add to these the court robes; and from the wives of the lesser officers downward, all clothe their own husbands. At the sacrifice to the altar of the soil the tasks are apportioned; at the winter offering the year's work is presented; men and women render up what they have accomplished, and if they fall short there is punishment. This was the ordinance of antiquity.

"The noble man toils with his heart, the common man toils with his strength: this is the teaching of the former kings. From the highest downward, who dares let his heart run loose and lay down his labor? Now I am a widow, and you hold a lowly place; morning and evening we are at our work, and even so I fear that we shall let the tasks of those before us be forgotten. How much more when there is sloth — how then shall we escape punishment? I had hoped that morning and evening you would admonish me, saying, 'Be sure not to let those before us be forsaken.' Now you say to me, 'Why do you not take your ease?' If you take up your ruler's office with such a mind as this, I fear that Mubo's line will be cut off."

Zhongni heard of it and said, "My disciples, mark it: the wife of the house of Ji is not given to indulgence."

The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Keeps the Separation of Men and Women (公父文伯之母別於男女之禮)

The mother of Gongfu Wenbo was the wife of a younger brother of Ji Kangzi's grandfather. When Kangzi went to her, they spoke with the door of the private apartments half opened, and neither of them crossed the threshold. At the sacrifice to Daozi, in which Kangzi took part, she did not receive the pledge-cup returned to her, and when the stands were cleared away she did not stay for the feast. If the master of the clan rites was not present she took no part in the following day's offering; and at that offering she did not stay to the end of the standing feast, but withdrew. Zhongni heard of it, and held that she kept the rite that separates men and women.

The Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Wishes to Find Wenbo a Wife (公父文伯之母欲室文伯)

The mother of Gongfu Wenbo wished to find Wenbo a wife. She feasted the master of the clan rites and the household elder, and for the occasion had the third stanza of the "Green Robe" recited. The elder asked that the keeper of the tortoise divine from which family the wife should come.

Shi Hai heard of it and said: "Well done! At feasts of men and women, the clan ministers are not included; in deliberations of the clan house, one does not go beyond the clan officers. She deliberated without transgressing; the thing was subtle, and yet it was made plain. Poems are the means by which intentions are joined; song is the means by which poems are chanted. Now she has joined a marriage by a poem and chanted it in song: she has kept within the measure of the rule."

Gongfu Wenbo Dies and His Mother Instructs His Concubines (公父文伯卒其母戒其妾)

Gongfu Wenbo died, and his mother instructed his concubines, saying: "I have heard this: the man who loves the inner chambers is died for by women, and the man who loves what lies outside is died for by his officers. Now my son has died young, and I should hate for him to be known as one who loved the inner chambers. You several women who have humbled yourselves to serve at the sacrifices to those who went before him — I ask that you show no wasted looks, shed no silent tears, beat not your breasts, wear no grieving faces; and that you lessen the mourning dress rather than add to it. To follow the rites and be still — this is to make my son shine."

Zhongni heard of it and said: "The knowledge of a maiden is not equal to that of a wife, nor the knowledge of a boy to that of a grown man. The wife of the house of Gongfu is wise indeed! She wished to make plain her son's fine virtue."

Kong Qiu Says the Mother of Gongfu Wenbo Knows the Rites (孔丘謂公父文伯之母知禮)

The mother of Gongfu Wenbo wailed for Mubo in the morning and for Wenbo in the evening. Zhongni heard of it and said, "The wife of the house of Ji may be said to know the rites. She loves without partiality, and between the higher and the lower she keeps the proper order."

Kong Qiu on the Great Bone (孔丘論大骨)

Wu attacked Yue and threw down Kuaiji, and there they got a bone: one joint of it filled a whole cart. The viscount of Wu sent an envoy on a friendly diplomatic visit, and also to put the question to Zhongni, saying, "Do not say that it is by my command." The guest distributed his gifts of silk among the grandees, and when he came to Zhongni, Zhongni offered him a cup of wine. When the stands had been cleared and they were at the feast, the guest took up a bone and asked, "May I ask which of bones is the greatest?"

Zhongni said: "Qiu has heard this. Long ago Yu summoned the host of spirits to the mountain of Kuaiji. The lord of Fangfeng came late, and Yu put him to death and exposed his body. One joint of his bone filled a whole cart. That is the greatest."

The guest said, "May I ask, what guardianship makes one a spirit?" Zhongni said: "Those numinous powers of mountains and rivers whose sway is enough to hold the world in its order — their guardianship makes them spirits. Those who guard the altars of the soil and the grain are dukes and marquises. All of them belong to the king."

The guest said, "What did Fangfeng guard?" Zhongni said: "He was the ruler of the Wangmang, guardian of the mountains Feng and Yu; his surname was Qi. In the times of Yu, Xia, and Shang they were the Wangmang; under Zhou they were the Long Di; today they are the Big Men."

The guest said, "What is the utmost of a man's height?" Zhongni said: "The Jiaoyao are three chi tall, and that is the extreme of shortness. The tall do not exceed ten times that, and that is the limit of the reckoning."

Kong Qiu on the Hu-Wood Arrow (孔丘論楛矢)

Zhongni was in Chen. A falcon alighted in the courtyard of the marquis of Chen and died there, pierced through by an arrow of hu wood with a stone head, a chi and a zhi in length. Duke Hui of Chen sent a man with the falcon to Zhongni's lodging to ask about it.

Zhongni said: "The falcon has come from far! This is an arrow of the Sushen. Long ago, when King Wu conquered Shang, he opened the roads to the nine Yi and the hundred Man, and had each of them bring as tribute the goods of its own region, so that none should forget its duty. At that time the Sushen brought as tribute hu-wood arrows with stone heads, a chi and a zhi in length. The former king wished to make it plain that his fine virtue had reached to distant places, and to show this to those who came after, so that they might look upon it forever; therefore he had the nock of an arrow inscribed, 'Tribute arrow of the Sushen,' and gave it to Taiji, whom he matched with Duke Hu of Yu and enfeoffed in Chen. In antiquity they gave precious jade to those of the same surname, to make kinship weighty; and to those of a different surname they gave the tribute due from distant regions, so that these should not forget their submission. Therefore Chen was given the tribute of the Sushen. If my lord will have his officers seek it in the old storehouses, it may be found."

He had it sought, and it was found in a metal-bound casket, just as Zhongni had said.

Min Mafu Laughs at Zifu Jingbo (閔馬父笑子服景伯)

Lüqiu of Qi came to make a covenant, and Zifu Jingbo instructed the officers of his household, saying, "If you fall into error, let it be on the side of deference." Min Mafu laughed. Jingbo asked him why, and he replied:

"I laugh at how large you make yourself. Long ago Zheng Kaofu collated the twelve fine Hymns of Shang with the Grand Music Master of Zhou, putting 'Na' at their head. The coda that completes it says:

From of old, in ancient days,
the men before us had this practice:
mild and reverent morning and evening,
and in the conduct of affairs, unfailing care.

"When the former sage kings handed down reverence, they still did not dare claim it for themselves: they said 'from of old'; of old, they said 'in ancient days'; of ancient days, they said 'the men before us.' Now you instruct your officers, 'If you fall into error, let it be on the side of deference' — this is to be full of yourself indeed. King Gong of Zhou could cover the failings of Kings Zhao and Mu, and so he was 'the Reverent'; King Gong of Chu could recognize his own faults, and so he was 'the Reverent.' Now you teach your subordinate officers, 'Fall into error and then be reverent.' What, then, is left for the Way to do?"

Kong Qiu Objects to Ji Kangzi's Land Levy (孔丘非難季康子以田賦)

Ji Kangzi wished to raise a levy upon the fields, and sent Ran You to put the question to Zhongni. Zhongni gave him no answer, but privately said to Ran You:

"Qiu, come here. Have you not heard? The former kings, in ordering the land, taxed the fields according to the labor a man could give, and made the far and the near even; they levied upon the wards according to their takings, and measured what a man had and had not; they assigned labor by the household head, and weighed the old and the young. Thus there were the widowers, the widows, the fatherless, and the infirm: when an army went out, a levy was taken from them; when none went out, it ceased. In such a year, the yield of one jing of land brought out a zong of grain, a bing of fodder, and a fou of rice, and no more than that. The former kings held this to be enough. If your master Jisun wants the law of the matter, there is the tax system of the Duke of Zhou. If he means to break the law, then let him levy as he pleases — and why come consulting me?"

Colophon

This file was prepared for the Chinese shelf of the Good Works Library, translated independently from the classical Chinese text printed below. Each discourse keeps its own heading as the source divides it, and speeches — including the extended counsel of the mother of Gongfu Wenbo — are rendered as continuous direct speech rather than condensed into summary. Only the main text is translated; Wei Zhao's commentary is printed in the source layer below but not rendered into English.

No live search for prior translations could be made when this file was prepared. We know of no complete published English translation of the Discourses of the States, only selections and studies; that is the limit of our knowledge, not a certainty, and no claim of firstness is made.

One naming note: the grandee here called Zhan Qin also appears under his better-known style Liuxia Ji, and both names are kept as the source gives them, glossed at first appearance. The temple terms zhao and mu, naming the alternating generations of an ancestral line, and the di, jiao, and requital offerings are left in pinyin as technical terms of ancestral ritual.

Prepared for the Good Work Library by the Tianmu Anglican Church with AI-assisted translation and editorial work.

🌲

Source Text: 國語 魯語

Classical Chinese text in the Chinese Wikisource transcription, with the commentary of Wei Zhao (韋昭) set in 〔 〕 as the transcription carries it. Presented complete for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above; the commentary is not translated.

卷四 魯語上

曹劌問戰

長勺之役，曹劌問所以戰於莊公。〔長勺，魯地。曹劌，魯人也。莊公，魯桓公之子莊公同也。初，齊襄公立，其政無常，鮑叔牙曰：「君使民慢，亂將作矣。」奉公子小白奔莒。魯莊八年，齊無知殺襄公，管夷吾、邵忽奉公子糾奔魯。九年夏，莊公伐齊，納子糾。小白自莒先入，與莊公戰于乾時，莊公敗績。故十年齊伐魯，戰于長勺也。〕公曰：「余不愛衣食於民，〔有惠賜也。〕不愛牲玉於神。」〔牲，犧牲；玉，珪璧，所以祭祀也。《詩》云：「靡愛斯牲，珪璧既卒。」〕對曰：「夫惠本而後民歸之志，〔惠本，謂樹德施利也。歸之志，志歸於上。〕民和而後神降之福。〔降，下也。民，神之主，故民和神乃降福。〕若布德于民而平均其政事，君子務治而小人務力；動不違時，財不過用；〔不過用禮也。〕財用不匱，莫不能使〔案：「能使」，公序本無。〕共祀。〔無不共祀，非獨己也。〕是以用民無不聽，求福無不豐。今將惠以小賜，祀以獨恭。〔小賜，臨戰之賜。獨恭，一身之恭也。〕小賜不咸，獨恭不優。〔咸，徧也。優，裕也。〕不咸，民不歸也；不優，神弗福也。將何以戰？夫民求不匱於財，而神求優裕於享者也，〔裕，饒也。享，食也。民和年豐為優裕也。〕故不可以不本。」〔本，先利民莫不共祀也。〕公曰：「余聽獄雖不能察，必以情斷之。」〔獄，訟也。〕對曰：「是則可矣。〔可者，未大備可以一戰。《傳》曰：「齊師敗績」也。〕知〔案：「知」字，公序本無。〕夫苟中心圖民，智雖弗及，必將至焉。」〔苟，誠也。言誠以中心圖慮民事，智雖有所不及，必將至於道也。〕

曹劌諫莊公如齊觀社

莊公如齊觀社。〔莊公二十三年，齊因祀社蒐軍實以示客，公往觀之也。〕曹劌諫曰：「不可。夫禮，所以正民也。是故先王制諸侯，使五年四王、一相朝。〔賈侍中云：「王，謂王事天子也。歲聘以志業，閒朝以講禮，五年之間四聘於王，而一相朝。相朝者，將朝天子先相朝也。」唐尚書云：「先王，謂堯也。五載一巡守，諸侯四朝。」昭謂：以《堯典》相參，義亦似之；然此欲以禮正君，宜用周制。《周禮》：「中國凡五服，遠者五歲而朝。」《禮記》曰：「諸侯之於天子也，比年一小聘，三年一大聘。」五年一朝謂此也。晉文霸時亦取於此也。〕終則講於會，以正班爵之義，〔終，畢也。講，習也。班，次也。謂朝畢則習禮於會，以正爵位次序尊卑之義也。〕帥長幼之序，訓上下之則，〔帥，循也。〕制財用之節，〔謂牧伯差國大小使受貢職也。〕其閒無由荒怠。〔其閒，朝會閒也。〕夫齊棄太公之法而觀民於社，〔太公，齊始祖太公望也。〕君為是舉〔舉，動也。〕而往觀之，非故業也，〔業，事也。〕何以訓民？土發而社，助時也。〔土發，春分也。《周語》曰：「土乃脈發。」社者，助時祈福為農始也。〕收攟而蒸，納要也。〔攟，拾也。冬祭曰蒸，因祭社以納五穀之要，休農夫也。《月令》曰：「孟冬祀于天宗，大祀于公社及門閭」也。〕今齊社而往觀旅，非先王之訓也。〔旅，眾也。〕天子祀上帝，〔上帝，天也。〕諸侯會之受命焉。〔助祭受政命也。〕諸侯祀先王、先公，〔先王，謂若宋祖帝乙、鄭祖厲王之屬也。先公，先君也。〕卿大夫佐之受事焉。〔事，職事也。〕臣不聞諸侯相會祀也，祀又不法。〔不法，謂觀民也。〕君舉必書，〔動則左史書之，言則右史書之。〕書而不法，後嗣何觀？」公不聽，遂如齊。

匠師慶諫莊公丹楹刻桷

莊公丹桓宮之楹，而刻其桷。〔桓宮，桓公廟也。楹，柱也。唐云：「桷，榱頭也。」昭謂：桷一名榱，今北土云亦然。《爾雅》曰：「桷謂之榱。」莊公娶于齊，曰哀姜，哀姜將至，當見於廟，故丹柱刻榱以夸之也。〕匠師慶言於公〔匠師慶，掌匠大夫禦孫之名也。〕曰：「臣聞聖王公之先封者，〔謂若湯、武、周公、太公也。〕遺後之人法，使無陷於惡。其為後世昭前之令聞也，〔為，猶使也。〕使長監於世，〔監，觀。觀世成敗以為戒也。〕故能攝固不解以久。〔攝，持也。〕今先君儉而君侈，〔先君，桓公也。〕令德替矣。」〔替，滅也。〕公曰：「吾屬欲美之。」〔屬，適也。適欲自美之，非先君意也。〕對曰：「無益於君，而替前之令德，臣故曰庶可已矣。」〔已，止也。〕公弗聽。

夏父展諫宗婦覿哀姜用幣

哀姜至，公使大夫、宗婦覿用幣。〔宗婦，同宗大夫之婦也。覿，見也，見夫人也。用幣，言與大夫同贄也。〕宗人夏父展曰：「非故也。」〔宗人，宗伯也。夏父，氏也。展，名也。宗伯主男女贄幣之禮。故，故事也。〕公曰：「君作故。」〔言君所作則為故事也。〕對曰：「君作而順則故之，〔案︰公序本此下有注：「順，順於禮則書以為故事。」〕逆則亦書其逆也。臣從有司，懼逆之書於後也，故不敢不告。〔從有司，言備位隨從有司後行也。〕夫婦贄不過棗、栗，以告虔也。〔棗，取蚤起。栗，取敬栗。虔，敬也。《曲禮》曰：「婦人之贄，脯、脩、棗、栗。」〕男則玉、帛、禽、鳥，以章物也。〔謂公執桓圭，侯執信圭，伯執躬圭、子執穀璧，男執蒲璧，孤執皮帛，卿執羔，大夫執鴈，士執雉，庶人執鶩，工商執雞也。章，明尊卑異物也。　案：公序本「章」下有「明也」二字。疑「章」下脫一「物」字。〕今婦執幣，是男女無別也。男女之別，國之大節也，不可無也。」公弗聽。

臧文仲如齊告糴

魯饑，臧文仲言於莊公〔魯饑，在莊公二十八年。文仲，魯卿，臧哀伯之孫、伯氏瓶之子臧孫辰也。〕曰：「夫為四鄰之援，〔援，所攀援以為助也。〕結諸侯之信，重之以婚姻，申之以盟誓，〔申，重也。〕固國之艱急是為。〔艱，難也。是為，為難急也。〕鑄名器，〔名器，鍾鼎也。〕藏寶財，〔寶財，玉帛也。〕固民之殄病是待。〔殄，絕也。病，餓也。〕今國病矣，君盍以名器請糴于齊？」〔盍，何不也。市穀曰糴。〕公曰：「誰使？」對曰：「國有饑饉，卿出告糴，古之制也。〔告，請也。〕辰也備卿，辰請如齊。」公使往。

從者曰：「君不命吾子，吾子請之，其為選事乎？」〔選事，自選擇其職事也。〕文仲曰：「賢者急病而讓夷，〔夷，平也。〕居官者當事不避難，在位者恤民之患，是以國家無違。〔無相違恨者也。　案：「恨」，公序本作「很」。〕今我不如齊，非急病也。在上不恤下，居官而惰，非事君也。」

文仲以鬯圭與玉磬如齊告糴，〔鬯圭，祼鬯之圭，長尺二寸，有瓚，以禮廟。玉磬，鳴璆也。　案：「禮」，公序本作「祀」。〕曰：「天災流行，戾于弊邑，饑饉荐降，民羸幾卒，〔戾，至也。荐，重也。降，下也。羸，病也。幾，近也。卒，盡也。〕大懼乏〔案：「乏」，公序本作「殄」。〕周公、太公之命祀，〔賈、唐二君云：「周公為太宰，太公為太師，皆掌命諸侯之國所當祀也。」或云：「命祀二公也。」昭謂：《傳》曰：「衛成公祀夏后相，甯武子曰：『不可以閒成王、周公之命祀。』」職貢如此，賈、唐得之矣。　案：「或云」下，公序本有「命祀謂」三字。「職貢」二字，公序本無。〕職貢業事之不共而獲戾。〔戾，罪也。〕不腆先君之幣〔案：「幣」，公序本作「敝」。〕器，〔腆，厚也。〕敢告滯積，以紓執事；〔滯，久也。紓，緩也。執事，齊有司也。穀久積則將朽敗，執事所憂也，請之所以緩執事也。〕以救弊邑，使能共職。豈唯寡君與二三臣實受君賜，其周公、太公及百辟神祇實永饗而賴之！」〔辟，君也。賴，蒙也。天曰神，地曰祇。百辟，謂百君卿士有益於民者也。〕齊人歸其玉而予之糴。

展禽使乙喜以膏沐犒師

齊孝公來伐魯，〔孝公，齊桓公之子孝公昭也。魯僖公叛齊，與衛、莒盟于洮，又盟于向，故孝公伐魯，討此二盟。〕臧文仲欲以辭告，〔欲以文辭告謝齊也。〕病焉，〔病不能為辭也。〕問於展禽。〔展禽，魯大夫，展無駭之後柳下惠也，字展禽也。　案：「字展禽也」，「展」，公序作「季」，《攷異》卷二：「案『展』疑衍。重刻本一作『子』，一作『季』，皆衍文也。」〕對曰：「獲聞之，處大敎小，處小事大，所以禦亂也，不聞以辭。〔獲，展禽之名也。禦，止也。〕若為小而崇以怒大國，〔崇，高也，謂自高大不事大國也。〕使加己亂，亂在前矣，〔亂，惡也。〕辭其何益？」文仲曰：「國急矣！百物唯其可者，將無不趨也。〔百物之中可用行賂，將無不趨，言無所愛也。〕願以子之辭行賂焉，其可賂乎？」〔案：「其可賂乎」，公序本無「賂」字。〕

展禽使乙喜以膏沐犒師，〔乙喜，魯大夫展喜也。犒，勞也。以膏沐為禮，欲以義服齊，明不以賂免之也。〕曰：「寡君不佞，〔佞，才也。〕不能事疆埸之司，〔司，主也，主疆埸吏也。　案：公序本此下尚有「不能事，故構我也」七字。〕使君盛怒，以暴露於弊邑之野，敢犒輿師。」〔輿，眾也。〕齊侯見使者曰：「魯國恐乎？」〔使者，乙喜也。〕對曰：「小人恐矣，君子則否。」公曰：「室如懸磬，野無青草，何恃而不恐？」〔懸磬，言魯府藏空虛如懸磬也；野無青草，旱甚也。故言何恃也。　案：公序本「空虛」下尚有「但有榱梁」四字。〕對曰：「恃二先君之所職業。昔者成王命我先君周公及齊先君太公曰：『女股肱周室，以夾輔先王。〔先王，武王也。〕賜女土地，質之以犧牲，世世子孫無相害也。』〔質，信也，謂使之盟，以信其約也。〕君今來討弊邑之罪，其亦使聽從而釋之，〔釋，置也。〕必不泯其社稷；〔泯，滅也。〕豈其貪壤地，而棄先王之命？其何以鎮撫諸侯？恃此以不恐。」齊侯乃許為平而還。〔平，和也。〕

臧文仲說僖公請免衛成公

溫之會，〔溫之會，晉文公討不服也，在魯僖二十八年也。〕晉人執衛成公歸之于周，〔成公恃楚而不事晉，又殺弟叔武，其臣元咺訴之晉，故文公執之。事見《周語》中也。〕使醫鴆之，不死，〔鴆，鳥也，一名「運日」，其羽有毒，漬之酒而飲之，立死。《傳》曰：「晉侯使醫衍鴆衛侯，甯俞貨醫薄其鴆而不死。」在魯僖三十年也。〕醫亦不誅。〔不誅醫者，諱以行毒也。　案：「行」上，公序本有「私」字。〕

臧文仲言於僖公〔僖公，莊公之子僖公申也。〕曰：「夫衛君殆無罪矣。刑五而已，無有隱者，隱乃諱也。〔隱，謂鴆也。〕大刑用甲兵，〔賈侍中云：「謂諸夏不式王命，以六師移之。」昭謂：甲兵，謂臣有大逆，則被甲聚兵而誅之，若今陳軍也。　案：「諸夏」，公序本作「諸侯」。〕其次用斧鉞，〔斧鉞，軍戮。《書》曰：「後至者斬。」〕中刑用刀鋸，〔割劓用刀，斷截用鋸，亦有大辟，故《周語》曰：「兵在其頸。」〕其次用鑽笮，〔鑽，臏刑也。笮，黥刑也。〕薄刑用鞭扑，以威民也。〔鞭，官刑也。扑，敎刑也。〕故大者陳之原野，〔謂甲兵、斧鉞也。〕小者致之市朝，〔刀鋸以下也。其死刑，大夫以上屍諸朝，士以下屍諸市。〕五刑三次，是無隱也。〔五刑，甲兵、斧鉞、刀鋸、鑽鑿、鞭扑也。次，處也。三處，野、朝、市也。　案：「鑿」，公序本作「笮」。〕今晉人鴆衛侯不死，亦不討其使者，〔使者，醫衍也。〕諱而惡殺之也。〔諱殺衛侯也。〕有諸侯之請，必免之。臣聞之：班相恤也，故能有親。〔班，次也。恤，憂也。言位次同者當相憂也。〕夫諸侯之患，諸侯恤之，所以訓民也。〔訓，敎也，敎相救恤也。〕君盍請衛君以示親於諸侯，且以動晉？〔動發晉侯之志也。〕夫晉新得諸侯，〔新為伯也。〕使亦曰：『魯不棄其親，其亦不可以惡。』」〔不可以惡，亦不可惡魯也。〕公說，行玉二十瑴，乃免衛侯。〔雙玉曰瑴。《傳》曰：「納玉於王及晉侯皆十瑴，王許之。」〕

自是晉聘於魯，加於諸侯一等，〔貴其義也。〕爵同，厚其好貨。〔爵與魯同者，特厚其好貨也。〕衛侯聞其臧文仲之為也，使納賂焉。辭曰：「外臣之言不越境，不敢及君。」〔言臣不外交也。〕

臧文仲請賞重館人

晉文公解曹地以分諸侯。〔解，削也。晉文公誅無禮，曹人不服，伐而執其君，削其地也以分諸侯。事在魯僖三十一年，取濟西田。〕僖公使臧文仲往，宿於重館，〔重，魯地。館，候館也。周禮，五十里有市，市有候館也。〕重館人告曰：「晉始伯而欲固諸侯，〔人，守館之隸也。固，猶安也。〕故解有罪之地以分諸侯。〔有罪，謂不禮文公，觀骿脅也。〕諸侯莫不望分而欲親晉，皆將爭先；晉不以固班，〔班，次也。〕亦必親先者，吾子不可以不速行。魯之班長而又先，〔長，猶尊。先，先至也。〕諸侯其誰望之？〔誰敢望與魯為比也。〕若少安，恐無及也。」從之，獲地於諸侯為多。反，既復命，為之請曰：「地之多也，重館人之力也。臣聞之曰：『善有章，雖賤賞也；〔章，明也。　案：「明」，公序本作「著」。〕惡有釁，雖貴罰也。』〔釁，兆也。　案：「兆」，公序本作「孔」。〕今一言而辟境，其章大矣，〔辟，開也。〕請賞之。」乃出而爵之。〔出，出之於隸也。爵，爵為大夫也。〕

展禽論祭爰居非政之宜

海鳥曰：「爰居」，止於魯東門之外三日，〔爰居，雜縣也。東門，城東門也。〕臧文仲使國人祭之。〔文仲不知，以為神也。〕展禽曰：「越哉！臧孫之為政也！〔越，迂也，言其迂闊不知政要也。〕夫祀，國之大節也；〔節，制也。〕而節，政之所成也。〔言節所以成政也。〕故慎制祀以為國典。〔典，法也。〕今無故而加典，非政之宜也。〔加，益也，謂以祭鳥益國法也。〕

「夫聖王之制祀也，法施於民則祀之，〔謂五帝、殷契、周文也。〕以死勤事則祀之，〔殷冥水死，周棄山死是也。〕以勞定國則祀之，〔虞幕，夏杼，殷上甲微，周高圉、大王也。〕能禦大災則祀之，〔夏禹是也。〕能扞大患則祀之。〔殷湯、周武是也。〕非是族也，不在祀典。〔族，類也。〕昔烈山氏之有天下也，〔烈山氏，炎帝之號也，起於烈山。《禮‧祭法》以烈山為厲山也。〕其子曰柱，能殖百穀百蔬；〔柱為后稷，自夏以上祀之。草實曰蔬。〕夏之興也，周棄繼之，故祀以為稷。〔夏之興，謂禹也。棄能繼柱之功，自商已來祀也。〕共工氏之伯九有也，〔共工氏，伯者，名戲，弘農之間有城。　案：此注公序本作「共工氏，伯者，在戲、農之間。有域也」。〕其子曰后土，能平九土，〔其子，共工之裔子句龍也，佐黃帝為土官。九土，九州之土也。后，君也，使君土官，故曰后土也。〕故祀以為社。〔社，后土之神也。〕黃帝能成命百物，以明民共財，〔黃帝，少典之裔子帝軒轅也。命，名也。〕顓頊能修之。〔顓頊，黃帝之孫、昌意之子帝高陽也，能修黃帝之功。〕帝嚳能序三辰以固民，〔固，安也。帝嚳，黃帝之曾孫、玄囂之孫、蟜極之子帝高辛也。三辰，日、月、星。謂能次序三辰，以治厤明時，敎民稼穡以安也。〕堯能單均刑法以儀民，〔堯，帝嚳之庶子陶唐氏放勛也。單，盡也。均，平也。儀，善也。〕舜勤民事而野死，〔舜，顓頊之後六世有虞帝重華也。野死，謂征有苗死於蒼梧之野也。〕鯀鄣洪水而殛死，〔殛，誅也。鯀，顓頊之後，禹之父也。堯使治水，鄣防百川，績用不成，堯用殛之于羽山。禹為天子而郊之，取其勤事而死也。〕禹能以德修鯀之功，〔鯀功雖不成，禹亦有所因，故曰修鮌之功。〕契為司徒而民輯，〔契，殷之祖，為堯司徒，能敬敷五敎。輯，和也。〕冥勤其官而水死，〔冥，契後六世孫、根圉之子也，為夏水官，勤於其職而死於水也。〕湯以寬治民而除其邪，〔湯，冥後九世、主癸之子，為夏諸侯，以寬得民。除其邪，謂放桀扞大患也。〕稷勤百穀而山死，〔稷，周棄也，勤播百穀，死於黑水之山。《毛詩傳》云。〕文王以文昭，〔文王演《易》，又有文德。《周語》曰：「文王質文」也。〕武王去民之穢。〔穢，謂紂也。〕故有虞氏禘黃帝而祖顓頊，郊堯而宗舜；〔賈侍中云：「有虞氏，舜後，在夏、殷為二王後，故有郊、禘、宗、祖之禮也。」昭謂：此上四者，謂祭天以配食也。祭昊天於圓丘曰禘，祭五帝於明堂曰祖、宗，祭上帝於南郊曰郊。有虞氏出自黃帝、顓頊之後，故禘黃帝而祖顓頊，舜受禪於堯，故郊堯。《禮‧祭法》：「有虞氏郊嚳而宗堯。」與此異者，舜在時則宗堯，舜崩而子孫宗舜，故郊堯也。〕夏后氏禘黃帝而祖顓頊，郊鯀而宗禹；〔虞、夏俱黃帝、顓頊之後，故禘祖之禮同。虞以上尚德，夏以下親親，故郊鮌也。〕商人禘舜而祖契，郊冥而宗湯；〔舜，當為嚳，字之誤也。《禮‧祭法》曰：「商人禘嚳。嚳，契父，商之先，故禘之。」後鄭司農云：「商人宜郊契。」〕周人禘嚳而郊稷，〔嚳，稷之父。稷，周始祖也。〕祖文王而宗武王；〔此與《孝經》異也。商家祖契，周公初時亦祖后稷而宗文王，至武王雖承文王之業，有伐紂定天下之功，其廟不可毀，故先推后稷以配天，而後更祖文王而宗武王也。〕幕，能帥顓頊者也，有虞氏報焉；〔幕，舜後虞思也，為夏諸侯。帥，循也。顓頊，有虞之祖也。報，報德，謂祭也。　案《發正》卷四：「舜為幕後，傳有明文。」又，「報，報德，謂祭也。」公序本作「報，報德之祭也。」〕杼，能帥禹者也，夏后氏報焉；〔杼，禹後七世、少康之子季杼也，能興夏道。〕上甲微，能帥契者也，商人報焉；〔上甲微，契後八世、湯之先也。〕高圉、大王，能帥稷者也，周人報焉。〔高圉，后稷後十世、公非之子也。大王，高圉之曾孫古公亶父也。〕凡禘、郊、祖、宗、報，此五者國之典祀也。〔典，法也。〕

「加之以社稷山川之神，皆有功烈於民者也；及前哲令德之人，所以為明質也；〔質，信也。以其有德於民而祭之，所以信之於民心也。〕及天之三辰，民所以瞻仰也；及地之五行，所以生殖也；〔殖，長也。五行，五祀，金木水火土也。〕及九州名山川澤，所以出財用也。〔謂九州之中名山川澤也。〕非是不在祀典。

「今海鳥至，己不知而祀之，以為國典，難以為仁且智矣。夫仁者講功，〔講，論也。仁者心平，故可論功也。〕而智者處物。〔處，名也。〕無功而祀之，非仁也；〔鳥無功也。〕不知而不能問，非智也。今茲海其有災乎？夫廣川之鳥獸，恆知避其災也。」

是歲也，海多大風，冬煖。〔煖，爰居之所避也。〕文仲聞柳下季之言，〔柳下，展禽之邑；季，字也。〕曰：「信吾過也，季子之言不可不法也。」使書以為三筴。〔筴，簡書也。三筴，三卿卿一通也，謂司馬、司徒、司空也。〕

文公欲弛孟文子與郈敬子之宅

文公欲弛孟文子之宅，〔文公，魯僖公之子文公興也。弛，毀也。孟文子，魯大夫，公孫敖之子伯穀也。宅，有司所居也，公欲毀之以益宮也。　案：「伯穀」，公序本作「文伯穀」。〕使謂之曰：「吾欲利子於外之寬者。」〔於外寬地以利子也。〕對曰：「夫位，政之建也；〔建，立也。位，謂爵也。言爵所以立政事也。〕署，位之表也；〔署者，位之表識也。〕車服，表之章也；〔車服貴賤有等，所以自章別也。〕宅，章之次也；〔有章服者之次舍也。〕祿，次之食也。〔居次舍者之所食也。〕君議五者以建政，為不易之故也。〔五，謂位、署、服、宅、祿也。有其位則治其官、服其章、居其次、食其祿也。君議五者以立政事，為不可改易也。〕今有司來命易臣之署與其車服，而曰：『將易而次，為寬利也。』〔下「而」，而，女也，為欲寬利女也。〕夫署，所以朝夕虔君命也。〔言朝夕者，不宜遠也。〕臣立先臣之署，服其車服，為利故而易其次，〔先臣，父祖之官也。〕是辱君命也，不敢聞命。〔言臣不守先臣之職而欲寬利，則是辱命之臣也。〕若罪也，則請納祿與車服而違署，〔納，歸也。祿，田邑也。違，去也。若臣有罪，則請歸祿與車服而去其官也。〕唯里人所命次。」〔里人，里宰也。有罪去位，則當受舍於里宰。〕公弗取。臧文仲聞之曰：「孟孫善守矣，〔善守，善守職也。〕其可以蓋穆伯而守其後於魯乎！」〔穆伯，文子之父公孫敖也，淫乎莒，出奔而死於齊。今文子守官不失禮，故可以掩蓋其父之惡，守其後嗣也。〕

公欲弛郈敬子之宅，亦如之。〔公，文公也。郈敬子，魯大夫，郈惠伯之後玄孫敬伯同也。亦如之者，亦謂之欲利子於外之寬也。　案：「郈惠伯之後玄孫敬伯同也」，《太平御覽》卷一八〇《居處部》作「郈惠伯玄孫之孫敬伯回也」。又「欲利子於外之寬也」，「也」，同上《太平御覽》作「者也」，公序本作「地」。〕對曰：「先臣惠伯以命於司里，〔言先臣惠伯受命於司里，居此宅也。〕嘗、禘、蒸、享之所致君胙者有數矣。〔秋祭曰嘗，夏祭曰禘，冬祭曰蒸，春祭曰享。享，獻物也。賈、唐二君云：「臣祭致肉於君謂之致胙。」昭謂：此私祭而致肉，非所宜以為辭也。致君胙者，謂君祭祀賜胙，臣下掌致之也。有數，有世數也。〕出入受事之幣以致君命者，亦有數矣。〔出入，謂受使出境入國。奉聘幣以致君命者亦於此宅，有世數也。〕今命臣更次於外，〔次，舍也。外，外里也。〕為有司之以班命事也，無乃違乎！〔違，遠也。言有司以位次命職事於臣，臣在外次，無乃違遠而不便乎！〕請從司徒以班徙次。」公亦不取。〔司徒，掌里宰之政，比夫家眾寡之官也。敬子自以有罪，君欲黜之，故請從司徒徙里舍也。〕

夏父弗忌改昭穆之常

夏父弗忌為宗，〔弗忌，魯大夫，夏父展之後也。宗，宗伯，掌國祭祀之禮也。〕蒸將躋僖公。〔躋，升也。賈侍中云：「蒸，進也。謂夏父弗忌進言於公，將升僖公於閔公上也。」唐尚書云：「蒸，祭也。」昭謂：此魯文公三年喪畢祫祭先君於太廟，升羣廟之主，序昭穆之時也。《經》曰：「八月丁卯，大事于太廟，躋僖公」是也。僖，閔之兄，繼閔而立。凡祭祀，秋曰嘗，冬曰蒸。此八月而言蒸，用蒸禮也。凡四時之祭，蒸為備。《傳》曰：「大事者，祫祭也。毀廟之主陳於太祖，未毀廟之主皆升合食于太祖。躋僖公，逆祀也。逆祀者，先禰而後祖也。」　案：「魯文公三年」，據上文所引「《經》曰」之《春秋經》文與「《傳》曰」之《公羊傳》文，當為「魯文公二年」。又：「凡祭祀」，公序本無「祀」字。〕宗有司曰：「非昭穆也。」〔宗有司，宗官司事臣也。非昭穆，謂非昭穆之次也。父為昭，子為穆。僖為閔臣，臣子一例而升閔上，故曰非昭穆也。〕曰：「我為宗伯，明者為昭，其次為穆，何常之有！」〔明，言僖有明德，當為昭。閔次之，當為穆也。〕有司曰：「夫宗廟之有昭穆也，以次世之長幼，而等冑之親疏也。〔長幼，先後也。等，齊也。冑，後也。〕夫祀，昭孝也。〔昭，明也，明孝道也。〕各致齊敬於其皇祖，昭孝之至也。〔皇，太也。〕故工史書世，〔工，瞽師官也。史，太史也。世，世次先後也。工誦其德，史書其言也。〕宗祝書昭穆，〔宗，宗伯；祝，太祝也。宗掌其禮，祝掌其位也。〕猶恐其踰也。今將先明而後祖，〔以僖為明而升之，是先禰而後祖也。〕自玄王以及主癸莫若湯，〔玄王，契也。主癸，湯父也。〕自稷以及王季莫若文、武，〔稷，棄也。王季，文王父也。〕商、周之蒸也，未嘗躋湯與文、武，為不踰也。〔不使相踰也。〕魯未若商、周而改其常，無乃不可乎？」弗聽，遂躋之。

展禽曰：「夏父弗忌必有殃。夫宗有司之言順矣，僖又未有明焉。〔未有明德也。〕犯順不祥，以逆訓民亦不祥，易神之班亦不祥，不明而躋之亦不祥，犯鬼道二，〔二，易神之班、躋不明也。〕犯人道二，〔犯順、以逆訓民也。〕能無殃乎？」侍者曰：「若有殃焉在？抑刑戮也，其夭札也？」〔不終曰夭，疫死曰札。唐云「未名曰夭」，失之矣。〕曰：「未可知也。若血氣強固，將壽寵得沒，〔壽寵，老壽而保寵也。沒，終也。〕雖壽而沒，不為無殃。」〔必以殃終之也。〕既其葬也，焚，煙徹于上。〔已葬而火焚其棺槨也。徹，達也。〕

里革更書逐莒太子僕

莒太子僕弒紀公，〔紀公生僕及季𬽲，既立僕，又愛季𬽲而黜僕，僕故弒紀公也。〕以其寶來奔。〔寶，玉也。來奔，奔魯也。或有「魯」字非也，此《魯語》，不當言其魯也。　案：「不當言其魯也」，「其」下疑脫「奔」字；公序本無「其」、「也」二字。〕宣公使僕人以書命季文子〔宣公，文公之子宣公倭也。命，告也。僕人，官名。文子，魯正卿季孫行父也。〕曰：「夫莒太子不憚以吾故殺其君，而以其寶來，其愛我甚矣。〔憚，難也。〕為我予之邑。今日必授，無逆命矣。」〔授，予也。〕里革遇之而更其書〔里革，魯太史尅也。遇僕人見公書，以太子殺父大逆，故更也。〕曰：「夫莒太子殺其君而竊其寶來，不識窮固又求自邇，〔固，廢也。邇，近也。〕為我流之於夷。〔夷，東夷也。〕今日必通，無逆命矣。」〔今日必通，疾之之言也。〕明日，有司復命，〔有司，司寇。復，反也。文子得書，使司寇出之境，明日反命於公也。〕公詰之，〔詰問僕人以違命意也。〕僕人以里革對。〔對以里革所更也。〕公執之，〔執里革也。〕曰：「違君命者，女亦聞之乎？」對曰：「臣以死奮筆，奚啻其聞之也！〔言所以觸死奮筆而更公命書者，不欲傷君德耳。奚，何也。何啻，言所聞非一也。〕臣聞之曰：『毀則者為賊，〔則，法也。〕掩賊者為藏，〔掩，匿也。〕竊寶者為宄，〔亂在內為宄，謂以子盜父也。〕用宄之財者為姦』，〔財，玉也。〕使君為藏姦者，不可不去也。臣違君命者，亦不可不殺也。」公曰：「寡人實貪，非子之罪。」乃舍之。

里革斷宣公罟而棄之

宣公夏濫於泗淵，〔濫，漬也。漬罟於泗水之淵以取魚也。泗在魯城北也，又曰南門。〕里革斷其罟而棄之，〔罟，網也。〕曰：「古者大寒降，土蟄發，〔降，下也。寒氣初下，謂季冬建丑之月，大寒之後也。土蟄發，謂孟春建寅之月，蟄始震也。《月令》「孟春蟄始震，魚上冰，獺祭魚」也。〕水虞於是乎講罛罶，取名魚，登川禽，而嘗之寢廟，行諸國，助宣氣也。〔水虞，漁師也，掌川澤之禁令。講，習也。罛，漁網。罶，笱也。名魚，大魚也。川禽，鼈蜃之屬。諸，之也。是時陽氣起，魚陟負冰，故令國人取之，所以助宣氣也。《月令》：「季冬始漁，乃嘗魚，先薦寢廟。」唐云「孟春」，誤矣。〕鳥獸孕，水蟲成，〔孕，懷子也。謂春時也。〕獸虞於是乎禁罝羅，矠魚鼈以為夏犒，〔獸虞，掌鳥獸之禁令。罝，兔罟。羅，鳥罟也。禁，禁不得施也。矠，𢳇也。犒，乾也。夏不得取，故於時𢳇刺魚鼈以為犒儲也。〕助生阜也。〔阜，長也。鳥獸方孕，故取魚鼈助生物也。〕鳥獸成，水蟲孕，水虞於是禁罝罜䍡，設穽鄂，〔罝，當作罛。罜䍡，小網也，穽，陷也。鄂，柞格，所以誤獸也。謂立夏鳥獸已成，水蟲懷孕之時，禁取魚之網，設取獸之物也。〕以實廟庖，畜功用也。〔以獸實宗廟庖廚也。而長魚鼈，畜四時功，足國財用也。〕且夫山不槎蘖，〔槎，斫也。以株生曰蘖。〕澤不伐夭，〔屮木未成曰夭。〕魚禁鯤鮞，〔鯤，魚子也。鮞，未成魚也。〕獸長麑䴠，〔鹿子曰麑，麋子曰䴠。〕鳥翼鷇卵，〔翼，成也。生哺曰鷇，未乳曰卵。　案：「未乳曰卵」，「乳」，公序本作「孚」。〕蟲舍蚳蝝，〔蚳，蟻子也，可以為醢。蝝，蝠陶也，可以食。舍，不取也。〕蕃庶物也，古之訓也。〔蕃，息也。〕今魚方別孕，不敎魚長，又行網罟，貪無藝也。」〔別，別於雄而懷子也。藝，極也。〕

公聞之曰：「吾過而里革匡我，不亦善乎！是良罟也，為我得法。〔良，善也。〕使有司藏之，使吾無忘諗。」〔言見此罟則不忘里革之言也。諗，告也。〕師存侍，〔師，樂師，存名也。〕曰：「藏罟不如寘里革於側之不忘也。」〔寘，置也。〕

子叔聲伯辭邑

子叔聲伯如晉謝季文子，〔子叔聲伯，魯大夫，宣公弟叔肸之子公孫嬰齊也。謝季文子者，魯叔孫僑如欲去季氏，譖季文子於晉，晉人執之。郤犫之妻，聲伯之外妹也，故魯成公使聲伯如晉謝，且請之。事在魯成十六年。〕郤犫欲予之邑，弗受也。〔郤犫，晉卿，苦成叔也，以妻故親聲伯，故欲為請邑以予也。〕歸，鮑國謂之曰：「子何辭苦成叔之邑，欲信讓耶，抑知其不可乎？」〔鮑國，鮑叔牙之玄孫鮑文子也，去齊適魯，為施孝叔臣也。〕對曰：「吾聞之，不厚其棟，不能任重。〔厚，大也。任，勝也。〕重莫如國，棟莫如德。〔言國至重，非德不任國棟。〕夫苦成叔家欲任兩國而無大德，〔任，負荷也。兩國，晉、魯也。〕其不存也，亡無日矣。譬之如疾，余恐易焉。〔疾，疫厲也。〕苦成氏有三亡：少德而多寵，位下而欲上政，〔位為下卿，而欲專國政也。〕無大功而欲大祿，皆怨府也。〔怨之所聚也，故曰府。〕其君驕而多私，〔君，謂厲公也。多私，多嬖臣也。〕勝敵而歸，必立新家。〔勝敵，敗楚也。大夫稱家，立新家，謂立所幸胥僮之屬為大夫也。〕立新家，不因民不能去舊；〔不因人之所惡，不能去舊卿也。〕因民，非多怨民無所始。〔言郤氏多怨，民所始伐也。〕為怨三府，可謂多矣。〔三，謂少德而多寵，位下而欲上政、無大功而欲大祿。〕其身之不能定，焉能予人之邑！」鮑國曰：「我信不若子，若鮑氏有釁，吾不圖矣。〔釁，兆也。言鮑氏若有禍兆，吾不能預圖之。〕今子圖遠以讓邑，必常立矣。」

里革論君之過

晉人殺厲公，〔晉人，晉欒書、中行偃也。〕邊人以告，〔邊人，疆埸之司也。〕成公在朝。〔成公，魯宣公之子成公黑肱也。〕公曰：「臣殺其君，誰之過也？」大夫莫對，里革曰：「君之過也。夫君人者，其威大矣。〔君，天也，故其威大也。〕失威而至於殺，其過多矣。〔過不積，不至于弒也。〕且夫君也者，將牧民而正其邪者也，若君縱私回而棄民事，〔回，邪也。〕民旁有慝無由省之，〔慝，惡也。省，察也。〕益邪多矣。若以邪臨民，陷而不振，〔陷，墜也。振，救也。〕用善不肯專，則不能使，至於殄滅而莫之恤也，將安用之？〔安用，安用君也。〕桀奔南巢，〔南巢，揚州地，巢伯之國，今廬江居巢縣是也。〕紂踣于京，〔踣，斃也。京，殷京師也。〕厲流于彘，〔厲，周厲王也。彘，晉地也。〕幽滅于戲，〔幽，幽王，為西戎所殺。戲，戲山，在西周也。〕皆是術也。〔術，道也。皆失威多過之道也。〕夫君也者，民之川澤也。行而從之，美惡皆君之由，民何能為焉？」〔川澤者，以君諭川澤，民諭魚也。從之者，魚從川之美惡以為肥瘠也。〕

季文子論妾馬

季文子相宣、成，無衣帛之妾，無食粟之馬。仲孫它諫〔仲孫它，魯孟獻子之子子服它也。〕曰：「子為魯上卿，相二君矣，妾不衣帛，馬不食粟，人其以子為愛，且不華國乎！」〔愛，吝也。華，榮華也。〕文子曰：「吾亦願之。〔願華侈也。〕然吾觀國人，其父兄之食麤而衣惡者猶多矣，吾是以不敢。人之父兄食麤衣惡，而我美妾與馬，無乃非相人者乎！且吾聞以德榮為國華，〔以德榮顯者可以為國光華也。〕不聞以妾與馬。」

文子以告孟獻子，〔獻子，它之父仲孫蔑也。〕獻子囚之七日。〔囚，拘也。〕自是，子服之妾衣不過七升之布，〔子服，即它也。八十縷為升。〕馬餼不過稂莠。〔餼，秣也。稂，童稂也。莠，草，似稷而無實也。〕文子聞之，曰：「過而能改者，民之上也。」使為上大夫。

卷五 魯語下

叔孫穆子聘於晉

叔孫穆子聘於晉，〔穆子，魯卿，叔孫得臣之子豹也。〕晉悼公饗之，〔以饗禮見也。〕樂及《鹿鳴》之三，而後拜樂三。〔及，至也。悼公先為穆子作《肆夏》、《文王》各三篇而不拜，至《鹿鳴》之三篇，乃後拜樂三也。〕晉侯使行人問焉，〔行人，官名，掌賓客之禮。《傳》曰：「韓獻子使行人子員問焉。」〕曰：「子以君命鎮撫弊邑，〔鎮，重也。撫，安也。〕不腆先君之禮，以辱從者，〔腆，厚也。稱從者，謙也。〕不腆之樂以節之。〔以樂節之也。　案：「之」，公序本作「禮」。〕吾子舍其大而加禮於其細，敢問何禮也？〔大，謂《肆夏》、《文王》也。細，謂《鹿鳴》也。〕」

對曰：「寡君使豹來繼先君之好，君以諸侯之故，貺使臣以大禮。〔貺，賜也。〕夫先樂金奏《肆夏•樊》、《遏》、《渠》，天子所以饗元侯也；〔金奏，以鍾奏樂也。《肆夏》一名《樊》，《韶夏》一名《遏》，《納夏》一名《渠》，此三夏曲也。禮有九夏。《周禮》：「鍾師掌以鍾鼓奏九夏。」元侯，牧伯也。鄭後司農云：「九夏皆篇名，《頌》之類也，載在樂章，樂崩亦從而亡，是以頌不能具也。」〕夫歌《文王》、《大明》、《綿》，則兩君相見之樂也。〔《文王》、《大明》、《綿》，《大雅》之首，《文王》之三也。三篇皆美文王、武王有聖德，天所輔祚，其徵應符驗著見於天，乃天命非人力也。周公欲昭先王之德於天下，故兩君相見，得以為樂也。〕皆昭令德以合好也，皆非使臣之所敢聞也。臣以為肄業及之，故不敢拜。〔肄，習也。以為樂人自習修其業而及之，故不敢拜。〕今伶簫詠歌及《鹿鳴》之三，〔伶，伶人，樂官也。簫，樂器，編管為之。言樂人以簫作此三篇之聲，與歌者相應也。《詩》云：「簫管備舉。」〕君之所以貺使臣，臣敢不拜貺。〔貺，賜也。〕夫《鹿鳴》，君之所以嘉先君之好也，敢不拜嘉。〔嘉，善也。《鹿鳴》曰：「我有嘉賓，德音孔昭。」是為嘉善先君之好也。〕《四牡》，君之所以章使臣之勤也，敢不拜章。〔《四牡》，君勞使臣之樂也。章，著也。言臣奉命勞勤於外，述敘其情以歌樂之，所以著其勤勞也。〕《皇皇者華》，君教使臣曰：『每懷靡及，〔《皇皇者華》，君遣使臣之樂也。皇皇，猶煌煌也。懷私為每懷。靡，無也。言臣奉使當榮顯於君，如華之色煌煌然。既受命，當思在公，每人人懷其私，於事將無所及也。　案：「榮顯於君」，「於」，公序本作「其」。〕諏、謀、度、詢，必咨於周。』敢不拜教。〔此六者，皆君之所以教臣也。訪問於善為咨，忠信為周。言諏、謀、度、詢，必當諮之於忠信之人也。〕臣聞之曰：『懷和為每懷，〔鄭後司農云：「『和』當為『私』。」〕咨才為諏，〔「才」，當為「事」。《傳》曰：「咨事為諏。」〕咨事為謀，〔事，當為「難」。《傳》曰：「咨難為謀。」〕咨義為度，〔咨禮義為度。度，亦謀也。〕咨親為詢，〔詢親戚之謀也。〕忠信為周。』〔言當諮之於忠信之人。《詩》云：「周爰諮謀。」〕君貺使臣以大禮，重之以六德敢不重拜。」〔六德，謂諏也、謀也、度也、詢也、咨也、周也。〕

叔孫穆子諫季武子為三軍

季武子為三軍，〔為，作也。武子，魯卿，季文子之子季孫夙也。《周禮》：「天子六軍，諸侯大國三軍。」魯，伯禽之封，舊有三軍，其後削弱，二軍而已。武子欲專公室，故益中軍以為三，三家各征其一。事在魯襄十一年。〕叔孫穆子曰：「不可。天子作師，公帥之，以征不德。〔師，謂六軍之眾也。公，謂諸侯為王卿士者也。《周禮》：「軍將皆命卿。」《詩》云：「周公東征。」周公時為二伯而東征，則亦上公為元帥也。〕元侯作師，卿帥之，以承天子。〔元侯，大國之君。師，三軍之眾也。大國三卿皆命於天子。承天子，謂從王師征不義也。孔子曰：「天下有道，則禮樂、征伐自天子出。」〕諸侯有卿無軍，帥教衛以贊元侯。〔諸侯，謂次國之君。有卿，有命卿也，二卿命於天子，一卿命於其君。無軍，無三軍也。若元侯有事，則令卿帥其所教武衛之士，以佐元侯。《禮》所謂：「次國二軍，小國一軍」，謂以賦出軍從征伐也。贊，佐也。〕自伯、子、男有大夫無卿，〔無卿，無命卿也。《王制》曰：「小國二卿，皆命於其君」也。〕帥賦以從諸侯。〔賦，國中出兵車、甲士，以從大國諸侯也。〕是以上能征下，下無姦慝。〔征，正也。慝，惡也。〕今我小侯也，〔言小侯者，削弱之日久也。〕處大國之間，〔大國，齊、楚也。〕繕貢賦以共從者，猶懼有討。〔猶懼以不給見誅討也。〕若為元侯之所，〔之所，謂作三軍，元侯所為也。〕以怒大國，無乃不可乎？」弗從。遂作中軍。〔言中者，明已有上下軍也。〕自是齊、楚代討於魯，〔代，更也。〕襄、昭皆如楚。〔襄，襄公也。昭，昭公也。如楚，朝事楚也。事在襄二十九年、昭七年。〕

諸侯伐秦魯人以莒人先濟

諸侯伐秦，及涇莫濟。〔及，至也。涇，水名也。濟，度也。魯襄十一年，晉悼公伐鄭，秦人伐晉以救鄭。十四年，晉使六卿帥諸侯之大夫伐秦，至涇水，無肯先渡者。〕晉叔向見叔孫穆子曰：「諸侯謂秦不恭而討之，及涇而止，於秦何益？」〔何益於伐秦之事也。〕穆子曰：「豹之業，及《匏有苦葉》矣，不知其他。」〔業，事也。《匏有苦葉》，《詩•邶風》篇名也，其詩曰：「匏有苦葉，濟有深涉。深則厲，淺則揭。」言其必濟，不知其他也。〕叔向退，召舟虞與司馬，〔舟虞，掌舟。司馬，掌兵。〕曰：「夫苦匏不材於人，共濟而已。〔材，若裁也。不裁於人，言不可食也。共濟而已，佩匏可以渡水也。〕魯叔孫賦《匏有苦葉》，必將涉矣。〔詩以言志也。〕具舟除隧，不共有法。」〔隧，道也。共，具也。舟虞具舟，司馬除道。法，刑也。〕是行也，魯人以莒人先濟，諸侯從之。〔諸侯，諸侯之大夫也。以，用也。能東西之曰以。〕

襄公如楚

襄公如楚，及漢，聞康王卒，欲還。〔襄公，魯成公之子襄公午也。如楚者，以宋之盟朝于楚也。漢，水名。康王，楚恭王之子康王昭也。〕叔仲昭伯曰：「君之來也，非為一人也，〔叔仲昭伯，魯大夫，叔仲惠伯之孫叔仲帶也。一人，謂康王也。〕為其名與其眾也。〔名，謂為大國有盟主之名也。眾，略地多、兵甲眾也。〕今王死，其名未改，其眾未敗，何為還？」諸大夫皆欲還。子服惠伯曰：「不知所為，姑從君乎！」〔惠伯，魯大夫，仲孫他之子子服椒也。姑，且也。〕叔仲曰：「子之來也，非欲安身也，為國家之利也，故不憚勤遠而聽於楚；〔憚，難也。〕非義楚也，畏其名與眾也。〔義楚，非以楚有義而往也。　案：「義楚」上疑脫「非」字。〕夫義人者，固慶其喜而弔其憂，況畏而服焉？〔慶，猶賀也。喜，猶福也。〕聞畏而往，聞喪而還，苟羋姓實嗣，其誰代之任喪？〔羋，楚姓也。嗣，嗣世也。任，當也。誰當代之當喪為主者乎？言必自當之，故不可不往弔也。〕王太子又長矣，執政未改，〔執政，令尹、司馬也。改，易也。〕予為先君來，死而去之，其誰曰不如先君？〔言我為楚先君故來，聞死而去之，後嗣臣子誰肯自謂我德不如先君者也。〕將為喪舉，聞喪而還，其誰曰非侮也？〔舉，動也。如在國聞楚有喪，將為之舉動而往，況已至漢，聞喪而還，其誰言魯不輕侮也？〕事其君而任其政，其誰由己貳？〔任，當也。由，從也。言楚臣方事其君，當其政，其誰肯從己時而使諸侯有攜貳者也。〕求說其侮，而亟於前之人，其讎不滋大乎？〔說，猶除也。滋，益也。亟，疾也。言楚君臣求除其輕侮己者，將急疾於前之人，此讎不益大乎。〕說侮不懦，執政不貳，帥大讎以憚小國，其誰云待之？〔懦，弱也。憚，難也。言楚人欲除其侮慢之恥，不懦弱，其執政之臣無二心。以楚大讎，為魯作難，其誰能待之？待，猶禦也。〕若從君而走患，則不如違君以避難。〔走，之也。〕且夫君子計成而後行，二三子計乎？有禦楚之術而有守國之備，則可也；〔可，可還也。〕若未有，不如往也。」乃遂行。

反，及方城，聞季武子襲卞，〔方城，楚北山也。卞，魯邑也，季武子襲之以自予也。〕公欲還，出楚師以伐魯。〔伐季氏也。言魯者，季氏專魯國也。〕榮成伯曰：「不可。〔成伯，魯大夫，聲伯之子也，名欒。〕君之於臣，其威大矣。不能令於國，而恃諸侯，諸侯其誰暱之？〔暱，親也。〕若得楚師以伐魯，魯既不違夙之取卞也，必用命焉，守必固矣。〔夙，武子名也。言夙取卞時，魯人不違而從之，是為聽用其命，必同心而守，故言「固矣」。〕若楚之克魯，〔克，勝也。〕諸姬不獲闚焉，而況君乎？彼無亦置其同類以服東夷，而大攘諸夏，將天下是王，而何德於君，其予君也？〔無亦，亦也。同類，同姓也。攘，卻也。言楚亦將自置其同姓於魯以取天下，不與君也。〕若不克魯，君以蠻、夷伐之，而又求入焉，必不獲矣。不如予之。〔予之，以卞予武子也。〕夙之事君也，不敢不悛。〔悛，改也。〕醉而怒，醒而喜，庸何傷？〔庸，用也。言公欲伐魯，若人醉而怒；今止者，醒而喜，用何傷乎。〕君其入也！」乃歸。

季冶致祿

襄公在楚，季武子取卞，使季冶逆，〔季冶，魯大夫，季氏之族子冶也。逆，迎也。〕追而予之璽書，〔璽，印也。古者，大夫之印亦稱璽。璽書，印封書也。〕以告曰：「卞人將畔，臣討之，既得之矣。」〔此璽書之辭也。〕公未言，榮成子曰：〔恐公怒，故先言也。〕「子股肱魯國，社稷之事，子實制之。唯子所利，何必卞？〔利，猶便也。〕卞有罪而子征之，子之隸也，又何謁焉？」〔隸，役也。謁，告也。〕子冶歸，致祿而不出，〔致，歸也。歸祿，還采邑也。《傳》曰：「公冶致其邑」也。〕曰：「使予欺君，謂予能也。〔欺，謂璽書言卞人將畔也。能，賢能也。〕欺其君，敢享其祿而立其朝乎？」〔享，食也。〕

叔孫穆子知楚公子圍有篡國之心

虢之會，〔諸侯之大夫尋宋之盟也。在魯昭元年。〕楚公子圍二人執戈先焉。〔楚公子圍，恭王之庶子靈王熊虔也，時為令尹。先，謂使二人執戈在前導也。〕蔡公孫歸生與鄭罕虎見叔孫穆子，〔歸生，蔡大師子朝之子子家也。罕虎，鄭大夫，子罕之孫、子展之子子皮也。穆子，魯卿叔孫豹也。〕穆子曰：「楚公子甚美，不大夫矣，〔美，謂服飾盛也。〕抑君也。〔似君也。〕」鄭子皮曰：「有執戈之前，吾惑之。」〔惑，疑怪也。〕蔡子家曰：「楚，大國也；公子圍，其令尹也。有執戈之前，不亦可乎？」穆子曰：「不然。天子有虎賁，習武訓也；〔訓，教也。虎賁，掌先後王而趨以卒伍，舍則守王閑，王在國則守宮門，所以習武教也。〕諸侯有旅賁，禦災害也；〔禦，禁也。旅賁，掌執戈盾夾車而趨，車止則持輪，所以備非常、禁災害也。〕大夫有貳車，備承事也；〔貳，副也。承，奉也。事，使也。〕士有陪乘，告奔走也。〔陪，猶重也。奔走，使令也。〕今大夫而設諸侯之服，有其心矣。〔有篡國心也。〕若無其心，而敢設服以見諸侯之大夫乎？將不入矣。〔若不見討，必為篡，不復入為大夫也。〕夫服，心之文也。〔言心所好，身必服之。〕如龜焉，灼其中，必文於外。若楚公子不為君，必死，不合諸侯矣。」〔不復為大夫以會諸侯也。〕公子圍反，殺郟敖而代之。〔郟敖，楚康王之子麇。麇有疾，圍縊而殺之，葬之于郟，諸侯謂之郟敖。　案：公序本無「諸侯」二字。〕

叔孫穆子不以貨私免

虢之會，諸侯之大夫尋盟未退。〔尋宋之盟也。〕季武子伐莒取鄆，〔鄆，莒邑也。〕莒人告于會，楚人將以叔孫穆子為戮。〔楚人，令尹圍也。以魯背盟取鄆，故欲戮之。〕晉樂王鮒求貨於穆子，〔樂王鮒，晉大夫樂桓子也。〕曰：「吾為子請於楚。」穆子不予。梁其踁謂穆子曰：「有貨，以衛身也。出貨而可以免，子何愛焉？」〔梁其踁，穆子家臣也。衛，營也。〕穆子曰：「非女所知也。承君命以會大事，〔大事，盟也。〕而國有罪，我以貨私免，是我會吾私也。苟如是，則又可以出貨而成私欲乎？〔苟，誠也。誠復有如此事者，即當復以財貨求免而成私欲。私欲成，則公義廢也。〕雖可以免，吾其若諸侯之事何？夫必將或循之，曰：『諸侯之卿有然者故也。』〔必將有循傚我者，言諸侯之卿嘗有以貨私免者也。〕則我求安身而為諸侯法矣。〔貨免之法也。〕君子是以患作。〔患作，患所作不得衷，以亂事也。〕作而不衷，將或道之，〔衷，中也。〕是昭其不衷也。余非愛貨，惡不衷也。〔欲殺身以成義，不欲求生以害道也。〕且罪非我之由，〔由武子也。〕為戮何害？」〔何害於義也。〕楚人乃赦之。

穆子歸，武子勞之，日中不出。〔日中，旦至日中也。穆子怨其背盟伐莒，故不出見之也。〕其人曰：「可以出矣。」〔其人，穆子家臣曾阜也。〕穆子曰：「吾不難為戮，養吾棟也。〔武子，政卿也，是為國棟。言己為戮，魯誅盡矣，故曰：「養吾棟」也。〕夫棟折而榱崩。吾懼壓焉。〔壓，笮也。言季氏亡，則叔孫氏亦必亡也。〕故曰雖死於外，而庇宗於內，可也。〔庇，覆也。〕今既免大恥，而不忍小忿，可以為能乎？」乃出見之。

子服惠伯從季平子如晉

平丘之會，晉昭公使叔向辭昭公，弗與盟。〔晉昭公，晉平公之子昭公夷也。魯昭十年，季平子伐莒取郠，莒人愬之於晉。昭十三年，晉將討魯，會于平丘，使叔向辭魯昭公，不與之盟也。〕子服惠伯曰：「晉信蠻、夷而棄兄弟，〔蠻、夷，莒人；兄弟，魯也。〕其執政貳也。〔執政之臣有二心於莒而助之也。〕貳心〔案：「心」，公序本無。〕必失諸侯，豈唯魯然？〔言不獨失魯也。〕夫失其政者，必毒於人，魯懼及焉，〔必加毒於人也。〕不可以不恭。必使上卿從之。」〔從至晉謝也。〕季平子曰：「然則意如乎！〔平子，季武子之孫、悼子之子意如也，時為上卿。〕若我往，晉必患我，誰為之貳？」〔患，謂見執。若，如也。貳，副也。〕子服惠伯曰：「椒既言之矣，敢逃難乎？椒請從。」〔椒，惠伯名也。〕

晉人執平子。子服惠伯見韓宣子曰：〔宣子，晉政卿，韓獻子之子起也。〕「夫盟，信之要也。〔要，猶結也。〕晉為盟主，是主信也。若盟而棄魯侯，信抑闕矣。〔闕，缺也。〕昔欒氏之亂，齊人閒晉之禍，伐取朝歌。〔閒，候也。欒氏，晉大夫欒盈也，獲罪奔楚，自楚奔齊。魯襄二十三年，齊莊公納盈，不克。秋，伐晉，取朝歌。朝歌，晉邑也。〕我先君襄公不敢寧處，使叔孫豹悉帥敝賦，〔賦，兵也。〕踦跂畢行，無有處人，〔踦跂，跘蹇也。〕以從軍吏，次於雍渝，〔次，舍也。雍渝，晉地也。〕與邯鄲勝擊齊之左，〔邯鄲勝，晉大夫，趙旃之子須子勝也，食采邯鄲。左，左軍也。〕掎止晏萊焉，〔從後曰掎。止，獲也。晏萊，齊大夫也。〕齊師退而後敢還。非以求遠也，〔非以求遠功也。〕以魯之密邇於齊，而又小國也；〔密，比也。邇，近也。〕齊朝駕則夕極於魯國，〔極，至也。〕不敢憚其患，而與晉共其憂，亦曰：『庶幾有益於魯國乎！』〔益，謂得晉之力助也。〕今信蠻、夷而棄之，夫諸侯之勉於君者，將安勸矣？若棄魯而苟固諸侯，群臣敢憚戮乎？諸侯之事晉者，魯為勉矣。若以蠻、夷之故棄之，其無乃得蠻、夷而失諸侯之信乎？子計其利者，小國共命。」〔共，敬從也。〕宣子說，乃歸平子。

季桓子穿井獲羊

季桓子穿井，獲如土缶，〔案：《攷異》卷二：「『如』字疑涉注文而衍。」〕其中有羊焉。〔桓子，魯政卿，季平子之子斯也。或云：得土如瓦缶，中有土羊。昭謂：羊，生羊也，故謂之怪也。〕使問之仲尼曰：「吾穿井而獲狗，何也？」〔獲羊而言狗者，以孔子博物，測之也。〕對曰：「以丘之所聞，羊也。丘聞之：木石之怪曰夔、蝄蜽，〔木石，謂山也。或云：「夔，一足，起人謂之山繅，音『騷』，或作『𤢖』，富陽有之，人面猴身，能言。或云『獨足』也。」蝄蜽，山精，傚人聲而迷惑人也。〕水之怪曰龍、罔象，土之怪曰羵羊。」〔龍，神獸也。非常見，故曰怪。或曰：「罔象食人，一名沐腫。」唐云：「羵羊，雌雄不成者也。」案：「羵羊」，公序本作「墳羊」。〕

公父文伯之母對季康子問

季康子問於公父文伯之母曰：〔康子，魯政卿，季悼子曾孫、桓子之子季孫肥也。文伯，魯大夫，季悼子之孫、公父穆伯之子公父歜也。母，穆伯之妻敬姜也。〕「主亦有以語肥也。」〔大夫稱主，妻亦如之。語，教戒之也。〕對曰：「吾能老而已，何以語子。」康子曰：「雖然，肥願有聞於主。」〔覬得一言可行者也。〕對曰：「吾聞之先姑曰：〔夫之母曰姑，歿曰先姑。〕『君子能勞，後世有繼。』」〔能勞，能自卑勞，貴而不驕也。有繼，子孫不廢也。〕子夏聞之，曰：「善哉！商聞之曰：『古之嫁者，不及舅、姑，謂之不幸。』夫婦，學於舅、姑者也。」

公父文伯飲南宮敬叔酒

公父文伯飲南宮敬叔酒，〔敬叔，魯大夫，孟僖子之子、懿子之弟南宮說也。〕以露睹父為客。〔睹父，魯大夫也。客，上客也。禮：飲，尊一人以為客也。〕羞鱉焉，小。〔羞，進也。〕睹父怒，〔怒鱉小也。〕相延食鱉，〔延，進也。眾賓相進以食鱉也。〕辭曰：「將使鱉長而後食之。」遂出。〔此睹父辭也。〕文伯之母聞之，怒曰：「吾聞之先子曰：〔先子，先舅季悼子也。〕『祭養尸，饗養上賓。』〔言祭祀之禮，尊養尸；饗宴之禮，養上賓也。〕鱉於何有？〔於何有，猶何禮有鱉也。　案：「猶何禮有鱉」，《札記》據段玉裁說當作「猶何有於鱉」。〕而使夫人怒也！」遂逐之。五日，魯大夫辭而復之。〔辭，請也。〕

公父文伯之母論內朝與外朝

公父文伯之母如季氏，〔如，之也。〕康子在其朝，〔自其外朝也。　案：「外」，《攷異》卷二：「當是『內』字之誤。」〕與之言，弗應，從之及寑門，弗進而入。〔入康子之家也。〕康子辭於朝而入見，〔辭其家臣，入見敬姜也。〕曰：「肥也不得聞命，無乃罪乎？」〔得無有罪也。〕曰：「子弗聞乎？天子及諸侯合民事於外朝，〔言與百官考合民事於外朝也。〕合神事於內朝；〔神事，祭祀也。內朝，在路門內也。〕自卿以下，合官職於外朝，〔外朝，君之公朝也。〕合家事於內朝；〔家，大夫。內朝，家朝也。〕寑門之內，婦人治其業焉。上下同之。〔寑門，正室之門也。上下，天子已下也。〕夫外朝，子將業君之官職焉；內朝，子將庀季氏之政焉，〔庀，治也。〕皆非吾所敢言也。」

公父文伯之母論勞逸

公父文伯退朝，朝其母，其母方績。文伯曰：「以歜之家而主猶績，〔言家有寵，不當績也。〕懼忏季孫之怒也，〔季孫，康子也。位尊，又為大宗也。〕其以歜為不能事主乎！」

其母歎曰：「魯其亡乎！使僮子備官而未之聞耶？〔僮，僮蒙不達也。言已居官而未聞道也。〕居，吾語女。〔居，坐也。〕昔聖王之處民也，擇瘠土而處之，〔磽确為瘠。〕勞其民而用之，故長王天下。〔瘠土利薄，又勞而用之，使不淫逸；不淫逸則向義，故長王天下也。〕夫民勞則思，思則善心生；〔民勞於事，則思儉約，故善心生也。〕逸則淫，淫則忘善，忘善則惡心生。沃土之民不材，逸也；〔沃，肥美也。不材，器能少也。〕瘠土之民莫不嚮義，勞也。〔善心生，故向義也。〕是故天子大采朝日，與三公、九卿祖識地德；〔《禮》：「天子以春分朝日，示有尊也。」虞說曰：「大采，衮織也。祖，習也。識，知也。地德所以廣生。」昭謂：禮玉藻，天子玄冕以朝日。冕服之下則大采，非袞織也。《周禮》：「王者搢大圭，執鎮圭，藻五采五就以朝日。」則大采謂此也。言天子與公卿因朝日以修陽政而習地德，因夕月以理陰教而糾天刑。日照晝，月照夜，各因其照以修其事。　案：「冕服之下」，「冕」字上公序本有「玄冕」二字。〕日中考政，與百官之政事，師尹維旅、牧、相宣序民事；〔宣，遍也。序，次也。三君云：「師尹，大夫官也，掌以美制王。維，陳也。旅，眾士也。牧，州牧也。相，國相也。皆百官政事之所及也。」一曰：「師尹，公也。《詩》云：『赫赫師尹。』」　案：「掌以美制王」，「制」，公序本作「詔」。〕少采夕月，與大史、司載糾虔天刑；〔夕月以秋分。糾，恭也。虔，敬也。刑，法也。或云：「少采，黼衣也。」昭謂：朝日以五采，則夕月其三采也。載，天文也。司天文謂馮相、保章氏，與大史相儷偶也。因夕月而恭敬觀天法、考行度以知妖祥也。〕日入監九御，使潔奉禘、郊之粢盛，〔監，視也。九御，九嬪之官，主粢盛、祭服者也。〕而後即安。〔即，就也。〕諸侯朝修天子之業命，〔業，事也。命，令也。〕晝考其國職，夕省其典刑，〔典，常也。刑，法也。〕夜儆百工，使無慆淫，而後即安。〔儆，戒也。工，官也。慆，慢也。〕卿大夫朝考其職，〔在公之官職也。〕晝講其庶政，夕序其業，〔序，次也。〕夜庀其家事，而後即安。〔庀，治也。〕士朝受業，〔受事於朝也。〕晝而講貫，〔貫，習也。〕夕而習復，〔復，覆也。〕夜而計過無憾，而後即安。〔憾，恨也。凡此皆先公後私之義也。〕自庶人以下，明而動，晦而休，無日以怠。〔晦，冥也。〕

「王后親織玄紞，〔《說》云：「紞，冠之垂前後者。」昭謂：紞，所以懸瑱當耳者也。〕公侯之夫人加之以紘、綖，〔既織紞，復加之紘、綖也。冕曰紘。紘，纓之無緌者也，從下而上，不結。綖，冕上覆之者也。〕卿之內子為大帶，〔卿之適妻曰內子。大帶，緇帶也。　案：《發正》卷五引任大椿說：「緇帶」當作「素帶」。〕命婦成祭服，〔命婦，大夫之妻也。祭服，玄衣、纁裳也。〕列士之妻加之以朝服，〔列士，元士也。既成祭服，又加之以朝服也。朝服，天子之士皮弁素積，諸侯之士玄端委貌。〕自庶士以下，皆衣其夫。〔庶士，下士也。下，至庶人也。〕社而賦事，蒸而獻功，〔社，春分祭社也，事農桑之屬也。冬祭曰蒸，蒸而獻五穀、布帛之屬也。　案：「布帛之屬也」，「屬」公序本作「功」。〕男女效績，愆則有辟，古之制也。〔績，功也。辟，罪也。〕君子勞心，小人勞力，先王之訓也。自上以下，誰敢淫心舍力？今我，寡也，爾又在下位，〔下位，大夫也。　案：「大夫」，公序本作「下大夫」。〕朝夕處事，猶恐忘先人之業。〔處事，處身於作事也。〕況有怠惰，其何以避辟！〔上言「愆則有辟」，故言「何以避辟」也。〕吾冀而朝夕修我曰：『必無廢先人。』〔冀，望也。而，女也。修，儆也。〕爾今曰：『胡不自安。』〔欲使我不績而自安也。〕以是承君之官，余懼穆伯之絕嗣也。」〔承，奉也。以是怠墮之心奉君官職，無以避辟，將見誅絕也。〕仲尼聞之曰：「弟子志之，〔志，識也。〕季氏之婦不淫矣。」

公父文伯之母別於男女之禮

公父文伯之母，季康子之從祖叔母也。〔祖父昆弟之妻也。〕康子往焉，䦱門與之言，〔䦱，闢也。門，寢門也。〕皆不踰閾。〔閾，限也。皆，二人也。敬姜不喻閾而出，康子不踰閾而入。《傳》曰：「婦人送迎不出門，見兄弟不踰閾。」〕祭悼子，康子與焉，〔悼子，穆伯之父、敬姜先舅也。與，與祭也。〕酢不受，徹俎不宴，〔《禮》：「祭，主人獻賓，賓酢主人。」不受，敬姜不親受也。祭畢徹俎，不與康子宴飲也。〕宗不具不繹，〔繹，又祭也。唐尚書云：「祭之明日也。」昭謂：天子、諸侯曰繹，以祭之明日；卿大夫曰賓尸，與祭同日。此言繹者，通言也。賈侍中云：「宗，宗臣，主祭祀之禮也。不具，謂宗臣不具在，則敬姜不與繹也。」〕繹不盡飫則退。〔《說》曰：「飫，宴安私飲也。」昭謂：立曰飫，坐曰宴。言宗具則與繹，繹畢而飲，不盡飫禮而退，恐有醉飽之失，皆所以遠嫌也。〕仲尼聞之，以為別於男女之禮矣。

公父文伯之母欲室文伯

公父文伯之母欲室文伯，〔室，妻也。〕饗其宗老，〔家臣稱老。宗，宗人，主禮樂者也。《楚語》曰：「屈到嗜芰，有疾，屬其宗、老曰：『祭我必以芰』」也。〕而為賦《綠衣》之三章。〔《綠衣》，《詩•鄁風》也。其三章曰：「我思古人，實獲我心。」以言古之賢人，正室家之道，我心所善也。　案：「我思古人，實獲我心」，乃《毛詩•綠衣》四章之辭而非三章。《綠衣》之三章：「我思古人，俾無訧兮。」與下文「謀而不犯」之義正合。〕老請守龜卜室之族。〔守龜，卜人。族，姓也。〕師亥聞之曰：〔師亥，魯樂師之賢者也。〕「善哉！男女之饗，不及宗臣；〔賈侍中云：「男女之饗，謂宴相饗食之禮不及宗臣也。」昭謂：上章所云「徹俎不宴」是也。〕宗室之謀，不過宗人。〔虞、唐云：「不過宗人，不與他姓議親親也。」昭謂：此宗人則上宗臣也。亦用同姓，若漢宗正用諸劉矣。凡時男女之饗，不及宗臣，至於謀宗室之事，則不過宗臣。故敬姜欲室文伯而饗其宗老，賦詩以成之也。〕謀而不犯，微而昭矣。〔不犯，不犯禮也。微而昭，詩以合意也。〕詩所以合意，歌所以詠詩也。今詩以合室，歌以詠之，度於法矣。」〔合，成也。〕

公父文伯卒其母戒其妾

公父文伯卒，其母戒其妾曰：「吾聞之：好內，女死之；好外，士死之。今吾子夭死，吾惡其以好內聞也。二三婦之辱共先者〔案：「者」，公序本在「祀」字下。〕祀，〔辱，自屈辱，共奉先人之祀者也。〕請無瘠色，〔毀瘠之色也。〕無洵涕，〔無聲涕出為洵涕也。〕無搯膺，〔搯，叩也。膺，胸也。〕無憂容，有降服，無加服。〔輕於禮為降，重於禮為加。〕從禮而靜，是昭吾子也。」仲尼聞之曰：「女知莫若婦，男知莫若夫。〔言處女之智不如婦，童男之智不如丈夫也。〕公父氏之婦智也夫！〔公父，季氏之別也。智也夫者，凡婦人之情，愛其子，欲令妻妾思慕而已，今敬姜乃反割抑，欲以明德，此丈夫之智，故曰：「智也夫」。〕欲明其子之令德。」

孔丘謂公父文伯之母知禮

公父文伯之母朝哭穆伯，而暮哭文伯。〔哭，謂既練之後，哀至之哭也。此父子之喪哭不相及，終言之耳。禮，寡婦不夜哭，遠情欲也。〕仲尼聞之曰：「季氏之婦可謂知禮矣。愛而無私，上下有章。」〔上下有章，夫朝、子暮也。〕

孔丘論大骨

吳伐越，墮會稽，〔會稽，山名。墮，壞也。吳王夫差敗越於夫椒，越王句踐棲於會稽，吳圍而壞之。在魯哀元年。〕獲骨焉，節專車。〔骨一節，其長專車。專，擅也。〕吳子使來好聘，〔吳子，夫差。好聘，修舊好也。〕且問之仲尼，曰：「無以吾命。」賓發幣於大夫，及仲尼，仲尼爵之。〔發所齎幣於魯大夫，次及仲尼也。爵之，飲之酒也。〕既徹俎而宴，〔獻酢禮畢，徹俎而宴飲也。〕客執骨而問曰：〔因折俎之骨，執以問也。〕「敢問骨何為大？」〔凡骨何者為大？〕仲尼曰：「丘聞之：昔禹致群神於會稽之山，〔群神，謂主山川之君，為群神之主，故謂之神也。〕防風氏後至，禹殺而戮之，〔防風，汪芒氏之君名也。違命後至，故禹殺之，陳尸為戮也。〕其骨節專車。此為大矣。」客曰：「敢問誰守為神？」仲尼曰：「山川之靈，足以紀綱天下者，其守為神；〔山川之守主，為山川設者也。足以紀綱天下，謂名山大川能興雲致雨以利天下也。〕社稷之守者，為公侯。〔封國，立社稷而令守之，是謂公侯也。〕皆屬於王者。」客曰：「防風何守也？」仲尼曰：「汪芒氏之君也，〔汪芒，長狄之國名也。〕守封、嵎之山者也，〔封，封山。嵎，嵎山。今在吳郡永安縣也。〕為漆〔案：「漆」，《札記》：「當為『淶』之訛。」〕姓。〔漆，汪芒氏之姓也。〕在虞、夏、商為汪芒氏，於周為長狄，〔周世其國北遷，為長狄也。〕今為大人。」〔今，孔子時也。〕客曰：「人長之極幾何？」仲尼曰：「僬僥氏長三尺，短之至也。〔僬僥，西南蠻之別也。〕長者不過十之，數之極也。」〔十之三丈，則防風氏也。〕

孔丘論楛矢

仲尼在陳，有隼集于陳侯之庭而死，楛矢貫之，石砮其長尺有咫。〔隼，鷙鳥也。楛，木名。砮，鏃也，以石為之。八寸曰咫。楛矢貫之，墜而死也。〕陳惠公使人以隼如仲尼之館問之。〔惠公，陳哀公之孫、悼太子之子吳也。館，仲尼所舍也。　案：「惠公」，《攷異》卷二據史記陳杞世家說當作「湣公」。〕仲尼曰：「隼之來也遠矣！此肅慎氏之矢也。〔肅慎，北夷之國，故隼來遠矣。《傳》曰：「肅慎、燕、亳，吾北土也。」〕昔武王克商，通道于九夷、百蠻，〔九夷，東夷九國也。百蠻，蠻有百邑也。〕使各以其方賄來貢，〔方賄，各以所居之方所出貨賄為貢也。〕使無忘職業。於是肅慎氏貢楛矢、石砮，其長尺有咫。先王欲昭其令德之致遠也，以示後人，使永監焉，〔監，視也。〕故銘其栝曰：『肅慎氏之貢矢』，〔刻曰銘。栝，箭、羽之閒也。〕以分大姬，配虞胡公而封諸陳。〔分，予也。大姬，武王元女。胡公，舜後，虞遏父之子胡公滿也。諸，之也。〕古者，分同姓以珍玉，展親也；〔展，重也。玉，謂若夏后氏之璜也。〕分異姓以遠方之職貢，使無忘服也。故分陳以肅慎氏之貢。〔陳，媯姓也。〕君若使有司求諸故府，其可得也。」〔故府，舊府也。〕使求，得之金櫝，如之。〔櫝，匱也。金，以金帶其外也。如之，如孔子之言也。〕

閔馬父笑子服景伯

齊閭丘來盟，〔閭丘，齊大夫閭丘明也。初，齊悼公在魯，取季康子之妹，及即位而逆之，季魴侯通焉。女言其情，不敢予也。齊侯怒，伐魯，魯與齊平，齊使閭丘明來盟。在魯哀八年也。〕子服景伯戒宰人曰：「陷而入於恭。」〔景伯，魯大夫，子服惠伯之孫、昭伯之子子服何也。宰人，吏人也。陷，猶過失也。如有過失，寧近於恭也。〕閔馬父笑，景伯問之，〔馬父，魯大夫也。〕對曰：「笑吾子之大也。〔謂驕滿也。〕昔正考父校商之名頌十二篇於周太師，以那為首，〔正考父，宋大夫，孔子之先也。名頌，頌之美者也。太師，樂官之長，掌教《詩》、《樂》。《毛詩》序云：「微子至于戴公，其閒禮樂廢壞，有正考父者，得商頌十二篇於周之太師，以那為首。」鄭司農云：「自考父至孔子，又亡其七篇，故餘五耳。」〕其輯之亂曰：〔輯，成也。凡作篇章，篇義既成，撮其大要為亂辭。詩者，歌也，所以節儛者也，如今三節儛矣。曲終乃更變章亂節，故謂之亂也。〕『自古在昔，先民有作。溫恭朝夕，執事有恪。』〔恪，敬也。先王稱之曰自古，古曰在昔，昔曰先民。有作，言先聖人行此恭敬之道久矣，不敢言創之於己，乃云受之於先古也。〕先聖王之傳恭，猶不敢專，稱曰『自古』，古曰『在昔』，昔曰『先民』。〔此其不敢專也。〕今吾子之戒吏人曰『陷而入於恭』，其滿之甚也。〔驕為滿，恭為謙。〕周恭王能庇昭、穆之闕而為『恭』〔庇，覆也。恭王，周昭王之孫、穆王之子。昭王南征而不反，穆王欲肆其心，皆有闕失。言恭王能庇覆之，故為「恭」也。〕，楚恭王能知其過而為『恭』。〔恭王，楚莊王之子。知其過者，有疾，召大夫曰：「不穀不德，覆楚國之師。若歿，請為『靈』若『厲』」。子囊曰：「君實恭，可不謂『恭』乎？」大夫從之。〕今吾子之教官僚曰：〔唐云：「同官曰僚。」昭謂：此景伯之屬，下僚耳，非同官之僚也。同僚，謂位同者也。《詩》云：「我雖異事，及爾同僚。」〕『陷而後恭』，道將何為？」〔失道尚為恭，如其得道，將何為乎？〕

孔丘非難季康子以田賦

季康子欲以田賦，〔田賦，以田出賦也。賈侍中云：「田，一井也。周制：十六井賦戎馬一匹、牛三頭。一井之田，而欲出十六井之賦也。」昭謂：此數甚多，似非也。下雖云「收田一井」，凡數從夫井起，故云井耳。〕使冉有訪諸仲尼。〔冉有，孔子弟子冉求也，為季氏宰。康子欲加賦，使訪之。〕仲尼不對，〔以其非制也。〕私於冉有曰：「求來！女不聞乎？先王制土，籍田以力，而砥其遠邇；〔制土，制其肥磽以為差也。籍田，謂稅也。以力，謂三十者受田百畝，二十者五十畝，六十還田也。砥，平也，平遠邇所差也。《周禮》：「近郊十一，遠郊二十而三，甸、稍、縣、都皆無過十二也。」〕賦里以入，而量其有無；〔里，㙻也，謂商賈所居之區域也。以入，計其利入多少，而量其財業有無以為差也。《周禮》：「國宅無征，園㙻二十而一，漆林之征二十而五」也。〕任力以夫，而議其老幼。〔力，謂繇役。以夫，以夫家為數。議其老幼，老幼則有復，□□除也。　案：「則有復」下，公序本無空格。〕於是乎有鰥、寡、孤、疾，〔又議其鰥、寡、孤、疾而不役也。疾，廢疾也。〕有軍旅之出則徵之，無則已。〔云徵鰥、寡、孤、疾之賦也。已，止也。無軍旅之出，則止不賦也。〕其歲，收田一井，出稯禾、秉芻、缶米，不是過也。〔其歲，有軍旅之歲也。缶，庾也。《聘禮》曰：「十六斗曰庾，十庾曰秉。秉，二百四十斗也。四秉曰筥，十筥曰稯。稯，六百四十斛也。」　案：「二百四十斗」，公序本作「一百六十斗」。〕先王以為足。〔足供用也。〕若子季孫欲其法也，則有周公之籍矣；〔籍田之法，周公所制也。〕若欲犯法，則苟而賦，又何訪焉！」〔苟，苟且也。時康子不聽，魯哀十二年春，卒用田賦。〕

Source Colophon

The Chinese text follows the Chinese Wikisource transcription of the Discourses of the States (articles 國語/卷04, 國語/卷05, revisions of 4 December 2020 to 14 May 2026), inspected from a witness copy captured on 22 August 2026. Chinese Wikisource transcriptions are published under CC BY-SA 4.0 and the GFDL; the text itself is ancient and in the public domain. The wiki header, navigation links, license templates, and modern contributors' footnotes have been removed; the text is otherwise complete and unaltered.

🌲